frrey explains how Microsoft Azure, in collaboration with Corning and Heraeus, is scaling up hollow core fiber (HCF) production to enhance global performance and reliability for cloud and AI workloads.

Microsoft Azure Accelerates Hollow Core Fiber (HCF) Production with Corning and Heraeus

Introduction

As demand for cloud and AI grows, Azure faces new performance challenges in datacenter and wide area networking. Microsoft is addressing physical networking limits by advancing optical fiber technology—especially through hollow core fiber (HCF) using Double Nested Antiresonant Nodeless Fiber (DNANF) design. This upgrade delivers up to 47% faster data transmission and 33% lower latency than conventional single mode fiber (SMF).

Strategic Manufacturing Collaborations

To industrialize HCF, Microsoft partnered with Corning Incorporated and Heraeus Covantics, expanding global HCF production and accelerating Azure infrastructure upgrades. Corning will manufacture HCF in North Carolina, while Heraeus covers Europe and the U.S., supporting a resilient, multinational fiber supply chain.

Real-World Benefits for Azure Customers

With HCF already deployed in several Azure regions since 2023, customers benefit from:

  • Faster data transmission and significantly lower latency
  • Enhanced signal performance and data quality
  • Greater optical efficiency and bandwidth for cloud and AI traffic

Azure’s ongoing deployment aims for standardization, seamless integration with existing SMF environments, and robust operational reliability.

Scaling Up: Ecosystem & Supply Chain

By operationalizing Microsoft-specific manufacturing IP and offering targeted training—together with Corning and Heraeus—Azure continues to drive improvements in yield, measurement, and reliability at scale. The collaboration focuses on:

  • Glass preform and tubing supply
  • High-volume fiber production
  • Carrier-grade cable/connectivity for datacenter and network operations

Innovation Foundation: Microsoft’s HCF Program

The acquisition of Lumenisity and launch of a UK-based HCF fabrication facility established Microsoft’s research leadership in optical networking. Partnerships with academic groups like the University of Southampton have enabled steady progress in production-grade fiber, prototyping, and new deployment methods.

Research Breakthroughs

Recent collaboration with the University of Southampton achieved record-low optical fiber signal loss, paving the way for:

  • Even faster and more reliable data connections (key for AI inference, cloud gaming, and low-latency apps)
  • High-capacity, future-proof bandwidth
  • Preparation for quantum-safe optical links and next-generation cloud security

Looking Forward

The expansion of HCF represents a leap forward for Azure’s network, improving speed, reliability, and scalability in line with growing cloud and AI service demands. Microsoft’s standardized, end-to-end approach positions its infrastructure for the next wave of fiber innovation and global-scale data delivery.

References and Further Reading

About the Author

frrey is a frequent contributor to the Azure Networking Blog, providing detailed analysis on new Microsoft infrastructure technologies.

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