Consortium for On-Board Optics Paves the Way for New Business Model with Industry’s First Showcase of Multi-Vendor On-Board Optical Ecosystem

5 Mar 2019

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Consortium for On-Board Optics (COBO) today announces a multi-vendor on-board optics demonstration showcasing a wide range of system developments based upon COBO’s 8-Lane and 16-Lane On-Board Optics Specification. For the first time in the industry, at booth #1817 at the Optical Fiber Conference (OFC) in San Diego, COBO’s demonstration features solutions from 14 different leading industry suppliers.

Microsoft Corporation in collaboration with Delta Networks, Applied Optoelectronics Inc., 3M, Sumitomo Electric, SENKO, and TE Connectivity are demonstrating a 12.8 Tbps switch designed to support 8-lane and 16-lane on-board optical modules. PETRA, in collaboration with SENKO, Celestica, and TE Connectivity, is demonstrating an 800 Gbps Programmable Adapter Card. Rosenberger is providing a static display of host and module compliance boards utilized to validate interoperability to the COBO Specification. Ciena and SENKO are providing a static display of COBO’s PCB laminate test board used to validate thermal capability within the COBO specification and allows for a 16-lane bus interface between optics and the switch, enabling a 12.8 Tbps (32x400G) and higher packet switch with integrated coherent optics and multiple fiber optical connectors in a 1RU form factor. USConec and Sumitomo Electric are showing static displays of on-board optics and optical card edge connector choices to provide options for motherboards to support on-board optic designs. TE Connectivity and Credo are providing an active demonstration of the COBO 16-lane high speed connector transmitting and receiving 100 Gbps PAM4 signaling, showcasing the ability for COBO 16-lane modules to support 1.6 Tbps.

“COBO members have worked diligently to develop an industry-first specification for on-board optical modules to support short-range multimode fiber links to long-haul coherent links,” said Brad Booth, President of COBO. “Member collaboration has enabled COBO to offer the industry’s first demonstration of an on-board optics ecosystem based upon COBO’s specification. COBO is delighted to continue to support our member’s future specification efforts and product concepts in preparation for their commercial deployment.”

About COBO

The Consortium for On-Board Optics is a member-driven, mutual-benefit, non-profit corporation bringing together industry leaders to overcome limitations associated with moving optics inside networking equipment by developing innovative industry specifications. For more information, visit http://onboardoptics.org/. Follow us on Twitter @COBO_Group.