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Ethernet Alliance Spotlights the Optics of Ethernet at OFC 2014
[March 04, 2014]

Ethernet Alliance Spotlights the Optics of Ethernet at OFC 2014


BEAVERTON, Ore. --(Business Wire)--

The Ethernet Alliance, a global consortium dedicated to the continued success and advancement of Ethernet technologies today announced it will once again be taking part in the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC 2014), March 11 - 13, 2014 in San Francisco, Calif. A premier global optical communications and networking event, the conference is playing host to the Ethernet Alliance's live multi-vendor demo in booth number 2415, as well as panel sessions featuring experts drawn from across the Ethernet ecosystem. The organization will also be exploring the growing role and influence of optics in Ethernet's expanding global footprint and ongoing evolution.

"Ethernet is evolving rapidly to address an explosion of new applications in previously untapped markets. The idea of Ethernet everywhere is fast becoming a reality and optics is one of the key drivers behind rising global adoption rates," said Scott Kipp, president, Ethernet Alliance, and principal hardware engineer, Brocade. "Ethernet is the number one consumer of optics, a trend we see accelerating as speeds climb higher and data centers grow larger. The optics of Ethernet serve as a change-agent for innovation across the whole of the Ethernet ecosystem, as illuminated in the Ethernet Alliance's OFC 2014 demo and panels."

The Ethernet Alliance's live OFC 2014 demonstration incorporates 10, 40, and 100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) optics and copper cabling. 10GbE features 10GBASE-T, as well as high-density breakouts from QSFP+ to 4X10GbE SFP+. The network's core will be running at 40GbE and connect to servers at 40GbE. For the first time, three generations of 100GbE modules, including CFP, CXP, CFP2, and CFP4, provided by multiple vendors, will interoperate and support 100GBASE-SR4, 100GBASE-SR10 and 100GBASE-LR4. The demo will also illustrate the broad diversity of media, such as twinaxial and Category 7 (CAT7) cabling, and single- and multimode fiber that are supported by Ethernet. Ethernet Alliance member companies taking part in the multi-vendor demo include Amphenol Corporation (NYSE: APH); AppliedMicro (NASDAQ: AMCC); Brocade (NASDAQ: BRCD); Finisar (NASDAQ: FNSR); Intel (NASDAQ: INTC); Ixia (News - Alert) (NASDAQ: XXIA); JDS Uniphase Corporation (NASDAQ: JDSU); Spirent Communications (LSE: SPT.L); and Volex (LSE: VLX).

Additionally, on March 11, 2014 in Theater III South Hall of San Francisco's Moscone Center, the Ethernet Alliance is hosting a series of sessions featuring a diverse array of experts from across the Ethernet ecosystem:

  • 100G Single Lambda Optics - 2:30pm PST. Led by Chris Cole, director, transceiver engineering, Finisar, panelists Chris Doerr, director of integrated photonics, Acacia Communications; Mark Nowell, senior director of engineering and CTO, Cisco Systems (News - Alert); Sudeep Bhoja, CTO, infrastructure/networking, Inphi Corporation; and Beck Mason, vice president, R&D, JDSU, will discuss optics ability to scale to meet growing demand for larger data centers and ultra-dense 100Gbe and 400GbE, as well as the potential path forward for single wavelength 100GbE optical interfaces for future network applications.
  • Snapshot on 400GE Standardization - 3:15pm PST. With moderator Nathan Tracy, technologist, systems architecture group, TE Connectivity, panelists Jeffery J. Maki, distinguished engineer, optical, Juniper Networks (News - Alert), and Mark Gustlin, principal system architect, Xilinx, will explore survey topics currently under discussion within the recently formed IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) IEEE 802.3™ 400 Gigabyte per second (G/s) Ethernet study group.
  • New Standards for Ethernet Access Networks - 4:00pm PST. Moderator Howard Frazier, senior technical director, Broadcom, and panelists Edwin Mallette, IEEE Service Interoperability for EPON (SIPEON) Conformance Assessment Steering Group and distinguished engineer, Bright House Networks; Glen Kramer, chair, IEEE 1904.1™ SIEPON Working Group and technical director, Broadcom; Mark Laubach, Chair, IEEE 802.3 EPON Protocol over Coax (EPoC) PHY Task Force and technical director, Broadcom; and Hesham ElBakoury, principal engineer, Huawei Technologies, will examine Ethernet's demonstrated success in the deployment of Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (GEPON) and 10G-EPON subscriber access networks. Discussions will also center around new IEEE P1904.1 SIPEON and IEEE P802.3bn™ EPoC standards, and their implications for the next generation of Ethernet Access Networks.



For more information about the Ethernet Alliance at OFC 2014, please visit http://www.ethernetalliance.org, follow @EthernetAllianc on Twitter, visit its Facebook page, or join the EA LinkedIn group.

