Core Viewpoint - OCS (Optical Circuit Switch) technology is still in its early stages in the data center sector, with Google being the only company to achieve large-scale procurement so far. The technology is being explored by other major companies, indicating a growing interest and potential market expansion [5][7][10]. Summary by Sections OCS Development and Adoption - Google began exploring OCS technology in 2017-2018 and has now entered a phase of large-scale application, utilizing a 3D Torus network architecture to connect thousands of TPU units [6][7]. - Other major companies like Microsoft and NVIDIA are also testing OCS applications, although they have not yet reached the scale of Google [7][9]. Market Potential - The current OCS market is estimated to be around 6 billion USD with approximately 15,000 units in use. Projections suggest that by 2030, the market could exceed 20 billion USD with at least 50,000 units deployed [11][12]. - The demand for OCS technology is expected to grow significantly, particularly in AI supernode networks, which currently account for over 50% of OCS applications [18][19]. Technical Routes and Challenges - There are three main technical routes for OCS: MEMS, silicon-based liquid crystal, and piezoelectric ceramic, each with its own advantages and disadvantages [12][13][14]. - The MEMS solution is currently used by Google but has reliability concerns due to moving parts. The silicon-based liquid crystal solution is favored by NVIDIA and Microsoft for its high reliability and low cost [12][13]. Competitive Advantages - OCS offers high bandwidth, low latency, and low power consumption, making it suitable for specific applications like emergency network connections and DCI (Data Center Interconnect) [8][9][10]. - The technology's ability to create stable optical switching channels aligns well with the predictable traffic patterns in data centers, allowing it to replace traditional electrical switches in certain scenarios [10][11]. Future Outlook - The growth of OCS technology will depend on overcoming current limitations, such as increasing port numbers and reducing switching latency from milliseconds to microseconds or nanoseconds [18][19]. - The maturity of OCS vendors and their ability to provide reliable solutions will also play a crucial role in the technology's adoption and market growth [19].