In particular, applications with AI or ML lead to increasing bandwidth requirements.The Ethernet protocol is responding by soon supporting 800G.Users are faced with a wealth of standards and connector variants.What to considerThe growth of the cloud and above all the expansion of hyperscale data centers is driving the transmission standards for even faster Ethernet networks.(Image: Rosenberger OSI)Not only the large hyperscalers will need significantly more bandwidth in the future.The amount of data will also increase steeply in many other areas.Power-hungry applications such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), which will increasingly be used in maintenance and repairs in industry in the coming years, video inspections using drones, for example of wind turbines, tall towers and other inaccessible parts of buildings, quality control using cameras and many other moving image applications will generate significant amounts of data, especially if higher-resolution video formats are also required, such as in telemedicine.5G campus networks, which forward sensor and machine data to edge servers, and 5G public networks, which accelerate mobile data access, also contribute to the growing flood of data, as do data-hungry AI applications penetrating more and more areas of life.After the 800GBASE-R standard was approved by the Ethernet Technology Consortium in April 2020, it took less than a year for the first fifth-generation coherent DSP chips to be presented.In the meantime, a whole range of suppliers have presented corresponding transceivers, such as Hitek Systems, Marvell or Microchip.The new DSP generation, which is being manufactured in a 7 nm CMOS process for the first time, is characterized by a number of innovations.With higher data rates (>90 Gbaud), support for 800G wavelengths and flexible adjustment of the required bandwidth, they enable more efficient network traffic.This enables network operators to reduce the costs per bit per kilometer, and the energy requirement in watts per bit per km is also lower than in previous transceiver generations.They can also configure more flexibly whether they need a higher bandwidth or a longer range.The IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Working Group created the P802.3df Task Force to define standards for 800 Gbps and 1.6 Tbps Ethernet.Derived from this, there should also be additional standardization for the 200 and 400 GbE variants.The further development of Ethernet technology enables performance to be increased in two ways.Where 400 Gbit/s over 8 lanes with 50 Gbit/s each (or gross: 56 Gbit/s) were previously possible, 8 lanes with 100 Gbit/s each (gross: 112 Gbit/s) can be used with 800GbE.Alternatively, the new standards make it possible to combine 2 × 400 GbE into one 800 GbE data stream.At the same time, the innovations also affect the previous Ethernet variants.With the new generation of transceivers, 400 GbE with 4 × 100 GBit/s is also possible.And the next steps are already ahead.In the coming year, 1.6 TbE is to be implemented, then with 200 Gbps per lane (gross: 224 Gbps), which will also implement 800 GbE with 4 × 200 Gbps.The International Photonics & Electronics Committee (IPEC) standardization body also presented the basic specifications for 800G DR8 and 2 × 400G FR4 interfaces at the end of January.800G DR and FR standards are to follow in the second half of the year.The IPEC (Physical Media Dependent) PMD working group is working on a variety of network scenarios, including 800G transmission over 500 m, 2, 10 and 80 km.In order to take advantage of these bandwidth improvements without much effort, a simple transition from single-port to dual-port 400G optics had to be provided in the 800G form factor, allowing the installed base of LC and MTP/MPO fiber connectors continue to use.Two competing industry consortia of transceiver manufacturers have submitted corresponding specifications that also affect the connectors for the fiber optic cabling of the 800 GbE.With Revision 4.0 in May 2021, OSFP MSA (Multi Source Agreement) added support for 800 GbE using dual 400G and octal 100G to its OSFP Module Specification (current status: Rev 4.1).However, the consortium emphasizes that 800 GbE was already possible with the previous specification.At the same time, work started on the future 1.6TbE, which is to be introduced with Rev. 5.0.Almost at the same time, the QSFP-DD MSA Group expanded its 6.0 hardware specification for the first time to include the QSFP-DD 800 standard, which is also based on 2 × 400G or 8 × 100G and later expanded to 1.6 Tbit/s with 200 Gb per lane shall be.This is to ensure the smooth transition from 400 GbE to 800 GbE and 1.6 TbE.400 or 800G applications can be implemented in a variety of ways.This also increases the variability of the connectors.This trend was already evident with 400 GbE and is continuing with 800 GbE solutions.Due to this complexity, it is advisable for data center operators to seek advice from cabling specialists such as Rosenberger OSI when implementing 400 or 800G applications and to take a look at the specifications now.Because when choosing the right cabling solution, the individual application is decisive.The hunger for bandwidth is growing faster and faster.Therefore, many enterprise data centers have set themselves the goal of migrating to 400G infrastructures as soon as possible.Large hyperscalers are already