XLoom intros pluggable optics for InfiniBand HPC clusters

November 7, 2005 Sunnyvale, CA -- XLoom Communications, a developer of chip-scale optoelectronic interconnects, has announced the availability of its InfiniFlame 12X series of front-panel pluggable optical modules for interconnecting InfiniBand clusters. The company says the optical transmitter/receiver pair comprises a 12-channel, InfiniBand-ready, optical interconnect platform that supports speeds of up to 30 Gbit/sec per port.

The company says its InfiniFlame series features the XFP MSA mechanical interface, an industry-standard form factor. According to the company, the front-panel, hot pluggable optical modules enable high port density and reduced power consumption and heat generation, while improving cost-per-port for end customers.

Key features of the InfiniFlame 12X series include: low power dissipation of 2.5W per transmitter/receiver pair; independent channel management using and I2C interface; and a standard MTP/MPO optical interface

According to XLoom, InfiniBand continues to make inroads as a mainstream interconnect for clustered computing, as enterprises look to capitalize on the technology's low-cost, high-speed, low-latency capabilities. The company says its InfiniFlame 12X optical modules provide enterprises with longer reaches between clusters of up to 200 meters using standard multimode fibers, thus offering an alternative to bulky copper cables that are practically limited to a reach of 5-10 meters.

"The market need for optics in InfiniBand has become apparent as OEMs implement InfiniBand as a data center interconnect solution for IT clusters and storage solutions," comments Avner Badihi, XLoom's CEO. "We look to establish InfiniFlame 12X as the de facto standard for pluggable InfiniBand optical links, and estimate a substantial market potential for our InfiniFlame modules in 2007."

"We will be announcing InfiniFlame design wins with major switch vendors during first quarter 2006," adds David Sachs, XLoom's vice president for U.S. sales and product marketing. "XLoom's BlueFlame technology for wafer-level fabrication of optoelectronic devices drives power, size, and cost down, making InfiniFlame a cost-effective interconnect solution for users of high-performance computing applications."

The company says that select InfiniFlame 12X samples will be available starting this quarter, with general sampling set for Q1 of 2006.