News: Optoelectronics
9 October 2020
100G Lambda MSA releases 400G spec for 10km of single-mode fiber
The 100G Lambda Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) Group, which has rapidly grown to include 45 member companies, has released a 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) specification up to 10km based on 100Gb/s-per-wavelength 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) optical technology. This specification is targeting applications for data centers and service provider networks, enabling multi-vendor interoperability for optical transceivers produced by different manufacturers and in various form factors. The new 400GbE specification is designated as 400G-LR4-10 for duplex single-mode links up to 10km and relies on multiplexing four wavelengths of 100Gb/s PAM4 modulated optical signals.
Building on its previously published and broadly adopted specifications, the MSA members developed the 400GbE specification to fully address market requirements for 2-10km reaches over duplex single-mode for both 100GbE and 400GbE. The MSA believes that the 10km-reach specification will be fully interoperable with the 6km version being developed by another industry standards group. The nomenclature use of ‘-10’ in 400G-LR4-10 will inform users of the target reach.
“Industry organizations are valued for producing rigorous specifications assuring reliable, interoperable communications,” remarks Dale Murray, principal analyst for LightCounting Market Research. “The 100G Lambda MSA members were able to, again, quickly identify the market requirements and build on their earlier work to extend it to meet the market need for a full 10km specification at 400G,” he comments.
“The MSA received feedback from the industry of a strong need for a 400GbE 10km specification to be available and the MSA has worked hard to provide specifications to enable interoperable products to meet this demand,” says 100G Lambda MSA co-chair Mark Nowell.
“Maintaining consistency and interoperability with industry standard’s progression has always been a target for the MSA members,” adds co-chair Jeffery Maki. “With this updated specification we continue to support the industry’s needs to make specifications available in a timely manner.”
The 100G Lambda MSA Group says that it is is going to continue its work by next addressing extended-reach specifications beyond 10km.
The 100G Lambda MSA Group member companies are: II-VI, Alibaba, Applied OptoElectronics, Arista, Broadcom, Cambridge Industries Group, China Unicom, Ciena, Cisco Systems, Color Chip, Credo, Delta, Eoptolink, Fujitsu Optical Components, HG Genuine, HiSense, HiSilicon, IDT, Innolight, Inphi, Intel, Juniper Networks, Keysight Technologies, Lightwave Logic, Lumentum, MACOM, Maxim, Maxlinear, Mellanox, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric, Molex, MultiLane, Neophotonics, Nokia, Panduit, Rockley Photonics, Semtech, Sicoya, SiFotonics Technologies, Source Photonics, Sumitomo Electric, TE Connectivity, TFC Optical Communication, Tektronix and ZTE. Companies are invited to join the consortium as Contributor members.
100G Lambda MSA announces progress towards 100Gb/s optical technology product maturity
