800G Pluggable MSA

Enabling Future Data Center Optics

Industry Alliance for the standardization of 100m, 500m, and 2km 800Gb/s interconnects

The 800G Pluggable MSA group was formed in September 5, 2019 and promotes a joint industry exchange and collaboration between data center operators and vendors of infrastructure equipment, optical modules, optoelectronic chips, and connectors.
It focuses on the data center network interconnection scenario, targeting to determine the optimal interconnect architecture, define interface specifications of the 800G pluggable optical modules, build the ecosystem, and guide healthy development of the industry.

  • Chairman: Wang Chen, CTTL 
  • Secretary: Zhang Hua, Hisense
  • Spokesperson: Maxim Kuschnerov, Huawei
About Us image

800G Pluggable MSA Announces a Demo of 800G-LR4 Transceiver Prototype

800G FR4 2km specification

Draft 1.0

Specification based on 225Gbit/s PAM4 per optical lane for FR4 use cases

Why did we establish the 800G Pluggable MSA?

We want to specify the technical route of 800G (8x100G & 4x200G) technology in advance, focus on investment and research, and accelerate the emergence of a 200G/lambda ecosystem. 

Which scenarios does this MSA cover?

We focus on data center connectivity from 100m using 8x100G SR8 with PSM (TOR to tier 1 switch), up to 2km FR4 using 4x200G (tier 1/2, tier 2/3 connections).

What is the deployment plan of 800G transceivers?

51.2Tbps switching product are expected in 2022. 800G optical interfaces will be needed to enable compact 2RU solutions. We expected first sampling of the modules in 2021.


Which key technologies will be included in 800G transceiver?

We will focus on direct detect solutions and help to build the industry ecosystem for datacom optics. The 100m specification focuses on the cost and power consumption bottleneck in multi-mode to single-mode handover and targets a very low cost technology. In the 2 km scenario, the EML technology of the 200G/Lane and the matching RFIC will be implemented.

Will 800GbE be supported?

IEEE is responsible for the definition of new MAC rates, including a potential 800GbE. Currently IEEE is at the bandwidth assessment stage for beyond 400GbE rates and a new rate will not be standardized in time for the first release of our MSA specifications. 

What is the difference to other related MSAs?

Our MSA covers the optical PMD specification as well as the multiplexing of 100GbE, 400GbE signals on the host side, while relying on the physical module form factors such as QSFP-DD or OSFP defined in other MSAs.