The new Terabit Bidirectional (BiDi) Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) group has revealed its intention to collaborate on the development of interoperable 800-Gbps and 1.6-Tbps optical interface specifications for parallel multimode fiber (MMF) links in data centers. The specifications will be based on 100-Gbps VCSEL technology.
II-VI, Alibaba, Arista Networks, Broadcom, Cisco, CommScope, Dell Technologies, HGGenuine, Lumentum, MACOM, and Marvell Technology are the founding members of the Terabit BiDi MSA. They intend to build on the installed base of four-pair parallel MMF links to enable an upgrade path for the parallel MMF-based 400-Gbps BiDi to 800 Gbps and 1.6 Tbps. The MSA says its specifications will target data center MMF connectivity needs between switches and in server-switch interconnects. If the MSA reaches its goals, the same parallel fiber infrastructure will be able to support data rates from 40 Gbps up to 1.6 Tbps, the members believe.
"As the industry transitions to 100 Gbps per lane signaling on high-density 25.6 Tbps and future 51.2-Tbps switches, there is a market need to increase interface speeds using VCSEL-based technology to achieve cost-optimal and faster interfaces," said Tzu Hao Chow, an MSA co-chair.
"We will leverage prior industry specifications and work on both 100-Gbps VCSEL and MMF BiDi technology in the development of these specifications," added David Piehler, the MSA’s other co-chair.
Additional information on the Terabit BiDi MSA is available at terabit-bidi-msa.com.
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