Earlier this month, Semtech and Keysight recently held a webinar focused on the concept and technology of Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO). We reviewed the important technical differentiators found in this emerging interconnect field and how the electro/optic interoperability and testing needs are being addressed to satisfy cutting-edge system interconnect performance needs. 

Webinar Recap: Linear Pluggable Optics – The…

 
As we enter 2025, the data center technology landscape continues to evolve rapidly, driven by artificial intelligence (AI)and an ever-growing demand for bandwidth and computing power. The surge in AI applications, particularly large language models (LLMs), is reshaping infrastructure requirements and driving increased hardware investment across the entire digital ecosystem, from massive cloud data centers to edge computing installations. Here are some key data center network hardware trends that we see evolving and expanding in the coming year.

Key Technology Trends Shaping Data Center and…

Power, latency and cost. The three horsemen of Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) data center interconnects.  Each new generation of interconnect drives a lower mW/Gbps and dollar/Gbps. Power consumption is not just about data center operating expenses. It is also about sustainability. 

Revolutionizing AI and ML Interconnects with…

From smartphones and laptops, to ATMs and online shopping, data is constantly in flight. As consumer technology and industry innovations advance, global data creation is projected to grow to 175 zettabytes (ZB) by 2025. Nearly 53ZB of that data will be consumed in real time—the data equivalent of streaming 583 billion 4K videos at once—which will strain current network infrastructure.

Tri-Edge: Preparing for Future Wireless Networks…

Optical solutions are essential to connect and power the digital era as signal integrity forms the backbone of every digital platform. Every time someone opens a webpage or uses a connected device, data moves from point A to B—often using optical fiber. With increasing industry and consumer demand for high-quality internet and fast upload and download speeds, fiber now makes up 32% of fixed-broadband subscriptions, up 20% in the last decade. The data center and enterprise networking companies powering data usage and cloud computing need high performance optical interconnect technology to minimize cost and power consumption without sacrificing efficiency and speed.

Tri-Edge: Next-Gen Data Center and Wireless…

Brought on by the convergence of the Cloud and the Internet of Things, hyperscale data centers and wireless operators are pushing towards 200G and 400G. Key to this transition are optical modules, which is where Semtech’s Tri-Edge™ technology plays a core role. With increasing bandwidth demands, optical modules must evolve alongside data center equipment to deliver greater density, lower power consumption, and lower latency. We spoke more about this with Timothy Vang, Vice President, Marketing and Applications at Semtech.

Tri-Edge Technology: A Q&A With Semtech

In the coming years, data center traffic will continue to see immense growth. Cloud services, Internet of Things (IoT) and ever-increasing broadband demand are driving a massive push by hyperscale data centers and wireless operators towards 200G and 400G. Optical modules, key building blocks for connecting data center equipment, must also evolve to meet these bandwidth demands with greater density, lower power consumption and lower latency.

Semtech’s Tri-Edge Enhances Alibaba Data Centers

Semtech has recently returned from ECOC, one of the optical industry’s most anticipated and widely attended events of the year. The event hosts more than 6,500 scientists, researchers and industry experts from the field of high performance optical communication. Semtech’s booth was once again a hub for interested visitors eager to learn more about Semtech’s leading optical platform, and discuss current trends.

Semtech and Open Eye MSA Redefine Optical…

The dual-density version of the Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QFSP) Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) module standard looks set to be the rule for new line-cards, following a raft of demonstrations and alpha module tests in 2018. The hidden message of the QSFP-DD craze is not the physical characteristics of the module itself, but what it says about the turn to advanced signaling methods. Half a decade ago, QSFP28’s arrival heralded the coming dominance of 25Gbps electrical channels using NRZ signaling. Now, QSFP-DD, and its larger cousin, the octal SFP or OSFP, use PAM4 signaling. This most often uses 50Gbps channels, but QSFP-DD is flexible enough to use eight-channel interfaces in a variety of implementations: 25G x 8 for 200Gbit Ethernet, 50G x 8 for 400Gbit Ethernet, and perhaps some early 100G x 8 for a pre-standard 800Gbit Ethernet.

Optics MSA: QSFP-DD Puts PAM4 Signaling in…