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OIF Launches Optical Module Management Interface Survey, Solicits Industry Input

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Survey to gather industry opinion regarding evolution of optical module management

Fremont, Calif.—July 1, 2020 – There is ongoing evolution of form factors and a trend for modules to incorporate data processing and programmable module functions. However, there is increasing consensus that the intrinsic restrictions of throughput and data organization will not scale well into the future.

OIF, where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done, is launching a survey designed to determine how the Common Management Interface Specification is viewed by the industry and the level of industry alignment on and support for further standardization of optical module management. The subject of module management encompasses physical interfaces, communication protocols and management applications layers.

The survey is available now and open to all who can act as a stakeholder and represent their company’s viewpoint – module vendors, system vendors, and network operators. Multiple responses per company are also allowed. Responses will be collated anonymously and then evaluated by a dedicated survey evaluation team.

OIF will hold a public webinar on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 7am PDT to announce the results of the survey. Visit the survey webpage to download the survey and for information on the survey deadline, where to submit answers and how to register for the webinar.

“The OIF 400ZR specification covers interoperability on the network fiber and also at the host by defining the electrical interface and software management interface,” said Jeffery J. Maki, distinguished engineer II, Juniper Networks and OIF Physical Layer User Group Working Group Chair. “All of this is done to drive a true multi-sourcing opportunity for the module. Beyond 400ZR, support of the software management interface is an area OIF would like to continue to address and seeks, through the use of a survey, to gauge industry interest and the potential solution approach.”

OIF announced the Coherent Common Management Interface Specification (C-CMIS) Implementation Agreement (IA) in March. This IA serves as an extension to the CMIS (QSFP-DD/OSFP/COBO) management specification, specifically targeting DCO modules and is an important part of the developing 400ZR ecosystem.

 

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

OIF Completes Coherent Common Management Interface Specification (C-CMIS) Implementation Agreement for Management of Digital Coherent Optics (DCO) Modules

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Initial release is focused on supporting 400ZR

Fremont, Calif.—March 3, 2020 – OIF, where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done, today announced the completion of the Coherent Common Management Interface Specification (C-CMIS) Implementation Agreement (IA). This IA serves as an extension to the CMIS (QSFP-DD/OSFP/COBO) management specification, specifically targeting DCO modules.

“The C-CMIS IA is an important part of the developing 400ZR ecosystem,” said Ian Betty, Ciena and OIF Board Member. “It defines additional management registers, and monitors, together with new functionality, mechanisms, or behaviors, as needed.”

Augmenting the existing CMIS specification which focused on addressing direct detect client optics, the C-CMIS IA provides register definition for coherent modules in pages and parameters that were previously reserved. Users that have previously implemented software to manage optical modules using CMIS will be able to quickly add support for these coherent pages and parameters. This release of the C-CMIS IA is targeted at the 400ZR application.

The technology and complexity of coherent modules requires additional monitoring parameters for use in field applications. This additional monitoring is primarily focused on Forward Error Correction (FEC) monitoring and optical/analog monitoring including items like Chromatic Dispersion, Differential Group Delay and Electrical Signal to Noise Ratio (eSNR). The C-CMIS IA provides specifications to monitor the standard parameters in a normative manner while taking advantage of the flexibility of the CMIS specification to monitor any additional proprietary parameters.

“The current IA is focused on supporting the OIF 400ZR IA, which supports a single data path with eight-lane host electrical interface for a 400GBASE-R PCS signal and a single-lane 400G coherent media interface (with a new signal format called 400ZR),” explained Betty. “However, we expect future versions to include more complex Metro modules and may even extend these management features to other form factors.”

 

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