8 December 2003 Mountain View, CA Lightwave -- Aeluros has successfully demonstrated interoperability between its Aeluros Puma AEL1002 Integrated Cicruit and XFP module solutions from the following XFP vendors: Agilent Technologies, Bookham Technology, Finisar, Hitachi Cable, Intel, JDS Uniphase, Opnext, Picolight, Sumitomo Electric, and Tyco Electronics.
The completion of error-free interoperability verifications illustrates the viability of the low-power, 800-mW Aeluros 10-Gbit/sec Puma IC in addressing implementation of 10-Gbit/sec systems using the XFP form factor, assert Aeluros representatives. With the removal of this barrier from system design challenges, equipment manufacturers can direct scarce resources to adding value at the system level, rather than expending energy validating the interaction between their XFP module and physical layer IC.
The XFP form factor, defined by the XFP Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), provides a multi-sourced, application-agnostic, ultra-small form factor 10-Gbit/sec optical module solution that occupies as little as one-fifth the space and one-half the power of alternative modules, says the company. These advantages drive a cost structure that will allow rapid reductions in 10-Gbit/sec system price per port and will help drive accelerated deployment of 10-Gigabit Ethernet, 10-Gigabit Fibre Channel, and SONET/SDH systems. The 10-Gbit/sec serial XFI standard, defined as the electrical interface to the module, has also been leveraged by the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) as part of the Common Electrical Interface (CEI) project. The CEI effort will help drive the adoption of compatible signaling into a variety of new chip-to-chip and backplane applications, including SerDes Framer Interfaces (SFIs), System Packet Interfaces (SPIs), and TDM Fabric to Framer Interfaces (TFIs).
"Validation of multi-vendor interoperability is a crucial step in the adoption of emerging industry standards," contends David Gamba, director of marketing at Aeluros. "By demonstrating the combined solution of the 800-mW Aeluros Puma AEL1002 XFI-to-XAUI device with these leading XFP modules, we can together provide this combination as a robust solution to our mutual customers."
A variety of testing methodologies were used to complete this interoperability, thus providing a range of environments and challenges. Each solution was validated through the use of the Aeluros Puma AEL1002 Evaluation Kit, an integrated evaluation and demonstration platform providing a 12" trace across standard FR4 material, thereby exceeding the XFP worst-case channel specification by 50%. The combined solution of the Aeluros Puma AEL1002 device and each XFP module illustrated significant margin to the XFP specification from a performance standpoint. Voltage, temperature, fiber-optic link distance, and setup topology conditions were also exercised in order to validate robust interoperability in a system environment. Additional details regarding these interoperability efforts are available in interoperability reports from Aeluros and the various module vendors.
The Aeluros Puma AEL1002 device provides the XFI to XAUI conversion necessary to provide a bridge between the increasingly popular XFP 10-Gbit/sec optical module form factor and the four-lane 3-Gbit/sec XAUI interface common on system ICs for 10-Gigabit Ethernet and 10-Gigabit Fibre Channel devices. As with the Puma AEL1001 device, intended for use inside of X2, XPAK, and XENPAK modules, the Puma AEL1002 device incorporates the PMA, PCS, and XGXS sub-layers defined in the IEEE 802.3ae 10-Gigabit Ethernet and INCITS 10-Gigabit Fibre Channel specifications. The AEL1002 incorporates an adaptive receive equalizer able to ensure signal integrity and open a closed eye for a 10-Gbit/sec signal across more than 12-inches of FR4 trace, while providing a programmable edge rate capability to enable flexible trace lengths on board designs by eliminating reflections.
With a power consumption of only 800 mW and a small 13-mm x 13-mm plastic BGA package form factor requiring no heat sink or spreader, the Puma AEL1002 device is a key enabler for high-density, XFP-based system line cards, contends Aeluros representatives.