ECOC2024 – The LPO MSA (Linear Pluggable Optics Multi-Source Agreement) Group announced today the successful interoperability testing of network equipment leveraging LPO links. This interop event included testing over 400 Gb/s and 800 Gb/s parallel single-mode links, targeting the industry-wide challenge of reducing power, cost, and latency while improving the reliability of high-speed optical interconnects used in AI/ML applications. The event, hosted jointly by MultiLane and Keysight Technologies, served as both a validation of the LPO MSA draft specification as well as an opportunity for companies to confirm interoperation. Results from the interop event achieved margins above link budget requirements while interfacing with an ecosystem of link partners. The event included test point validation and full link testing, demonstrating significant system margin.
LPO MSA Specification Update
Building upon other industry standards such as IEEE 802.3 and OIF, the LPO MSA has drafted component, module, and system-level interoperability requirements that span both the electrical and optical interfaces operating at 100 Gb/s per lane.
LPO MSA Accepting New Members
Considering the progress made toward an initial LPO MSA specification, the LPO MSA is announcing that it is now open to new members. The expanded membership will further improve the initial specification and enable a broad ecosystem for 100G/lane LPO solutions. The wider membership will also guide the next round of specifications, including multi-mode optics, LRO (Linear Receive Optics), and 200G/lane solutions.
LPO Diagnostics
Addressing the industry’s request for diagnostic information commensurate with retimed links, the LPO MSA has developed a white paper showing a full suite of capabilities for LPO link monitoring and analysis leveraging diagnostic capabilities already integrated within components along the signal path.
“Demonstrating multi-party link interoperability is a material achievement for the LPO MSA,” said Mark Nowell, LPO MSA Chair. “This result, coupled with the LPO value proposition, opens a path for reduced power, cost, and latency for the communications industry without sacrificing interoperability.”
“We are very happy with the progress the LPO MSA has made since its founding in March,” said Andreas Bechtolsheim, LPO MSA Co-Chair. “The industry is well on the way to ramp production of LPO systems and modules in 2025.”
“Linear optics is an important tool for increasing the performance of AI training and inference systems, while simultaneously decreasing TCO,” said Peter Del Vecchio, LPO MSA Co-Chair. “The successful multi-party interoperability test, based on the draft LPO MSA specification, is an important step in demonstrating to the industry that LPO can be deployed at scale with a broad ecosystem of optical modules and networking components.”
Please visit https://www.lpo-msa.org for more information about the LPO MSA.
About the LPO MSA
The LPO MSA is comprised of industry-leading networking, semiconductor, and optics companies and develops specifications for networking equipment and optical modules required to enable a broad ecosystem of interoperable LPO solutions. These specifications target the industry-wide challenge of reducing the power, cost, and latency while improving the reliability of high-speed optical interconnects. Members include Accelink, AMD, Arista, Broadcom, Bytedance, Cisco, Eoptolink, Hisense, Intel, Keysight Technologies, MACOM, MultiLane, NVIDIA, and Semtech Corporation.
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