Luxtera's 100 Gigabit silicon photonics chip

Luxtera has detailed a 4x28 Gigabit optical transceiver chip. The silicon photonics company is aiming the device at embedded applications such as system backplanes and high-performance computing (HPC). The chip is also being used by Molex for 100 Gigabit active optical cables. Molex bought Luxtera's active optical cable business in January 2011.

“Do I want to invest in a copper backplane for a single generation or do I switch over now to optics and have a future-proof three-generation chassis?”  

Marek Tlalka, Luxtera

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ECI Telecom's Apollo mission

The privately-owned system vendor has launched Apollo, a family of what it calls optimised multi-layer transport platforms. 

Event

ECI Telecom has launched a family of platforms that combines optical transmission, Ethernet and optical transport network (OTN) switching and IP routing.

The 9600 series platforms, dubbed Apollo, combines the functionality of what until now has required a packet-optical transport system (P-OTS) and a carrier Ethernet switch router (CESR).

The Apollo 9600 series architecture. Source: ECI Telecom

ECI refers to the capabilities of such a combined platform as optimised multi-layer transport (OMLT). Analysts view the platform as a natural evolution of P-OTS rather than a new category of system.  

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Next-gen 100 Gigabit optics

Briefing: 100 Gigabit

Part 2: Interview 

Gazettabyte spoke to John D'Ambrosia about 100 Gigabit technology

John D'Ambrosia, chair of the IEEE 100 Gig backplane and copper cabling task force

John D'Ambrosia laughs when he says he is the 'father of 100 Gig'.

He spent five years as chair of the IEEE 802.3ba group that created the 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) standards. Now he is the chair of the IEEE task force looking at 100 Gig backplane and copper cabling. D'Ambrosia is also chair of the Ethernet Alliance and chief Ethernet evangelist in the CTO office of Dell's Force10 Networks.

“People are also starting to talk about moving data operations around the network based on where electricity is cheapest”

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Calient brings optical switching to the data centre

Calient Technologies has redesigned its 3D MEMS optical switch technology to address emerging data centre and cloud computing requirements.

Source: Calient

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Webcasts and White Papers

Gazettabyte is adding a couple of pages (see top right column) that highlight upcoming webcasts and newly published White Papers (to be added) of its sponsors.

First webcast is LightCounting's “State-of-The-High-Speed  Interconnect Industry – Optical and Copper” on Nov 1st, 2011.

To see upcoming webcasts, click here.

100 Gigabit: An operator view

Gazettabyte spoke with BT, Level 3 Communications and Verizon about their 100 Gigabit optical transmission plans and the challenges they see regarding the technology.

Briefing: 100 Gigabit

Part 1: Operators 

Operators will use 100 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) coherent technology for their next-generation core networks. For metro, operators favour coherent and have differing views regarding the alternative, 100Gbps direct-detection schemes. All the operators agree that the 100Gbps interfaces - line-side and client-side - must become cheaper before 100Gbps technology is more widely deployed.

"It is clear that you absolutely need 100 Gig in large parts of the network"

Steve Gringeri, Verizon

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NeoPhotonics secures PIC specialist Santur

Gazettabyte spoke with Tim Jenks, CEO of NeoPhotonics about the Santur acquisition, the 10x10 MSA, vertical integration and why optical components is a technology industry trend-setter

NeoPhotonics has completed the acquisition of Santur, the tunable laser and photonic integration specialist, boosting the company's annual turnover to a quarter of a billion dollars.

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