Wednesday, March 30, 2022

TE Connectivity demos high-speed data center interconnects

TE Connectivity (TE) will host the following demonstrations at next week's DesignCon 2022 in Santa Clara, California.

  • 112G quad small formfactor pluggable double density (QSFP-DD) Over-the-Board (OTB) ​- TE has developed a new connector that extends the reach of the traditional surface mount technology faceplate connectors. The near-chip socket (NCS) connector is based on existing TE socket technology to provide a dense pin field, superior crosstalk isolation, and a total mated height of 5.8mm to allow for placement as close as possible to the application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The channel includes 2 X 300mm NCS to QSFP-DD OTB cable assembly and 1.5 m QDD direct cable copper (DAC) cable assembly with a channel loss of 37dB BGA to BGA and driven by 112G PAM4 SerDes. TE’s QSFP-DD OTB to NCS solution demonstrates how TE can utilize traditional PCB materials and extend the reach of the QSFP-DD channel. ​
  • 800G QSFP-DD Active Copper Cable ​- The 800G QSFP-DD active copper cable (ACC) demonstrates the latest in TE’s bulk cable and termination technology. A retimer embedded in the module extends the reach of copper cables while consuming less power than equivalent optical cables. ACC technology also enables fine wire gauges for short links to ease routing challenges in dense next-gen racks. This live demo shows eight lanes of 112G PAM-4 data running through TE’s ACC with a host trace and connector on each side.​
  • Cabled Card Electromechanical (CEM) Technology ​- TE’s Sliver connector portfolio is the backbone of this architectural shift in the market.  TE uses a standardized CEM connector interface, defined within the PCI-SIG standard, in tandem with a Sliver 4C+ host connector.  This configuration enables PCIe system channels to extend their reach and performance for Gen 5.0, and soon-to-be Gen 6.0 applications.  TE is simplifying design choices for our industry by increasing the configurability, modularity, and optionality of our solutions to market.  The mechanical robustness of both the Sliver connector interface, as well as the CEM assembly, make this solution an option for almost any PCIe based application.​
  • Co-Packaged Socket Technology​ - Increases in bandwidth density and adoption of higher speed protocols is putting constraints on traditional switch and server architectures. Integrating copper or optics with the silicon can help relieve some of those constraints. TE has developed socket technologies to allow a separable interface between copper or optical modules and silicon packages for co-packaged architectures. Multiple socket contact technologies allow contact pitches down to 0.40mm while delivering excellent signal integrity performance.​  The display at DesignCon will showcase functionality of a co-packaged copper link leveraging TE’s co-packaged socket technology. Also displayed is a static mockup showing TE’s uLGA socket in a 51.2T Near Package Optics (NPO) switch implementation.​
  • Next Generation PCIe Link with CDFP Technology ​- With an increased use of disaggregated resources comes the necessity for a low latency, high performance, high density external cabling solution that is mature with proven reliability and robustness.  TE will be showcasing the use of CDFP technology as the next-generation external PCI Express cabling link by demonstrating a PCIe Gen 5.0 channel at 32 GT/s as a live demo.  Today’s CDFP technology enables a x16 link width within a single port, enabling 512 GT/s of bandwidth and scalable to support x8 and x4 link widths in the near future.  The industry has accepted CDFP technology as a next-generation external cable solution TE’s CDFP technology connects computing appliance resources within applications such as Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and NVMe-based storage applications and can be used in future applications enabled by PCI Express infrastructure (such as CXL™).    

​ TE’s featured static demo will include:

  • DDR5 Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) Socket ​- TE’s fifth generation of double data rate, dual inline memory module (DDR5) sockets include surface mount technology and can address the higher data rates needed for today’s memory module applications. Designed in accordance with JEDEC industry standards, this socket includes 288 positions, 0.85mm pitch. DDR5 DIMM sockets support 288-Pin SMT type. ​This socket is designed with short, medium, long and narrow latch options to address different space requirements. It is also available in multiple color and plating options. The DDR5 sockets are engineered for higher data rates and can provide up to two times higher performance than DDR4 DIMM sockets. DDR5 sockets are used in communication memory applications, such as data centers, desktop PCs, mass storage and servers. ​

“As the industry continues its unstoppable march toward higher speeds and denser equipment, designs require new approaches to connectivity and thermal management,” said Nathan Tracy, TE technologist, industry standards manager and OIF vice president of marketing and board member. “Each year at DesignCon, TE demonstrates its industry leadership in developing new technologies and products to support next-generation data center and networking equipment, and we are proud to be showcasing our latest technical advances via functioning demonstrations and displays.”

