July 17, 2024. Shenzhen, China. – In response to client application requirements, GIGALIGHT now launches the new Color X Series 100G QSFP28 DWDM1 O-BAND silicon optical transceivers. Previously, GIGALIGHT launched the Color ZR+ 100G QSFP28 PSM DWDM4 optical transceivers based on 4x25G NRZ four-carrier DWDM solution, which have been widely used in the client sides and has been highly recognized by customers.

Now launching the new Color X Series 100G QSFP28 DWDM1 O-BAND silicon optical transceivers based on 150Ghz O-BAND DWDM Grid, single-wave 100G PAM4 silicon optical modulation technology platform. Duplex LC interface is adopted to provide 16 wavelengths for selection, achieve 1600G total bandwidth on SMF dual-fiber, meet DCI interconnection applications, and can achieve 30km transmission under the support of SOA optical amplifier (10km transmission without SOA), without the need for dispersion compensation DCM module, the power consumption of this optical transceiver is less than 3.5W. Compared with coherent DWDM, this scheme has the advantages of low cost, low delay, low power consumption and easy deployment.

Color X 100G QSFP28 DWDM1 O-BAND silicon optical transceivers integrates the latest technology DSP chip to realize 4x25G NRZ to 100G PAM4 and monolithic integrated silicon optical MZ modulation chip, CWL laser achieves 150Ghz O-BAND DWDM wavelength optional.

The product has the advantages of low power consumption and high performance, and the key parameters are as follows:

• TDECQ per channel is less than 2.4dB, which is better than the protocol specification <3.4dB;
• Rx Sens(OMA) sensitivity is better than -9dBm@2.4e-4 Pre-FEC 53GBd PAM4, better than the protocol specification <-6.1dBm;
• The maximum power consumption of the optical transceiver is less than 3.5W.

GIGALIGHT focuses on integrating silicon photonics technology with traditional technology advantages to create non-coherent DWDM transmission solutions for 100G DCI networks. The core of this strategy focuses on achieving low-cost, cost-effective deployment, while relying on its innovative technical solutions to ensure that it is unique in the market and leads the industry development.

About GIGALIGHT

As an open optical networking explorer, Gigalight integrates the design, manufacturing, and sales of both active and passive optical devices and subsystems. The company’s product portfolio includes optical modules, silicon photonics modules, liquid-cooled modules, passive optical components, active optical cables, direct attach copper cables, coherent optical communication modules, and OPEN DCI BOX subsystems. Gigalight focuses on serving applications such as data centers, 5G transport networks, metropolitan WDM transmission, ultra-HD broadcast and video, and more. It stands as an innovative designer of high-speed optical interconnect hardware solutions.

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As artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications grow rapidly, we can foresee that industries and companies will use these systems and tools in their daily processes. As the complexity of these data-intensive applications continues to increase, the need for high-speed transmission and efficient communication between computing units becomes critical.

This demand has sparked interest in optical interconnects, especially for short-distance connections between XPUs (CPUs, GPUs, and memory). Silicon photonics is emerging as a promising technology that can improve performance, cost-effectiveness, and thermal management capabilities compared to traditional approaches, ultimately improving the functionality of AI/ML applications.

Advantages of Silicon Photonics in Artificial Intelligence

Silicon photonics interconnects play a critical and specialized role in managing the growing demand for AI/ML applications across industries. These components need to exchange data quickly and consume as little power as possible while maintaining high computing density. Silicon photonics enables good communication between computing units such as CPUs and GPUs, and memory units can also be improved to increase the computing power and efficiency of AI applications.

Silicon photonics example layout (Source: OpenLight)

Laser integration is essential for generating, modulating, and manipulating optical signals and introducing them into various systems. However, this has always been a major challenge in the field of silicon photonics.

On-chip optical interconnect technology

To meet market demands, companies have begun investing in on-chip optical interconnects to enable scalability from one laser to hundreds of lasers, surpassing the challenges posed by traditional electrical interconnects.

Short-reach optical interconnects using silicon photonics offer a solution that enables high-speed data transmission while reducing power consumption and increasing thermal efficiency (pJ/bit). This is important to reduce heat generation and keep systems running efficiently.

