The QSFP-DD Form Factor
QSFP-DD is a new module and cage/connector system similar to current QSFP, but with an additional row of contacts providing for an eight lane electrical interface. It is being developed by the QSFP-DD MSA as a key part of the industry’s effort to enable high -speed solutions. For QSFP-DD (Double Density) designers have made two key changes to the module, while maintaining the key features that enabled the rapid acceptance of QSFP+ and QSFP28. The first is to increase the number of I/O lanes of the module from 4 to 8. The second is to double the data rate of each lane to 50Gb/s effectively quadrupling the overall bandwidth of the module compared to QSFP28. The IEEE made the choice to standardize on PAM4 signaling (designated as CEI-56G-VSR-PAM4 ) as opposed to NRZ for the ASIC to Module interface and the QSFP-DD MSA has followed the recommendation. ...