OIF to Take Center Stage at OFC 2024 with Groundbreaking Multi-Vendor Interoperability Demonstrations and Expert Panels

47 member companies will demonstrate innovations in coherent optics, electrical and energy efficient interfaces and management specifications

FREMONT, Calif.--()--OIF’s record-breaking, multi-vendor interoperability demonstrations at OFC 2024 will spotlight groundbreaking interoperable solutions in 800ZR, 400ZR and OpenZR+ optics; Energy Efficient Interfaces (EEI) & Co-Packaging; 112G and 224G Common Electrical I/O (CEI); and Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) implementations.

This year’s historic interoperability demonstration, the largest ever, not only underscores the progress of OIF member companies in tackling the industry’s most pressing demands but will also unveil multiple industry-firsts. Once again, OIF’s work positions the organization at the forefront of driving the industry forward, offering tangible solutions to the most pressing network challenges.

“The interoperable solutions being demonstrated in the OIF booth are critical to addressing the escalating needs of next-generation data center networking, artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and disaggregation applications,” said Nathan Tracy, OIF President and TE Connectivity. “We’ve seen a 38 percent increase in demo participants compared to last year and the addition of nine new participating companies, which emphasizes the remarkable growth and impact of OIF’s work.”

Record-setting Interoperability Demos – 800ZR, 400ZR and OpenZR+ optics, EEI & Co-Packaging, 112G and 224G CEI and CMIS

800ZR, 400ZR and OpenZR+ Optics Interoperability Demos

The pluggable coherent optics demonstration will showcase progress in the latest advancements in 800ZR, 400ZR and ZR+ optics interoperability, offering a comprehensive view of their capabilities and applications. The demo highlights include the first public 800ZR multivendor interop; high transmit power, OpenZR+ over a 1000km, multi-span network; OpenROADM/ITU-T over that same network; and our foundational 400ZR collocated on the single-span network with 800ZR.

EEI & Co-Packaging Interoperability Demos

The EEI and Co-Packaging demo will feature pioneering methods for integrating multiple chips within a single package, driving a new era of enhanced performance and power efficiency in electronic devices. OIF members will display a conceptual demo of AI backend compute utilizing next generation energy efficient interfaces as well as live demos showcasing the latest advancements for external laser sources. This demo highlights innovative approaches that are revolutionizing the performance and power efficiency of electronic device design.

112G and 224G CEI Interoperability Demos

OIF is advancing its pioneering efforts in interoperability with the expansion of its industry-first demonstration of 224G CEI multi-vendor interoperability, the electrical interface for future optical solutions. Additionally, OIF’s demonstration of a 112G CEI Linear ecosystem has broadened, driven by the interoperability of multivendor SerDes links with multi-vendor LPOs, supported by test and measurement validation at each stage of the link.

CMIS Interoperability Demos

The CMIS demo will feature an array of CMIS-managed modules integrated into routers, switches and test gear from various vendors, providing a firsthand glimpse into CMIS’ effective management of modules in real-world applications. Its focus is on the path to plug and play illustrating how modules communicate their capabilities, enabling hosts to manage them seamlessly without requiring specific code for each module.

Live and Interactive Demonstrations: 47 Member Company Participants

The demonstrations in OIF’s booth #1323 will highlight the collaborative efforts of system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors, emphasizing their contributions to advancing technology adoption in both present and future networks.

Participating member companies are Adtran; Alphawave Semi; Amphenol; Anritsu; AOI; Astera Labs; Ayar Labs; Broadcom Inc.; Cadence Design Systems, Inc.; Casela Technologies; CICT/Accelink; Ciena; Cisco Systems; Coherent Corp.; Corning; Eoptolink; EXFO; HG Genuine; Hisense; Infinera; Juniper Networks; Keysight Technologies; Lessengers; Linktel Technologies; Lumentum; Luxshare-Tech; MACOM Technology Solutions; Marvell; Molex; MultiLane; NEC; Nokia; Nubis Communications, Inc.; O-Net Technologies; Optomind; Precision Optical Technologies, Inc.; Quantifi Photonics; Samtec; Semtech; Senko Advanced Components; Sumitomo Electric Industries; Synopsys; TE Connectivity; US Conec; Viavi Solutions; Wilder Technologies and Wistron.

In addition to the in-booth demonstrations, OIF experts will lead two panel discussions on the exhibit floor, providing valuable insights into the industry's latest advancements:

OIF Panels

Wednesday, March 27, 2024: Coherent Optics Unleashed: From 400ZR Success to 800ZR/LR Advancements and 1600ZR Kick-off – An OIF Update

  • Time: 4 pm - 5 pm PT
  • Location: Theater 1
  • Moderator: Karl Gass, OIF Physical & Link Layer Interoperability (PLL) Working Group (WG) Optical Vice Chair
  • Panelists: Sebastien Gareau (Ciena), Jeff Rahn (Meta), Gert Sarlet (Coherent), Tom Williams (Cisco)

Thursday, March 28, 2024: Energy Efficient Interfaces – Reining in Power Consumption Trends for Next-Generation Optical Networking

  • Time: 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm PT
  • Location: Theater 1
  • Moderator: Jeff Hutchins, OIF PLL WG EEI Vice Chair and Board Member (Ranovus)
  • Panelists: Craig Thompson (NVIDIA), Yi Tang, OIF PLL WG Electrical Vice Chair (Cisco), Nathan Tracy, OIF President (TE Connectivity)

For more information about OIF at OFC 2024, please visit: https://www.oiforum.com/meetings-events/oif-ofc-2024/

About OIF

OIF is where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done. With more than 25 years of effecting forward change in the industry, OIF represents the dynamic ecosystem of 150+ industry leading network operators, system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors collaborating to develop interoperable electrical, optical and control solutions that directly impact the industry’s ecosystem and facilitate global connectivity in the open network world. Connect with OIF on LinkedIn, on X at @OIForum and at http://www.oiforum.com.

Contacts

Leah Wilkinson
Wilkinson + Associates for OIF
leah@wilkinson.associates
703-907-0010