Longer-reach active copper cable chips power advanced data center connectivity

Nov. 30, 2020
Spectra7's new GC2802 GaugeChanger IC platform targets high-performance artificial intelligence and machine learning servers.

Spectra7 Microsystems Inc., a provider of high-performance analog semiconductor chips for broadband connectivity applications, recently announced its GC2802 IC [integrated circuit], design to support longer reach data center server interconnect applications.

As noted by a company statement: 

In 2019, The Worldwide Data Center Server market size was USD 42,630 million and it is expected to reach USD 58,810 million by the end of 2026 [according to the Market Watch - Global Data Center Report].
The majority of this growth is driven by demand from hyperscalers. New Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) architectures are driving the need for longer and higher bandwidth server interconnects.
Additionally, as hyperscalers transition from 32 port switches to higher radix 64 port switches, interconnect lengths to servers will increase and span several racks. 

The GC2802 is the latest addition to the Spectra7 GaugeChanger product line, and provides additional gain at higher bandwidth to achieve 30% longer reach Active Copper Cables (ACCs) than the current GC2502 product, says the company. The GC2802 also supports an extended temperature range of -40 to 85C and is footprint-compatible with the GC2502.

“The GC2802 is a significant step forward in performance and will allow us to address new AI and ML server connectivity topologies that are appearing in the data center," said Spectra7 CEO Raouf Halim. "We have several customers ready to start building qual samples with these new parts and anticipate production revenue in 2021 from this new product."

Spectra7's GaugeChanger is billed as "an innovative and disruptive technology" that allows copper to extend much longer lengths "without the cost and power penalty of optics." The technology works equally well at 25Gbps NRZ and 50Gbps PAM-4 data rates, enabling new connector standards of 100, 200 and 400 Gbps.

For more information, visit www.spectra7.com.

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