The latest data centre architectures and increased traffic are driving higher bandwidth requirements between data centres. To address this challenge, system developers must streamline the development of a new generation of 1,2 Tbps transport solutions across a wide range of client configurations. This requires today’s Terabit-scale Ethernet PHY devices and coherent optical modules to interoperate with each other in data centre interconnect (DCI) and metro transport networks.

Microchip Technology has worked with Acacia to demonstrate the fourth generation of interoperability between Microchip’s META-DX2 Ethernet PHY family and Acacia’s Coherent Interconnect Module 8 (CIM 8).

The two companies’ interoperable devices enable low-power, bandwidth-optimised, scalable solutions for pluggable optics in DCI and transport networks. They deliver three key benefits as they jointly enable high-capacity, multi-rate muxponders for optical transport platforms:

• Optimised DCI bandwidth: The META-DX2 family, through its META-DX2+ PHY, uses its unique Lambda splitting feature to split 400 GbE or 800 GbE clients across multiple wavelengths driven by the CIM 8 modules. This maximises the capacity between data centres in rate configurations such as 3x800 GbE over 2x1,2 Tbps waves or 5x400 GbE over 2x1.0 Tbps waves.
• Reduced design risk: Microchip and Acacia have jointly verified successful SerDes (serialiser/deserialiser) interoperation at up to 112 G per lane for Ethernet and OTN clients, which reduces design validation and system qualification requirements. SerDes is an integrated circuit transceiver that converts parallel data to serial data and vice versa.
• Better support for full bandwidth, multi-rate operation: The META-DX2+ crosspoint and gearbox functions enable 100 GbE to 800 GbE client modules to connect with full bandwidth to CIM 8 modules.

“This interoperability extends a long-established partnership with Acacia to help accelerate and optimise the build-out of cloud computing and AI-ready optical networks while reducing development risk,” said Maher Fahmi, vice president of Microchip’s communications business unit. “Our META-DX2 is the first solution of its kind to integrate 1.6 Tbps of encryption, port aggregation and Lambda splitting into the most compact 112 G PAM4 device in the market.”

With Acacia’s CIM 8 coherent modules verified to interoperate with Microchip’s META-DX2 devices, there is a robust solution that reduces system time to market, according to Markus Weber, senior director: DSP product line management for Acacia. “The compact size and power efficiency of our CIM 8 coherent modules were designed to help network operators deploy and scale capacity of high-bandwidth dense wavelength-division multiplexing connectivity between data centres and throughout transport networks.”