News

XFP Releases Spec for Ultra-small 10 Gbps Modules

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The 10 Gigabit Small Form-factor Pluggable (XFP) Module Group, a module multi-source agreement (MSA) association, announced that the XFP specification is available for final public review. This specification is intended to help speed development of multi-sourced, application-transparent, ultra-small form factor 10 Gbps modules designed to occupy one-fifth the space and use one-half the power of current modules.

The goal of the XFP Group is to create a specification for a module, cage hardware and IC interfaces for a 10 Gigabit hot-pluggable module converting serial electrical signals to external serial optical or electrical signals. The technology is intended to be flexible enough to support OC 192/STM-64, 10 Gigabit Fibre Channel, G.709 and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, usually with the same module. The module design and the volume of production are expected to enable very low-cost 10 Gigabit solutions.

Modules built to the XFP specification feature an electrical interface, called XFI, that removes the complexity and power associated with placing electrical transceivers inside other available modules, resulting in significant space, power and cost savings to module suppliers and system manufacturers. The small size of XFP modules will enable the development of boards having up to sixteen 10 Gbps ports to be deployed in a 19" rack space, and their cost structure will help accelerate the deployment of inexpensive 10 Gbps client interfaces. Additional cost benefits can be achieved as higher levels of circuit integration become available at the 10 Gbps data rate. Because the XFP specification is not protocol-dependent, multiple market segments will benefit from the aggregate volume of XFP modules.

"We are pleased to make the XFP specification available to the industry," said Bob Snively, Chairman. "Since its inception, the XFP MSA has grown to over 80 companies, illustrating the growing interest in accelerating the development of 10 Gbps Fibre Channel, Ethernet, SONET and related 10 Gbps technology to market. XFP products compliant with this specification are being shipped by several companies."

The XFP Group brings together leading networking, system, optical module, semiconductor and connector companies from both the telecom and datacom markets. The specification is complete and available online at www.xfpmsa.org.

Teradyne Signs Molex as Second-source for GbX

NASHUA, N.H. — Teradyne Inc., Connection Systems Div. (TCS), and Molex Inc. have signed a second-source licensing agreement that grants Molex the right to manufacture, market and sell the GbX connector. Under the terms of the agreement, Molex is licensed under Teradyne's patents, trademarks and technology to manufacture and sell the GbX product family worldwide. The two companies will work jointly to deliver truly intermateable, interchangeable products by sharing design and manufacturing processes. Molex expects to begin production of the four-pair configuration of the GbX connector in September 2003.

"The Teradyne/Molex partnership is unique in that the two companies deliver products that share design, not just specification," said Rick Schneider, President of TCS. "We collaborate continuously over the product lifecycle to improve our respective production and process capabilities. OEM users can source either company's components with confidence that the parts will work together and meet their performance and reliability requirements."

Martin Slark, President and COO of Molex, added, "We are very pleased about extending our second-source partnership with Teradyne. The GbX connector is well positioned in the marketplace, enabling real-world system solutions with exceptional mechanical integrity and electrical performance. Molex will work aggressively to tool the GbX product family."

The GbX connector offers an upgrade path beyond existing 2 mm platforms. The GbX four-pair platform offers 55 differential pairs per linear inch. GbX is currently available from Teradyne in four- and five-pair versions (69 differential pairs per inch) with a breadth of components including power, guidance and polarizing.

TIA Publishes New Standard

ARLINGTON, Va. — The TIA has published a new standard, "Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard, Part 2: Balanced Twisted-pair Cabling Components, Addendum 1 – Transmission Performance Specifications for Four-pair 100U Category 6 Cabling." The document is addendum No. 1 to TIA/EIA-568-B.2.

The document specifies requirements for insertion loss, near-end crosstalk (NEXT) loss, equal level far-end crosstalk (ELFEXT), return loss, propagation delay and delay skew requirements for 100U four-pair Category 6 cabling, cables and connecting hardware. The standard also specifies NEXT loss and return loss requirements for modular plug cords. Balance recommendations are provided for Category 6 connecting hardware and cables. In addition to these requirements and recommendations, Category 6 cabling, cables, cords and connecting hardware shall meet or exceed all the requirements of ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1 and ANSI/TIA/EIA-568.B-2. Compliance with this standard does not imply compatibility with cabling having nominal impedance values other than 100U.

VMEbus Switched Serial Standard Ratified

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. — The VMEbus International Trade Association (VITA) announced the ratification of the VMEbus Switched Serial Standard (VXS), or VITA 41, which will provide OEMs with up to 50 times more bandwidth than the VME64 parallel bus on individual board-to-board transfers for a total of up to 900 times more aggregate bandwidth in a maximum VXS configuration.

