II-VI offers 400ZR pluggable line system; Arista Networks first customer

March 10, 2020
II‐VI Inc. has announced what it calls a pluggable optical line subsystem (POLS) platform for 400ZR coherent transmission applications such as data center interconnect (DCI). The first product based on the platform is the OSFP-LS.

II‐VI Inc. (NASDAQ: IIVI) has announced what it calls a pluggable optical line subsystem (POLS) platform for 400ZR coherent transmission applications such as data center interconnect (DCI). The first product based on the platform is the OSFP-LS, which Arista Networks has announced it will offer.

The OSFP-LS is designed to enable full-duplex multi-channel 400ZR transport, including multiplexing, demultiplexing, and variable-gain amplification. The module will support up to eight DWDM wavelengths and a total transmission capacity of up to 3.2 Tbps per fiber pair.

“The POLS platform leverages significant breakthroughs in the areas of miniaturizing optical components for amplification and wavelength management, while simultaneously improving performance and reducing power consumption,” said Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi, CMO at II-VI. “The POLS platform is enabled by II-VI’s vertically integrated portfolio of best-in-class components in the industry, including our uncooled, highly compact, 3-pin micropump, the smallest of its kind on the market.”

“The POLS platform is a revolution in data center interconnects,” added Martin Hull, vice president of platform products at Arista Networks, in II-VI’s press release. “Just as a 400ZR transceiver collapses the 400G transponder linecard functionality into a pluggable module, so does the OSFP-LS in relation to an optical line system linecard. The plug-and-play functionality of the OSFP-LS will enable our switch customers to deploy them quite easily and cost-efficiently as they migrate to 400ZR.”

Arista, in its related announcement, said that the OSFP-LS should meet the needs of Tier 2 cloud and internet service providers looking for an easy way to deploy and operate high-bandwidth links. The module offers reduced space, cost, and power; Arista says its implementation will feature automatic setup and consistent EOS monitoring and control of both 400G ZR and OSFP-LS. The company says its OSFP-LS is in testing and qualification, with general availability expected in the second half of this year.

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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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