OpenZR+ MSA Group releases first specification

Oct. 8, 2020
The group, formed to drive industry consensus toward open modules that would provide performance that would extend beyond that of the OIF’s 400ZR Implementation Agreement for coherent pluggable 400G modules, promises refinements to the specification.

The OpenZR+ Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) Group has published its first specification, OpenZR+ Rev 1.0, as well as an accompanying whitepaper. The group, formed to drive industry consensus toward open modules that would provide performance that would extend beyond that of the OIF’s 400ZR Implementation Agreement for coherent pluggable 400G modules, promises refinements to the specification in future releases.

The specification leverages high-gain oFEC derived from the Open ROADM MSA that can be applied to high-density form factors such as QSFP-DD and OSFP for 100G to 400G transmissions. “OpenZR+ enables network operators to address 400G regional interconnects beyond 1,000 km, and even long-haul requirements with 200G reaches beyond 2,500 km, using interoperable modules from multiple vendors,” explained Tom Williams, co-chair of the OpenZR+ MSA Group.

The MSA announced its formation in May of this year with initial members Acacia Communications, Cisco, Fujitsu Optical Components, InnoLight Technology, Juniper Networks, Lumentum, and NTT Electronics. Some members have already begun work on such modules (see, for example, the video interviews "Is your Network Ready for 400GbE?" and "400G Module Update with Acacia Communications"). The group said it seeks to members to join discussions on enhancing the specification. Opening the application range to include 75-GHz spacing requirements is one topic of recent conversation, the MSA reveals.

The OpenZR+ Rev 1.0 specification and whitepaper are available from the MSA’s website.

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.

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