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NVIDIA and Cisco Unveil USFP Optics Technology to Power Next-Generation AI Networks

BullishMedium impact
NVDA$226.72 −1.12%

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) and Cisco Systems have announced a new pluggable optical module format called USFP. Designed for high-density artificial intelligence environments, the technology delivers up to 12.8 terabits per second (Tb/s) per module while fitting into a standard OSFP footprint. It reaches speeds of 400 gigabits per second (Gb/s) per lane over 16 lanes, doubling lane speeds without requiring extra network tiers.

The technology aims to ease capacity and energy constraints in AI data centers by quadrupling front-panel switch bandwidth and offering about 1.3 times the power efficiency of existing 200Gb/s-per-lane modules. It handles up to 100 watts of thermal dissipation without requiring dedicated transceiver cooling. Following the news, shares of NVIDIA Corporation dropped 1.42% to $226.

The two technology companies plan to establish an open specification through a Multi-Source Agreement with partners TE Connectivity and Amphenol. Key developments to monitor include the formal release of the specification, multi-vendor adoption, and design wins at major AI facility operators.

Key points

  • NVIDIA Corporation and Cisco introduced USFP, a 400Gb/s-per-lane pluggable optical format for AI data centers.
  • The modules deliver up to 12.8Tb/s within an OSFP footprint, quadrupling front-panel switch bandwidth.
  • USFP improves energy efficiency by roughly 1.3 times over 200Gb/s-per-lane modules and handles up to 100W dissipation.
  • An open specification will be released under a Multi-Source Agreement with TE Connectivity and Amphenol.

Written by our AI from expert market sources across the web. It can contain mistakes: check the facts before acting on them. Write-ups powered by the free AI API at FreeTheAI.org

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Questions and answers

What is USFP optics unveiled by NVIDIA and Cisco?

USFP is a pluggable optical module format offering up to 12.8Tb/s bandwidth at 400Gb/s per lane, designed to scale artificial intelligence network capacity and power efficiency.

How power efficient is USFP compared to existing optical modules?

USFP offers roughly 1.3 times the power efficiency of 200Gb/s-per-lane modules while supporting up to 100 watts of dissipation without needing specialized transceiver cooling.

Who is creating the open specification for USFP?

NVIDIA and Cisco plan to publish an open specification through a Multi-Source Agreement alongside TE Connectivity and Amphenol.