Intel has debuted the first 10Gbps optical transceiver for multi-mode fibre networks built under the XPAK agreement with Infineon Technologies and Picolight.
The Intel TNX17201/9 multi-mode XPAK optical transceiver is a key enabler of 10 Gigabit Ethernet and fibre channel transport to the enterprise, according to Intel Comms Group executive VP Sean Maloney.
“As Gigabit Ethernet deploys on the desktop, 10-Gigabit solutions are going to become essential in the data centre,” Maloney said.
Faster network connections such as Gigabit Ethernet, coupled with rising computing power, requires IT managers to increase bandwidth capacity in the data centre.
This in turn requires cost-efficient, low-power optical transceivers that are sized to fit with existing server network interface cards (NICs), storage host bus adapters and high-density switches.
The TNX17201/9 transceiver offers single-side mounting, less than a four-square-inch footprint and only 3.5 watts of power consumption, enabling high port density in switches and placement on PCI NICs.
It is also hot pluggable and includes a digital management interface allowing for field configuration, easy setup and remote troubleshooting.
The transceiver also connects directly to readily available Ethernet and Fibre Channel ICs due to its industry-standard XAUI 4-bit parallel electrical interface, Maloney said.
The XPAK agreement is the first multisource agreement to result in sample products that fit on a PCI card, Maloney added.