Huawei pitches near-packaged optics as co-packaged costs bite

Huawei is promoting near-packaged optics (NPO) as a cost-effective and maintenance-friendly alternative to conventional pluggable modules in AI networks. NPO refers to the placement of the optical engine close to the switch's application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), but still as a separate package. This technology, showcased by Huawei at the China International Optoelectronic Exposition, boasts a capacity of 7.2 terabits per second (Tbps) and aims to replace pluggable modules that suffer from high power consumption and heat output as network speeds increase.

Co-packaged optics (CPO), where the optical engine is integrated even closer to the switch ASIC silicon, is another option but faces challenges in advanced packaging and failed optical engine replacements. Dr. Man Jiangwei, director of Huawei's Advanced Opto-Electronics Laboratory, states that NPO's maturity and practicality make it the preferred choice for the near future, as it eliminates the need for a separate DSP and reduces latency from 100 nanoseconds to 10 nanoseconds while cutting power consumption by around 60 percent.

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF), comprising major industry players like Cisco, HPE, Arista, and Nvidia, is currently defining standards for NPO, with a focus on 6.4 Tbps and future extension to 12.8 Tbps. Huawei is demonstrating its 7.2 Tbps NPO product, and the company is committed to sharing this technology with both downstream customers and upstream suppliers, including various vendors from different regions.

Despite potential concerns over US export restrictions, Huawei emphasizes its openness and collaboration in advancing the NPO ecosystem for the booming AI industry.