OIF launches coherent driver modulator, FlexE/400ZR white paper projects

Aug. 15, 2019
The first effort targets a higher baud rate coherent driver modulator and the second seeks to create a white paper that describes low-rate service multiplexing using FlexE and 400ZR.

OIF membership inaugurated a pair of projects at their recently concluded Q319 Technical and MA&E Committees Meeting in Montreal, Canada. The first effort targets a higher baud rate coherent driver modulator and the second seeks to create a white paper that describes low-rate service multiplexing using FlexE and 400ZR.

The “Higher Baud Rate Coherent Driver Modulator” project will follow on from the High Bandwidth Coherent Driver Modulator (HB-CDM) Implementation Agreement (IA) published last year. The higher baud rate driver modulator will support at least 96 Gbaud, with an eye toward support of the coherent market’s low modem implementation penalty segment, for single optical carrier line rates beyond 400 Gbps at longer reaches.

The white paper will attempt to clarify how the new 400ZR specifications can be used in low-rate service multiplexing. The membership sees network operators looking for a multiplexing scheme to support lower-rate Ethernet clients (e.g., 4x100GE) into a 400ZR coherent line – a task for which FlexE is suited.

“It’s clear that OIF is not resting after a successful effort to standardize 400ZR, proven by the launch of two new projects at the recent Q3 meeting,” said Andrew Schmitt, founder and directing analyst, Cignal AI, who gave a presentation on the pluggable market at the meeting. “Also, as interest in pluggable coherent solutions grows, it is good to see OIF soliciting feedback from additional network operators in order to shape requirements for next generation standards.”

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.

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