In addition, silicon photonic integration can create smaller and denser photonic integrated circuits (PiCs), facilitating high-density bandwidth connections that are critical to AI/ML workloads. Heterogeneous integration can more efficiently connect lasers and waveguides, resulting in better coupling and reduced power consumption. In addition, with the development of new lasers, thermal efficiency has been improved, and the number of channels and the number of potential wavelengths per channel have been expanded.

Overcoming the challenges of high-density bandwidth connections

In the case of back-end manufacturing, companies can save significant operating and capital expenditures without having to use lasers externally coupled to passive silicon photonic chips. By using more channels per square inch of silicon and combining different active components together, it is possible to use less power and significantly increase the total bandwidth of each PIC.

Gigalight Silicon Photonics 800G Optical Transceiver

Silicon photonics allows for efficient data transmission in AI/ML applications using short-reach optical interconnects. In the case of AI applications such as natural language processing, image recognition, and autonomous driving, large data sets are processed and analyzed in real time.

Fast and efficient data transmission is critical for real-time decision making and optimal system performance. Silicon photonics can provide high-speed data transmission and efficient communication between components, helping to improve the overall efficiency and performance of AI systems in these areas.

By leveraging silicon photonics technology, companies can optimize their AI/ML systems and unleash more powerful computing power for more accurate and responsive results.

The future of silicon photonics in artificial intelligence

The road ahead is full of hope. Silicon photonic technology has the potential to revolutionize artificial intelligence algorithms and further enhance the capabilities of artificial intelligence systems. The use of silicon photonic technology in artificial intelligence can develop smarter systems that handle complex tasks with higher performance and efficiency.

As architects further develop AI networks, silicon photonics and heterogeneous integration will transform the switching layer, replacing traditional packet switching, which will enable lower latency and lower power consumption at the required interconnect density.

It is believed that silicon photonics technology will become a disruptive technology for future AI/ML systems and has significant advantages over traditional electrical signal solutions. This, in turn, could push the boundaries of what is possible in the field of AI.

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While campus switches and data center switches constitute two prominent segments within the realm of networking devices, their distinct natures often remain elusive to many. This article endeavors to illuminate the intricacies of both, offering a comprehensive breakdown of their respective attributes and a side-by-side comparison to foster a clearer understanding of their disparities. By the end, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to discern between these two vital switch categories with greater precision.

What is a Campus Switch?

A campus switch is tailored for deployment in settings such as educational campuses and corporate office complexes, where it serves as a vital link connecting end-user devices like IP phones, surveillance systems, APs, and ACs. Its design philosophy revolves around catering to the networking demands arising from inter-building or intra-office connectivity within a campus environment. Characteristic attributes of a campus switch encompass:

• Abundant Port Quantity: To connect with a large number of end-user devices, campus switches are equipped with multiple RJ45 ports, allowing flexibility in choosing the number of ports based on actual requirements.
• Excellent Security: campus switches typically come with built-in firewalls and other security features such as ACL and port security. These features enhance network security, effectively preventing unauthorized access and attacks.
• Flexible Management and Configuration: campus switches with management capabilities enable administrators to configure and manage the network. Advanced network management tools allow administrators to easily monitor the entire network, supporting basic management functions such as QoS and VLAN.
• Reliability and Redundancy: To ensure the reliability of office and campus networks, campus switches are usually equipped with fault recovery mechanisms, such as link aggregation and redundant links, ensuring network connectivity even in the event of device failures.

What is a Data Center Switch?

A Data Center Switch is engineered specifically for the sprawling landscapes of large-scale data centers, where it acts as the pivotal link connecting core network components such as servers, storage systems, and various network appliances. This switch is tasked with managing immense volumes of data processing, thereby enabling high-performance computing capabilities and supporting the delivery of cloud-based services. Data center switch, in general, exhibit the following defining features:

