Spectra7 and FIT demo SFP-DD Active Copper Cable

Spectra7 Microsystems and Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT) are demonstrating Active Copper Cable (ACC) interconnects supporting the new SFP-DD standard for higher speed and higher density server connections at this week's DesignCon 2019 expo in Santa Clara, California.

The cables use Spectra7’s low-power analog GaugeChanger chips to enable 4X increase in bandwidth over currently deployed SFP28 interconnects in hyperscale and enterprise data centers.

Currently deployed SFP interconnects operate at 25-28 Gbps but will soon move to 56 Gbps PAM4 signaling. The new SFP-DD electrical interfaces are designed to support 2 lanes that operate up to 25 Gbps NRZ or 56 Gbps PAM4 per lane, providing solutions up to 50 Gbps or 112 Gbps PAM4 aggregate. By doubling the lane density and data speed of SFP transceivers, the SFP-DD specification addresses increased port density and scalability in next-generation applications.

“FIT is a leader in the data center interconnect market,” said Spectra7 CEO Raouf Halim. “This joint demonstration at 112 Gbps of SFP-DD is another major milestone as we continue to leverage our technology in the latest data center standards.”