China has successfully developed a cutting-edge computer network designed to accelerate the advancement of artificial intelligence by providing fast, reliable, and high-intensity data transmission nationwide. This project, known as the National Research Program “Innovation in the Chinese Network Environment” (Ceni), has been likened to a “high-speed railway for computers”.
The completion of this groundbreaking project was announced at a scientific conference held in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, where the Laboratory of Tzizzinshan (the Purple Mountain Laboratory) serves as the main center overseeing the initiative.
As reported by SCMP, Ceni utilizes a unique architecture that combines optical communications and deterministic networks to achieve high data transfer rates, minimal latency, and reliable connections.
According to Li Yunjze, the chief scientist at the Laboratory and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Ceni network can operate without packet loss, with delays of less than 20 microseconds even under full load. It spans 13 provinces and over 13,000 kilometers, supporting up to 10,000 deterministic services simultaneously.
Ceni is expected to play a crucial role in industrial Internet applications, model training, and the implementation of the “Data from the East – Calculation in the West” strategy, which aims to optimize the distribution of computing resources across China.