About the Ethernet Alliance


The Ethernet Alliance is a global consortium that includes system and component vendors, industry experts, and university and government professionals who are committed to the continued success and expansion of Ethernet technology. The Ethernet Alliance takes Ethernet standards to market by supporting activities that span from incubation of new Ethernet technologies to interoperability demonstrations and education.

Individuals who would like to receive updates on Ethernet Alliance news, activities and events may sign up for the organization's newsletter at www.ethernetalliance.org/newsletter.

Additional Quotes:

"Amphenol is once again proud to be part of the Ethernet Alliance live demo at this year's OFC exhibition. The OFC conference and exhibition is one of the premier Optical events of the year. The Ethernet Alliance booth is a great place for designers and end users to get unbiased information on the latest in GbE, and see the latest products in live and static demos. Amphenol will be demonstrating our world class 10GbE SFP+ and 40GbE QSFP+ interconnect systems. From our passive, active copper cables and our latest AOC's (Active Optical Cable assemblies) to our SFP+ and QSFP+ cages and connectors. Additionally we will be showcasing a new offering of High Density (HD) rack mount optical connectivity panels and trunk cable solutions designed to increase density to improve cable routing and tray congestion." - Greg McSorley, technical business development manager, Amphenol

"Market demand for cost-effective, high density, high performance interconnects in cloud computing and data center environments is driving a new generation of flexible high bandwidth devices. AppliedMicro (News - Alert) is pleased to be a participant in the Ethernet Alliance interoperability demonstration showcasing the industry's first 100G Gearbox 2 with MLG support. The Gearbox 2 is a member of AppliedMicro's revolutionary X-Weave™ product family and is designed for high density, high bandwidth applications in routers, switches and servers supporting 10G, 40G or 100G Ethernet." - Michael Girvan Lampe, vice president, sales and marketing, AppliedMicro

"Finisar is excited to demonstrate our CFP4 optical modules showcasing 100GE interoperability with other members of the Ethernet Alliance. As the CFP form factor family continues to evolve, the higher port densities enabled by the CFP4 modules will support the increasing bandwidth needs in data centers and carrier networks," - Christian Urricariet, director of marketing for high-speed products, Finisar Corporation

"Increasing computing requirements, especially in cloud and communications market segments, are fueling the need for greater networking speeds. While copper interconnects are sufficient for 1GbE and 10GbE, higher networking speeds require optical solutions. Intel views optical as the future for Ethernet and other networks, which motivates our investments in cost-effective optical solutions." - Steve Schultz, director of product marketing, networking division, Intel

"Ethernet is constantly evolving, and the shift from 10 and 40 GbE adoption to 100 and 400 GbE adoption means that the networking industry must evolve alongside it to keep up. Our work with the Ethernet Alliance highlights our commitment to providing leading-edge testing solutions that will ensure that data center operators are ready for the change. Solutions like our Xcellon-Multis platform, with fan out technology to support HSE from 10 GbE up to 100 GbE in a single load module, will be showcased at OFC 2014 to demonstrate how they can scale network testing while using less space and few resources." - Jim Smith, vice president of marketing, Ixia Test Solutions

"JDSU is excited to promote and advance the Ethernet for the next generation of networks as part of the Ethernet Alliance. As an enabler of today's high-speed networks, JDSU is committed to provide innovation and value to our customers. Along with our leading edge 100Gb CFP2 and CFP4 LR4 products our portfolio of 10Gb fixed and tunable SFP+, 40Gb QSFP+, 100Gb components, and ROADM products provide a broad offering of client and line side building blocks for 100G networks and beyond. Come see our full suite of telecom and datacom network solutions at booth 1315 during OFC 2014 in San Francisco." - Tom Fawcett, vice president, business development, JDSU

"Cloud and Telecom service providers are increasing the density of their 100G Ethernet offerings to meet the exploding bandwidth consumption. And the form factor of next-generation optics helps achieve these higher densities. At the Ethernet Alliance booth, Spirent will demonstrate multi-vendor interoperability to validate the different generations of 100G offerings. Spirent will showcase its 2- and 4-port 100G Ethernet modules with support for CFP2 and CFP4 transceivers." - Rajesh Rajamani, market segment leader, Spirent Communications (News - Alert)

"Volex is pleased to participate in the Ethernet Alliance interoperability demo at the 2014 Optical Fiber Conference in San Francisco. With Cloud Computing and Big Data fueling the need for next generation data centers, the demand for 10G and 40G connectivity continues to grow, and the importance of interoperability continues to escalate. The Ethernet Alliance interoperability demo is an excellent opportunity for Volex to showcase our standard product offering for Ethernet and datacenter connectivity. Be it copper or fiber, passive or active, 10G or 40G Volex has your interconnect solutions. Come by booth number 2415 to see our demonstration and talk with our product specialists." - Matt Davis, high speed product marketing manager, Volex


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