The X40 Working Group is an industry collaboration to create an MSA for hot-pluggable 40Gb optical transceivers. It is working on a standard for a CWDM four channel solution with a prospective transmission reach in the range of 0.2 to 10 km. The wavelength grid may be either adopted from the Ethernet Standard IEEE 802.3ae type LX4 (1350nm/1325nm/1300nm/1275nm) or from the ITU grid (four channels out of 1350nm/1330nm/1310nm/1290nm). The four channels are optically multiplexed behind the transmitters and de-multiplexed in front of the receivers such that data may be transmitted using a standard SMF .

The goal of the X40 MSA is to lower cost, extend reach and increase port density for telecom and datacom systems with 40Gb interfaces by mostly using the well established and lower cost currently available10Gb technologies.

According to industry analysts, IP traffic is expected to nearly double every two years through 2012, potentially resulting in core network bandwidth shortages. The IP traffic volume will be driven by high-quality video services like VOD and IPTV as well as the availability of high-speed and high-capacity access networks such as FTTx and WiFi. To prevent these shortages, carriers and service providers are already planning the deployment of next-generation high-speed network protocols. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is currently working on the standardization of 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s Ethernet under its P802.3ba Task Force. In addition to the existing 40Gb/s telecom standards, both the OIF and the ITU-T are working on standardizing SDH/OTN telecom interfaces for long-haul transmission of 100Gb Ethernet.

Pluggable transceiver modules compliant to the CFP MSA will be used on these 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s interfaces. The CFP MSA is defining the specifications required to support multiple applications using the same form factor. These applications include various protocols (such as 40GbE, 100GbE, OC-768/STM-256, OTU3), media types (multimode and single mode fiber optics) and link distances. The CFP MSA utilizes numerous innovative features like advanced thermal management, EMI management and 10Gb/s signal integrity design to define the transceiver mechanical form factor, the optical connector, the 10x10Gb/s electrical connector with its pin assignments, the MDIO-based transceiver management interface and the hardware required on the system host board.For more details, please, contact with us.