Smartoptics unveils 100G DWDM PAM4 option for data center interconnect, metro networks

Smartoptics has paired its DCP-M open line system with 100G PAM4 QFSP28 DWDM transceivers. The offering forms an alternative to approaches based on coherent transmission for data center interconnect (DCI), metro aggregation, and distributed access applications of 80 km or less. However, the DCP-M family will accommodatea mix of PAM4, NRZ, and coherent 100G or 400G channels to meet customer preferences, Smartoptics asserts.

The company says the 100G DWDM offering enablesfully automated client and line side control loops for plug-and-play operation. The DCP-M comes in four versions for either 8 or 40 channels of transmission using PAM4 or the other two modulation schemes. The DCP-M therefore can support up to 4 Tbps per fiber pair. It will consume less than 6 W/100G and 1U of data center rack space when deployed with PAM4 technology, according to Smartoptics.

For applications in which the switch/router does not accommodate embedded 100G PAM4 transceivers or when a dedicated demarcation point is required, Smartoptics offers the complementary DCP-108 eight-channel transponder for 100G DWDM PAM4.

Smartoptics has delivered a member of the DCP-M family, the DCP-M40, to Internet Exchange Australia (IX Australia). The deployment leverages QSFP28 optical transceivers based on Inphi’s COLORZ PAM4 technology (see “IX Australia deploys 100-Gbps open line system from Smartoptics”).

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