Verizon Media Completes 400ZR Trial Using Inphi COLORZ II DWDM QSFP-DD Optics

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Inphi Corporation, a leader in high-speed data movement interconnects, and Verizon Media have successfully validated a seamless upgrade from 100GbE QSFP28 optics, using Inphi’s COLORZ®, to 400GbE QSFP-DD over the same production Open Line System, using Inphi’s COLORZ® II. This groundbreaking demonstration consisted of adding a 400ZR from an Arista 400G switch into a 100GHz DWDM channel without affecting any of the existing 100GbE waves.

To build a better content delivery network, which brings rich high-quality media to millions of users, Verizon Media needs to connect super PoPs with low latency and high capacity DWDM interconnects. Verizon Media is advancing the disaggregation of optics, switching, and optical line systems in preparation for an enormous surge in data driven by cloud, HD video and 5G applications.

Both generations of Inphi’s COLORZ optics enable data center connectivity directly from any switch or router port, allowing for the same density as client optics, while accelerating the paradigm shift to IPoDWDM. Leveraging existing 100GHz optical line systems, COLORZ II increases fiber capacity from 4Tb/s to 16Tb/s while further lowering power and cost per bit.

“To ensure our CDN remains ready for the web of tomorrow, we must constantly stay at the leading edge of technology to drive scalability of our network, while building the most price competitive and efficient infrastructure possible,” said Nitin Batta, Principal Infrastructure Architect, Verizon Media. “The solutions and roadmap offered by COLORZ products will allow us to rapidly, easily and cost effectively add terabits of capacity in response to customer demands.”

Both Inphi’s COLORZ optical platforms use a single Silicon Photonics Integrated Circuits technology for all transmit and received functions. With a strong market adoption of over 100,000 units COLORZ deployed, COLORZ II will further benefit from a strong industry support with a multi-vendor ecosystem and a well-accepted interoperable 400ZR standard.

“As data center network traffic continues to grow exponentially, it is critical for infrastructure suppliers to continue providing innovative scalable solutions,” said Tomas Maj, Sr. Director, Marketing, Optical Interconnect at Inphi Corporation. “COLORZ products continue to open new possibilities for DCI total cost of ownership reductions, while providing a seamless upgrade path to 400G.”

COLORZ is the industry’s first Silicon Photonics 100G PAM4 platform solution for 80km DWDM Data Center Interconnects (DCIs) in QSFP28 form factor. Utilizing advanced Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM4) signaling, COLORZ delivers up to 4Tb/s of bandwidth over a single fiber and allows multiple data centers located up to 80km of each other to be connected and act like a single data center.