OIF kicked off two new projects:
- Interoperable 1600ZR+ - the project complements the 1600ZR project unveiled last September (2023). Responding to market demand for higher-performance (ZR+) modes, OIF is working towards integrating these modes into its application scope for 1600 Gb/s interfaces.
- Retimed Tx Linear Rx Specs EEI Project - focused on developing specifications for Retimed Tx Linear Rx (RTxLRx). The initial applications target Ethernet and AI/ML, operating at 200G/lane over 500m single mode fiber (SMF) and 100G/lane over 30m multimode fiber (MMF), with potential for alternate applications. The project aims for full plug and play functionality in both electrical and optical domains, meeting the industry demand for power and latency savings. RTxLRx addresses constraints found in Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) and provides flexibility, making it a candidate when LPO is not suitable.
“OIF recognizes the importance of consolidated requirements in the ZR/ZR+ space to streamline development costs and enhance industry collaboration,” said Karl Gass, OIF PLL WG – Optical Vice Chair. “This project reinforces OIF’s role as the forum for coherent line interface discussions and demonstrates leadership by facilitating the evolution of next-generation technologies.”
At its recent Q1 2024 Technical and MA&E meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, OIF re-elected the Physical and Link Layer (PLL) Working Group (WG) Chair and released a white paper focused on advancing plug and play for Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) modules. The meeting also featured Andrew Schmitt, Cignal AI as a guest speaker.
“OIF is an excellent forum for establishing standards on rapidly emerging technologies, and it is well-positioned to tackle the tough problems network operators and their suppliers face,” said Schmitt. “This meeting’s kick off of the 1600ZR+ process - a third generation follow up to the hugely successful 400ZR project - marks a major milestone for the industry. Further increasing the ease of deployment for 400ZR technology via CMIS is also a very valuable endeavor. I’m excited about these OIF initiatives and very pleased to offer Cignal AI’s current perspective on the market to such a capable and effective audience.”
OIF kicks off new projects: 224G PAM4, 1600ZR
OIF has kicked off four new projects:
224G PAM4 protocol agnostic link training for electrical interfaces project
Electrical interface link training holds considerable significance throughout the industry. This project will define communication method, messaging format and contents, training patterns, states and sequences, diagnostics and fault handling, etc. for link training of a 224G PAM4 class electrical link. The objective is to enhance overall link performance, a critical factor, particularly under challenging conditions, to establish a functional connection.
As part of this initiative, the CEI (Common Electrical IO) framework will be expanded with an additional tool to encompass a comprehensive solution, reinforcing OIF's leadership in the electrical/SERDES domain.
“This project is critical for OIF, yielding a standardized solution that seamlessly fosters SERDES interoperability and implementation, transcending the boundaries of specific applications,” said David Stauffer, OIF Physical & Link Layer Working Group Chair and Kandou Bus, S.A. “Through collaborative efforts with other industry groups, we aim to forge a consistent industry-wide solution that simplifies implementation.”
1600ZR Project
The 1600ZR project will define a power optimized solution for a multi-vendor interoperable 1600 Gbps coherent optical interface, with a focus on Data Center Interconnect (DCI) scenarios. This Implementation Agreement (IA) will create a comprehensive electrical/protocol/optical framework that facilitates realization into pluggable modules. It will also establish a reference point for additional applications that contribute to the growth of the coherent ecosystem.
