Here are some of my collection of newest trends and predictions for year 2018. I have not invented those ideas what will happen next year completely myself. I have gone through many articles that have given predictions for year 2018. Then I have picked and mixed here the best part from those articles (sources listed on the end of posting) with some of my own additions to make this posting.This article contains very many quotations from those source articles.
Big Data, mobility and the Internet of Things (IoT) are generating an enormous amount of data, and data center operators must find ways to support higher and higher speeds. Recent data center trends predict bandwidth requirements will continue growing 25 percent to 35 percent per year. Many older data centers were designed to support 1-gigabit or 10-gigabit pathways between servers, routers and switches. Today’s Ethernet roadmap extends from 25- and 40-gigabit up through 100-gigabit, and 400-gigabit and even 1-terabit Ethernet loom within a few years. The biggest sales are forecasted for 25G and 100G ports for next few years. Ethernet switch market has now 100 Gbit/s products in the volumes at the moment, and both 200G and 400G Ethernet versions will be taken to use in 2018.
Broadcom dominates the Ethernet switch chip market today with a 73 to 94 percent share, depending on how market watchers slice the sector valued at nearly a billion dollars. Its closest rival, Cisco Systems, takes most of the rest with systems using its own ASICs. Juniper, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Huawei also make Ethernet switch ASICs for their systems. With seven merchant chips in the pipeline and four in-house ASICs in the works, we will see a record number of unique platforms ship in 2018. Wheeler of the Linley Group expects the competition will drive Ethernet switch costs from about $60/port today to about $36/port by 2020.
Data center giants “are driving their own code and programmable capabilities as close to the server as possible.” The dozen largest data center operators — including the likes of Facebook and Google — build their own switch systems or specify systems built by ODMs. They can drive sales of millions of chips a year but demand maximum bandwidth at minimum cost and power consumption. The Tomahawk-3 is geared for the next-generation of their top-of-rack and aggregation switches, delivering up to 128 100GE or 32 400GE ports, the first merchant chip to support 400GE rates.
China will start making more optical components: Several Western component and subsystems vendors have cited reduced demand from Chinese systems houses such as Huawei and ZTE for revenue declines in 2017. One reason for the slowdown is the fact that these systems houses have begun looking for more local optical technology sources. In addition to doing more development work in-house (particularly in the case of Huawei), the two Chinese systems vendors have begun to work more closely with Chinese companies such as Accelink, Hisense, and HiSilicon as well as Japanese vendors. This can mean that Western firms (particularly in the U.S.) may not see their Chinese orders return to previous levels.
Higher power power over Ethernet: 802.3bt – IEEE Draft Standard for Ethernet Amendment: Physical Layer and Management Parameters for DTE Power via MDI over 4-Pair amendment to IEEE Std 802.3-2015 increases the maximum PD power available by utilizing all four pairs in the specified structured wiring plant. This represents a substantial increase to the capabilities of Ethernet with standardized power – allow delivery of up to 90 watts of power via existing Ethernet cabling. The Ethernet Alliance has announced details of its next plugfest: Dedicated to pre-standard testing of Power over Ethernet (PoE) technologies against Draft 3.2 of the IEEE P802.3bt standard, the event will be held in February 2018. The specification’s ratification is expected in September of 2018.
802.11ax hasn’t been signed off yet, but promises to send WiFi towards 10 Gb/s thanks to its use of both multi-user multiple-input and multiple-output (MU-MIMO) and the new Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA). 802.11ax is good at combining lots of different links so that users get more connections, more often, and end up with more bandwidth. Marvell claims it’ll have the first chipsets for new 10G WiFi ready for products in H2 2018. Marvell said the chipsets will ship some time in early 2018 and will appear in products in the second half of the year. Widespread 802.11ax adoption in devices probably won’t happen until 2019.
5G something in it for everyone. 5G is big. 5G New Radio (NR) wireless technology will ultimately impact everyone in the electronics and telecommunications industries. Most estimates say 2020 is when we will ultimately see some real 5G deployments on a scale. In the meantime, companies are firming up their plans for whatever 5G products and services they will offer. Though test and measurement solutions will be key in the commercialization cycle. 5G is set to disrupt test processes. If 5G takes off, the technology will propel the development of new chips in both the infrastructure and the handset. Data centers require specialty semiconductors from power management to high-speed optical fiber front-ends. 5G systems will drive more complexity in RF front-ends .
Networks will become more and more virtual, especially on 5G. 5G networks will build on LTE network architecture with the introduction of cloud RANs (C-RANs) and virtualized RANs. Network function virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) tools and architectures could enable operators to reduce network costs and simplify deployment. For more details read System architecture milestone of 5G Phase 1 is achieved article.
Automotive Ethernet: Automotive Ethernet will replace the Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus found on many vehicles today and also compete with systems like Maxim’s Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL). The standards include IEEE 802.3bw 100BASE-T1 and IEEE P802.3bp 1000BASE-T1 that adopt the 100-Mb/s and 1-Gb/s Ethernet protocols to run over over a single twisted pair up to 15 meters. Chips, PHYs and switches are now readily available for automotive Ethernet. Automotive switches will support time-sensitive networking (TSN) features like audio video bridging (AVB) ingress policy, rate limiting andalso features 802.1Qav/Qbv queue-shaping support. We will need a Security Blanket for Automotive Ethernet.
Car-to-car communication: The industry and government have defined several versions of vehicular communications. These are vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X). V2V is the direct communications between vehicles within range of one another. V2V link-up is automatic and cars exchange status information messages Basic Safety Message (BSM) 10 times per second (contains data such as GPS location, speed, direction, brake status, and related conditions). There are competing technologies to make this all work. IEEE802.11p ahead of LTE-V2V for safety critical applications. 5G will offer increased capacity and decreased latency for some critical applications such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and self-driving vehicles. The big question is whether 5G will disrupt the landscape or fall short of its promises.
TSN (time sensitive networking) will be talked on many application. Success in the IIoT requires that information- and operational-technology networks work in tandem—time-sensitive networking can make it happen. A converged industrial network will address several challenges that currently exist in today’s disparate network architecture, and it is believed that needed convergence is provided by time-sensitive networking (TSN). TSN is a set of IEEE 802 sub-standards that, when implemented, enable deterministic communication over Ethernet networks while keeping the benefits of communication in best effort manner, on that same network. TSN introduces different traffic classes that share the same link. Proper implementation of TSN requires a solution that can provide a low latency and deterministic response at TSN end points and TSN bridges – it is usually implemented with combining a processor and a FPGA or using advanced Ethernet switch chip.
Gartner analyst says on-premises data centers will soon be ‘useless’: Govekar said that as soon as 2019, at least a third of the largest software vendors will have transitioned their products from cloud-first to cloud-only. For this reason Gartner analyst predicts doom for on-premises data centers. If this happens , there will be a lot of work for network operators and cloud service companies to be able to build the infrastructure that can handle all this without problems. I expect that not all on-premises data centers are doomed. There are applications where moving everything to central could does not make sense – for example many IoT applications are moving some of the processing from cloud to edge devices for various reasons (lower latency, reduce needed bandwidth, work also when communications does not work etc..). There is also place for some on-premises data centers on some application (may them be depending on need anything from embedded server to room full of equipment racks). When designing for the IoT, security needs to be addressed from the Cloud down to each and every edge device. Protecting data is both a hardware and a software requirement, as more data is being stored and analyzed in edge devices and gateways.
Network neutrality talks will continue in 2018. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on December 14, 2017 overturned the Title II-based Open Internet Order the previous Democratic-controlled FCC regime put in place in 2015. So what happens next? In the immediate term, nothing. The Restoring Internet Freedom Order won’t go into effect until sometime in the first half of 2018.
IPv6 usage seems to be finally accelerating in 2018. IPv6 has been a “future” since 1998, and an important future since 2007. IPv6 deployments have been increasing and chances are you have already used IPv6 – but haven’t realized it yet. IPv6 deployment is increasing around the world, with over 9 million domain names and 23% of all networks advertising IPv6 connectivity. Network admins will have many concerns about migrating to IPv6 in 2018. China plans to put the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)-based network into large-scale use, to boost the development of the Internet industry. China aims to have 200 million active users of IPv6 by the end of 2018. IPv6 use is increasing, but that does not mean that IPv4 is no way dying. It seems that both of those technologies will co-exist in Internet for a long time.
