2017 Year in review: Better global networks

This post details advancements in Meta's global networking infrastructure in 2017. Key contributions include the deployment of 100Gbps networking with optimized 100G single-mode optical fiber, contributing designs to the Open Compute Project (OCP). The company split internal and external traffic into separate networks, building the Express Backbone for cross-data center traffic with a hybrid traffic engineering approach, and enhancing the Edge Fabric for steering user traffic from Points of Presence (PoPs). FCR, a network device health monitoring service, was also introduced. For global connectivity, efforts included expanding Express Wi-Fi hotspots, supporting Free Basics, and contributing to the Telecom Infra Project (TIP). Technological advancements included the second test flight of the Aquila solar-powered aircraft, record-breaking wireless data transfer rates (36 Gb/s with millimeter-wave, 80 Gb/s with optical cross-link), and ground-to-air transmission tests. Engineering tests of the Terragraph multi-node wireless system were conducted in San Jose, and the Open/R routing platform was open-sourced.