Highlights of the First CCF China Network Conference 2023: AI‑Driven Network Infrastructure and Data Center Innovations

The first CCF China Network Conference (CCF CHINANET) took place from September 8‑10, 2023 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, organized by the China Computer Federation (CCF) and merging the historic CCF ICoC and CCF NDCC events. The conference theme was “Industry‑Academia‑Research‑Innovation Integration, Serving a Strong Network Nation,” gathering leading scholars, academicians, and industry experts.

Main Forum: Cai Dezhi, head of Alibaba Cloud Infrastructure Network Division, delivered the keynote “Predictable Network—Built for AI Infrastructure.” He examined the demands of large‑scale machine‑learning training, highlighted the need for low‑latency and stable networks, and introduced the HPN7.0 architecture built on a world‑first 51.2 Tbps Ethernet switch, delivering 3.2 Tbps per node, thousand‑card one‑hop interconnect, and ten‑thousand‑card two‑layer interconnect.

Special Forum – When Compute Networks Meet AI Large Models: Zhai Ennan, Alibaba Cloud network research lead, presented “Network Operations Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” He reviewed traditional automated network operations, identified their shortcomings in the face of growing scale and complexity, and proposed an AI‑centric intelligent‑operation system that shifts decision‑making from humans to intelligent models.

Special Forum – Next‑Generation Data Center and Future Network Architecture: Zhai Ennan also spoke on “Next‑Generation High‑Compute Data‑Center Networks,” summarizing Alibaba Cloud’s years of high‑performance networking innovations and outlining an end‑to‑edge integrated architecture that provides precise in‑network information, congestion‑control algorithms, fair injection, and guaranteed minimum bandwidth, all essential for the AI era.

Alibaba Cloud Exhibition: The exhibition titled “Built for AI Infra: Constructing Network Foundations for the AI Era” displayed the world’s first 51.2 Tbps self‑developed Tigatron switch and the new HPN7.0 architecture featuring dual uplink, dual plane, multi‑track, compute‑storage separation, as well as the latest self‑developed DASH smart gateway and SRv6 edge router.

China Collegiate Computing Contest – Network Technology Challenge: Co‑hosted with the conference, this competition (part of the China Collegiate Computing Contest, C4) connects academia with industry to meet evolving internet technology needs. Alibaba Cloud senior expert Qian Kun served as both online and on‑site judge, offering industrial perspectives and advice to university innovation projects.