CommScope and SENKO Advanced Components recently signed a technology-transfer and patent-license agreement for SN connectors and adapters. Under the agreement’s terms, CommScope will manufacture SN connectors and adapters in its factories.
SN is a duplex optical fiber connector that is regarded as very small form factor (VSFF). It is intended to serve hyperscale, edge, enterprise, and colocation data center interconnect (DCI) applications. In an announcement of the licensing agreement with CommScope, SENKO added, “The SN connector delivers optimal optical performance while reducing the typical number of connection points in the optical path.”
“The VSFF SN connector provides individual and independent duplex fiber breakout at a range of quad-style transceivers’ form factors, including the quad small form-factor pluggable [QSFP], quad small form-factor pluggable double density [QSFP-DD], and octal small form-factor pluggable [OSFP],” said John Schmidt, vice president, cloud hyperscale solutions with CommScope. “The SN connector is more efficient, reliable, and scalable than previous small-form-factor connectors like the LC. This is why we feel the SN has a bright future in the cloud hyperscale market space for years to come.”
The SN interface has been adopted in transceiver specifications of QSFP-DD and OSFP multi-source agreements (MSAs). “These transceivers are the new specifications for the next generation of pluggable transceivers for 200-, 400-, and 800-Gbit/sec DCIs,” SENKO stated.
The company further said the SN increases and improves fiber density—up to a 3x improvement over some other interfaces—and capacity for existing fiber-optic cassettes and patch panels. Additionally, SN cables will support the implementation of additional fibers, without the need for additional rack units, in applications including telecom, wireless, and multiple-system operator (MSO) networks.
“CommScope is an industry-leading solution company in the datacom, telecom, and wireless markets,” said Jim Hasegawa, executive vice president of SENKO. “We are very excited about our partnership and CommScope’s adoption of SN connector technology to their platform. We foresee the SN interface as synonymous with high-speed DCI and wireless fronthaul connectivity, especially with the standardization effort of the SN at the International Electrotechnical Commission [IEC].”