• High Performance and Low Latency: Data Center Switches are designed to meet the demands of large-scale data processing and high-performance computing, featuring high data transfer rates and low latency. They typically have ports with speeds of 10G, 25G, or higher.
• Robust Reliability and Redundancy: Given their role in processing vast amounts of data and providing high-performance computing, strong reliability is a crucial characteristic of Data Center Switches. They often feature redundant power supplies, fans, hot-swappable components, enhancing availability and fault recovery. Additionally, these switches boast high capacity, large buffers, virtualization support, FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet), Layer 2 TRILL technology, and traffic identification and control capabilities to ensure stable and reliable data transmission.
• Data Center Features: Data Center Switches typically include features such as VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN), MLAG (Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group), load balancing, and QoS (Quality of Service). These features enhance network scalability, flexibility, and support link aggregation and redundancy, ensuring a higher quality of service for critical applications or traffic.
• Virtualization: Virtualization is a critical feature of Data Center Switches, breaking through physical limitations by unifying the management of multiple devices and providing complete isolation for specific devices.
• Large Capacity and Scalability: To support connections for numerous servers and storage devices, Data Center Switches usually offer a plethora of port configurations and flexible scalability. They can be expanded through stacking and modular configurations to meet the evolving network demands of growing data centers.

Campus Switch vs Data Center Switch

In the preceding sections, we easily grasped the concepts of campus switches and Data Center Switches. Now, what are the distinctions between them? I will present a table and elucidate their significance:

	Campus Switch	Data Center Switch
Application Scenarios	Campus or small office buildings	Large data center
Port Speeds	1G Port	10G Port to 800G Port
Performance and Latency	Moderate performance and latency	High performance, low latency
Scalability	Elementary scalability	High scalability
Reliability and Redundancy	Basic reliability and redundancy	High reliability and redundancy
Management Features	Simple network management functions	Advanced network management features
Security	Basic security	Strong security

• Application Scenarios: Data Center switches are designed specifically for the core network equipment in large-scale data centers, aimed at handling massive data, providing high-performance computing, and supporting cloud services. On the other hand, campus switches are predominantly deployed in areas like campuses and office buildings, connecting IP phones, surveillance cameras, etc., to meet the network requirements between multiple buildings or offices within a campus.
• Port Speeds: Due to the need to process substantial amounts of data, Data Center Switches typically have port speeds of 10 Gigabits per second or higher. In contrast, campus switches, catering to end-user devices, usually feature port speeds of 1 Gigabit per second.
• Performance and Latency: Data Centers demand high-performance computing and cloud services, necessitating robust data processing capabilities and lower latency. Conversely, campus switches, handling comparatively smaller amounts of data, have lower performance and latency requirements, making them suitable for general office and campus networks.
• Scalability: Data Center Switches exhibit high scalability to accommodate the ever-growing demands of networks. campus switches, offering smaller scalability, have their required connections more or less determined during the initial deployment phase.
• Reliability and Redundancy: Data Center Switches are usually equipped with features such as redundant power supplies, fans, and hot-swappable components to ensure continuous network operation. Conversely, while lacking some of these redundant features, campus switches incorporate fault recovery mechanisms.
• Management Features: Given the need to handle large volumes of data and complex network structures, Data Center Switches boast advanced network management capabilities to meet the intricate demands of data centers. On the other hand, campus switches have relatively simpler management functionalities.
• Security: Data Center Switches, dealing with substantial data that may include confidential files, require robust security features to ensure data integrity. In contrast, campus switches, connecting to end-user devices, do not demand high-security measures and typically feature basic security functionalities.

Conclusion

Campus switches and Data Center Switches exhibit notable differences in their applicable scenarios, functionalities, and principles. campus switches are designed for campuses and small office buildings, connecting end-user devices with adequate performance, simple network management features, and basic scalability. On the other hand, Data Center Switches are tailored for large-scale data centers, tasked with processing substantial data, providing high-performance computing and cloud services. They boast high performance, low latency, advanced network management capabilities, and flexible scalability.

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As data center networking architectures evolve towards increased disaggregation, data center switches have emerged as a distinct category. Distinct from conventional network switches tailored for three-tier hierarchical setups, these switches are engineered to cater to the stringent data and storage demands of mission-critical applications. Given the myriad of data center switches and vendors currently available, selecting an optimal one can pose a challenge. This guide aims to demystify data center switches, outline their essential requirements, and offer practical purchasing advice to facilitate your decision-making process.

