BICSI Fall 2023 Conference and Exhibition Recap | Corning

Michael Crook
Published: September 21, 2023

Every year, information and technology professionals gather at BICSI conferences to share the latest and greatest industry trends, thought leadership concepts, and innovative solutions. This year’s conference was a whirlwind of innovation and excitement with several key Corning happenings at the forefront. If you couldn’t attend this year’s conference in-person, don’t worry! We have you covered. Here are the top three Corning takeaways from the BICSI Fall 2023 Conference and Exhibition.

1. The Showcase of the Corning Minixtend^® Plenum MicroCable

Corning kicked-off the week by showcasing the highly anticipated Corning MiniXtend^® Plenum MicroCable, Corning’s latest addition to the MiniXtend portfolio.

As fast-moving enterprises including hospitals, universities, and airports begin to integrate smart building applications, the Internet of Things, 5G, and Wi-Fi 7 into their daily operations, contractors face the growing need to augment their network infrastructure quickly and efficiently. With the Corning MiniXtend^® Plenum MicroCable, operators can make critical moves, adds, and changes with minimal operational disruption. The compact microcable can be easily air-jetted through a series of pre-installed ducts in a matter of minutes, with minimal downtime or debris for a flexible, scalable, and smarter network. Available in 12- and 24-fiber versions, the Corning MiniXtend^® Plenum MicroCable represents Corning’s industry-leading expertise in compact cables for future-ready enterprise networks.        

Corning showcased the innovation with Dura-Line, which exhibited the 6-mm inner diameter MicroDuct and FuturePath MicroDuct bundle configurations. Representatives from Corning and Dura-Line demonstrated how Corning's compact cable can be seamlessly deployed in point-to-point applications with the Dura-Line’s highly optimized MicroDuct products.

2. Data Center Designs to Enable Artificial Intelligence

The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) has proven to be a logistical game changer in data processing speeds, architecture, and fiber componentry for hyperscale data centers. As a Corning Data Center Market Development Manager, I presented on the most pertinent changes in the data center landscape to enable AI. 

Before the rise of AI, hyperscale data center operations relied on central processing units (CPUs), a processor composed of the main memory, control unit, and arithmetic-logic unit. It is the foundation of data processing within data center systems. Since the rise of AI, operators must now incorporate graphical processing units (GPUs), a specialized processor composed of many smaller and more specialized cores for data processing, to accommodate the significant increase of data processing brought forth by AI. For optimized function, CPUs and GPUs must be physically situated closely together within a server rack to rapidly share information and create a back-end network where learning algorithms process and strengthen.

Additionally, AI enabled centers will also require much more fiber, specifically more optical fiber interconnects to accommodate the expected increase of passive optical content. In fact, it is estimated that five to 10 times more optical connectivity will be required in future large-language model data centers compared to most of today’s hyperscale architectures.

In short, to manage the facilitation and growth of an AI enabled data center, operators will require fiber-rich compact pre-connectorized componentry to optimize physical space, accommodate increased processing speeds, and unlock the full potential of AI.

3. 2023 Cabling Installation & Maintenance Innovators Awards

As part of the conference and exhibition, Cabling Installation and Maintenance (CIM) recognizes a select few truly innovative products. This year, Corning was awarded CIM innovation awards for the EDGE™ Distribution System and the Corning^® MiniXtend^® Cable with Flow Ribbon Technology.

The EDGE™ Distribution System a cutting-edge solution for cloud computing that shortens installation time for server cabling by up to 70%, reduces reliance on skilled labor, and provides a carbon-footprint reduction of up to 55% by minimizing materials and packaging, was honored for its exceptional performance and versatility. While the Corning^® MiniXtend^® Cable with Flow Ribbon Technology, Corning’s first flexible-ribbon cable designed for data centers and carrier networks to maximize duct space and accelerate installations, received recognition for its groundbreaking design. This cable combines the benefits of traditional loose tube cables with the flexibility and ease of use of ribbon cables, making it a must-have for data center installations.

Overall, the 2023 BICSI Conference and Exhibition was a resounding success, showcasing Corning’s latest and greatest innovations and industry thought leadership. From the showcase of the Corning MiniXtend^® Plenum MicroCable, to AI thought leadership, and CIM innovation awards, attendees were treated to a wealth of Corning expertise and excellence.

I encourage you to follow our Blog, The Signal, as we will continue to share pertinent cable and data center thought leadership.