Gennum Demonstrates 4x25Gb/s Active Copper Cables for 100Gb/s Networks

Live Demo at DesignCon Shows Building Blocks for Higher Density, Lower Power Networks

BURLINGTON, ON, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Enabling next-generation 100Gb/s networks, Gennum Corporation (TSX: GND) today announced a demonstration of active copper cables using Gennum's 25-28Gb/s CDRs at the DesignCon 2012 Exhibition, January 31 - February 1, in Santa Clara (booth #741).

The demonstration will feature Gennum's GN2425 and GN2426 module clock and data recovery (CDR) integrated circuits communicating over a 6-meter copper cable operating at 25-28Gb/s. The link is comprised of host board traces, module board traces, a Molex zQSFP+ interconnect system and a 6-meter 26 AWG copper cable. The cable alone has approximately 20dB of loss at the Nyquist data rate. Using Gennum's CDRs to transmit and receive the signal at either end of the cable, the link is able to operate at a bit-error-rate (BER) of less than 1E-15.

As global Internet traffic is expected to multiply over the coming years, significantly more bandwidth will be required, driving the need for large-scale network upgrades. Gennum's GN2425 and GN2426 are designed to support 25-28Gb/s data streams for next-generation 100Gb/s fiber-optic modules, line cards and direct-attach copper cables using emerging module form factors such as 28G-QSFP+ and CFP2. They provide exceptional jitter performance with low power consumption.

By resetting the jitter budgets within the link in both the transmit and receive directions, Gennum's CDRs enable robust operation for new systems such as 4x25G active copper cables, active optical cables and pluggable optical modules.

"Active cables offer several benefits for system designers," said Ed Frlan, Senior System Architect in Gennum's Mixed Signal & Optical Products Division. "They offer optimal reach and power while simplifying the design of the high-speed serial link between the host ASIC and the cable connector."

The live demo at the Gennum booth (booth 741) of the DesignCon 2012 Exhibition in Santa Clara demonstrates the availability of key building blocks enabling a system or equipment manufacturer to begin manufacturing higher density and lower power 100Gb/s networks.

About Gennum Corporation
Gennum Corporation (TSX: GND) designs innovative semiconductor solutions and intellectual property (IP) cores for the world's most advanced consumer connectivity, enterprise, video  broadcast and data communications products. Leveraging the company's proven optical, analog and mixed-signal products and IP, Gennum enables multimedia and data communications products to send and receive information without compromising the signal integrity. A recognized award-winner for advances in high definition (HD) broadcasting, Gennum is headquartered in Burlington, Canada, and has global design, research and development and sales offices in Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, the United States and the United Kingdom. www.gennum.com.

Gennum and the Gennum logo are trademarks of Gennum Corporation.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.  Copyright Gennum Corporation, 2012.

SOURCE Gennum Corporation