News: Optoelectronics
11 March 2024
OIF hosting multi-vendor interoperability demos and expert panels at OFC
The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) says that its record-breaking, multi-vendor interoperability demonstrations at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference & Exposition (OFC 2024) in San Diego, CA, USA (24–28 March) will spotlight interoperable solutions in 800ZR, 400ZR and OpenZR+ optics; Energy Efficient Interfaces (EEI) & Co-Packaging; 112G and 224G Common Electrical I/O (CEI); and Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) implementations.
This year’s interoperability demonstration, the largest ever, not only underscores the progress of its member companies in tackling the industry’s most pressing demands but will also unveil multiple industry-firsts, says OIF.
“The interoperable solutions being demonstrated in the OIF booth are critical to addressing the escalating needs of next-generation data-center networking, artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and disaggregation applications,” says OIF president Nathan Tracy of TE Connectivity. “We’ve seen a 38% increase in demo participants compared to last year and the addition of nine new participating companies, which emphasizes the remarkable growth and impact of OIF’s work,” he adds.
Interoperability demos – 800ZR, 400ZR and OpenZR+ optics, EEI & Co-Packaging, 112G and 224G CEI and CMIS
- 800ZR, 400ZR and OpenZR+ optics interoperability demos
The pluggable coherent optics demonstration is showcasing progress in the latest advancements in 800ZR, 400ZR and ZR+ optics interoperability, offering a comprehensive view of their capabilities and applications. Highlights include the first public 800ZR multi-vendor interop; high transmit power, OpenZR+ over a 1000km, multi-span network; OpenROADM/ITU-T over that same network; and foundational 400ZR collocated on the single-span network with 800ZR. - EEI & Co-Packaging interoperability demos
The EEI and Co-Packaging demo features pioneering methods for integrating multiple chips within a single package, driving enhanced performance and power efficiency in electronic devices. OIF members are displaying a conceptual demo of AI backend compute utilizing next-generation energy-efficient interfaces as well as live demos showcasing the latest advancements for external laser sources. This demo highlights innovative approaches that are revolutionizing the performance and power efficiency of electronic device design. - 112G and 224G CEI interoperability demos
OIF is expanding its industry-first demonstration of 224G CEI multi-vendor interoperability, the electrical interface for future optical solutions. Additionally, OIF’s demonstration of a 112G CEI Linear ecosystem has broadened, driven by the interoperability of multi-vendor SerDes links with multi-vendor LPOs, supported by test & measurement validation at each stage of the link. - CMIS interoperability demos
The CMIS demo will feature an array of CMIS-managed modules integrated into routers, switches and test gear from various vendors, providing a first-hand glimpse into CMIS’ effective management of modules in real-world applications. Its focus is on the path to plug & play, illustrating how modules communicate their capabilities, enabling hosts to manage them seamlessly without requiring specific code for each module. - Live and Interactive Demonstrations: 47 member company participants
The demonstrations in OIF’s booth #1323 highlight the collaborative efforts of system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors, emphasizing their contributions to advancing technology adoption in both present and future networks.
Participating member companies are Adtran; Alphawave Semi; Amphenol; Anritsu; AOI; Astera Labs; Ayar Labs; Broadcom Inc; Cadence Design Systems Inc; Casela Technologies; CICT/Accelink; Ciena; Cisco Systems; Coherent Corp; Corning; Eoptolink; EXFO; HG Genuine; Hisense; Infinera; Juniper Networks; Keysight Technologies; Lessengers; Linktel Technologies; Lumentum; Luxshare-Tech; MACOM Technology Solutions; Marvell; Molex; MultiLane; NEC; Nokia; Nubis Communications Inc; O-Net Technologies; Optomind; Precision Optical Technologies Inc; Quantifi Photonics; Samtec; Semtech; Senko Advanced Components; Sumitomo Electric Industries; Synopsys; TE Connectivity; US Conec; Viavi Solutions; Wilder Technologies and Wistron.
OIF panels
In addition to the in-booth demonstrations, OIF experts are leading two panel discussions on the exhibit floor, providing insights into the industry’s latest advancements:
- 27 March (4–5pm PT, Theater 1): ‘Coherent Optics Unleashed: From 400ZR Success to 800ZR/LR Advancements and 1600ZR Kick-off – An OIF Update’.
Moderator: Karl Gass, OIF Physical & Link Layer Interoperability (PLL) Working Group (WG) optical vice chair);
Panelists: Sebastien Gareau (Ciena), Jeff Rahn (Meta), Gert Sarlet (Coherent), Tom Williams (Cisco).
- 28 March (1:45–2:45pm PT, Theater 1): ‘Energy Efficient Interfaces – Reining in Power Consumption Trends for Next-Generation Optical Networking’.
Moderator: Jeff Hutchins, OIF PLL WG EEI vice chair and board member (Ranovus);
Panelists: Craig Thompson (NVIDIA), OIF PLL WG electrical vice chair Yi Tang (Cisco), OIF president Nathan Tracy (TE Connectivity).
OIF showcasing interoperability at OFC with record 47 member companies