switching to 800GbE - a trend that will also reach large and medium-sized data centers faster than usual.Numerous providers have already presented their 800G support at the OFC 2022 trade fair (Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition) in San Diego.Users are faced with a wealth of standards and connector variants.Although 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) was the focus at OFC, 800GbE is already on the way, which was not only demonstrated by the IEEE session "Beyond 400G".Exhibitors such as Accelink, Eoptolink, Infinera, InnoLight Technology, Linktel, Marvell, Source Photonics and Surinno Photonics came to California with 800GbE transceivers, while MultiLane, Keysight Technologies, Spirent Communications and Viavi Solutions presented corresponding test equipment.This is remarkable in that 400GbE only became commercially widespread in 2019.But the demand for bandwidth is increasing at an ever faster rate.By 2019, network operators expected network traffic to grow at a 25 percent annual rate.Then Corona came - with home office, video conferences instead of business trips and streaming TV instead of going to the cinema.Global data traffic even increased by 35 percent within twelve months.With the multimode standard 800G-SR8 for short distances (up to 50 m), the previous MPO/MTP technology will be used, optionally in the OM4 MPO/MTP 16 variant with bevel cut (APC8°), or as dual MPO/ MTP 4+4 (OCTO), with straight cut (PC0°).However, the new VSFF connectors (Very Small Form Factor) such as the MDC or the SN are also on the way.In particular, the MDC (Miniature Duplex Connector) from US Conec, which can significantly increase the port density and thus save space in the rack, is considered to have great potential for the future.Developed as a Media Dependent Interface (MDI) or Optical Interface of the new SFP-DD and QSFP-DD transceivers, this could outstrip the bulk connector LC-Duplex in the future.That's the prognosis.Corresponding MPO/MTP variants are also to be expected for the single-mode standard 800G-DR8 (up to 2 or 10 km), in this case MPO/MTP 16 APC 8° or as dual MPO/MTP 4+4 (OCTO) APC 8°.Not forgetting the MDC and SN connectors already mentioned.In the variant 800G-DR4 for distances of 1 to 2 km, only the MDC or the SN should be used.With the 800G-FR8 and 800G-LR8 standards, distances of up to 2 or 10 km can also be bridged.Here the manufacturers continue to rely on LC connectors, as with the 800G-FR4, 800G-ZR and 800G-ZR-Lite.The 800G-2FR4 and 800G-2LR4, for which dual LC connectors are used, also come in two different variants: either as single-mode LC duplex (LC compact) or as dual mini LC, too can be found under the name Mini-LC-Duplex.The development of 800GbE is not over yet - other standards have already been announced.The increase in bandwidth by means of higher transmission speeds per lane or new combinations when bundling lanes is also partly reflected in the standards for 200 GbE and 400 GbE.What that means for the infrastructure, which plugs are required and what the situation is with backwards compatibility are questions that must be answered in each case.(New)In Germany, the data throughput at the central network node DE-CIX increased only slowly until 2019, but all the more so in the two years of the pandemic: the average data throughput is currently almost 60 percent higher compared to the figures from the beginning of 2020. DE-CIX also had only converted its infrastructure to 400Gb network technology in 2019.Barely three years later, the German Internet node, to which 1100 networks are connected, announced the next step.Together with Nokia, the Frankfurt node, which is spread across 35 locations, will be upgraded to 800 Gigabit Ethernet by the middle of the year.For Thomas King, CTO at DE-CIX, an important step to prepare for the future.Europe's largest internet exchange, which now has a peak data throughput of 11 Tbps, requires the latest generation of hardware in order to be able to offer customers reliable and seamless peering and interconnection services over the long term, King emphasized.Thus, the Edge servers will be equipped with new Nokia 7750 SR-14 models.These not only support 800GbE, but should also contribute to a significant reduction in power consumption.Market research firm LightCounting predicts that the five largest cloud and hyperscale data center operators - Alibaba, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft - will see both 200GbE and 400GbE transceivers peak in the coming year and then start to decline again .According to this, in 2024 the sales of the top 5 customers with 800 GbE transceivers would trump the sales of the two previous technology generations.Harry Jacob, freelance journalist from Augsburg.By registering, I accept the terms of use of the portals in the industry media network.I have taken note of the data protection declaration.NXP and Microchip are using Inova's ILaS protocol in microcontrollers for automotive applications.The ever-increasing number of LEDs and sensors in cars can be controlled economically via the ILaS network.Read more...Christian Wolf, Managing Director of Hans Turck, hands over the chairmanship of the Exhibitors' Advisory Board at SPS to Steffen Winkler, CSO of the Business Unit Automation at Bosch Rexroth.Read more...Siko presents the AP05 as a compact version with IO-Link interface for monitored format adjustment.Read more...