The OIF has released a Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) Implementation Agreement (IA).
CMIS provides a well-defined mechanism to initialize and manage optical and copper modules in a standard way, while still providing the capability to provide custom functionality. This commonality makes integration into different host platforms easier for both the host and module vendors.
IA—CMIS 5.2:The importance of CMIS continues to expand as higher-speed systems require more complex modules demanding more sophisticated management interfaces. This IA marks the first OIF-approved CMIS IA and the completion of the transition of the work to OIF.
“One of the reasons OIF adopted the CMIS work is its close coupling and application to ongoing OIF projects,” said Ian Alderdice, Ciena and OIF Physical & Link Layer Working Group – Management Co-Vice Chair. “This IA includes new features supporting a wide variety of form factors, most importantly fiber channel enhancements which expands the range of end-user applications.”
At its Q2 2022 Technical and MA&E Committees Meeting, which was held last month, a new CMIS project was also intiated. CMIS addresses commonality in managing pluggable modules and is a critical interface working hand-in-hand with other OIF areas, including co-packaging and electrical. The project work to create the next version of CMIS will add the necessary support for co-packaging/External Laser Small Form Factor Pluggable (ELSFP) projects and link training.
“This new project work represents the next steps in the evolution of CMIS and its alignment with other OIF PLL Working Groups tracks to enable an interoperable ecosystem,” said Gary Nicholl, Cisco and OIF PLL Working Group – Management Co-Vice Chair and Secretary/Treasurer.
OIF adopts Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS)
OIF has adopted the Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) work initiated by the Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density (QSFP-DD) Multi Source Agreement (MSA).
CMIS may be used by pluggable or on-board modules, such as QSFP Double Density (QSFP-DD), OSFP, COBO, QSFP, and future module developments like co-packaged optics with host to module management communication based on a two-wire interface. This specification is targeted to systems manufacturers, system integrators and suppliers of CMIS compliant optical and copper modules.
“The QSFP-DD MSA initiated the CMIS effort to address an industry need for commonality in managing pluggable modules, and it has been broadly and successfully adopted across the industry,” said Mark Nowell, Cisco, QSFP-DD MSA Group founding member and MSA co-chair. “OIF is very well suited to maintain and extend the development of this effort and I look forward to seeing their progress.”
“Adopting CMIS from the QSFP-DD MSA, with the goal to build on and extend the specification is an ideal expansion of OIF’s work,” said Nathan Tracy, OIF VP of Marketing and TE Connectivity. “OIF is where the cloud gets its work done and extending CMIS is a giant step forward and an integral linkage to the other work that OIF members are doing to enable an interoperable ecosystem.”
In August, OIF announced the new Physical & Link Layer (PLL) Working Group Management track to include the transition of ownership and maintenance of CMIS from the QSFP-DD MSA to OIF and a project to focus on CMIS extensions for co-packaging implementations. OIF will take over the ongoing CMIS revisions and further enhancements and CMIS extensions under this track. This track is co-vice-chaired by Gary Nicholl, Cisco and Ian Alderdice, Ciena.
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