OIF Announces 224 Gbps Project Preview, Election Results, Upcoming Webinars and Integrated Packet Optical SDN Implementation Agreement at Q2 Virtual Meeting

OIF's Q2 2020 Technical and MA&E Committees Meeting, held virtually May 11-15, resulted in a preview of a proposed 224 Gbps project, election results, upcoming webinar announcements and the release of the Integrated Packet Optical SDN Implementation Agreement (IA).

NEW PROJECT PREVIEW ? 224 Gbps PROJECT START PROPOSAL

The next electrical data rate beyond 112 Gbps will be technically challenging with many factors to be considered, but already industry discussions are beginning to take place. In its continued efforts to meet industry needs, OIF previewed a proposed project start to address data rates around 224 Gbps. The project is expected to start in Q3 and will consider the following challenges:

• What reaches need to be supported
• What modulations will be appropriate for each reach
• Simulation tools
• Test and measurement methodologies

"By providing an active forum for discussions on next generation architectures and data rate beyond 112 Gbps, OIF is performing an essential role in accelerating standards and requirements. We expect this project to result in output data and baseline materials that will drive next generation CEI clauses and enable 1.6 Tbps rate architectures," said Nathan Tracy, TE Connectivity and OIF President. "In addition, it is anticipated this next generation electrical rate will keep the industry on track to deliver lower cost and complexity 400 Gbps and 800 Gbps architectures as well."

ELECTIONS

Dave Stauffer, Kandou Bus, S.A., was re-elected as Physical and Link Layer Working Group Chair through January 2022.

UPCOMING WEBINARS

OIF will hold two upcoming webinars:

- "Cu (See you) Beyond 112Gbps" - Thursday, June 18^th at 7am PDT/9am CDT/10am EDT/4pm CEST - This online event, in partnership with Lightwave and Electronic Design, will feature a dynamic discussion between end-users, equipment developers and component suppliers. The webinar event is free and open to the public. Register here.

- OIF will hold a members-only "Co-packaging of Optics with ASICs" webinar on Monday, July 20^th at 7am PDT/9am CDT/10am EDT/4pm CEST. The webinar will explore challenges in realizing high density co-packaged optic solutions for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications. It will identify key drivers as well as important constraints (electrical, thermal, optical, etc.) as it continues OIF's mission of identifying industry gaps in standards and explores opportunities to provide interoperable solutions.

INTEGRATED PACKET OPTICAL SDN IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT

Packet networks and optical networks have typically been managed separately in operator networks, resulting in low efficiency in both service provisioning and network maintenance. SDN brings in new options and opportunities based on its open and software-ized characteristics.

The OIF Integrated Packet Optical SDN IA defines a standardized universal open framework and principal use cases for integrated SDN control of packet and optical networks that at the solution level will normalize the architecture, interfaces and behaviors and help move the industry forward. The new IA can be downloaded here.

"OIF's Integrated Packet Optical SDN IA brings meaningful use cases, architecture and technical requirements for cooperation between IP and Optical layers via SDN," said Junjie Li, China Telecom and OIF Network Operator Working Group Chair. "Operators look to OIF as a place to address industry gaps and achieve maximum benefit for their optical networks. I believe this work will help us to construct a bridge between packet and optical and make our network smarter and simpler."

About OIF

OIF is where the optical networking industry's interoperability work gets done. Building on 20 years of effecting forward change in the industry, OIF represents the dynamic ecosystem of 100+ 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 at @OIForum, on LinkedIn and at http://www.oiforum.com.