What Is a Data Center Switch?

Broadly speaking, the data center switch represents a high-performance networking solution tailored primarily for large-scale enterprises and cloud service providers heavily invested in virtualization. Deployable across the entire data center infrastructure or serving as the cornerstone of either a two-tier (spine-leaf) or single-tier flat mesh/fabric design, these switches share several pivotal characteristics:

They effectively manage both north-south and east-west traffic patterns, ensuring seamless data flow.

Versatile in deployment, data center switches are adaptable to both top-of-rack (ToR) and end-of-row (EoR) configurations.

Boasting high-bandwidth capabilities, they facilitate interconnections through both standard LAN Ethernet and SAN protocols, including Fibre Channel and its Ethernet variant, enabling efficient data exchange.

Moreover, the distributed components of a data center switch are conveniently managed through a unified interface, streamlining administrative tasks and enhancing user-friendliness.

Things To Consider When Buying Data Center Switches

Choosing a data center switch can be a difficult task, no matter if you are deploying a new data center or deciding to upgrade the existing network infrastructure. There are many factors to consider and here lists some of the most important ones in several aspects.

Data Center Architecture and Configuration

Modern data centers use spine-leaf architecture and the switches located at each layer have their own requirements. Generally, spine switches are supposed to handle more traffic with higher capacity and better performance than leaf switches.

Whether to use ToR or EoR configuration determines what types of data center switches you will need. If you already have an end-of-row network cabling in place, it’s better to make use of the existing wiring and deploy larger capacity data center EoR switches. If you plan to build a new data center or new cabling, Using ToR data center switches for the ToR network is a better idea, for they will offer more flexibility in terms of physical port coverage across the data center.

Functions

All switches have the same basic functionality, such as using standards-based protocols or maintaining a MAC address-to-port table. Based on their use cases and applications, different switches have unique characteristics. You should ask yourself a few questions to decide what functions are needed. Are you going to use enterprise-level applications? Are you considering redundancy? Do you have a virtualized infrastructure? For example, a reliable data center switch should have the capability to automate as well as support newer protocols such as EVPN and VXLAN. And some data center switches support Ansible/OpenFlow configuration and automation tools for easy management.

Size, Number of Ports, and Data Rate

Data center switches come in varying sizes. Choosing the right size for your business will depend on the current and future data flow. A large switch requires more resources to install and will serve your current and future needs. A smaller switch is economical, but you’ll have to install it in a top-of-rack manner to prevent bottlenecks.

The size of the fiber connections that you’ll need should also be well considered. It’s advisable to make up your mind early enough on the connectivity that you will be using. Fiber connectivity varies from 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps to 40 Gbps, and even more. Nowadays the adoption of 100Gps has gained momentum in most data centers and some hyperscale data centers are moving towards higher speed 400Gbps, which paves the way for the development of 400G data center switches.

Data center switches also have varying port types and numbers, based on which specific cabling and transceivers are selected, so you should know what you need now and make a reasonable estimate of what you’ll need in the future.

Hardware and Software

With cloud data centers growing and the trends of virtualization and new applications showing up these years, new data center switch types are coming to the market, such as white box switches and bare metal switches, of which the OS is open. As for data centers where large amounts of traffic are required to handle all the time, the white box switches or bare metal ones give network engineers an alternative choice other than brand-name switches, which brings both offering flexibility as well as low costs. Meanwhile, for data centers to upgrade, it is important to make clear what brands of switches, and what OSs are currently used on the network.

Cooling and Airflow

Before buying a switch, you should know that the way you install and connect the switches will affect the quality of airflow and cooling. If the cables block the airflow, that could mean a reduced lifetime due to overheating, which could cause premature failure.

Similarly, the airflow direction of the switches influences the data center cooling. For instance, if the connections are located in the front of the servers, you should choose front-to-back cooling. However, if the connections are located on the back of the servers, you should go for back-to-front cooling.

