Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Mellanox Intros Silicon Photonics-based 200G Transceivers

Mellanox Technologies introduced a new line of new line of 200 Gbit/s silicon photonics and VCSEL-based transceivers in a QSFP28 package and 100 Gbit/s silicon photonics components designed for hyperscale Web 2.0 and cloud optical interconnect applications.

200 Gbit/s transceivers

Mellanox new 200 Gbit/s silicon photonics and VCSEL-based transceivers are offered in the same QSFP28 package as current 100 Gbit/s products and target hyperscale Web 2.0 and cloud 100 Gbit/s networks. Mellanox is also introducing 200 Gbit/s active optical cables (AOCs) and direct attach copper cables (DACs), including breakout cables, enabling end-to-end 200 Gbit/s Ethernet networks.

Specifically, Mellanox is introducing the following 200 Gbit/s products:

1.  1550 nm DR4 QSFP28 silicon photonics transceiver for reach up to 500 metres on single mode fibre.

2.  SR4 VCSEL QSFP28 transceiver for reach up to 100 metres on OM4 multi-mode fibre.

3.  QSFP28 AOC for reach up to 100 metres.

4.  QSFP28 DAC cable for reaches up to 3 metres.

5.  QSFP28 to 4 x 50 Gbit/s SFP28 copper splitter cables for connecting 50 Gbit/s servers to ToR switches.

Mellanox noted that the transceivers and DACs support the new IEEE 200GAUI electrical standard using 25 GBaud PAM4 signalling.

100 Gbit/s silicon photonics components

Mellanox also unveiled new 100 Gbit/s silicon photonics components and announced the availability of the following solutions:

1.  PSM4 silicon photonics 1550 nm transmitter with flip-chip bonded DFB lasers and attached 1 metre fibre pigtail for reach up to 2 km.

2.  PSM4 silicon photonics 1550 nm transmitter with flip-chip bonded DFB lasers and attached fibre stub for connectorised transceivers with reach up to 2 km.

3.  Low-power 100 Gbit/s (4 x 25 Gbit/s) modulator driver IC.

4.  PSM4 silicon photonics 1310 and 1550 nm receiver array with 1 metre fibre pigtail.

5.  PSM4 silicon photonics 1310 and 1550 nm receiver array for connectorised transceivers.

6.  Low-power 100 Gbit/s (4 x 25 Gbit/s) trans-impedance amplifier IC.


At OFC Mellanox held live demonstrations of its end-to-end solutions, including: Spectrum 100 Gbit/s QSFP28/ SFP28 switches; ConnectX-4 and ConnectX-5 25/50/100 Gbit/s QSFP28/SFP28 network adapters; LinkX 25/50/100 Gbit/s DAC and AOC cables and 100 Gbit/s SR4 and PSM4 transceivers; Quantum switches with 40 ports of 200 Gbit/s QSFP28 in a 1 RU chassis; and ConnectX-6 adapters with 2 ports of 200 Gbit/s QSFP28.