Manufacturers can now extend the life of their legacy VMEbus-based systems while increasing bandwidth and following an easy migration path from parallel bus to switched serial fabrics, as both will coexist in a VMEbus system at the same time. This means that manufacturers will be able to develop products incorporating switched serial fabrics such as InfiniBand 4X, Serial RapidIO 4X, Fibre Channel and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, while they continue to benefit from investments made over the years in VME, an extremely well-known and stable form factor.

"The great thing about VXS is that it takes the risk out of incorporating new technologies," said Ray Alderman, Executive Director of VITA. "OEMs can experiment with switched serial fabrics at their own pace before transitioning their systems and products from the parallel bus. And those who love the parallel bus win too because the standard ensures the form factor will be here for many years to come as the switched serial fabrics carry VME into the future."

Key benefits and elements of VXS include the addition of a switched serial interconnect to VMEbus, coincident with the VMEbus parallel bus, which is accomplished by adding a new P0 connector for passing the high-speed signals; backward compatibility with the VMEbus ecosystem in that the traditional 6U high, 160 mm, Eurocard form factor is maintained; and the ability to bring double the DC power onto each VMEbus card, which is accomplished by pulling additional current through the existing power pins on the existing P1 and P2 five-row connectors.

WHAT'S NEW

Multifiber System —This Singlemode OGI Multifiber System includes multifiber cable assemblies, multifiber ruggedized fan-out assemblies, and panel-mount, daughtercard and backplane couplings. The backplane blind-mate couplings hold four OGI connectors, each of which houses eight- or 12-fiber MT ferrules in a 0.5" nominal interface. Cable assemblies are available in both eight- and 12-fiber cables. 3M Electronic and Interconnect Solutions Div., Austin, Texas

Conduit Adapter —This Conduit Adapter attaches to a standard conduit body for transition to minifast or eurofast connectors. It is said to minimize point-to-point wiring in a fieldbus system and eliminate the need for troubleshooting. The trunk cable is terminated into the screw terminals of the conduit adapter for connection to one or two devices. The product can be used to adapt from an industry-standard conduit body to plug-and-play connectorization. InterlinkBT, Plymouth, Minn.

NEWS BRIEF

FCI and Tyco Connectors Interchangeable

Independent laboratory testing of FCI's PwrBlade connectors and Tyco Electronics' AMP Multi-Beam XL connectors concluded that the two products are fully interchangeable and intermateable. Testing was performed to a jointly developed specification written as a stringent end-of-life test using accelerated life test sequences. Grace Showers, FCI Product Manager for PwrBlade, commented, "This independent testing establishes a 'certification' and assures that the two connectors can be interchanged with no risk of sub-standard performance."

IPC Restructures Exhibition

IPC-Association Connecting Electronics Industries plans to co-locate IPC SMEMA Council's APEX and IPC Printed Circuits Expo on February 24-26, 2004, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. "By bringing both shows to the same location, the designers, manufacturers and specifiers at IPC Printed Circuits Expo can more easily network with the assemblers at APEX. The real beneficiary will be the entire electronics interconnect industry," said IPC President Denny McGuirk.

STA and SATA II Working Group Collaborate

The SCSI Trade Association (STA) and the Serial ATA (SATA) II Working Group have formed a collaborative agreement for enabling Serial Attached SCSI system-level compatibility with SATA hard disk drives. "The common high-speed serial architectures of the technologies should allow the two industry groups to enable unprecedented user choice," said Jason Ziller, Chairman of the SATA II Working Group. The compatibility definition will take advantage of serial technology and enable the user of either SATA or Serial Attached SCSI disk drives in Serial Attached SCSI host systems.

Click here to enlarge image

NEWSMAKERS

Future Electronics (Pointe Claire, Canada) appointed Lew LaFornara Vice President of Interconnect. LaFornara previously held management positions with FCI and Amphenol.

Patrick Trippel joined Henkel Loctite Corp. as President and General Manager of the company's worldwide electronics group. Trippel is based in the Industry, Calif. offices.

William M. Bouverie was appointed President and CEO of Datamax Corp. (Orlando, Fla.). Bouvierie has been the acting president of the company since January 2002.

Dow Chemical Corp. (Midland, Mich.) agreed to acquire the Raychem Power Materials Business Unit of Tyco Electronics. Dow will obtain the company's fabricated thermal interface materials, EMI/RFI shielding products and certain connector sealing products.

Dyneon LLC (Oakdale, Minn.), a wholly owned subsidiary of 3M, has acquired Solvay Fluoropolymers Inc. (Houston), a subsidiary of Solvay America Inc.