A small disruption for a couple of hours or days may not cause serious harm inside the data center. However, a design problem that’s overlooked for months and even years could mean frequent downtimes and even costly repairs and upgrades.

other considerations

• Redundancy: You should consider the level of redundancy that you need for your data center switches. You need to ensure that your switches have redundant power supplies, fans, and other critical components.
• Management: You need to consider the management capabilities of your switches. You should choose switches that have a robust management interface that allows you to monitor and manage your network effectively.
• Security: You should consider the security features of your switches. You need to ensure that your switches have advanced security features that can protect your network from cyber threats.

Switch Vendor

After considering all of these vital factors above, you’ve got a sense of what should you keep in mind. But remember, the data center switch’s performance, price, and support service vary from one vendor to the other, so please check out your vendor list and make sure you’ll work well with the selected vendor.

Go through the user testimonials and reviews to find one with a good reputation. Evaluate them by their services, i.e., software advancements and configurations, hardware spare and replacements, and troubleshooting support. You may consider buying the switches from different vendors as the SDN is emerging. However, unless you use a truly open SDN platform, buying from a single vendor is a wise choice for it is future-proofing. We should select a data center switch vendor that offers the most premium features and services at the most competitive price.

Picking the Right Data Center Switch

Now that you know what factors to consider in choosing a data center switch, what’s left is to narrow down your options to find the type you want. When picking a data center switch from the flooded market, a rule of thumb is to seek professional advice, i.e., if you aren’t an expert in the field. Where possible, have one of your IT guys around. A professional will better understand some technical terms such as buffer size, latency, and even port speeds, helping you avoid confusion so you can pick the right product.

Aiming at the requirements of next-generation enterprise, data center, metropolitan area and HCI (hyper-converged infrastructure) networks, Gigalight launches the GS-680 series 100GE data center switches, which support mainstream protocols and applications and facilitate deployment and management. You are welcome to purchase.

GS-680 Series 100G Switch

32 100G ports are provided with low latency and non-blocking performance, 40G ports are used for access switches or servers, and 100G uplinks are used for core switches.

MLAG achieves uninterrupted service

Switches under MLAG can be upgraded without disrupting MLAG traffic. During the upgrading process, another switch in the system takes over traffic forwarding to ensure that services are not interrupted.

1+1 hot-swappable power supply 3+1 redundant fans

Dual power supplies can be replaced without shutting down the system, and the variable-speed fan uses front-to-back airflow and automatically adjusts fan speed to reduce power consumption.

Breakout mode leverages existing equipment

The 100G ports can be splitted into four 25G ports to provide higher compatibility and reduce hardware costs, and can be flexibly suitable for your existing campus network.

QoS implements traffic control

It could provide users or data flows different priorities for different applications to reduce packet loss, latency and shock on the network.

MPLS establishes point-to-point connection

MPLS enables small and medium-sized enterprises to build networks for their users, establish point-to-point connections, and realize network communication between users.

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June 4, 2024. Shenzhen, China. – From June 6 to 8, ICTCOMM VIETNAM 2024 will be held at the Saigon Convention and Exhibition Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. During the exhibition, GIGALIGHT will display five major product lines (DCI BOX equipment, non-coherent DWDM transmission equipment, Solutions for 5G Fronthaul and Silicon Photonics Solutions for 800G AI DCI, 100G Switches for Data Center) to ICTCOMM VIETNAM 2024 at Booth#G6.

ICTCOMM VIETNAM 2024 is jointly organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation VNPT (Vietnam’s largest telecommunications operator). Currently it is the most influential telecommunications exhibition in Vietnam. The products exhibited by GIGALIGHT this time are as follows:

Among them, GIGALIGHT will demonstrate a single-lambda 400G DWDM DCI BOX network system at the ICTCOMM. The system uses the latest 400G QSFP-DD ZR/ZR+ coherent optical modules and 400G CFP2 DCO coherent optical modules. A 1U single frame can support a maximum bandwidth capacity of 6.4T, and provides 1U and 2U frame options; 2U supports 2x 6.4T broadband capacity.

With GIGALIGHT 400G QSFP-DD DCO ZR+ coherent module, DWDM single-lambda 400G, Tx optical power supports 0~-6dbm adjustable, supports flexible grid and openZR+ protocol, adopts OFEC, has good interconnection operability, Rx OSNR meets 24db/0.1nm@400G 16QAM, meets 300km~400km business interconnection, and typical power consumption is less than 22W.

