Inphi Announces World's First 400GbE PAM4 Platform Solution for Next-Generation CFP8 Modules

SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwired - Sep 12, 2016) - Inphi Corporation (NYSE: IPHI), a leader in high-speed data movement interconnects, today announced the industry's first 400GbE platform solution for next-generation 400G CFP8 modules. The platform solution includes Inphi's highly integrated, lowest power 4-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM4) digital signal processing (DSP) IC that supports IEEE P802.3bs 400G/s Ethernet standard alongside its companion market leading linear TIAs and linear drivers for client based cloud interconnects. With that, Inphi is now offering customers an end-to-end platform solution for moving data faster within and between data centers. The foundation of the 400G PAM4 PHY IC is a highly configurable and DSP Engine that can be targeted to multiple different performance oriented applications for optical based interconnects, while keeping an extremely low power profile. The company will be showcasing the product in a platform demo at its booth #250 at ECOC 2016 in Düsseldorf, Germany on September 19-21, 2016.

The megatrends of cloud computing, Big Data, IoT, Social and Web2.0 continue to accelerate and drive the insatiable need for unlimited bandwidth. There is a clear need to increase the speed of interconnect pipes while maintaining cloud economics and lowering carbon footprints. PAM4 modulation has now been recognized as the modulation scheme that will take the industry over the next wave of Ethernet deployments for optical interconnects by doubling the bits per symbol at the same baud rate. By heavily leveraging its production ready lowest power second generation 100G PAM4 DSP IC announced at OFC 2016 and using state-of-the-art packaging, Inphi has integrated multiple channels along with transmit and receive PAM4 and forward error correction (FEC) functions on a single package. By creating a quad channel linear driver and TIA solution to go alongside the PAM4 DSP IC, Inphi has developed a highly integrated solution optimized for the 400G CFP8 form factor.

"This is another industry first for Inphi. As PAM4 modulation continues to transform Ethernet deployments, we are leading the industry to deliver a custom built, low power solution that moves data fast across the globe," said Siddharth Sheth, vice president, Networking Interconnect at Inphi. "Inphi pioneered the first PAM IC for 400G and continues to be the innovative force behind the new world of terabit cloud optical interconnects."

"The move to higher speed and low latency connectivity for core networking applications such as cloud-scale data centers, wireless, and service provider is a significant trend," said Cliff Grossner, Ph.D., senior research director for data center, cloud and SDN at IHS Markit. "In a recent IHS Markit survey, service provider respondents signaled the use of 100G Ethernet fabric ports connecting to DCI equipment is expected to nearly double in the next two years, which will drive the need for 400G throughout these core networking applications. No doubt easy to deploy, high density and low cost 400G PAM4 solutions will be in high demand."

400G PAM4 DSP PHY IC (IN015025-CD) features:
Inphi's low-power 400G PAM4 DSP PHY ICs interface with host ASICs that have 25G NRZ electrical interfaces, while bridging to 28GBaud PAM4 optics. Other technical features include:

• InphiNity™ DSP Engine with a unique mixed-mode DSP architecture for high performance, low power applications needing adaptability and configurability
• Multiple programmable FEC options with varying levels of pre-FEC BER performance for distances in excess of 10km
• Numerous self-test and loopback modes that allow diagnostic monitoring of channel and system parameters
• Eye-scan, samplers and monitors on all receiver interfaces for link margin and stress testing along with GUI and API routines for data and error analytics
• Innovative package design for the CFP8 module form factor
• Single chip low power solution that allows high scalability across Ethernet data rates
• Currently sampling to lead customers
  
  

PAM4 Driver and TIA features:
The IN2834SZ is a low power quad linear 28GBaud driver and the IN2864TA is a low power quad linear 28GBaud TIA for 400G PAM4 CFP8 modules. This driver features:

• Excellent linearity, high bandwidth, adjustable gain to optimize the PAM4 system performances
• Two high frequency bias T inside package, one for driver to reduce the power consumption, the other one for EML bias voltage
• Low-power EML driver in small package
  
  

TIA features:

• Wide dynamic range to meet the different performance and link requirements for 400G applications
• Excellent signal integrity necessary for PAM4 modulation schemes
• Low power and small form factor for next-generation CFP8-based modules
  
  

About Inphi
Inphi Corporation is a leader in high-speed data movement. We move big data -- fast, throughout the globe, between data centers, and inside data centers. Inphi's expertise in signal integrity results in reliable data delivery, at high speeds, over a variety of distances. As data volumes ramp exponentially due to video streaming, social media, cloud-based services, and wireless infrastructure, the need for speed has never been greater. That's where we come in. Customers rely on Inphi's solutions to develop and build out the Service Provider and Cloud infrastructures, and data centers of tomorrow. To learn more about Inphi, visit www.inphi.com.

Information based on IHS Markit Technology Data Center Strategy: Global Service Provider Survey, Sept 2016. Information is not an endorsement of Inphi. Any reliance on these results is at the third party's own risk. Visit www.technology.ihs.com for more details.

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