Intel unveils first 58Gbps FPGA transceiver enabling 400G Ethernet deployment

  

Unveiled at the Optical Fibre Communications conference in San Diego, this technology is said to double transceiver bandwidth performance when compared to traditional solutions. According to Intel, it's critical for applications where high bandwidth is paramount, including networking, cloud and 5G applications, optical transport networks, enterprise networking, cloud service providers, and 5G.

By supporting dual-mode modulation, 58Gbps PAM4 and 30Gbps NRZ, new infrastructure can reach 58Gbps data rates while staying backward-compatible with existing network infrastructure.

The Stratix 10 TX FPGA with 58Gbps PAM4 transceiver technology provides system architects with higher transceiver bandwidth and hardened IP to address the insatiable demand for faster and higher density connectivity.

“The 400Gb Ethernet and QSFP-DD market is evolving at a fast pace. And being first to market with a portable solution is instrumental to enable the transition from lab to the field. We were excited to work closely with Intel to deliver our next-generation test module with the only production FPGA technology supporting native 58Gbps PAM4,” says Ildefonso M. Polo, vice president of Product Marketing at VeEX.

To facilitate the future of networking, Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) and optical transport solutions, Intel Stratix 10 TX FPGAs provide up to 144 transceiver lanes with serial data rates of 1 to 58Gbps. This combination delivers a higher aggregate bandwidth than any current FPGA, enabling architects to scale to 100Gb, 200Gb and 400Gb delivery speeds.

A wide range of hardened intellectual property cores, including 100Gb MAC and FEC, deliver optimised performance, latency and power.

Intel Stratix 10 FPGA 58Gbs transceivers are interoperable with 400G Ethernet FPGAs, using only eight channels to support new high-bandwidth requirements for routers, switches, active optical cables and direct attach cables, interconnects, and test and measurement equipment.