The newly launched GS-680 series 100GE data center switches achieve a switching capacity of up to 4Tbps and are high-performance switches that meet the needs of next-generation enterprise, data center, metropolitan area and HCI (hyper-converged infrastructure) networks.

Please visit GIGALIGHT booth G6 for more exhibits and on-site DEMO. We sincerely invite you to witness GIGALIGHT’s new technologies and products.

About GIGALIGHT

As an open optical networking explorer, Gigalight integrates the design, manufacturing, and sales of both active and passive optical devices and subsystems. The company’s product portfolio includes optical modules, silicon photonics modules, liquid-cooled modules, passive optical components, active optical cables, direct attach copper cables, coherent optical communication modules, and OPEN DCI BOX subsystems. Gigalight focuses on serving applications such as data centers, 5G transport networks, metropolitan WDM transmission, ultra-HD broadcast and video, and more. It stands as an innovative designer of high-speed optical interconnect hardware solutions.

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May 24, 2024. Shenzhen, China. – GIGALIGHT plans to officially launch the data center switch product line at the 2024 Singapore Telecom Show CommunicAsia from May 29 to 31 to demonstrate to the industry its capabilities and determination in the integrated solutions of data center IT complete cabinet equipment and optical interconnection hardware.

GS-680 Series 100G Switch

32 100G ports are provided with low latency and non-blocking performance, 40G ports are used for access switches or servers, and 100G uplinks are used for core switches.

MLAG achieves uninterrupted service

Switches under MLAG can be upgraded without disrupting MLAG traffic. During the upgrading process, another switch in the system takes over traffic forwarding to ensure that services are not interrupted.

1+1 hot-swappable power supply 3+1 redundant fans

Dual power supplies can be replaced without shutting down the system, and the variable-speed fan uses front-to-back airflow and automatically adjusts fan speed to reduce power consumption.

Breakout mode leverages existing equipment

The 100G ports can be splitted into four 25G ports to provide higher compatibility and reduce hardware costs, and can be flexibly suitable for your existing campus network.

QoS implements traffic control

It could provide users or data flows different priorities for different applications to reduce packet loss, latency and shock on the network.

MPLS establishes point-to-point connection

MPLS enables small and medium-sized enterprises to build networks for their users, establish point-to-point connections, and realize network communication between users.

In addition, GIGALIGHT will also demonstrate the latest 400G DCI BOX on site, which integrates the latest 4× 400G QSFP-DD DCO OEO board, achieving a 1U 6400G transmission capacity.

We sincerely invite you to visit GIGALIGHT’s booth (4E2-12) at the Singapore Digital Communications Exhibition to witness with us the new technologies and products that GIGALIGHT is working on.

About GIGALIGHT

As an open optical networking explorer, Gigalight integrates the design, manufacturing, and sales of both active and passive optical devices and subsystems. The company’s product portfolio includes optical modules, silicon photonics modules, liquid-cooled modules, passive optical components, active optical cables, direct attach copper cables, coherent optical communication modules, and OPEN DCI BOX subsystems. Gigalight focuses on serving applications such as data centers, 5G transport networks, metropolitan WDM transmission, ultra-HD broadcast and video, and more. It stands as an innovative designer of high-speed optical interconnect hardware solutions.

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In the modern era, telecommunications technology has progressed with a relentless pursuit of faster data transmission speeds. The relentless demand for heightened connectivity and swift data exchange has driven the evolution of transceivers to new heights. The quest for faster data rates encompasses not only the adoption of cutting-edge technologies but also the revitalization of older, previously overlooked technologies.

Years ago, optical transceiver manufacturers revolutionized the industry with the introduction of the SFP form factor, which boasted a compact size that significantly increased port density on telecommunication equipment. Today, this same physical footprint has been transformed into a powerful tool capable of achieving a staggering 50G data rate. This transformation is attributed to the innovative PAM4 technology and the enhanced form factor known as SFP56, representing a modern twist on a classic design that continues to push the boundaries of high-speed data transmission.