Sources:
Chinese systems houses engaging with alternative component, subsystem sources: LightCounting
System architecture milestone of 5G Phase 1 is achieved
Five technology trends for 2018
NI Trend Watch 2018 explores trends driving the future faster
ADAS Needs V2X to Meet ITS Goals
Taking Automotive Ethernet for a Test Drive
A Security Blanket for Automotive Ethernet
TSN: Converging Networks for a Better Industrial IoT
Gartner analyst says on-premises data centers will soon be ‘useless’
Gartner analyst predicts doom for on-premises data centers
M2M within the IoT – Pushing Security from the Cloud Down to Every Last Endpoint
Net Neutrality Overturned: Now What?
B’com Shifts Switch to 12.8 Tbits/s
Planning starts now for high-speed data center migration
China to speed up IPv6-based Internet development
Top 5 Concerns of Network Admins About Migrating to IPv6 in 2018
1,081 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wi-Fi testing: More than compliance
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/rowe-s-and-columns/4460342/Wi-Fi-testing–More-than-compliance?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
You probably have a Wi-Fi router at home and probably in your office as well. While all access points, routers, computers, phones, and other devices must comply with IEEE 802.11 and Ethernet Alliance standards, that’s no assurance the device will meet your expectations. The UNH-IOL has announced Wi-Fi testing services that go beyond 802.11 specifications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TDECQ measurements replace mask testing in PAM4 optical signals
https://www.edn.com/design/test-and-measurement/4460330/TDECQ-measurements-replace-mask-testing-in-PAM4-optical-signals?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Optical PAM4 technology is going mainstream, being incorporated into Ethernet standards such as IEEE 802.3bs and 802.3cd (400G, 200G, 100G and 50G speeds). The characterization, compliance, and troubleshooting of PAM4 signals differs significantly from earlier NRZ (non-return-to-zero, PAM2) signaling. With PAM4, the focus shifts from mask tests to Transmitter and Dispersion Eye Closure Penalty Quaternary (TEDCQ) for optical signals (and Signal to Noise Distortion Ratio or SNDR for electrical). You’ll need to learn how to perform these tests.
Despite increased complexity and a need for new measurement approaches, the move to PAM4 was inevitable to keep pace with ever-increasing network bandwidth demands.
The move to four-level signaling leads to three eye diagrams
Although the standards are still evolving, the IEEE 802.3bs and IEEE 802.3cd committees are on their way to embracing PAM4 signaling.
Mask testing has been the fundamental PHY-layer measurement for NRZ optical modules; a mask provides a pass/fail test.
As speeds increased, receiver designs became much more sophisticated and employed receiver equalization and forward error correction (FEC) to overcome the channel impairments. With equalization and FEC, a receiver can tolerate a higher level of bit-error rate (BER), which translates to mask hits at the end of the channel.
As speeds increased, however, engineers began to see that receivers could tolerate a few hits inside the mask and still deliver strong, error-free performance by using equalization. Thus, the industry moved to a mask-hit ratio statistical based methodology.
The move to TDECQ
PAM4′s four possible levels add the Q to the TDEC as a measurement result. TDECQ ends up being an optical measurement for equalized optical links using PAM4. Like TDEC, TDECQ is a transmitter waveform-shape penalty measurement type and you are still evaluating the performance of a particular eye through the inclusion of modal dispersion.
The TDECQ measurement on PAM4 signaling is an extension of the TDEC measurement approach used on NRZ signaling.
Implementing reference equalization correctly is vital to obtaining accurate and repeatable results. Not getting it right adds many unknown variables to the measurement result, making it difficult to correctly evaluate a device. It’s also critical to make sure that the reference equalizer algorithm compensates for the oscilloscope and any of the electrical-to-optical noise in the signal path. Getting oscilloscope effects out of the measurement and equalizing using a reference equalizer are the biggest complicating factors in understanding accurate TDECQ performance.
Conclusion
TDECQ is the latest development for testing PAM4 devices and modules and is the replacement for the traditional mask test because it uses a statistical-based methodology that more accurately separates good devices from bad.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nearly 3 million premises passed with Gfast networks as of early 2018: Point Topic
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/nearly-3-million-premises-passed-with-gfast-networks-as-of-early-2018-point-topic.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-03-02&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2022030
Approximately 3 million premises have been passed with Gfast networks as of early 2018, according to broadband analyst firm Point Topic’s estimations. The firm also estimates that about 29,000 households, the majority of which are in Southeast Asia, subscribe to the services.
Tomi Engdahl says:
NTT develops low-latency PON technology to decrease optical fiber requirements for 5G base station connections
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/ntt-develops-low-latency-pon-technology-to-decrease-optical-fiber-requirements-for-5g-base-station-connections.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-03-02&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2022030
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) said it has developed low-latency PON-based optical access technology to decrease the number of optical fibers required for base station connectivity, particularly in 5G networks. Additionally, the Japanese telecommunications company has conducted a feasibility trial in which the optical access system has operated in coordination with a mobile system.
An optical access system is used to connect optical network units (ONUs) at the customer premises to optical line terminals (OLTs) in a telecom office via a fiber to the home (FTTH) network. However, typical PON access systems cannot meet the latency requirements necessary to support mobile systems. NTT says its optical access technology solves this problem. The technology enables OLTs to operate in coordination with the signal control by the base station aggregation unit, thereby reducing latency.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MultiPhy aims 100G single-wavelength PAM4 DSP at 5G cloud RAN applications
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/multiphy-aims-100g-single-wavelength-pam4-dsp-at-5g-cloud-ran-applications.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-03-02&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2022030
MultiPhy Ltd. used Mobile World Congress this week to unveil the MPF3101-SRW, a 100G single-wavelength PAM4 DSP device aimed at 5G cloud radio access network (RAN) applications. The programmable device also supports 25G and 50G transmission rates, making it applicable in a variety of applications, including those where network upgrades are anticipated.
The MPF3101-SRW leverages advanced DSP and mixed-signal technologies which, when combined with PAM4 modulation, enable increased data rates as well as lower power consumption and cost, MultiPhy says. The device will operate in extended temperature range applications and is designed to support QSFP28 form factors. It also supports Option 10 of the CPRI standard.
The company would appear to have at least one customer for the device. “5G wireless deployments present a strong potential opportunity for the entire optical industry,” commented Osa Mok, co-founder and chief marketing officer of InnoLight, via a MultiPhy press release. “InnoLight’s 100G single-wavelength optical modules enabled by MultiPhy’s innovative PAM4 DSP are instrumental in realizing this opportunity in a timely fashion.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ranovus direct detect on-board modules, CFP2 optical transceivers reach general availability
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/ranovus-direct-detect-on-board-modules-cfp2-optical-transceivers-reach-general-availability.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-03-02&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2022030
Ranovus Inc. says that its first products, a 200-Gbps on-board optical module and a CFP2 optical transceiver, have achieved general availability. The products, both of which used PAM4-based direct-detect modulation, are in lab trials with a variety of customers – and a company source expects at least some of those trials to lead to field deployments in the second quarter of this year.
The company emerged from stealth mode in 2013 with a vision to combine quantum dot lasers (QDLs), ring resonator based silicon photonic modulators, driver ICs, and receiver elements to create modules that could support transmission of a very high number of wavelengths (see “RANOVUS hopes to ride quantum dot lasers to data center success” and “Quantum dot lasers and silicon photonics advance data-center connectivity”). Saeid Aramideh, co-founder and chief marketing and sales officer at the company, says the current modules can support 96 DWDM channels in the C-Band. The technology also could support additional channels in the L-Band; however, the company’s plans to expand in this direction are still in their early stages, Aramideh said.
