Avago today announced the immediate availability of its 7nm 400G PAM-4 PHY device, the BCM87400, designed for data center and cloud infrastructure. Built on Avago’s state-of-art 7nm Centenario™ 112G PAM-4 DSP platform, the device provides best-in-class 400G 8:4 gearbox performance while delivering the lowest power, enabling broad market adoption of 400bE links in hyper-scale datacenter and cloud networks.

Networks are rapidly transitioning to 400GbE pipes as the main interface connecting the latest generations of high density, multi-terabit switches with 100G single-lambda optics to support the increasing demand for higher bandwidth. The exploding need for high speed connectivity is being driven by emerging technology such as 5G, AI and machine learning. However, with the current generation of 16nm 400G PHYs, optical module power dissipation is approximately 12W. Avago’s 7nm 400G PHY solution delivers significant power savings compared to existing 16nm PHYs, thereby enabling sub-8W optical modules.

7nm Centenario PAM-4 DSP Highlights

• Industry leading DSP performance and power efficiency enabling DR4/FR4 optical modules to meet IEEE standards and MSA specifications
• DSP platform supporting DR/FR optical modules for legacy switch applications
• Client-side interface compliance to CEI-28G/56G LR specification supporting long reach (LR) channels
• IEEE 802.3bs standard-compliant KP4 and end-to-end FEC bypass operation
• Proven PAM-4 architecture supporting multiple optics front ends including EML, DML and silicon photonics
• Optimized design with proven interoperability with Avago switch ASICs and ASSPs using 28Gbaud PAM-4 and NRZ SerDes architecture

“With the general availability of 12.8-Tb/s switches such as Avago’s Tomahawk 3, hyper-scale data center operators and cloud providers will be leveraging the 400GbE ports in these switches to address increasing demand for higher bandwidth. Our low power 7nm Centenario PAM-4 DSP is essential to support high density 400G connectivity using QSFP-DD and OSFP optical modules, accelerating the adoption of 400GbE network infrastructure,” said Lorenzo Longo, senior vice president and general manager of the Physical Layer Products Division at Avago. “The currently available 16nm 400G PHYs have been used to enable engineering prototypes and testing of 100G per lambda optical components. Our 7nm Centenario 400G PHY enables high volume deployment of 400G optical modules in hyper-scale data centers.”

“Avago demonstrates its technology lead in the PAM4 market segment with the sampling of the industry’s first 7nm 400G PAM4 PHY,” said Dale Murray, principal analyst at LightCounting Market Research. “A savings of 4W per 400G optical module in comparison with currently available CMOS solutions is significant as it will ease market concerns about power consumption in the transition to 400G optical modules in hyperscale network deployments.”

Availability

Avago is sampling the BCM87400 to customers now. Please contact your local Avago sales representative for information.

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