At OFC 2023 (Feb. 5-9) in San Diego, Point2 Technology, a provider of silicon chip technology for cloud and 5G infrastructure, announced that it is providing its Raon mixed-signal SoC technology to Molex for use in that company's active electrical cables (AECs).
Molex is using Point2’s highly integrated, low-power Raon SoC to develop 400G AECs that connect top of rack (ToR) to ToR switches, ToR to servers, spine to leaf switches, and distributed and disaggregated chassis (DDC) interconnects in data centers.
Molex said it plans to deliver the Raon-based AECs to hyperscalers, enterprises and cloud data center operators that require 400G AECs for 400G switch and server deployments.
Point2 says its Raon SoC is an ideal platform for these applications "because it enables lower power, thinner, lighter and more flexible AECs that reduce cable volume by 40 percent."
This dramatic reduction in cable congestion increases airflow in server rooms, reduces energy use for air conditioning, and leads to more energy efficient and sustainable data centers.
Reza Norouzian, chief strategy officer, Point2 Technology, commented:
“The Raon SoC is field-proven in hyperscale data centers worldwide, making it a top choice for leading cable manufacturers seeking best-in-class CDR/retimer technology. The Raon solution is a purpose-built SoC that meets the bandwidth requirements of cloud-based infrastructure and comes with a complete reference design that includes production-ready software and paddle card design, enabling our cable manufacturing partners to deliver 400G AECs quickly and cost effectively.”
Per Point2 Technology, the Raon 400G AEC SoC is a fully integrated, four-channel, uni-directional CDR/retimer purpose-built and optimized for hyperscale data center connectivity. It comprises an ultra-low power profile CDR/retimer solution designed to fit QSFP56 and QSFP-DD pluggable modules over a variety of media, including passive copper cables, fiber optics and backplanes. Each lane supports 28G NRZ or 56G PAM4 transmission and up to 25 dB channel loss compensation.
Manufactured in low-power CMOS technology, Raon provides an extremely power-efficient CDR/retimer solution for high-speed cabling applications. The SoC supports built-in programmable and autonomous adaptive equalization in the receiver to compensate for transmission line losses and inter-symbol interference. Built-in self-test and eye diagram monitoring capabilities reduce cost of manufacturing and accelerate ramps to volume production.
Chad Jameson, GM of I/O Solutions, Molex, concluded:
“Partnering with Point2 Technology to develop multiple generations of AEC solutions that one day will reach speeds of 1.6Tb will bring tremendous value to hyperscalers, enterprises and cloud data center operators. Molex’s vast AEC experience and innovation can now combine with Point2’s deep understanding of high-performance data center requirements and pain points to deliver compelling business value through optimized power, performance and cost.”
The Raon mixed-signal SoC solution is now available with a complete reference design for 400G AECs and active optical cables (AOC).
Visit www.point2tech.com.
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