San Jose-based Ignis Optics, supplier of pluggable optical transceivers, announced today that it has signed its first high-volume customer order for 10-Gbit/sec XFP-compatible transceiver modules. Ignis Optics has already begun shipments to this customer, which has ordered more than 1,000 units.
The XFP is an ultra-small 10-Gbit/sec optical transceiver module that was standardized by the XFP Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) Group. The XFP module has been replacing bulkier transponder solutions in optical networking equipment because of its lower cost, smaller footprint, lower power dissipation, and ease of use by both system designers and end users, say company representatives.
"With XFP order volumes now in the four digits, XFP modules have demonstrated their commercial value and have moved beyond experimental proof-of-concept systems," contends Michael Lebby, chief executive officer of Ignis Optics. System designers have been pressed by their customers to provide higher port densities and lower operating maintenance costs. They can now design-in these simple transceivers in conjunction with inexpensive, commercially available ICs for optical networking applications such as OC-192 SONET, STM-64 SDH, 10-Gigabit Ethernet, and 10-Gbit/sec Fiber Channel.
XFP modules from Ignis Optics feature the same high-volume IO-PKG technology that the company applies to its SFP modules for TDM, ATM, IP, storage, and video applications. IO-PKG technology significantly lowers module cost by applying techniques originally used to manufacture multimode fiber transceivers to singlemode fiber transceivers while maintaining excellent performance characteristics, claims the company.