The modules now in customer hands target data center interconnect, 5G mobile backhaul/fronthaul, and multi-access edge computing applications. Aramideh says they will accommodate reaches of 15, 40, and greater than 80 km via a platform that will support operation at industrial temperature ranges. They leverage PAM4 silicon from Broadcom, although Aramideh revealed that the company is evaluating technology from alternative suppliers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia Software monitors network space at street level
Nokia says that the Dutch Tele2 will have access to its network monitoring software. Traffica is an application where the operator can see real-time network status on the map up to the street level.
Traffica is part of the family of Nokia Cognitive Analytics products. The tool can accurately visualize network traffic, network space, devices, and user activity. Traffic allows the operator to see directly how subscribers experience network quality.
Tele2 has previously used Traffica for network analysis.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7656-nokian-softa-tarkkailee-verkon-tilaa-katutasolla
More: https://networks.nokia.com/products/traffica
Tomi Engdahl says:
Even though 100 Gigabit Ethernet remains in its initial roll out phase, higher-speed transmission technology is nearly ready for deployment as well.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gauging the 3 types of wireless site survey
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/02/teracai-site-blog.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2022539
a wireless site survey is usually performed to provide any of the following:
– Access point placement
– Client connectivity issues
– Wireless enhancement
– Security issues
– Many more issues unique to the customer and the application
Three types of wireless site surveys: Active, Predictive, and Verification
Active wireless site surveys are used when trying to determine the proper locations to install wireless access points. This survey consists of using an access point, placed in a proposed installation location, to capture the RF characteristics of that access point location. This process is repeated over and over until all of the wireless goals are met.
This survey is sometimes referred to as the AP-on-a-Stick survey
Predictive wireless site surveys are an inexpensive way for a customer to get an idea on how many access points will be needed and where to place them, with the added bonus of forgoing someone coming onsite. The predictive survey is based off of the mathematical signal loss of the materials that the walls are made of. When performing this type of survey, it’s important to know just what every wall is made of: whether it’s wood, glass, concrete, or cinder block.
Verification surveys are the most important surveys to have performed on a wireless environment. This survey is used to provide a look into the existing wireless environment, whether it be to troubleshoot connectivity and coverage issues, or to tune and optimize the current radio atmosphere. A verification survey, when used to troubleshoot, can provide details on the following:
– Potential RF interference issues from non-WIFI devices such as microwaves, DECT phones, and radar to name a few.
– Possible Wi-Fi dead spots. These are areas that do not have adequate signal coverage to provide optimal client connectivity.
– Potential configuration issues that are causing issues. These can include channel plan, radio transmit power, and other configuration settings for the WLANs.
– Recommendations for AP additions, moves, or deletions to optimize the RF in order to meet the client’s end goal.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT could owe further advances to Power-over-Ethernet cabling
https://www.designworldonline.com/iot-owe-advances-power-ethernet-cabling/
By Lee Teschler | February 27, 2018
Updated PoE specs let significant amounts of power flow down networking cables, so much that Ethernet wiring now can double as a power delivery system.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CommScope, Nokia team to reduce active DAS platform complexity
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/02/commscope-nokia-team.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2022539
Building on previous collaboration, CommScope and Nokia have teamed up to develop a solution to reduce the interface complexity between a base transceiver system (BTS) and active distributed antenna system (DAS).
Per the companies, using Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI), the new solution will remove the need for the radio heads normally needed to feed an active DAS, hence reducing the space and power requirements of an active DAS. CPRI is a specification for the communication link between radio equipment controller units, typically known as baseband units, and remote radio heads.
The CPRI interface will link Nokia’s AirScale baseband unit to CommScope’s Era C-RAN antenna system and will dramatically reduce the time, space and power required to connect subscribers in high-capacity public venues and enterprises, according to the companies. This new agreement builds on the partners’ previous, successful co-development work.
“The benefits of a CPRI solution have already been well-established in distributed antenna systems—a much smaller headend unit is easier to deploy, uses less power and saves valuable room on-site,” said Matt Melester, senior vice president, Distributed Coverage and Capacity Solutions, CommScope.
Tomi Engdahl says:
North American Ethernet cable market growing at 17.7% CAGR: Analyst
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/02/north-american-ethernet-cable-market-growing-at-17-7-cagr-analyst.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2022539
The Ethernet cable market size is projected to reach $376 million by 2022 from $121 million in 2015, growing at a CAGR of 17.7% from 2016 to 2022, according to the new report published by Allied Market Research. The U.S. dominated the North America Premise Cable market in 2015, accounting for a market share of over 71%.
Presently, higher installation costs and tough competition from wireless technologies act as major restraints for the market growth. However, these restraints are expected to lose their impact shortly, owing to rapid technological advancements and various benefits such as Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE) in the Ethernet cable market.
copper cables held the largest market share of 62% in 2015 and are estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15.2% during the forecast period.
Fiber-optic Ethernet cables are gaining popularity due to the rise in demand for high-speed data transfer over long distances. Hence, it is expected to exhibit significant growth during the forecast period and attain a value of $175 million by 2022.
North America Ethernet Cable Market Expected to Reach $376 Million, by 2022
http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/north-america-ethernet-cable-market-expected-to-reach-376-million-by-2022-935203.htm
The need for secure and high speed data transfer is expected to increase during the forecast period due to rise in incidences of security threats, data breaching, and rapid increase in Internet users. However, factors such as higher installation costs, and limited physical availability for connected devices are anticipated to restrain the market growth. The demand for Power over Ethernet (PoE) in industries is expected to reveal new market opportunities by key players.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Oclaro announces availability of fully tunable SFP+ I-temp transceiver
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/oclaro-announces-availability-of-fully-tunable-sfp-i-temp-transceiver.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-03-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2023381
Oclaro, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCLR) has announced availability of what the company asserts is the first fully tunable SFP+ industrial temperature range (TSFP+ I-temp) transceiver. The optical transceiver represents a breakthrough for cable companies that deploy the latest DOCSIS 3.1 standard, pushing fiber installation deeper into the HFC network to reach next-generation Remote PHY nodes, the company says.
Cable operators around the world are deploying new technology, including DOCSIS 3.1, to increase the capacity of their networks to keep pace with competition. In the U.S. alone, there are over 50 million homes served by MSOs, and as many as 1 million new nodes, making deployment of 10G full-duplex per node over the next 4 to 5 years challenging (see “CableLabs Full Duplex DOCSIS 3.1 specification enables HFC symmetrical 10-Gbps broadband”). According to Oclaro, deployment is only possible with fully tunable DWDM lasers and similar products that are easy to install, configure, and monitor.
The transceiver is Oclaro’s latest product to include I-temp, and is vertically integrated using the company’s in-house integrated laser Mach-Zehnder (ILMZ) chip and custom-designed TOSA and ROSA technology.
“Fully tunable DWDM laser technology is critical to enable large-scale fiber deep deployment while minimizing operations cost and eliminating human errors,” said Yves LeMaitre, Oclaro’s chief strategy officer. “With tunable lasers capable of operating from -40 to 85 degrees C, we believe the days of analog optics or fixed WDM lasers are counted.
Tomi Engdahl says:
NeoPhotonics offers 53-GBaud linear optical components for 400-Gbps data center designs
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/neophotonics-offers-53-gbaud-linear-optical-components-for-400-gbps-data-center-designs.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-03-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2023381
NeoPhotonics Corp. (NYSE: NPTN) has followed up its recent announcement of 64-GBaud component shipments
with the unveiling of a family of 53-GBaud linear optical components. The portfolio includes PAM4 devices for 100G and 400G cloud data center and other client applications. These include drivers and externally modulated lasers (EMLs) in transmitters as well as PIN photodetectors and transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) in receivers.
The company sees the new line as serving the increasing demand for single-lambda 100-Gbps designs based on PAM4 modulation. The 53-GBaud product family, which NeoPhotonics asserts offers high performance and low power consumption for small form factor optical module applications
Tomi Engdahl says:
VeEX adds CPRI 10 testing for 24 Gbps FTTA, DAS applications to RXT-6000e, RXT-6200 Universal 100G test modules
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/veex-adds-cpri-10-testing-for-24-gbps-ftta-das-applications-to-rxt-6000e-rxt-6200-universal-100g-test-modules.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-03-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2023381
VeEX Inc. says it offers the ability to verify Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) performance for all CPRI rates from Rate Option 1 (614.4 Mbps) to Rate Option 10 (24.3 Gbps) to CPRI standard specification v7.0. The CPRI Rate Option 10 capabilities are incorporated in the company’s universal RXT-6000e and RXT-6200 Universal 100G test modules to enable a portable tool that enables field technicians to install, troubleshoot, and maintain centralized RAN (C-RAN) infrastructure.
