400 Gbit/s is a crucial inflection point for optical networking and up until now, the industry has used small form factor, pluggable modules for client-side interfaces and larger, proprietary coherent cards for line-side transmission. At 400 Gbit/s, the client-side and the line-side meet, and, for the first time, optical vendors are building pluggable, coherent 400 Gbit/s modules that meet the space and power requirements of client-side modules.
Acacia’s Tom Williams and other experts delve into the coherent 400 Gbit/s revolution and all of its implications.