Understanding the Basics of 50G Technology:

As the telecommunications landscape advances, with discussions of 200G, 400G, 800G, and even higher data rates filling the air, one might wonder why 50G technology is just now gaining prominence. The relentless demand for bandwidth has propelled the industry to strive for ever-higher data rates, leading to the rapid adoption of multilane transceivers. However, as these technologies mature, the industry begins to explore the potential of single-lane transceivers, offering a new frontier in data transmission.

Engineers are constantly on the lookout for cost-effective solutions that cater to the needs of network designers and service providers. With multilane modules already proving their mettle, the industry is now embracing the emergence of a 50G single-lane transceiver that boasts a more compact design, lower cost, and reduced power consumption. This innovation represents a significant step forward in optimizing network infrastructure and enhancing overall performance.

The 50G SFP56 transceiver presents an exciting opportunity to double the data rate of existing SFP28 links, revolutionizing network performance. Its optimized construction ensures minimal insertion loss and crosstalk, enhancing signal integrity and reliability. Importantly, this solution maintains backward compatibility with existing SFP+ and SFP28 ports, simplifying upgrades and ensuring seamless integration within existing network infrastructures.

The primary applications for these groundbreaking products encompass server-to-switch and switch-to-switch 50G Ethernet connections, empowering data centers and enterprise networks with unparalleled speed and efficiency. Furthermore, they pave the way for future-proofing networks in anticipation of emerging technologies such as 5G wireless applications, ensuring that your infrastructure is ready to harness the full potential of these groundbreaking advancements.

What is SFP56?

NRZ modules have been around for a while, but demand is still growing, and the development of PAM4 QSFP-DD modules has started and is leading the way in high-density data rates in a small form factor. The small form factor SFP uses new technology that was previously only used in high-density optical transceivers, the trick is to reduce the number of channels to better fit the old reliable SFP form factor. Unlike other optical transceivers that use PAM4 modulation technology on a few optical paths. SFP56 uses 25G NRZ current, using PAM4 modulation on a single wavelength to achieve 50G PAM4 modulated optical signals. A logical question is if this new technology has some similarity or interchangeability with the older SFP variants (SFP+/SFP28), in which case SFP56 modules are compatible with the older SFP ports, but for equipment to take full advantage of 50G data rates on PAM4, a special type of switch must be used. Thankfully, most modern build equipment already has 50G SerDes built into its ASIC. Backward compatibility is also possible, and you can easily use SFP+ or SFP28 modules in ports designed for 50G modules.

In short, you can call this technology a new technology used in the older SFP+ form factor. But in such a small size, it provides twice the data rate of the previously used SFP28 module, thus providing faster bandwidth for data centers and 5G base stations.

GIGALIGHT 50G SFP56 portfolio

Conclusion

The need for higher bandwidth has driven the industry toward faster data rates, leading to the evolution of multi-channel transceivers. However, our quest for 50G has given us a groundbreaking revelation – the potential of single-channel, single-wavelength technology.

Engineers’ demand for cost-effective solutions has not only driven the performance of multi-channel modules, but is now also beginning to adopt more compact, economical and energy-efficient single-channel 50G versions. With its optimized structure and backward compatibility, the 50G SFP56 provides an opportunity to double the data rate of existing SFP28 links. Its application range extends to critical connections such as 50G Ethernet links from server to switch and switch to switch, as well as its role in shaping the future landscape of 5G wireless applications.

Finally, the journey from the introduction of the SFP form factor to the advanced SFP56 form factor – reinventing the industry’s promise of speed, efficiency, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. The 50G SFP56 and its technology promise to change the narrative of data transmission, providing a seamless bridge between new and legacy telecommunication technologies.

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The 100G single lambda optical specification, grounded in PAM4 signaling technology, has become ubiquitous in the industry. It facilitates the efficient transmission of 100G data streams over a single wavelength or laser channel, offering significant advantages in terms of capacity and simplicity. The 100G Lambda Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) oversees the development of this standard, ensuring its compatibility and optimization for both 400G and 100G network applications. By adhering to this MSA, network operators can leverage the robust and reliable performance of 100G single lambda optics to meet their evolving bandwidth demands.

