Optics Evolution and Challenge for Router Interface

Optics Evolution and Challenge for Router Interface NANOG 69 Talk February 6-8, 2017 Samuel Liu Director, Product Line Management, IP and Optical Networks, Noki …

Optics Evolution and Challenge for Router Interface NANOG 69 Talk February 6-8, 2017 Samuel Liu Director, Product Line Management, IP and Optical Networks, Nokia [email protected] Cell Phone: 510 449 1566 Abstract This talk will focus on the market dynamics and technical tradeoff discussion on higher density 100G and greater than 100G router optics interface. The market is still not driving to convergence even though 100G has been around for 4 years. After the QSFP28 vs. CFP4 battle settled, the networking industry has degenerated to two orthogonal directions: beyond 100G data rate modules and higher density 100G modules. Naturally the industry can move to 200G, but the majority of the market is moving to 400G instead. There are two different approaches for 400G in the foreseeable future: CFP8 for short term and QSFP56-DD or other smaller form factor such as OSFP for midterm. For even higher density with 400G or beyond 400G, on board optics design using Silicon Photonics becomes a potential option. In the mean time, bigger 100G densities on the router is emerging as a new requirement since more customers believe that 100G will become the new 10G. In other words, 100G will stay in the market for a long time. One approach is to drive 100G SFP, which can push router 100G front panel density higher than QSFP28. The other approach is to use QSFP-DD /OSFP/ CFP8 to drive Nx100G break out through a MPO cable. This approach can double to quadruple QSFP28 based 100G density for the router but is full of challenges. We will address all of this in the presentation.