The modules also support link delay measurement, which VeEX identifies as a critical performance parameter for low-latency 4G-LTE and 5G applications.
VeEX points out that the RXT test modules also offer Ethernet and OTN testing up to 112 Gbps to offer complete fronthaul, backhaul, or core transport network testing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spectra chooses Nokia’s IP/MPLS routing and GPON technology for fiber-optic network build out
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/spectra-chooses-nokia-s-ip-mpls-routing-and-gpon-technology-for-fiber-optic-network-build-out.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-03-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2023381
Nokia says Indian internet service provider Spectra has chosen its IP/MPLS routing and GPON technology for a fiber-optic network build out to meet customers’ high-performance broadband service needs. Spectra will be Bangalore’s first ISP to deliver affordable 1-Gbps services for residential and enterprise customers alike, Nokia attests.
According to Nokia, demand for greater bandwidth is growing among Spectra’s customers, and the provider is delivering a competitively priced ‘step jump’ in bandwidth, service quality, and reach to address these needs.
Spectra plans to offer broadband networks to major Indian metro markets, addressing demand for video streaming and other data-driven services with its network roll-out in Bangalore. A
Nokia will supply its 7210 Service Access Switch (SAS) and 7750 Service Router (SR) to provide Spectra an IP/MPLS aggregation, edge, and core network. The Nokia Network Services Platform (NSP) will handle end-to-end service provisioning and network assurance, reducing operational costs and enhancing quality for Spectra.
Tomi Engdahl says:
SFR deploying Cisco’s network service orchestrator to improve network automation and reliability
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/sfr-deploying-cisco-s-network-service-orchestrator-to-improve-network-automation-and-reliability.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_datacom_2018-03-06&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2025040
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) says SFR, an Altice Group subsidiary, is deploying its network service orchestrator (NSO) to improve network automation, agility, and reliability. The deployment will shorten network services change management from months to minutes with automated on-demand services provisioning, says the company.
SFR is leveraging Cisco’s NSO to streamline lifecycle management for its services, and automate core functions throughout physical and virtualized networks for current and new customers. Cisco says this also accelerates time-to-market for SD-WAN and other new managed services, as well as application-driven, on-demand services.
According to Cisco, its NSO is a significant technology enabler for software-defined and intent-based networking.
In addition to SFR, Cisco’s NSO has been deployed by Telstra and Level 3 Communications as well
Tomi Engdahl says:
Champion ONE offers 100G open white box switch
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/champion-one-offers-100g-open-white-box-switch.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_datacom_2018-03-06&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2025040
Champion ONE has added to its line of white box switches with a 100G open network switch platform. The switch offers space for 32 QSFP28 ports as well as a range of software options for use in software-defined networking/network functions virtualization (SDN/NFV) environments.
The company sees the 100G white box switches playing in a variety of network applications, including service provider network core and edge, campus, and metro Ethernet applications; and data center top-of-rack applications supporting 10/25 Gigabit Ethernet connections to servers with 40/50/100 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks and 40/50/100 Gigabit Ethernet spine interconnects in a SDN/NFV leaf-spine architecture.
The switch offers full line-rate Layer 2/3 switching based on a Broadcom chipset. The ports may be configured in several ways including 40/100 Gigabit Ethernet or 4×25 Gigabit Ethernet or 4×10 Gigabit Ethernet connections, the latter two via breakout cables.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia touts ultimate in spectral efficiency via PSE-3 chipset and probabilistic constellation shaping
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/nokia-touts-ultimate-in-spectral-efficiency-via-pse-3-chipset-and-probabilistic-constellation-shaping.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_datacom_2018-03-06&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2025040
Nokia has unveiled what a company source described as possibly “the final piece of the puzzle when we talk about coherent transmission.” The company says the Photonic Service Engine 3 (PSE-3) coherent chipset provides the ultimate in spectral efficiency thanks to its use of a digital signal processing (DSP) technology called probabilistic constellation shaping. The technique, paired in the PSE-3 with 64-QAM modulation, can increase fiber capacity by as much as 65% over current deployments, Nokia asserts.
The company has been working on the technology for some time, with an emphasis on optical networks over the past two or three years
probabilistic constellation shaping varies the use of individual points within, in this instance, a 64-QAM constellation depending upon the characteristics of the fiber and shapes the distribution of the symbols accordingly. Optical power is thus optimized for the fiber and application, enabling a more robust, spectrally efficient coherent transmission.
The technique works so well that Hollasch theorized that Nokia’s PSE-3 may get coherent optical transmission as close to the Shannon Limit (the theoretical maximum capacity of optical fiber) as the industry is likely to get. Individual wavelengths in future may exceed the current 600-Gbps maximum the PSE-3 supports, but the overall transmission is unlikely to be significantly more spectrally efficient, he said.
The efficiency the PSE-3 provides extends beyond spectrum use. The chipset uses probabilistically shaped 64-QAM for all transmission rates between 100 and 600 Gbps, which Hollasch pointed out reduces complexity and enables finer grain programmability. The channel size and baud rate remain consistent across transmission rates and applications as well. Power per bit can decline by as much as 60%, Hollasch added. The technique can be applied across a variety of fiber types.
Between the two, the PSE-3 will enable a variety of optimized transmission rate and distance pairings:
200 Gbps at ultra-long-haul and submarine network distances of approximately 2500 km
300 to 400 Gbps at regional network distances
500 to 600 Gbps at metro network distances.
The PSE-3 will support two channels of 600 Gbps per fiber, providing a maximum per-fiber capacity of 1.2 Tbps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MPO connectors typically have 12, 24 or even more fibers running through the same endpoint.
It just
takes one dirty or damaged endface
to bring down 12, 24 or even more network connections! Time to
take multifiber connector inspection more seriously.
https://www.exfo.com/umbraco/surface/file/download/?ni=21431&cn=en-US
Tomi Engdahl says:
Researchers Devise New Attacks Against 4G LTE Mobile Networks
https://www.securityweek.com/researchers-devise-new-attacks-against-4g-lte-mobile-networks
A team of researchers from Purdue University and the University of Iowa have discovered 10 new attacks against the 4G LTE protocol, which could allow adversaries snoop on messages, deny service, and even track the location of users.
In a whitepaper (PDF), the team provides information on LTEInspector, the adversarial model-based testing approach they decided to adopt in this quest, and on the 10 new vulnerabilities they discovered in the protocol, alongside 9 previously known attacks.
LTEInspector, the researchers explain, was designed to analyze three critical procedures in the 4G LTE network, namely attach, detach, and paging. Designed to be tool-agnostic, the new approach can be “instantiated through any generic symbolic model checker and cryptographic protocol verifier,” the researchers say.
http://wp.internetsociety.org/ndss/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2018/02/ndss2018_02A-3_Hussain_paper.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
The New LightConnect™ Fabric V-Pod Data Center
http://www.calient.net/
New Optical Layer Orchestration Software Supports Flexible Reallocation of Expensive Servers, Accelerators, Storage, and Test Devices
The new LightConnect™ Fabric V-Pod Data Center can significantly improve server and storage operational efficiency, resulting in big reductions in data center capital investment. Powered by CALIENT’s S-Series Optical Circuit Switches and the new LightConnect™ Fabric Manager, the V-Pod architecture allows expensive compute resources to be reallocated and shared between Pods in the data center.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Yokogawa releases AQ6360 optical spectrum analyzer for telecom device production testing
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/yokogawa-releases-aq6360-optical-spectrum-analyzer-for-telecom-device-production-testing.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-03-08&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2028146
Yokogawa Test & Measurement says it has released the benchtop AQ6360 optical spectrum analyzer (OSA), primarily for production testing of datacom and telecom devices, including laser diodes, optical transceivers, and optical amplifiers. The instrument is the company’s first aimed at testing telecom devices during and after production.
