Microchip and Acacia Collaborate to Enable Market Transition to 400G Pluggable Coherent Optics for Data Center Routing, Switching and Metro OTN Platforms
October 06 2021 - 8:09AM
Bandwidth growth, driven by the expansion of data centers and 5G
network build-outs, is expected to drive the need for faster
coherent Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) pluggable
optics. Consequently, Data Center Interconnect (DCI) and metro
Optical Transport Network (OTN) platforms are transitioning from
100/200G to 400G pluggable coherent optical modules to support
these hyper-connected architectures. Microchip Technology Inc.
(Nasdaq: MCHP) and Acacia, now part of Cisco
(Nasdaq: CSCO), are supporting this transition by
bringing to market interoperable solution sets consisting of
Microchip’s DIGI-G5 OTN processor and META-DX1 terabit
secured-Ethernet PHY and Acacia’s 400G pluggable coherent optics.
The purpose of the collaboration is to establish an ecosystem to
support 400G CFP2-DCO, QSFP-DD and OSFP modules for the 400ZR
specification as well as the OpenZR+ and Open ROADM Multi-Source
Agreement (MSA) applications.
The collaboration between Microchip and Acacia
helps to enable the use of 400G coherent pluggables in OTN and
Ethernet systems as follows:
- For converged packet/OTN optical platforms, Microchip’s DIGI-G5
and Acacia’s 400G CFP2-DCO module are designed to enable
terabit-class OTN switching line cards, muxponders, and
switchponders. The DIGI-G5 interoperates with Acacia’s 400G
CFP2-DCO module using a Flexible OTN (FlexO) or NxOTU4 interface to
efficiently support OTN traffic, including Open ROADM MSA interface
modes and 200G/400G ITU-T standards currently being
drafted.
- For compact modular optical systems, Microchip’s META-DX1 and
Acacia’s 400ZR and OpenZR+ modules are designed to enable 400G
flexible line rate muxponders/transponders with support for
multiple client optics types including QSFP28, QSFP-DD, and OSFP
modules, helping service providers to transition from 100 GbE to
400 GbE using the same hardware.
- For data center routing and switching platforms, Microchip’s
META-DX1 and Acacia’s 400ZR and OpenZR+ modules are designed to
enable dense 400 GbE or FlexE with per port MACsec encryption
coherent line cards. This helps customers leverage IP
routers/switches over DWDM (IPoDWDM) infrastructure in DCI
deployments.
“DIGI-G5 and META-DX1 have enabled our optical
transport, IP routing and Ethernet switching customers to implement
a new class of multi-terabit OTN switching and high-density 100/400
GbE and FlexE line cards that deliver on stringent packet timing
and integrated security capabilities for the build out of cloud and
carrier 5G-ready optical networks,” said Babak Samimi, vice
president for Microchip’s Communications business unit. “Our
interoperability efforts with Acacia help to demonstrate that an
ecosystem for volume deployment of these new line cards with
pluggable 400G coherent optics exists.”
“With Acacia’s 400G coherent modules verified to
interoperate with Microchip’s DIGI-G5 and META-DX1 devices, we see
it as a robust solution designed to address network capacity growth
and improved efficiency,” said Markus Weber, senior director DSP,
product line management of Acacia, now part of Cisco. “The compact
size and power efficiency of our 400G OpenZR+ CFP2-DCO modules were
designed to help network operators deploy and scale capacity of
high-bandwidth DWDM connectivity between data centers and in metro
networks.”
Additional Resources
For more information about the Microchip
products, contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized
worldwide distributor, or visit the DIGI-G5 and
META-DX1 pages.
For more information on Acacia’s 400G coherent
pluggable optical solutions, visit
acacia-inc.com/products/.
For additional information on standards:
- For OpenZR+ MSA visit openzrplus.org
- For Open ROADM MSA visit openroadm.org
- For 400ZR visit
www.oiforum.com/technical-work/hot-topics/400zr-2/
High-res images available through Flickr or
editorial contact (feel free to publish):
- Press image:
www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/51418894532/sizes/l/
- Applications diagram:
www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/51420622505/sizes/l/
About Microchip Technology
Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider
of smart, connected and secure embedded control solutions. Its
easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio
enable customers to create optimal designs which reduce risk while
lowering total system cost and time to market. The company’s
solutions serve more than 120,000 customers across the industrial,
automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and
computing markets. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip
offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery
and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at
www.microchip.com.
For further information:
Public Relations Contacts:
Brian ThorsenMicrochip TechnologyOffice:
480-792-7182Email: brian.thorsen@microchip.com
Kelly KarrAcacia CommunicationsOffice:
408-718-9350Email: PR@acacia-inc.com
Note: The Microchip name and logo and the
Microchip logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology
Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. The Cisco name and
logo and the Cisco logo are registered trademarks of Cisco in the
U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein
are the property of their respective companies.
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