More than 300 Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) members convened in San Diego January 28-30, 2002, to approve the first in a planned series of agreements addressing the interfaces for packet and cell transfer in OC-768, 40 Gbit/sec applications like OC-768 ATM and Packet-over-SONET/SDH (PoS). The System Packet Interface Level 5 (SPI-5) builds on the previously approved OIF SPI specifications (SPI-3 for 2.5 Gbits/sec and SPI-4 for 10 Gbits/sec), providing guidelines for the interaction between physical layer and link layer devices.
"The approval of SPI-5 is another milestone among the OIF's technical efforts," contends Sid Chaudhuri, OIF president. "And the strong turnout for our quarterly meeting signals very strong support for the OIF within the optical networking industry."
SPI-5 will allow system vendors to use interoperable components from multiple suppliers leading to a higher level of competition and lower system costs. Developed by the OIF's Physical Link Layer (PLL) Working Group, the chip-to-chip and module-to-module multi-vendor interoperability made possible by SPI-5 will stimulate demand for 40-Gbit/sec systems among service providers, say OIF representatives. In addition, the enhanced interoperability of SPI-5-compliant equipment will lower product costs, reducing the risks associated with developing products for the 40-Gbit/sec market.
"SPI-5 builds on the OC-192 SPI-4 Phase 2 definition" asserts Jeff Lynch, OIF PLL electrical track chairman. "It is the first 40 Gbit/sec (OC-768) Implementation Agreement produced by the OIF and is the culmination of more than a year of work."
The San Diego quarterly meeting also marked the beginning of the OIF's work on a specification for Very Short Reach Level 5 (VSR-5), the first 40-Gbit optical interface project defined by the Forum. VSR-5 is four times faster than the previous 10-Gbit interfaces and is a lower cost alternative to interconnect within a Central Office (CO). Other OC-768 specifications defining various interface points within a 40 Gbit-capable system are planned for later in 2002.
Launched in April of 1998, the OIF (Fremont, CA) is a rapidly growing, non-profit organization with more than 300 member companies, including many of the world's leading carriers and vendors. For more information, visit the Forum's Web site at www.oiforum.com.