In this NGON 2016 presentation, Jim Theodoras explores the changes afoot in the data center interconnect (DCI) transport space, including the trends towards disaggregation, whiteboxing, and openness. He explores the importance of price points to increasing Internet penetration as well as the importance of the Directly Modulated Lasers on Silicon (DIMENSION) project and the Telecom Infra Project.

1. DCI: It’s a Brave New World
Jim Theodoras
June 2016

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Status Quo
Channel
Multiplexer
Optical
Amplifier
ROADM
Optical
Amplifier
XFP XFP
Colored
Transponder
Router
Switch
Vendor
Optical
Transport
Vendor

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The Sky is Falling!
Channel
Multiplexer
Optical
Amplifier
ROADM
Optical
Amplifier
XFP XFP
Colored
Transponder
Router
Switch
Vendor
Optical
Transport
Vendor

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Separating Out the Transponders
Channel
Multiplexer
Optical
Amplifier
ROADM
Optical
Amplifier
XFP XFP
Colored
Transponder
Router
Switch
Vendor
Optical
Transport
Vendor

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Disaggregation
• No Disaggregation: Entire transport network acts as one element
• Partially: Transponding is one element, OOLS is second.
• Fully Disaggregated: Everything is a separate network element

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Starting Value
Residual Value
OLS
XPR
Fiber
(is forever)
Transponder
Depreciation
Optical Line System
Depreciation
Differing Depreciation Curves

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3 Ways of Connecting Routers
• Traditional clients to transponders
• Transponders integrated into switch/router
• Colorizing client ports and extending their reach

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Pizza Boxes
• Where’s the optical transport vendor value-add?
CFP2

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Feeding the OOLS
XFP XFP
• WDM Vendor Transponder
Channel
Multiplexer
Optical
Amplifier
ROADM
Optical
Amplifier
CFP2
• Integrated WDM
QSFP
• Direct-Detect Plug
• Whitebox Transponder
Client Client
• 2nd Source WDM Vendor
XFP XFP
• Wave Services
Open Optical Line System

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Feeding the OOLS
Channel
Multiplexer
Optical
Amplifier
ROADM
Optical
Amplifier
Open Optical Line System
• WDM Vendor Transponder
• Whitebox Transponder
• 2nd Source WDM Vendor
Doing it today
• Direct-Detect Plug
• Integrated WDM
• Wave Services
Doing it today

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Where is the Growth Coming From?
* “Internet host count history”, Internet Systems Consortium, May 16, 2012.
* By Kopiersperre (talk) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36391402
• While cloud is exploding, most of growth is from machine-to-machine.
*Najam Ahmad, Facebook, @Scale

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TIP: Telecom Infra Project
*https://telecominfraproject.com/
• 1/3rd of planet connected – How do we connect the remaining 2/3rds

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• Objectives: Electro-optical technology platform for
monolithic integration of (Bi)CMOS electronics with
Si- and III-V photonics
• Duration: 01 Feb 2016 – 31 Jan 2020 (48 months)
• Total costs: 3,422,128.75 €
• EU contribution: 2,621,758.75 €
• Partners: (1 uni, 2 research, 3 companies)
• TU Dresden  Coordination, IC design, comp verification
• IBM Research  Monolithically integrated active optical comps
• ADVA Optical Networking  Exploits, demos, characterization
• IHP Microelectronics  Electro-optical co-integration tech
• AIT  System and component specifications, dissemination
• Optocap  Demonstrator packaging
Concept IP protected
Directly Modulated Lasers on Silicon

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Expected outcomes
• First CMOS embedded laser combining (Bi)CMOS electronics, with passive and active optical
functions
• Flexible electro-optical chip design, overall on-chip control and cost-effective electro-optical
integration on large-area silicon substrates
• 3 technology proof-of-concept demonstrators:
• 8 l, 25 Gbaud PAM4 direct laser modulation, monolithic III-V/BiCMOS integration for 400 GbE
• Monolithic integrated narrow linewidth tunable laser, modulator and driver for coherent transmitter
• Novel directly-modulated 25 Gb/s NRZ laser directly grown on silicon photonics
Hybrid
State-of-the-art
Semi-Hybrid
demonstrated
Monolithic
III-V on silicon integration

15. Thank You
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