LayerZero Labs raises $135M for decentralized omnichain interop protocol

LayerZero Labs raised $135 million for its decentralized omnichain interoperability protocol which could be used to accelerate the development of cross-chain decentralized applications (dApps).

The idea is to build high-throughput applications, like gaming, NFT marketplaces and media apps, on cost-effective blockchains. 

The funding round was co-led by Sequoia Capital, FTX Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz and with participation from Coinbase Ventures, PayPal Ventures, Tiger Global, and Uniswap Labs, This funding round values LayerZero Labs at $1 billion.

The company reports very significant traction:

Following the beta launch of LayerZero, the LayerZero Labs team recently launched Stargate, a cross-chain liquidity transfer protocol built on LayerZero’s generic messaging. Stargate solves a holy grail problem called the Bridging Trilemma and enables cross-chain liquidity transfer in native assets, with unified liquidity and instant guarantee of finality. 

The team believes Stargate will be integral to any application that wants to move cryptocurrency across blockchains. In just 10 days post-launch, Stargate has surpassed $3.4B in assets secured, and Stargate has sent over $264M in transfers over LayerZero. Building off this momentum, LayerZero Labs will focus on integrating the LayerZero protocol with Non-EVM blockchains (Solana, Terra, etc.) while building a community of cross-chain DeFi protocols and dApps powered by LayerZero & Stargate.

“This round is a massive step forward for LayerZero Labs and the unfolding interoperability landscape. We’ve brought some of the best and most well respected entities in the world together to accomplish the same goal: create the generic messaging layer that underpins all interoperability between blockchains,” said Bryan Pellegrino, CEO and co-founder, LayerZero Labs.

“LayerZero unlocks a future of blockchains without borders. Users will interact with omnichain dApps that exist on multiple blockchains. These dApps will seamlessly communicate over LayerZero without the user even realizing it,” said Ryan Zarick, CTO and co-founder, LayerZero Labs.

https://layerzero.network

PEACE subsea cable lands in Mombasa

The Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable has landed this week in Mombasa, Kenya.

The PEACE Cable is the sixth submarine cable to land in Kenya, preceded by the Djibouti Africa Regional Express 1 (DARE 1), SEACOM, The East African Marine System (TEAMS), the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) and the Lower Indian Ocean NetWork II (LION II).

PEACE's second phase will see the cable extend to Singapore and Southern Africa, boosting bandwidth and connectivity from its current African landing point in Mombasa, all the way to South Africa, consequently opening new markets to cable partners in East Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).


Telkom Kenya's CEO, Mr. Mugo KIBATI states:  

“The investment in submarine cables is of strategic importance to Telkom, where we view access to the Internet as a fundamental human right. Interest in this kind of delivery infrastructure is growing due to the sharp increase in the demand of Internet services including: cloud computing, streaming, gaming, connected devices, and also taking into account the customer’s demand for seamless service provision with no interruption. We are therefore proud to contribute to Kenya's strategic evolution to become a digital economy, in line with the country’s Big 4 Agenda that relies on ICTs to enhance processes, improve efficiencies, and boost consistency in service delivery to Kenyans."  

“This ultra-high capacity Cable will assist Kenya and the region in meeting its current and future broadband capacity requirements, bolster redundancy, minimise transit time of our country's connectivity to Asia and Europe, as well as assist carriers in providing affordable services to Kenyans. This is in line with our long-term goal of effectively addressing the digital transformation being witnessed in Kenya and the region, as we seek to become the technology partner of choice in these markets.”

https://www.telkom.co.ke/telkom-peace-cable-company-land-submarine-cable-kenya


PEACE subsea cable lands in Marseille

The new PEACE (Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe) submarine cable has landed on the shores of Marseille. 

