10Gbit/s Ethernet module fits PCI height specs

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Apr 15, 2005

Emcore Corp has developed a PCI-height-compliant small-form-factor 10GBase-CX4 (CX4) module, which extends its portfolio of electrical domain products for the 10Gbit/s Ethernet market.

Emcore Corp has developed a PCI-height-compliant small-form-factor 10GBase-CX4 (CX4) module, which extends its portfolio of electrical domain products for the 10Gbit/s Ethernet market.

This product offers 10Gbit/s Ethernet connectivity over electrical cables in an 11mm-high X2 package.

The CX4 module fully complies with the IEEE802.3ak standard, X2 package multisource agreement, and PCI card height requirements enabling new 10Gbit/s enterprise data centre, server and network attached storage connections.

Emcore's CX4 module also provides an integrated media detect function, which provides compatibility with Emcore's SmartLink optical media convertor, extending the transmission distance up to 300m.

The new reduced-size X2 module is roughly half the size of the Xenpak units and supports topside mounting on the host PCB.

Charles Wang, Director of Module Development for Emcore's Fiber Optics Division, said: "We are seeing broad industry wide expansion of 10 Gigabit Ethernet".

"As the breadth and depth of systems expand, Emcore continues to provide products which address the market's need for innovative pluggable devices".

"Emcore's new CX4 units provide a robust, cost effective solution which compliments our other 10GbE electrical and optical Xenpak and X2 options".

"Falling prices are key to the growth we expect in 10GbE NIC and iSCSI HBA shipments during 2005 and 2006", said Bob Wheeler, Senior Analyst at The Linley Group.

"As a lower cost alternative to fibre, CX4 is helping to enable data centre deployments of 10GbE in servers, switches, and IP-storage systems".

Emcore's CX4 transceiver provides 10GbE connectivity over standard electrical cables for distances up to 15m.

As with all of Emcore's X2 products, this module provides full diagnostic, monitoring and control functions through the IEEE standard Management Data Input Output (MDIO) interface.

The MDIO interface may be programmed with customer specific data to provide additional vendor control of modular interfaces in their system environment.

This X2 module is available in PCI-height (11mm) and mid-height (13.46mm) versions.

Together, Emcore's CX4, LX4 and EX4 modules, in Xenpak and X2 form factors, support 10GbE over the full range of data centre, workgroup, enterprise, campus and metropolitan area networks, offering a distance range at 10Gbit/s speeds from 1m to 40km.

Pluggable X2 and Xenpak form factors enable a "pay-as-you-populate" cost structure during installation.

Modular interconnects, such as X2 and Xenpak, are inserted into pluggable port slots in switches, routers, servers or storage systems.