Understanding 800GE Routing: Features and Benefits

With internet traffic constantly on the rise, network operators are facing increasing pressure to scale up their capacity. 800GE (800 Gigabit Ethernet) routing has been designed to address this need, offering greater traffic capacity, improved energy efficiency, and better space utilization. 800GE leverages several key components to support an electrical signal rate of 112 Gb/s. These building blocks include routing silicon, line cards, switch fabric modules, and 800G transceivers.

Several technological advancements have made 800GE routing possible, including:

• 100G SerDes (Serializer/Deserializer) (802.3ck): For chip-to-chip and chip-to-module communication.
• MAC ASIC: Media Access Control Application-Specific Integrated Circuit.
• Packet Processor (NPU): Network Processing Unit.
• Pluggable Optics: Allowing for flexible and upgradeable optical connections.
• Improvements in Air Flow and Power Management: Essential for handling the increased density and performance.

Key Features of 800GE Routing

• Backward Compatibility: Works with existing 100GE, 200GE, and 400GE optics.
• QSFP-DD Interface: Utilizes the Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density interface module specifications.
• ASIC Interface: 8 x 100 G, 800GAUI-8
• Modulation: 100G PAM4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation 4-level)
• Typical Optical Connection: MPO LC (8 l MUX)
• Power Consumption: 16-18 W

Example: The Nokia 7750 SR-s Service Router supports a variety of optic types and port speeds, including 100G SFP-DD, 100G QSFP, 100G QSFP28, 400G QSFP-DD, 400G QSFP, and 800G QSFP-DD.

Advantages of 800GE

800GE offers numerous benefits compared to previous generation technologies:

• Increased Link Capacity: Provides two to eight times the link capacity of 100GE and 400GE networks.
• Improved Space Efficiency: Doubles the interface capacity and connectivity within the same rack space.
• Enhanced Energy Efficiency: Consumes 20-40% less energy per gigabit of traffic compared to using 100GE or 400GE links for the same volume of data.
• Smooth Upgrade Path: Facilitates a seamless upgrade from 100GE or 400GE to 800 Gb/s, saving on both energy and space.
• Cost-Effective Solution: Expected to be more cost-effective in the long run compared to existing 100GE or 400GE solutions.

Conclusion

800GE routing presents a compelling solution as legacy infrastructures based on 100 to 400 Gb/s speeds struggle to keep pace with ever-increasing traffic demands. Its benefits in capacity, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness make it a perfect fit for future network upgrades.