Orange, acting as the landing party for the PEACE cable in France has successfully completed the landing of the PEACE system in Marseille, will supply and operate the cable landing station. Orange is also responsible for extending the PEACE System to one of Marseille’s major data centers where the submarine line terminal equipment is located.

“We are glad to have successfully completed this operation with our affiliate Orange Marine today who managed the shore-end landing. For Orange, having capacity on PEACE will provide greater route diversity, improved connection security and guaranteed support for increased capacity across all regions in the Indian Ocean zone, particularly La Réunion and Mayotte, especially reducing its dependency on the EASSy cable which links Djibouti to South Africa” says Jean-Luc Vuillemin,  Executive Vice President of International Networks at Orange.


Orange and PCCW join PEACE subsea cable project

PCCW Global, Orange, and PEACE Cable International, a leading international submarine cable operator, reached agreement to deploy the Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable system. PEACE will be a 12,000km ultra-low latency cable system connecting three of the largest and most populous continents in the world - Asia, Africa and Europe. The backbone of the project will interconnect Pakistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya and...

Infinera’s ICE6 selected for PEACE submarine cable system

Infinera's ICE6 optical engine solution will be deployed on the Mediterranean Segment of the Pakistan & East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable system. Infinera said it was selected following extensive technology evaluation and application analysis of its ICE6 solution, including its combination of ultra-high baud rates and an advanced modulation technique known as long-codeword probabilistic constellation shaping. Both capabilities...

Telecom Egypt signs PEACE subsea cable

Telecom Egypt entered agreements enabling the Pakistan & East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) subsea cable system to cross Egypt through new diversified terrestrial routes between the Zafarana and Abou Talat cable landing stations, where Telecom Egypt will provide PEACE with brand new state of the art landing facilities. The total value of the agreement amounts to US$45 million over the lifetime of the cable.  In addition,  PEACE...


Rakuten Mobile tests Nokia's 1 Gbps optical transport

Rakuten Mobile has tested a live 1 Tb/s per channel transmission over its commercial DWDM. The trial took place over two days in January 2022 and connected data centers located 135 km apart in the Kanto region in Japan.

The 1 Tb/s speed was achieved using coherent transmission powered by Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine (PSE) supporting 1 Tb/s capacity over a 150 GHz optical spectrum. The trial demonstrated the ability to deliver 32 Tb/s per fiber in C-band which can be expanded to 64 Tbps by adding L-band over a Nokia DWDM line system used in Rakuten Mobile’s optical network, vital to providing maximum capacity for the ever-increasing data demands and to support the latest generations of routers delivering 800 Gb/s Ethernet.

The Open Line System field trial, over Rakuten Mobile’s existing commercial network, used Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine inhouse Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a compact, high capacity, modular optical networking platform, optimized for Data Center Interconnect (DCI) applications over metro, regional and long haul.

John Lancaster-Lennox, Head of Market Unit Japan, Nokia, said: “The 1 Terabit per channel trial demonstrated the capability to dramatically increase fiber capacity and future-proof the Rakuten Mobile network infrastructure to support new high speed data center interconnection.”

Tareq Amin, Representative Director and CEO of Rakuten Mobile, Inc., said: “We are delighted with the performance of 1 Tb/s per channel on our optical network in collaboration with Nokia. This technical milestone will allow us to maximize bits per fiber and achieve improved power efficiency. The enhanced capacity will also support our traffic growth, deliver higher bandwidth and enable Rakuten Mobile to provide new service offerings.”

https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2022/03/30/nokia-and-rakuten-mobile-prove-case-for-1-terabit-per-channel-transmission-in-live-network/

FirstLight acquires 1,800 route-mile fiber network in PA

 FirstLight completed its acquisition of the majority of the assets of the Pennsylvania-based Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research (KINBER) whose assets include a 1,800-route mile fiber network in Pennsylvania and related customer contracts. KINBER will continue in its mission to provide research and education access, investing in underserved and unserved communities, and positioning Pennsylvania to be a leader in broadband and broadband technology. FirstLight will continue to support KINBER’s networking needs.

