The OIF is looking ahead to a proposed 224 Gbps project, the next electrical data rate beyond 112 Gbps.
The project was previewed at the Q2 2020 Technical and MA&E Committees Meeting, which was held virtually May 11-15. The leap to 224 Gbps is expected to be technically challenging with many factors to be considered, but already industry discussions are beginning to take place. The project is expected to start in Q3 and will consider the following challenges:
- What reaches need to be supported
- What modulations will be appropriate for each reach
- Simulation tools
- Test and measurement methodologies
By providing an active forum for discussions on next generation architectures and data rate beyond 112 Gbps, OIF is performing an essential role in accelerating standards and requirements. We expect this project to result in output data and baseline materials that will drive next generation CEI clauses and enable 1.6 Tbps rate architectures,” said Nathan Tracy, TE Connectivity and OIF President. “In addition, it is anticipated this next generation electrical rate will keep the industry on track to deliver lower cost and complexity 400 Gbps and 800 Gbps architectures as well.”
In addition, Dave Stauffer, Kandou Bus, S.A., was re-elected as Physical and Link Layer Working Group Chair through January 2022.
OIF will hold two upcoming webinars:- “Cu (See you) Beyond 112Gbps” - Thursday, June 18th at 7am PDT/9am CDT/10am EDT/4pm CEST - This online event, in partnership with Lightwave and Electronic Design, will feature a dynamic discussion between end-users, equipment developers and component suppliers. The webinar event is free and open to the public. Register here.
- OIF will hold a members-only “Co-packaging of Optics with ASICs” webinar on Monday, July 20th at 7am PDT/9am CDT/10am EDT/4pm CEST. The webinar will explore challenges in realizing high density co-packaged optic solutions for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications. It will identify key drivers as well as important constraints (electrical, thermal, optical, etc.) as it continues OIF’s mission of identifying industry gaps in standards and explores opportunities to provide interoperable solutions.
In addition, the OIF announced an Integrated Packet Optical SDN Implementation Agreement that defines a standardized universal open framework and principal use cases for integrated SDN control of packet and optical networks that at the solution level will normalize the architecture, interfaces and behaviors and help move the industry forward. The new IA is online.
“OIF’s Integrated Packet Optical SDN IA brings meaningful use cases, architecture and technical requirements for cooperation between IP and Optical layers via SDN,” said Junjie Li, China Telecom and OIF Network Operator Working Group Chair. “Operators look to OIF as a place to address industry gaps and achieve maximum benefit for their optical networks. I believe this work will help us to construct a bridge between packet and optical and make our network smarter and simpler.”
