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OIF Members to Showcase Innovation and Interoperability Solutions for the Industry’s Most Critical Challenges at OFC 2020

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Interoperability demos on 400ZR, CEI-112G, FlexE and IC-TROSA; OIF experts to lead panel discussions and OIF to Host “Cu (see you) Beyond 112 Gbps” Workshop

Fremont, Calif.—February 18, 2020 – OIF will host one of the largest interoperability demos in its history reflecting the ongoing significance of OIF’s work in addressing global network challenges. Twenty industry-leading system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors will demonstrate critical insight into how key technologies – 400ZR, Common Electrical I/O (CEI)-112G, Flex Ethernet (FlexE) and Integrated Coherent Transmit-Receive Optical Sub Assembly (IC-TROSA) – interoperate within the industry’s ecosystem at OFC 2020 in San Diego, March 10-12, 2020 (booth #6221).

Participating companies include Acacia Communications, Amphenol, Arista Networks, Cadence Design Systems, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Credo Semiconductor (HK) LTD, Fujitsu Optical Components, II-VI, Inphi Corporation, Juniper Networks, Keysight Technologies, Marvell, Microchip, Molex, NeoPhotonics, Samtec, Inc., Spirent Communications, TE Connectivity, VIAVI Solutions and Yamaichi Electronics.

“The participation level by 20 companies in this year’s interoperability demos for 400ZR, CEI-112G, FlexE and IC-TROSA, is a true reflection of our enduring leadership and evidence that these technologies continue to be the preeminent focus areas for our member companies,” explained Steve Sekel of Keysight and OIF’s Physical and Link Layer (PLL) Interoperability Working Group (WG) Chair. “We are eager to showcase the advancements that these technologies and our work have made over the past year.”

400ZR Demo
OIF has defined the 400ZR interface that provides interoperability of coherent optical interfaces for data center interconnect applications. The demo will show ‘first time ever’ operation of 400ZR equipment from multiple system and module vendors and in multiple pluggable form factors.

CEI-112G Demo
The CEI-112G demo will feature interoperating channels, components and silicon that demonstrate the CEI-112G-XSR, CEI-112G-VSR, CEI-112G-MR and CEI-112G-LR draft implementation agreements. Demonstrating interoperability for extra short reach channels is important to support the co-packaging developments that are expected to be discussed throughout the week at OFC. Interoperable very short reach, medium reach and long reach channels and silicon are also critical to support the developing 112 Gbps equipment that is expected to come to market soon. These updated demos surpass what OIF has demonstrated in the past with additional member contributions and continue to build on the developing ecosystem of products coming to market to support CEI-112G.

FlexE Demo
The FlexE demo that will be on display incorporates FlexE silicon operating with multiple test equipment and interoperating over a 400 Gbps fiber network that will be deployed on the show floor between the Ethernet Alliance booth and the OIF booth. This reflects further developments that are taking place in the FlexE market since the previous OIF FlexE demos.

IC-TROSA Demo
The IC-TROSA features all the optical building blocks for a coherent module in a single package. This demo will highlight important aspects of IC-TROSA integration as well as real-time EVM measurements with the updated script for 400ZR.

An additional point of interest will be a static display of coherent optical components which will emphasize the role of OIF in the coherent optical marketplace over the past 10 years.

OIF @ OFC 2020 Activities
OIF experts will participate in two panels at OFC 2020 that feature the latest updates on critical technologies that work to enable a more efficient and reliable network.

“400ZR Specification Update”
Tuesday, 10 March, 13:30 – 14:30, Theater III
Moderator: Karl Gass, OIF PLL WG Vice Chair Optical

Speakers include: Josef Berger, Inphi Corporation; Masahiro Mogi, Fujitsu Optical Components; Gert Sarlet, II-VI; Marc Stiller, NeoPhotonics and Markus Weber, Acacia Communications

Industry experts from OIF will lead a panel discussion of representatives from the DSP, optics, equipment and end user communities on the conflicting demands for a near-term, high-volume, interoperable, moderate reach, coherent 400G optical link. The session will also include an update on OIF’s project to define a 400ZR link specification.

“112 Gbps Electrical Interfaces – An OIF update on CEI-112G”
Wednesday, 11 March, 16:15 – 17:00, Theater II
Moderator: Nathan Tracy, OIF President, TE Connectivity
Speakers include: Ed Frlan, OIF Technical Committee Chair, Semtech, Corp.; Mike Li, OIF Board, Intel; Cathy Liu, OIF Board, Broadcom, Inc.; Gary Nicholl, OIF Board, Cisco; Steve Sekel, OIF PLL Interoperability WG Chair, Keysight Technologies

OIF experts will lead a panel discussion on the ongoing CEI-112G electrical interface development projects, and the new architectures they will enable including chiplet packaging, co-packaged optics and internal cable-based solutions. The panel will provide an update on the multiple interfaces being defined by OIF including CEI-112G MCM, XSR, VSR, MR and LR for 112 Gbps applications of die-to-die, chip-to-module, chip-to-chip and long reach over backplane and cables.

“Cu (see you) Beyond 112 Gbps” Workshop
Thursday, 12 March, 12:00-17:30, Hilton San Diego Gaslamp, 401 K St (across from the SD Convention Center), San Diego, Ca.

OIF will hold a half-day workshop “Cu (see you) Beyond 112 Gbps” featuring experts from Arista, Broadcom, Inc., Cisco, Facebook, Google, Innovium, Intel, MACOM and TE Connectivity discussing the needs and challenges for electrical interfaces beyond 112 Gbps. Registration required:

• Registration fee for OIF Members: $150.00. OIF Members click HERE to register.
• Registration fee for Non-Members/General Public: $200.00. Non-Members click HERE to register.

