Credo announces the DOVE platform, its second generation of low power PAM4 DSPs for 100G/200G/400G data networks

Credo's proprietary PAM4 DSP architecture minimizes die size and enables mainstream silicon process technology to deliver optimal cost, power, and performance for the next generation of optical modules. Pluggable optical modules with Credo PAM4 DSPs enjoy the lowest cost-of-ownership and industry-leading performance, while using minimal power.

The company has been showcasing its Dove 100, Dove 200, and Dove 400 DSPs, as well as its recently announced Seagull 50 DSP, during CIOE, China International Optoelectronics Exposition, in Shenzhen, China.

"Cloud operators are looking for any opportunity to gain bandwidth, reduce power, and lower cost", stated Scott Feller, Vice President of Marketing at Credo. "Credo is excited to provide a solution to enable optical transceivers that satisfies the bandwidth expansion of these next-generation data centres."

"100/200/400G is already responsible for over 50% of the revenue in data center networking and will be the main contributor to future growth", stated Alan Weckel, Founder and Technology Analyst at 650 Group. "Cloud providers are looking to both deploy higher-density 100G topologies and invest in 200G and 400G deployments to keep up with demand. Power density and scalability at higher speeds are becoming increasingly essential design criteria at the switch and optical module levels", Alan Weckel continued.

The Credo DSP technology and equalization techniques compensate for optical impairments while maintaining low power. All Dove products share key attributes of Credo’s DSP technology including:

• High-performance DSP
• Continuous CTLE and DFE / FFE Rx equalization
• Multi-tap Tx pre-emphasis
• Industry-leading power dissipation
• A full suite of test and diagnostic features
• Interoperable to IEEE industry standards
• Optimized and industry best compact firmware

Additionally, the Dove 200 and Dove 400 products include independent PLLs per lane, enabling breakout configuration.

Dove 100, CFD30101, is used in the next-generation of high performance QSFP28 optical modules that support 100Gbps DR, FR and LR applications. It accepts four lanes of 25.78125Gbps NRZ on the host interface and aggregates traffic to one lane of 106.25Gbps PAM4 signal on the optical interface.

Dove 200, CFD50501, enables a seamless interconnect architecture without requiring gearboxes or FEC translation for these interconnects to help the expansion of data centres using switches with 50G PAM4 connectivity. It supports the IEEE 802.3 specifications for 200GBASE-SR4/DR4/FR4/LR4 and 400GBASE-SR8. The host interface accepts four lanes of 53.125Gpbs PAM4 and sends traffic to four lanes of 53.125Gbps PAM4 signal on the optical interface.

Dove 400, CFD60501, is used in low power, high-performance OSFP and QSFP-DD optical modules that support 400Gbps DR4, FR4, and LR4 applications. It accepts eight lanes of 53.125Gbps PAM4 on the host interface and sends the traffic to four lanes of 106.25Gbps PAM4 signal on the optical interface.