For advanced production throughput, the AQ6360 delivers twice the sweep speed of other OSA models designed for R&D purposes, says Yokogawa. The OSA also features free-space optical input to support single-mode and multimode fiber testing alike.
· a wavelength range from 1200 to 1650 nm
· selectable wavelength resolution from 0.1 to 2 nm
· dynamic range of 55 dB
· a measurement range from +20 to -80 dBm
Tomi Engdahl says:
Oclaro says 100G PAM4 EA-DFB EML chips for next-gen optical transceivers are available
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/oclaro-says-100g-pam4-ea-dfb-eml-chips-for-next-gen-optical-transceivers-are-available.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-03-08&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2028146
Oclaro, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCLR) has announced “general market availability” of its 100G PAM4 EA-DFB EML chips for next-generation optical transceiver applications. An Oclaro source says the company is in position to deliver samples now, as well as deliver higher quantities once customers qualify the chips. The EMLs operate at 53 Gbaud with up to 40-GHz bandwidth (at 20°C) and 6-dB extinction ratio (at 70°C).
The EML chips are well-suited for use in pulse amplitude modulation-based (PAM4) transceivers, and enable 100 Gbps per wavelength, the company says. According to Oclaro, its EML chips set the stage for the next generation of 200 Gbps and 400 Gbps in data center networks with a combination of high-performance and low power consumption.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TDECQ measurements replace mask testing in PAM4 optical signals
https://www.edn.com/design/test-and-measurement/4460330/TDECQ-measurements-replace-mask-testing-in-PAM4-optical-signals
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Project Loon Built the Navigation System That Kept Its Balloons Over Puerto Rico
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/internet/how-project-loon-built-the-navigation-system-that-kept-its-balloons-over-puerto-rico
Last year, Alphabet’s Project Loon made a big shift in the way it flies its high-altitude balloons. And that shift—from steering every balloon in a huge circle around the world to clustering balloons over specific areas—allowed the project to provide basic Internet service to more than 200,000 people in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
The team’s original idea, described in a 2017 blog post by X’s leader Astro Teller, was to deploy a fleet of balloons that would each circumnavigate the planet. The balloons’ flight paths would work sort of like conveyer belts.
But during flight tests, the team realized their navigation system could control the balloons more precisely, as Teller says in his blog post, and keep them circling more closely than expected. So the team switched to a new strategy—forming clusters of balloons above specific areas.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Managed 10Gig Ethernet Services
http://videos.cablinginstall.com/detail/videos/bicsi-2018/video/5747173746001/managed-10gig-ethernet-services?autoStart=true
Demonstrating how service providers can use the ION C4221 slide-in card to deliver business Ethernet services to their customers while managing the entire end-to-end link
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia touts ultimate in spectral efficiency via PSE-3 chipset and probabilistic constellation shaping
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/nokia-touts-ultimate-in-spectral-efficiency-via-pse-3-chipset-and-probabilistic-constellation-shaping.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-03-09&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2029452
Nokia has unveiled what a company source described as possibly “the final piece of the puzzle when we talk about coherent transmission.” The company says the Photonic Service Engine 3 (PSE-3) coherent chipset provides the ultimate in spectral efficiency thanks to its use of a digital signal processing (DSP) technology called probabilistic constellation shaping. The technique, paired in the PSE-3 with 64-QAM modulation, can increase fiber capacity by as much as 65% over current deployments, Nokia asserts.
The technique works so well that Hollasch theorized that Nokia’s PSE-3 may get coherent optical transmission as close to the Shannon Limit (the theoretical maximum capacity of optical fiber) as the industry is likely to get. Individual wavelengths in future may exceed the current 600-Gbps maximum the PSE-3 supports, but the overall transmission is unlikely to be significantly more spectrally efficient, he said.
The efficiency the PSE-3 provides extends beyond spectrum use. The chipset uses probabilistically shaped 64-QAM for all transmission rates between 100 and 600 Gbps, which Hollasch pointed out reduces complexity and enables finer grain programmability.
As was the case with the PSE-2, Nokia will deploy two variants of the PSE-3 – super-coherent (PSE-3s) and compact (PSE-3c). Between the two, the PSE-3 will enable a variety of optimized transmission rate and distance pairings:
200 Gbps at ultra-long-haul and submarine network distances of approximately 2500 km
300 to 400 Gbps at regional network distances
500 to 600 Gbps at metro network distances.
The PSE-3 will support two channels of 600 Gbps per fiber, providing a maximum per-fiber capacity of 1.2 Tbps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
NeoPhotonics offers 53-GBaud linear optical components for 400-Gbps data center designs
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/neophotonics-offers-53-gbaud-linear-optical-components-for-400-gbps-data-center-designs.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-03-09&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2029452
NeoPhotonics Corp. (NYSE: NPTN) has followed up its recent announcement of 64-GBaud component shipments with the unveiling of a family of 53-GBaud linear optical components. The portfolio includes PAM4 devices for 100G and 400G cloud data center and other client applications. These include drivers and externally modulated lasers (EMLs) in transmitters as well as PIN photodetectors and transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) in receivers.
The company sees the new line as serving the increasing demand for single-lambda 100-Gbps designs based on PAM4 modulation.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Champion ONE offers 100G open white box switch
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/champion-one-offers-100g-open-white-box-switch.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-03-09&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2029452
Champion ONE has added to its line of white box switches with a 100G open network switch platform. The switch offers space for 32 QSFP28 ports as well as a range of software options for use in software-defined networking/network functions virtualization (SDN/NFV) environments.
The company sees the 100G white box switches playing in a variety of network applications, including service provider network core and edge, campus, and metro Ethernet applications; and data center top-of-rack applications supporting 10/25 Gigabit Ethernet connections to servers with 40/50/100 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks and 40/50/100 Gigabit Ethernet spine interconnects in a SDN/NFV leaf-spine architecture.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TM70B PON Fiber Optic Power Meter with Wavelengths 1310/1490/1550nm Fiber Electrical Equipment Meter
https://www.banggood.com/TM70B-PON-Fiber-Optic-Power-Meter-with-Wavelengths-131014901550nm-Fiber-Electrical-Equipment-Meter-p-1270664.html?p=27131452996820140438
TM70B PON Power Meter (pon test instrument) is specially designed for PON network construction and maintenance which can be connected between OLT and ONT. The voice, data, video signal (1310/1490/1550) online can be measured synchronously and optical power value (1310/1490/1550) can be displayed with this meter. It’s a useful site test tool for the engineers of PON network and maintenance operators.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Datacentre security techniques transferable to IoT: Cisco
http://www.zdnet.com/article/datacentre-security-techniques-transferable-to-iot-cisco/
The networking giant says because it is good at securing datacentre traffic, it can do the same for Internet of Things devices.
If a connected car is simply a datacentre on wheels, then why not trust a networking giant to help secure it and transfer its existing knowledge into a new realm of security?
At least that is the idea put forward by SVP and general manager of Cisco’s Internet of Things (IoT) and Applications Division Rowan Trollope.
Trollope told ZDNet at the company’s Cisco Live event in Melbourne on Wednesday that IoT was not a radical departure for a traditionally networking-focused organisation.
“There are some unique problems, and we are thinking about those, but we are also taking our existing technologies and applying them to these new use cases,” he said.
“It’s a traditional computer security problem … so we are doing that same kind of thing for cars and for other kinds of devices, and some of that security lives in the network itself.”
“It’s not that it is a radically different problem,” Trollope told ZDNet.
While the company has appeared to move quickly from pushing software-defined networking (SDN) to its new intent-based paradigm, Trollope said to journalists that they shouldn’t confuse “marketing with underlying technology”.
“I don’t view intent-based networking and SDN as two discrete buckets,” he said. “One is an outgrowth of the other, so conceptually, software-defined networking in my, perhaps simplistic view, is the simple idea of separating software and hardware in the network.
