There is always a next entrant in the next-gen transceiver market. Typically, these reflect only an order of magnitude leap in data rate, with (1) much of the new transceiver technology derived from the previous generation of transceivers and (2) much of the motivation to build the transceivers in the first place to support rapid
The Emerging Next-Gen Transceiver Market Read More »
Near-Packaged Optics (NPO) is concept that has emerged recently embodying many of the advantages of Co-packaged optics (CPO) but simpler to implement. We think that given that CPO technology is still at its earliest stages, we need a ramp up technology to get us to CPO. NPO uses a high-performance PCB substrate—an interposer—that sits on
The Case for Near-Packaged Optics Read More »
Pluggable optical modules in the way we have known them are on their way out. Co-packaged Optics is garnering a great deal of attention and while it will largely displace/replace existing concept of pluggables, this won’t happen overnight. This article provides some perspective on the transition away from pluggable optics. Currently the pluggable market remains
The Rise of Co-Packaged Optics and the (Gradual) Decline of Pluggables Read More »
While early 2021 was more dramatic in terms of new co-packaged optics (CPO) products, the past year proved to be the period in which CPO took its first baby steps towards the data communications mainstream. Two important practical developments occurred. One, which we discuss in this article, is the OIF Co-Packaged Optics Framework. The other
5 Reasons Why the OIF Co-Packaged Optics Framework is Significant Read More »
Evolution of CPO in 2021 and Early 2022 Co-packaged optics (CPO) has emerged as technology of considerable interest as a platform for deploying optics in large data centers. A considerable segment of data communications sees CPO as a practical way forward to deploy 800G and above interfaces. It is recognized by just about everybody in
The Need for CPO in the Latency-sensitive Data Center Read More »
The demand for co-packaged optics (CPO) will be driven by many factors. Today, latency-sensitive traffic such as AI and ML is getting a lot of attention. However, this is mostly because AI and ML is new and exciting, while video is old hat. Nonetheless, CIR believes that the video revolution is far from over and
The Drivers and Timeframe for CPO Deployment Read More »
Co-packaged Optics standards activity have moved CPO from the realm of discussion closer to real-world adoption: (1) COBO has established a CPO working group. (2) CPO specifications have materialized in the form of the CPO Collaboration Joint Development Forum’s CPO Module product requirements document (PRD). And (3) there is an implementation agreement (IA) from the
Co-packaged Optics Standards Moves CPO Forward Read More »
The purpose of this article is to identify the several kinds of edge routers that are now appearing on the market. Edge-specific routers must be able to handle the functionalities described below with ease. Edge routers can serve in a number of different functions and be of a number of different types. Edge routers are located
What Makes Routers Edge Specific Routers? Read More »
Excerpted from CIR’s upcoming report on Edge Computing Processors. Although edge computing has seen a lot of developments in recent years, it is not a new concept. “Content delivery networks” or “content distribution networks” (CDNs) have been around a long time. CDNs work in the same way as edge computing—a geographically distributed network of proxy
Edge Computing Processors Read More »
One of main predictions of CIR’s 2020 report on co-packaged optics (CPO) is that next-generation switching chips is just the beginning for CPO. We took the position that CPO is essentially a new way to opto-electronic integration and that novel switching technology is just a place to start. With $15 million in recent funding, POET
POET Takes Co-Packaging Beyond Communications Markets Read More »
The edge computing software segment is expected to be one of the most rapidly growing and diverse segments within the entire edge computing market and it includes platform, AI and analytics, as well as supporting segments such as DCIM and edge OS. The platform, AI and analytics segments are three of the largest within the
Opportunities in the Edge Computing Software Segment Read More »
In the past few months two important announcements have been made showing different ways forward for the Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) business. One of these announcements came from a duo of Cisco and Inphi. It shows perhaps a certain amount of caution about CPO. For various reasons, Broadcom is a tad more optimistic. However, announcements from
Broadcom, Cisco, Inphi and the Timing for Co-Packaged Optics: A CIR Research Note Read More »