OIF targets CFP2 optical transceiver receiver

Aug. 19, 2013
The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has launched a second effort designed to streamline development of CFP2 optical transceiver modules. The new effort will seek to standardize a micro Integrated Coherent Receiver (ICR).

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has launched a second effort designed to streamline development of CFP2 optical transceiver modules. The new effort will seek to standardize a micro Integrated Coherent Receiver (ICR).

The new receiver-based effort will complement the OIF’s initial CFP2 work announced this past May (see “OIF to explore Transport SDN, CFP2”).

"The OIF continues to look at and address the optics inside the CFP2 coherent optics transceiver module to meet the needs of the industry,” said Karl Gass the OIF’s Physical and Link Layer Working Group Vice Chair - Optical. “Members identified the ability to standardize a micro-ICR for CFP2 modules, which will help vendors bring down costs and quickly deploy the modules.”

The CFP2 receiver project launch came at the OIF’s recent third quarter meeting. In addition to the new effort, OIF members also progressed on several other fronts, including thermal aspects, CEI-56G, E-NNI multi-domain recovery, and OTNv3.

In the thermal management project, the OIF Physical Layer Users Group is working to specify the surface smoothness and flatness of optical modules, which are key elements for thermal management in that these features can improve heat dissipation. For CEI-56G, simulations of this proposed interface were presented to members of the Physical and Link Layer (PLL) working group. The CEI-56G work effort potentially supports both narrower 100-Gbps modules as well as 400-Gbps efforts.

Meanwhile, the E-NNI Recovery Amendment adds extensions to the E-NNI to allow automated backup from failure or maintenance in multi-domain carrier networks. The OTNv3 Amendment adds updates to the E-NNI to support the latest OTN control plane standards.

The Carrier WG also completed documenting an initial set of carrier requirements for Transport SDN in a multi-domain carrier network. The requirements include signaling network, control plane, and management issues for deploying SDN in a reliable, secure, and high performance manner. The OIF document on this topic remains in review.

The OIF plans to hold workshops on next-generation efforts and Transport SDN in early 2014.

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