Efforts toward 400 Gigabit Ethernet begin

March 25, 2013
It would appear that the next speed level of Ethernet will be 400 Gbps. A pair of efforts to enable 400 Gigabit Ethernet began last week, including approval of a 400 Gigabit Ethernet Study Group within the IEEE.

It would appear that the next speed level of Ethernet will be 400 Gbps. A pair of efforts to enable 400 Gigabit Ethernet began last week, including approval of a 400 Gigabit Ethernet Study Group within the IEEE.

A motion to found the study group passed unanimously at a meeting last Wednesday, sources within the Ethernet Alliance confirmed the following day during OFC/NFOEC. The first Study Group meeting will occur this May.

How long it will take to create the specifications depends largely on whether the group can maintain consensus around such primary matters as the electrical interface. There currently is a consensus forming around 16x25 Gbps, said the Ethernet Alliance source; however, a desire to establish an interface based on 50 Gbps lanes could slow the specification process, the source offered.

There has been some debate within the Ethernet community regarding whether the IEEE should focus on 400 Gbps as the next data rate or jump to 1 Tbps. The consensus appears to be that an increase from the current top speed of 100 Gbps will be needed more quickly than the time it would take to map a feasible strategy towards 1 Tbps, to the disappointment of some (see "Ethernet runs out of steam").

Meanwhile, Avago Technologies, Brocade Communications Systems Inc., JDSU; Molex Inc., and TE Connectivity announced formation of a multi-source agreement (MSA) to create a transceiver module/plug mechanical form factor and a host-board electrical edge connector and cage for 400 Gigabit Ethernet applications. The CDFP hot pluggable module will integrate 16 transmit and 16 receive channels to support passive and active copper cables and active optical modules.

The project scope will include specification of the electrical, optical, and mechanical interfaces. These specifications may include an optical connector and mating fiber-optic cable plug, electrical connector, guide rail, and front panel and host PCB layout requirements. The MSA specification is expected to include thermal, electromagnetic, and electrostatic discharge design recommendations as well.

MSA members have established a website at www.cdfp-msa.com.

For more information on optical transceivers and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.