FirstLight own and operates a fiber network extending 25,000 miles across the north eastern United States.

FirstLight has invested significantly in the Pennsylvania market over the past 12 months, adding a dedicated Pennsylvania sales team and approximately 1,000 miles of new fiber to its network, including builds in Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Scranton, Reading and Wilkes-Barre.

“In addition to acquiring an important fiber route in Pennsylvania, we are excited to serve the prestigious, world renowned higher education institutions, K-12, government, and health care customers in Pennsylvania that KINBER so aptly cultivated over the years,” said Kurt Van Wagenen, FirstLight President and CEO.

https://www.firstlight.net/explore-our-network/


Radware debuts Terabit DDoS Mitigation Platform with 400G interfaces

Radware introduced its DefensePro 800, a terabit DDoS mitigation platform for Tier-1 service providers and large enterprises.

Using first-to-market 400G interfaces, the DDoS mitigation platform delivers an attack prevention rate up to 1.2 billion packets per second (PPS) and a mitigation capacity up to 800 gigabits per second (Gbps). With its patented, behavioral-based, and automated algorithms, it can overcome sophisticated multi-vector attacks at any scale. This includes automated DDoS protection from burst, DNS, and TLS/SSL attacks, as well as ransom DDoS campaigns, IoT botnets, phantom floods, and other types of cyber-threats.

“Tier-1 service providers and large enterprises are transforming their networks and computing infrastructures to drive performance, scalability, and new customer experiences. Supporting new technologies, while overcoming the significant rise in DDoS attack intensity, requires an advanced scrubbing platform,” said Amir Peles, vice president of technologies at Radware. “Our new DDoS mitigation platform is a game changer. It combines state-of-the-art protection and performance built to handle ultra-high bandwidth demands and deliver next-generation connectivity for emerging environments.”

https://www.radware.com/products/defensepro/


Telstra names Vicki Brady as its next CEO

Telstra named Vicki Brady as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 September 2022, replacing Andrew Penn who has today announced his intention to retire after serving more than seven years in the role. 

Brady currently serves as Telstra’s Chief Financial Officer. 

Brady holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australia National University, a Masters from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants ANZ and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She will be based in Sydney.

“Andy has led Telstra during a period of significant change and will be known for his courage in setting a bold ambition through the T22 strategy to deliver a transformed experience for customers, shareholders and employees. There is no doubt the strategy has delivered beyond expectations and has laid the foundations for Telstra’s recently announced T25 strategy and a renewed focus on growth and innovation,” said Telstra Chairman, John Mullen. 

“During his time as CEO, Andy has driven a focus on digitisation underpinned by a commitment to simplifying our products and services for our customers and employees. He has also maintained our leadership in networks, including recently through our investment to lead on 5G. 


T-Mobile US expands its Fixed Wireless Access service

T-Mobile expanded the footprint of its Mobile Home Internet service to nearly 3 million more homes in 54 cities across four states: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. 

“We launched T-Mobile Home Internet just a year ago, and already, we’ve disrupted the home broadband industry for good. We’re making fast, reliable, 5G Home Internet available to more than 30 million households across the country. And in Q4 of last year, we were the fastest growing broadband provider in the U.S. That’s incredible,” said Mike Katz, Chief Marketing Officer at T-Mobile. “Today, we’re expanding access to Home Internet again, now to 3 million more homes across the South. 5G is making a real dent in the digital divide, bringing choice and competition to places that have never had it before.”

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T-Mobile US again expands fixed wireless access

 T-Mobile US is expanding its fixed wireless Home Internet service to more than 130 additional cities and towns across Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin. T-Mobile is preparing to launch commercial 5G Home Internet service next year.“Home broadband has been broken for far too long, especially for those in rural areas, and it’s time that cable and telco ISPs have some...