Check the status of OIF’s current work here.

About OIF
OIF is where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done. Building on 20 years of effecting forward change in the industry, OIF represents the dynamic ecosystem of 100+ industry leading network operators, system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors collaborating to develop interoperable electrical, optical and control solutions that directly impact the industry’s ecosystem and facilitate global connectivity in the open network world. Connect with OIF at @OIForum, on LinkedIn and at http://www.oiforum.com.

PR Contact:
Leah Wilkinson
Wilkinson + Associates for OIF
Email: leah@wilkinson.associates
Office: 703-907-0010

EE Web – 112G Digs in at DesignCon 2019

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112G serial links have moved out of the lab and onto the exhibit floor. 56G ramps up while 28G goes mainstream.

By Martin Rowe, EE Web, Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Last year at DesignCon 2018, we witnessed high-speed digital designs that moved past 56 Gbits/s (56G) and onto 112 Gbits/s (112G). This year, DesignCon 2019 brought numerous demonstrations of 112G as the connectors and cables caught up with the silicon. While still appearing in technical papers and panels, 112G has certainly moved into the exhibit hall. Meanwhile, 56G has matured and is now a complete ecosystem.

When it comes to signal integrity and high-speed signals, transmission lengths certainly matter, especially with electrical signals over copper connections. Yes, optical transmission is an option, but nobody wants to pay for it. At a panel session on Jan. 31, OIF board president Nathan Tracy presented the table shown in Figure 1 that describes five OIF standards for different electrical transmission lengths.

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Figure 1: The Optical Internetworking Forum has created standards for 112-Gbit/s copper connections. (Source: Optical Internetworking Forum and DesignCon)
Given a rule of thumb of 0.1 dB/in./GHz of insertion loss (Figure 2), PCB traces of, say, 10 inches are simply too long. That’s where cables that jump over PCBs have become popular.

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Figure 2: Cable assemblies jump over PCBs to reduce insertion loss. (Source: Optical Internetworking Forum, Broadcom, and DesignCon)
Connectors for 112G took several forms at DesignCon, depending on the length of the transmission. For chip-to-chip or chip-to-module distances, sending 112G four-level pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM4) signals (28 GHz) over PCB traces results in excessive insertion loss. To get past that restriction, several connector companies have developed cable assemblies that jump over sections of boards.

Read more here: https://www.eeweb.com/profile/martin-rowe-2/articles/112g-digs-in-at-designcon-2019

 

OIF Experts to Provide CEI-112G Project Update at DesignCon

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Expert panel will provide an update on the multiple interfaces being defined by OIF including CEI-112G MCM, XSR, VSR, MR and LR for 112G

Fremont, Calif.—January 23, 2019 – A panel of OIF experts will present and discuss the ongoing, multi-faceted Common Electrical I/O (CEI)-112G interface effort at this year’s DesignCon being held in Santa Clara, CA January 29-31. “112-Gbps Electrical Interface: An OIF Update on CEI-112G,” is scheduled for Thursday, January 31 at 3:45 pm (local) and will provide an update on the multiple interfaces being defined by OIF including CEI-112G MCM, XSR, VSR, MR and LR. Applications of these 112 Gb/s interfaces include die-to-die, chip-to-module, chip-to-chip and long reach over backplane and cables.

Panel speakers include Brian Holden of Kandou Bus and OIF member; Cathy Liu of Broadcom Inc. and OIF Board Member; Steve Sekel of Keysight Technologies and OIF PLL Interoperability Working Group Chair and Nathan Tracy of TE Connectivity and OIF President.

Since 2000, OIF has defined Interoperability Agreements (IA)s for electrical interconnects known as CEI.  CEI is a clause-based document that defines implementation details for interoperable electrical channels initially issued for 6 Gbps, then 11, 28, and 56 and includes definitions for multiple channel implementation topologies and will soon include 112 Gbps clauses. In August of 2016, OIF announced the first CEI-112G project in an overall effort that has now expanded to five projects.

“Previous CEI development has been highly influential and has been adopted, influenced or adapted by many other high-speed interconnect specifications throughout the industry,” said Tracy. “Given that the CEI-112G generation of high-speed transmitters, receivers and channels will be challenging to define, implement and measure, this panel will provide guidance to where the industry is headed and what the key challenge points are likely to be.”

The CEI-112G IA effort is challenging in signal integrity, implementation complexity and measurement terms. The signals are increasingly vulnerable to channel discontinuities, leading to signal impairment and crosstalk. The switching speed and the density of the available SerDes transistors have not kept pace with other silicon functions, resulting in architectural challenges. Finally, the ability to probe and repeatably capture measurements at these rates with sufficient accuracy and precision is challenging.

Check the status of OIF’s current work in CEI-112G here.

About OIF
OIF is where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done. Celebrating 20 years of effecting progressive change in the industry, OIF represents the dynamic ecosystem of 100+ industry leading network operators, system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors, all collaborating to develop interoperable electrical, optical and control solutions that directly impact the industry’s ecosystem and facilitate global connectivity in the open network world. Connect with OIF at @OIForum, on LinkedIn and at http://www.oiforum.com.

 

PR Contact:
Leah Wilkinson
Wilkinson + Associates for OIF
Email: leah@wilkinson.associates
Office: 703-907-0010