Cisco’s ‘network intuitive’ the next era of networking: Chuck Robbins
http://www.zdnet.com/article/ciscos-network-intuitive-the-next-era-of-networking-chuck-robbins/
CEO Chuck Robbins used his Cisco Live keynote to expound on the networking giant’s new network intuitive, saying the company had to rewrite its IOS to enable its command centre and analytics platform, encrypted traffic analytics, and programmable switches.
Cisco’s “network intuitive” will enable the scale, complexity, and security required by the billions of devices to be added to the internet in future, according to CEO Chuck Robbins.
“We are going to build the secure, intelligent platform on which you can run the business of the future,” Robbins said during his keynote at Cisco Live Las Vegas on Monday, adding that in order to do so, Cisco will reinvent networking, enable a multi-cloud world, unlock the power of data, and deploy security everywhere across the network.
“Last week, we announced the network intuitive, which is the start of this new network for this new era powered by intent and informed by context.”
According to Robbins, as many as 1 million new connections per hour will be added to the internet by 2020, with Cisco’s network intuitive comprising three parts: Encrypted traffic analytics; the DNA-Center, which is the command centre and analytics platform of the new network; and a series of programmable, IoT-, cloud-, and mobile-ready switches called the Catalyst 9000 series.
The network intuitive is based on Cisco’s Digital Network Architecture (DNA), which marks a strategy of “intent-based networking infrastructure”, with Cisco labelling the new network as its most significant achievement in the last 10 years.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel Stratix 10 FPGA Nallatech 520N FPGA Network Acceleration Card
http://www.nallatech.com/store/fpga-accelerated-computing/pcie-accelerator-cards/nallatech-520-compute-acceleration-card-stratix-10-fpga/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7Z3VBRC-ARIsAEQifZSu1QKIzqXGjpl0AoOsOUR0oFrCDlGioUN7kBVvHboW2OeU_0AtxRMaAg7PEALw_wcB
Scalable compute node with optical I/O for creation of directly-coupled, dense FPGA clusters
Introducing ground-breaking single precision floating point performance of up to 10 TFLOPS, the OpenCL-programmable 520N features an Intel Stratix 10 FPGA, along with four banks of DDR4 external memory.
Four network ports enable dramatic FPGA-to-FPGA scaling independent of the PCIe bus, plus support for an array of serial I/O protocols operating up at 100/40/25/10G.
Up to 10 TFLOPS of peak single precision performance
25MBytes of L1 cache @ up to 94 TBytes/s peak bandwidth
2X Core performance gains over Arria 10
70% lower power consumption
Up to four 100/40/25/10G Network Ports
intel ® Stratix® 10 tx Product table
https://www.altera.co.jp/content/dam/altera-www/global/en_US/pdfs/literature/pt/stratix-10-tx-product-table.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lumentum agrees to buy Oclaro for $1.8 billion
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/03/lumentum-agrees-to-buy-oclaro-for-1-8-billion.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-03-12&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2030847
Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) has reached an agreement to buy fellow optical component and subsystem developer Oclaro, Inc. (NASDAQ:OCLR) for $1.8 billion in cash and stock. The companies expect the deal to close in the second half of this year.
“Consolidation is moving at a glacial pace, but it’s finally happening,” commented Vladimir Kozlov, founder of market research firm LightCounting. “Oclaro was the most improved company of 2016, so they well deserve acquisition. They did a very good job streamlining their business, getting ready for acquisition.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fiber Optic Cable Replaces Copper Throughout the Network
http://www.cablinginstall.com/whitepapers/2018/01/fiber-optic-cable-replaces-copper-throughout-the-network.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-12&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2030170
Optical networking and fiber-optic cabling systems offer performance characteristics that make them advantageous over copper-based networks and cabling in many environments. Data centers represent one example of where fiber’s bandwidth and distance capabilities often are must-haves. Additionally, the evolution of enterprise networks has pushed fiber farther into the horizontal—in many cases all the way to the end device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Trends in outdoor and public-venue WiFi networks
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-26/issue-2/features/wireless/trends-in-outdoor-and-public-venue-wifi-networks.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-12&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2030170
Aesthetics take on increased importance when WiFi is deployed in outdoor and public-venue environments.
How do you connect to the internet with your smartphone? If your answer is, “through whatever WiFi network is freely available,” you are like a large, and rapidly growing, number of consumers.
The prevalence of home and office WiFi networks, hotspots in public venues, and WiFi at most commercial locations, makes it easier than ever to be connected via WiFi. According to an annual report from Cisco called the Visual Networking Index 2017, WiFi data traffic will account for almost half of all IP traffic (fixed and mobile) by 2020.
As WiFi becomes widely available in both private and public spaces, consumers may prefer to connect to the WiFi network rather than to their service provider network (in some cases, to reduce usage of their service provider data plan, and in other cases, due to poor cellular coverage within a building or facility).
This leads to more demand for WiFi network availability, and more traffic. This positive feedback effect is creating double-digit growth in WiFi network data volume.
WiFi trends
How will this burgeoning growth in mobile data and VoWiFi networks be facilitated? Fortunately, the FCC has opened additional spectrum in the 5-GHz Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) bands. The spectrum chart shows 25, 20-MHz bands (in blue) available for use now, another 12, 20-MHz bands (shown in red) may be made available in the future. Compare this with the 3, 20-MHz channels available in the 2.4-GHz ISM band, and one can see the advantage of exploiting the 5-GHz bands.
Devices operating in the 5-GHz bands have higher free space propagation loss than 2.4-GHz devices. This means the range of coverage, or cell size, of a 5-GHz WiFi access point (AP) is not as large as the 2.4-GHz AP. 5-GHz WiFi APs need to be closer together to provide the coverage required.
Further contributing to the AP density requirement, leading WiFi AP vendors recommend that a wireless network designed to support VoWiFi should provide a signal to noise ratio (SNR) of 25 dB. This might be 10 dB higher than the design criteria for a data-only network. VoWiFi does not require a lot of data capacity, but it does require the higher SNR to provide for the continuity of the voice network. Thus, for a VoWiFi-supporting network, the APs may need to be quite close together.
Outdoor WiFi: conventional design
As more data and voice traffic is carried over the WiFi network, consumers will want to extend the WiFi capability outdoors. Especially in venues such as campuses, parks, urban areas, near buildings, entertainment venues, etc. Because most of the bandwidth is in the 5-GHz band, this is where most of the planning will be. At one time, certain portions of the 5-GHz U-NII band were restricted to indoor use only, but this is no longer true. Additionally, in the past there were concerns about APs interfering with the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) systems near airports. But new APs have dynamic frequency selection (DFS), which sense for these weather radar systems, and avoid transmitting in the occupied bands.
Given that the permitted 5-GHz channels can be used outdoors, wireless designers will clearly use these channels outdoors. However, as described earlier, due to the higher free space propagation loss at 5 GHz (even outdoors with no obstructions), the designers really needs to think about where to locate APs to get the best capacity and coverage.
Outdoor WiFi: new design approaches
To create a reliable outdoor network, there are several design objectives to consider. Bearing in mind that 5-GHz cells are smaller, and the design is for capacity and higher SNR rather than coverage, the APs need to be close to where the client devices are located.
This means the APs should be installed where the traffic is—building entrances, bus stops, busy walkways, campus greenscapes, etc. Rather than rooftops or high on buildings, mount the APs reasonably close to the ground where the client devices are. Wireless vendors recommend no higher than 40 feet above the ground, and preferably in the 15- to 25-foot range. Keeping the equipment close to the ground helps to simplify maintenance as well.
APs might be mounted discretely on building walls or light poles (where permitted) or in WiFi bollards on the ground. Because the APs and antennas are close to ground level, they need to be protected not only from the weather, but also from tampering and vandalism.
As the APs are getting bigger, and external multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas may have four to six cables connected, the wireless designer needs to consider how to conceal the installation, or at least blend into the environment, in a manner that is acceptable.
To support the outdoor wireless network, obviously there will be outside plant (OSP) infrastructure. This, in fact, is likely to be the larger cost item. Due to the longer distances required to interconnect and power wireless devices, OM3 multimode fiber is likely required versus copper cable due to distances. Hybrid fiber-copper solutions may be used to power the wireless devices, or fiber with media converters and local line power may need to be provided. Use APs, antennas, power supplies, cabling, and other equipment suited for the outdoor environment. Consult with TIA 758-B for OSP standard, the National Electrical Code for safety standards, and BICSI Outside Plant Design Reference Manual for installation guidelines.
