Microchip Technology (NASDAQ: MCHP) and Acacia joins forces to introduce cutting-edge advancements in optical transport technology, set to revolutionize data center operations. Together, they demonstrate the fourth generation of interoperability between Microchip’s META-DX2 Ethernet PHY family and Acacia’s Coherent Interconnect Module 8 (CIM 8).
The companies’ interoperable devices enable low-power, bandwidth-optimized, scalable solutions for pluggable optics in DCI and transport networks. Their collaboration delivers three key benefits. First, the META-DX2 family, featuring the META-DX2+ PHY, maximizes DCI bandwidth with its Lambda Splitting feature, enabling 400 GbE or 800 GbE clients to be split across multiple wavelengths driven by CIM 8 modules. This boosts data capacity between centers, supporting configurations like 3×800 GbE over 2×1.2 Tbps waves.
Second, the partnership reduces design risks by successfully verifying SerDes interoperation at up to 112G per lane for Ethernet and OTN clients, simplifying design validation and system qualification.
Finally, the META-DX2+ crosspoint and gearbox functions enhance support for full bandwidth, multi-rate operations, allowing seamless connection of 100 GbE to 800 GbE client modules to CIM 8 modules. These innovations position Microchip and Acacia at the forefront of optical transport solutions.
“This interoperability extends a long-established partnership with Acacia to help accelerate and optimize the build-out of cloud computing and AI-ready optical networks while reducing development risk for our customers,” said Maher Fahmi, vice president for Microchip’s communications business unit. “Our META-DX2 is the first solution of its kind to integrate 1.6T of encryption, port aggregation and Lambda Splitting into the most compact 112G PAM4 device in the market.”
“With Acacia’s CIM 8 coherent modules verified to interoperate with Microchip’s META-DX2 devices, we see this as a robust solution that reduces system time-to-market,” said Markus Weber, senior director DSP product line management of Acacia. “The compact size and power efficiency of our CIM 8 coherent modules were designed to help network operators deploy and scale capacity of high-bandwidth DWDM connectivity between data centers and throughout transport networks.”
