28 September 2015

Finisar demos first 100G QSFP28 SWDM4 module for duplex multimode fiber

Fiber-optic communications component and subsystem maker Finisar Corp of Sunnyvale, CA, USA has announced the first 100G QSFP28 SWDM4 module, which operates over standard, duplex multimode fiber.

A group of industry supporters recently announced the SWDM Alliance, which has been formed to promote the technology initiative. Shortwave wavelength division multiplexing (SWDM) technology enables data-center operators to upgrade from 10G to 40G and 100G using their existing duplex multimode fiber (MMF) infrastructure. Finisar says that, with the new module, it is bringing cost-effective upgrade paths to real-world data centers. Finisar is demonstrating the SWDM4 module in booth #104 at the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC 2015) at the Feria Valencia in Spain (28-30 September).

Suitable for cost-sensitive enterprise data centers as well as for cloud data centers, the new 100G SWDM module enables operators to upgrade data rates without requiring capital investment for additional fiber.

The module is based on Finisar's history of reliable shortwave vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) technology. VCSELs offer the lowest cost, highest density and lowest power dissipation in the optical industry.
The 100G SWDM module follows the demonstration of a 40G SWDM4 QSFP+ module at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC 2015) conference in Los Angeles in March. With the new module, Finisar now has a complete suite of 40G and 100G pluggable transceiver products capable of operating on links built with the traditional duplex MMF already installed in existing data centers.

Finisar's demonstration is showcasing a 100G SWDM4 link established between a pair of QSFP28 modules operating over standard duplex MMF. Select customers are already evaluating samples of the 100G QSFP28 SWDM4 module.

Shortwave wavelength division multiplexing (SWDM)

Cloud and enterprise data-center operators use multimode fiber for most of their deployments. While single-mode fiber offers transmission advantages, the high-precision optics required to build single-mode modules have made them a more expensive option. This has led to widespread adoption of duplex MMF in large-scale deployments where 10G Ethernet links were the primary data rate. Upgrading to 40 and 100 GE using MMF has traditionally required the use of parallel ribbons of fiber. Such an upgrade entails significant investment in the data center, including increased fiber in the trunk and new patch cables to optical modules.

By contrast, SWDM allows continued use of existing duplex MMF infrastructure and extends its usable lifetime. SWDM multiplexes different wavelengths onto duplex MMF utilizing WDM VCSEL technology. VCSELs have been proven in high-speed optical communications and are widely deployed in 10 GE interconnection applications. By simultaneously transmitting four VCSELs, each operating at a slightly different wavelength, a single SWDM transceiver can reliably transfer 40 GE (4x10G) or 100 GE (4x25G).

"As the first to demonstrate and market SWDM modules, Finisar is committed to driving widespread adoption of this technology," says director of marketing Steffen Koehler. "With the 100G SWDM4 module, Finisar helps to ensure that duplex MMF continues to be the most cost-effective interconnect for all but the very largest data centers."

At ECOC, Finisar is also displaying equipment from its wide portfolio of products, including its latest transceivers, optical engines, active optical cables (AOCs), optical components, optical instrumentation, reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) & wavelength management, optical amplifiers, and RF-over-fiber.

See related items:

SWDM Alliance formed to support duplex multimode fiber for 40 and 100G enterprise and data-center applications

Finisar announces technology roadmap for next-gen multimode fiber interfaces

Tags: Finisar VCSELs QSFP28

Visit: www.swdm.org

Visit: www.finisar.com