Tomi Engdahl says:
UL-listed hybrid cables from OCC power GPON networks
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/03/ul-occ-gpon.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-12&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2030170
Optical Cable Corporation (OCC) recently released a new UL-listed cabling solution for GPON networks. OCC’s Slimline Hybrid cables combine GPON [Gigabit-capable passive optical network] fiber-optic cables with two copper conductors enclosed within the same jacket, allowing external power to essentially be “pushed” from a central location.
According to OCC, by including copper in same cable as GPON fiber, high bandwidth data and power can be supplied to numerous users with a single, lower-cost option.
In its simplest description, GPON utilizes a single fiber-optic strand on which high speed, high-bandwidth data is transmitted in both directions (2.48 GB/s of downstream and 1.24 GB/s upstream). OCC’s Slimline Hybrid cables can contain either one or two strands of single-mode fiber and are UL Plenum rated for use inside buildings, including above suspended ceilings. In addition, the cables have a very small bend radius and tensile strength almost three times that of traditional category 6 copper cable, as noted by the company.
“For enterprise networks, the advantages of GPON are undeniable. These all-fiber networks cost less to implement than copper, provide unlimited bandwidth potential, and as a passive network, require much less power. In addition, single-mode passive optical LAN infrastructure will support 10G-PON networks and beyond.
http://www.occfiber.com/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Leviton’s flat and angled 1RU fiber, UTP panels now support shielded Cat 8 connectivity
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/03/leviton-1ru-cat8.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-12&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2030170
Leviton has released two new universal panels for its e2XHD Snap-In Cassette Patching System. The flat and angled 1RU panels support fiber, UTP, and now shielded Category 8 connectivity.
“Enterprise and data center IT organizations require network infrastructure that protects their data flow, yet allows easy cable routing and simple moves, adds, and changes. IT managers want better protection for their mission-critical applications with shielded connectivity that still allows fast deployment and simple maintenance,”
The e2XHD Snap-In Cassette Patching System includes 1RU high-density universal flat and angled patch panels, copper and fiber snap-in cassettes, and accessories for additional cable protection and management.
http://www.leviton.com/en/products/commercial/networking/fiber-systems/e2xhd
Tomi Engdahl says:
Optical Nets Prep for 400G, Beyond
400G modules, specifications debut at OFC
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333064
As many as a dozen companies will demo at this week’s Optical Fiber Conference (OFC) prototype 400 Gbit/second Ethernet optical modules that data center and telco networks expect to deploy starting late next year. Meanwhile, standards efforts are already plowing a path for the next generation to keep up with rising demands.
The emerging 400G products typically use eight 50G serial connections based on the latest PAM-4 modulation techniques. Last week, the IEEE gave preliminary approval to start work on standards for 100G serial links that could drive future 800G Ethernet standards.
Meanwhile, the Consortium for On-Board Optics (COBO), an ad hoc group of about 70 companies, released its first specification for modules embedded on routers and switch motherboards. The spec aims to reduce heat and power issues for 400-800G products as the first step toward a future of merged optical and electrical components.
“400G is the next phase…People are hoping by late 2019 or early 2020 to start deploying, and it looks like a lot of the components are coming on line now — we’re already seeing the switch silicon showing up,” said Brad Both, a networking specialist for Microsoft’s data center group and chair of COBO.
COBO’s approach takes optics off a module that users plug into the faceplate of a router or switch and embeds them on the motherboard. It enables better airflow and larger heat sinks to reduce thermal requirements for systems as data rates rise.
The first generation 400G modules emerging at this year’s OFC are expected to consume 12-14W. COBO defines 8- and 16-lane versions that support 20 and 40W, respectively.
COBO expects initial demo products this fall with most implementations aiming at whatever becomes the next speed grade after 400G. It will start work soon on a follow-on standard targeting whatever comes after 800G.
“Eventually optics must move into the switch ASIC because serdes already consume 30-40 percent of a networking chip’s power,”
“Today we see plenty of big 400G customers that have systems in their labs… some are trying to ship by the end of this year,” said Rubovitch, a former Intel and Mellanox engineer that brought DustPhotonics out of stealth mode at OFC.
The deployments are not expected to start in earnest until 2019, when perhaps half a million 400G modules will ship. That could ramp to 3.5 million units a year later with roughly equal thirds using copper, multimode and single mode fiber, he said.
DustPhotonics hopes it can break even by June of next year in part with help from sales of a 100 and 200G modules it designed to prove its optical technology.
“They are aggressive, and I will take a look at what they have…but they will not be the only one at 400G,” said Booth of Microsoft which has already put out a request for information on 400G modules.
“There are a lot of people stepping up to 400G, including a number of startups…and some who missed the shift to 100G…This sector is ripe for growth and acquisitions in the next two years,” he added.
After a short break, COBO will turn its attention to what may come at 800G and beyond. The Optical Internetworking Forum is already working on 100G serial standards that could be the basis for a future 800G Ethernet spec, however the OIF’s work is so far focused on short reach links.
The good news is the 100G lanes are expected to leverage the existing PAM-4 modulation that today’s 50G serial links are pioneering. The Ethernet Alliance (EA) is expected to set up an interoperability program soon for the emerging 50G products
With 50G the industry shifted away from the simpler NRZ modulation to PAM4. Thus, “there’s still a lot of work to get done, tested out and mainstreamed,”
The IEEE is still early in its process of organizing a 100G serial standard effort, said D’Ambrosia, noting it could take three years to finish a spec. Eight of the lanes would be an optimal way to create an 800G Ethernet standard, he said, though some may choose to try 16 50G lanes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Seeds Latest SDN Effort
Stratum will release open-source software in early 2019
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333051
Google contributed code to an open-source project organized by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF), the latest effort in software-defined networks (SDNs). Stratum will use the P4 programming language and a handful of open-source interfaces to manage large networks for data centers and carriers.
The group aims to release open-source code early next year, available on multiple networking chips and systems. So far, the project consists of a handful of software companies along with five chip vendors, five potential users, and four OEMs, including Barefoot Networks, Broadcom, Cavium, China Unicom, Dell EMC, Mellanox, and Tencent.
Google committed to move the software into its production networks this year. Its plan to be among the first users of Stratum-based systems “will help grease this market,” said Timon Sloane, vice president of marketing and ecosystems for ONF.
https://www.opennetworking.org/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Passive Optical Port Replication™ in the Data Center
http://www.cablinginstall.com/whitepapers/2017/08/passive-optical-port-replication-in-the-data-center.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-13&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=2031882
What is port replication™? Essentially, port replication™ is “mirroring” the ports of active fiber optic hardware in a passive component (fiber patch panel). This creates a direct relationship between the active hardware ports and the passive structured cabling environment, thus simplifying the cabling process as all numbers on the hardware directly correspond to the numbers on the patch panel.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What you need to know to transitioning fiber-optic interconnect from 10G Ethernet to 40G or 100G Ethernet
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-26/issue-2/features/technology/what-you-need-to-know-to-transitioning-fiber-optic-interconnect-from-10g-ethernet-to-40g-or-100g-ethernet.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-13&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=2031882
Accelerated adoption of 40G and 100G fiber-optic Ethernet prepares for exploding data infrastructure demand.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hyperscale data center spending rose 20% last year: Analysts
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/03/hyperscale-data-center-spending-rose-20-last-year-analysts.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-13&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=2031882
Synergy estimates hyperscale cloud platforms spent $75 billion in capex last year, most of it on data centers.
http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/cloud/hyper-scale-data-center-spend-was-20-percent-2017-analysts-say
Synergy estimates hyperscale cloud platforms spent $75 billion in capex last year, most of it on data centers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Fiber Connector is a Fiber Connector … or is it?
https://blog.viavisolutions.com/2017/10/03/a-fiber-connector-is-a-fiber-connector-or-is-it/?utm_campaign=vi78152&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cim&utm_term=mpo
Multi-fiber connectivity (also known as parallel optics) offers significant benefits over single-fiber: smaller footprint, easier scalability, more flexible configuration and—of course—the potential for faster speeds. But a network is only as strong (fast) as its weakest (slowest) link, and network performance often comes down to how well the system is physically connected. Enter the MPO connector.
