Broadcom creates a new Seal Of Approval for servers that run AI under VMware

Broadcom will let its hardware allies self-certify their boxes as compliant with a new spec it developed that describes rigs ready to run AI workloads under its VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) private cloud platform.

The spec for AI hardware describes "AI Ready Nodes." VMware already certifies "vSAN ReadyNodes" - meaning servers designed for software-defined storage. VMware intends the AI version of this scheme to reassure customers that any kit they acquire will be capable of running AI on VCF, as part of Broadcom's move into the AI infrastructure market.

The chips and software biz thinks this makes VCF more open and extensible. SuperMicro looks set to be the first to certify an AI ReadyNode system.

"So all of the main GPU vendors out there, and the AI accelerator vendors out there, we will test and validate that solution with VCF and work with our OEM and ODM partners to be tested and validated and working as promised," said veep of marketing for VCF, Prashanth Shenoy. He claimed it will cut the cost and complexity of deploying modern AI workloads.

Broadcom is also expanding its certification program to enable original design and manufacturing (ODM) "partners" to self-certify ReadyNodes.

Another addition is support for edge-optimized nodes for running the VCF Edge version of its platform in industrial, retail and other remote site applications. Shenoy said the firm is working in particular here with SNUC, a maker of compact servers and other systems.

On networking, Broadcom is trying to unify network fabrics and simplify networking operations in the datacenter via standards such as Ethernet VPN (EVPN) and the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).

To this end, it is working with Cisco to provide interoperability between VCF and Cisco's Nexus One, designed to converge VXLAN and ACI-based infrastructure with a unified data plane and control plane.

No timeframe was specified for when this Cisco interoperability is expected to be delivered.

Further up the software stack, Broadcom is claiming that its VMware Kubernetes Service (VKS) is now certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as a Kubernetes AI Conformant Platform.

This is a just-launched compliance program intended to give customers confidence that a container platform can run AI workloads reliably in production. The program outlines a minimum set of capabilities and configurations required to run widely used AI and machine learning frameworks on Kubernetes infrastructure. ®