The prevalence of 100G single lambda technology underscores its value in modern optical networks. Advanced optical transceivers like 100GBASE-SR4, 100GBASE-LR4, 100G-CWDM4, and 100G-PSM4 harness four sets of receivers and transmitters, each operating at 25Gb/s in parallel lanes. These systems either optically multiplex or combine these four signals onto a single fiber for data transmission, a process that traditionally necessitated costly optical components.

In contrast, the 100G lambda approach offers a cost-effective alternative, achieving greater transmission efficiency at a lower cost. By leveraging 100G PAM4 signaling technology, transceivers adhering to this specification consolidate the transmission of 100G data per wavelength into a single optical signal. This not only simplifies the optical architecture by reducing the number of receivers and transmitters from four to one but also helps to minimize overall costs and optical complexity.

100G Single Lambda Vs. 100G Four Channels

For example, 100GBASE-LR4, 100G-CWDM4 and 100G-PSM4.100GBASE-LR4 is proposed for up to 10km stretched links consisting of 4 multiplexed wavelengths carried by a single fiber. However, closely spaced wavelengths with LAN WDM wavelength spacing cannot be accommodated without expensive hermetic packaging for optimal laser temperature control.

Moving on to the second option, 100GBASE-CWDM4 offers improved wavelength spacing compared to other technologies, which can be advantageous in certain deployment scenarios. However, this configuration has a limitation in that it does not support connections exceeding 2 kilometers in length. This constraint may make it less suitable for applications requiring longer reach.

The third option, 100GBASE-PSM4, addresses some of these challenges by utilizing four fiber pairs and a wide wavelength for data transmission. This approach simplifies the complexity associated with managing multiple wavelengths and lasers, making it an attractive choice for certain applications. However, 100GBASE-PSM4 is also limited in its reach, typically suitable for links up to 500 meters in length.

In summary, each of these 100G single lambda technologies has its unique strengths and limitations, making it essential to carefully consider the specific requirements of the network when selecting the most appropriate option.

Now let us bring 100G single lambda into the discussion. Three common optical modules included in the 100G single-lambda series are 100GBASE-LR (100G-LR), 100GBASE-FR (100G-FR) and 100GBASE-DR. These optical transceivers are designed to receive electrical signals from a host (in a 4 x 25G configuration) and feature a DSP that converts the received signal using PAM4 modulation instead of PSM4, LR4 or CWDM4 using NRZ signals. The application of PAM4 signals on a single lambda means that a single laser can be used to transmit a complete 100G data stream. This network infrastructure eliminates the need for parallel fiber optics or WDM, thereby reducing the number of optical components required such as receivers and transmitters. The design of 100G single lambda technology is simpler, the number of optical components is significantly reduced, and manufacturing costs are reduced. 100G Lambda MSA has recognized that the cost of a single 100G lambda is at least 40% lower than the cost of four channels of 25G.

GIGALIGHE Single Lambda 100G Optical Transceiver

100GBASE-DR supports links up to 500m, while 100GBASE-FR and 100GBASE-LR support 2km and 10km respectively. The corresponding GIGALIGHT products include 100G QSFP28 DR1/FR1 and LR1 optical transceivers, including III-V family and silicon photonic versions. At the same time, GIGALIGHT also has 100G QSFP28 BIDI LR1 and ER1 based on the EML version, which can transmit 10km and 40km.

Not only that, GIGALIGHT also launched 100G single-lambda optical transceivers based on SFP56-DD form factor, including 100G SFP56-DD FR1/LR1 and ER1, which meet the transmission requirements of 2km, 20km and 30km, and are suitable for data centers, 5G communication networks, etc. application scenarios.

100G Single Lambda in 400G Network

100G Single Lambda technology is attractive because it reduces the cost of upgrading infrastructure to 400G while also opening up new possibilities for the future. In fact, this technology is used to break down 400G signals into 4×100G instead of NZR’s 8×50G. Single-channel 100G also reduces the manufacturing cost of 400G QSFP-DD optical transceivers.100G Lambda can ease the transition from 100 to 400G by reducing the structural complexity of 400G transceivers. At the same time, it will also bring great savings by reducing the number of fibers.

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