MPO (which stands for “Multi-fiber Push On) is a specific type of multi-fiber connector that’s been around for a few years, but is becoming more popular in data center and enterprise applications. Although multi- and single-fiber connectors are roughly the same size, inside they’re very different. As its name suggests, a single-fiber connector houses a single fiber inside a ceramic ferrule, while a multi-fiber connector contains an array of multiple fibers (either 8, 12, 24, 48 or 72 fibers) across a single connector ferrule.
MPO connectors are defined by gender; they are either pinned (male) or unpinned (female) with the pins on a male connector fitting into corresponding sockets of a female connector. Such a connection helps align the fiber end faces as closely as possible to ensure minimal loss of signal.
A unique aspect of a multi-fiber connector is its “key”–a bump on one side of the connector to help network techs properly line up cables and connectors for end-to-end polarity. The key helps ensure the correct polarity of fibers, which isn’t readily apparent otherwise and is critical with multiple fibers in a single connector.
Multi-fiber connectivity isn’t just a great thing for end users and network managers. They make life easier on the techs who maintain them on a day-to-day basis:
Less tedious work in small spaces—no one ever said a data center is roomy. In fact, it’s cramped quarters. MPO connectors use less space overall than the requisite number of single-fiber connectors. For a tech, that means installation and maintenance is easier on the hands.
Reduced time and hassle–MPO connectors enable techs to connect 12, 24, 48 or even 72 fibers as quickly as a single fiber. And with MPO connectors, a tech need never splice cable again.
Less troubleshooting time–Manual work on single-fiber connectors tends to increase the chance for errors. It’s easier and faster to replace or reconfigure multi-mode connectors, but even more important, it takes less time to verify links or troubleshoot them when something goes wrong.
Do MPO connectors have special requirements?
An MPO connector is obviously more complex than a single-fiber connector, but not at a burdensome level. As noted above, ensuring correct mating between pinned and unpinned connectors is a more delicate process, particularly because the connectors are usually spring-loaded to ensure a tight fit.
Polarity is also a key consideration, but by noting the key location on each connector, documenting polarities from end to end, and following a standard process, this too is easily managed. And while maintaining end face cleanliness is important for all fiber connectors, it’s especially important for multi-fiber connectors.
Like plug-and-play technology for consumer electronics, MPO connectors promise an easier, faster way to manage physical network connectivity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can S-SIX Technology Make Full-Duplex Communication a Reality?
http://www.mwrf.com/systems/can-s-six-technology-make-full-duplex-communication-reality?NL=MWRF-001&Issue=MWRF-001_20180313_MWRF-001_93&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=15851&utm_medium=email&elq2=5a860eeb2c504c0a8e082e5fe8b70c16
In this Q&A, Sriram Vishwanath, co-founder of GenXComm, talks about the self-interference cancellation technology his company has developed and the benefits it offers.
CD: Can you tell us about simultaneous self-interference cancellation (S-SIX) technology?
SV: S-SIX is designed to enable wideband (around 1 GHz), low noise figure, tunable self-interference cancellation in both the analog and digital domains. It has traditionally been very difficult to achieve such wide bandwidths, tunability, and low noise figures for analog/RF systems. S-SIX is uniquely capable of achieving this, thus allowing for the design of good interference-cancellation systems.
CD: What are some of the benefits of this technology? Furthermore, what applications will it enable?
SV: The most obvious benefit of S-SIX is full-duplex communication, but there are many other benefits. By cancelling interference in a wideband manner, the solution is also a tunable filter that can eliminate interference in adjacent and/or overlapping bands. This results in multi-channel/multi-band radios that can operate in adjacent bands (without a guard band) simultaneously, without leakage into one another.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Comcast ‘blocks’ an encrypted email service: Yet another reminder why net neutrality matters
http://www.zdnet.com/article/comcast-customers-blocked-encrypted-email-service-net-neutrality-repeal/
Now imagine your favorite websites getting blocked by your internet provider in the name of net neutrality.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Klint Finley / Wired:
ICANN’s proposal to comply with EU’s GDPR by restricting access to Whois information via an accreditation program faces criticism from privacy advocates, EFF
Weighing Privacy vs. Security for the Internet’s Address Book
https://www.wired.com/story/weighing-privacy-vs-security-for-the-internets-address-book
If you head over to a Whois service and search for wired.com, you’ll see that this site is registered to our publisher Condé Nast at One World Trade Center in New York City. If you have your own domain name, you’ll find your name and home address on Whois, unless you pay for a proxy service to hide that information.
New European privacy rules may change this—not just in Europe, but around the world. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation will take effect on May 25. The regulation forbids companies from sharing their European customers’ personal data without explicit permission, and gives customers the right to delete their data at any time. As a result, Whois entries may soon contain a lot less information.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Optical Nets Prep for 400G, Beyond
400G modules, specifications debut at OFC
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333064
As many as a dozen companies will demo at this week’s Optical Fiber Conference (OFC) prototype 400 Gbit/second Ethernet optical modules that data center and telco networks expect to deploy starting late next year. Meanwhile, standards efforts are already plowing a path for the next generation to keep up with rising demands.
The emerging 400G products typically use eight 50G serial connections based on the latest PAM-4 modulation techniques. Last week, the IEEE gave preliminary approval to start work on standards for 100G serial links that could drive future 800G Ethernet standards.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ultra-Compact External Cavity Tunable Laser for Coherent 400G-1.2T Applications at OFC
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/eeweb/news/ultra-compact-external-cavity-tunable-laser-for-coherent-400g-1-2t-applications-at-ofc
NeoPhotonics Corporation announced it will demonstrate its Nano-ITLA ultra-compact external cavity tunable laser at the Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, March 13 to 15. The NeoPhotonics Nano-ITLA is based on the same proven and reliable external cavity technology as its industry leading Micro-ITLA product line. Further, the Nano-ITLA maintains the ultra-narrow linewidth, the low frequency phase noise performance, and the low power consumption of the current product in a compact package approximately one half the size.
The Nano-ITLA utilizes an ASIC control IC that reduces the size of the electronic control circuitry. The laser can also be used separately with the ASIC mounted on the customer’s circuit board. Using both approaches, the Nano-ITLA is well suited for use in 400ZR small form factor pluggable coherent modules, including OSFP and DD-QSFP, and for compact daughter cards for 600G and 1.2T applications.
Coherent communications is moving simultaneously to higher data rates per wavelength and to smaller form factors, requiring higher performance from the optical components at the same time that the size and power must be significantly reduced. Increasing the symbol rate to 64 Gbaud and using higher order modulation, such as 16 QAM to 64 QAM, can increase the data rate per wavelength to 400G or 600G.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The authorities’ radio traffic passes to Virve 2.0 in Finland
The Finnish authorities will gradually move to Virve 2.0 by 2025. At that time, the authorities have a mobile broadband service where, for example, the transfer of video and other heavier data is successful. The Mobile Broadband service operator has been designated as Partition Networks as expected.
Virve 2.0 is based on the mobile broadband services of commercial operators, which are competing for separate networks. The Ministry of Finance has launched a mobile government network solution called MoVi, which will be implemented gradually by 2025. The objective of the project is also to guarantee the achievement of the requirements of the authorities for operating critical mobile broadband services. The functionality, availability, and manageability of existing commercial networks do not meet these requirements.
Separate networks will operate as a future operator of Virve 2.0 through its group company, Suomen Virveverkko Oy. Virve Services has been providing Virve services to Finnish security authorities and other critical communication users for nearly 20 years. The Virve 2.0 mobile broadband solution utilizes mobile broadband services from commercial operators, especially the radio network, which is competed as part of Virve 2.0. The transition from existing Tetra-based Virve services to next-generation broadband services takes place gradually, taking into account the technological development and standardization of mobile networks.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7699-viranomaisten-radioliikenne-siirtyy-virve-2-0-aikaan