NEC selects Altera's Stratix IV GT for advanced 100G transponder card for DWDM system

SAN JOSE: Altera Corp. announced its high-performance Stratix IV GT FPGAs featuring integrated 11.3-Gbps transceivers were selected by NEC Corp. for use in a 100G transponder card for its Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexed (DWDM) system, one of the most advanced DWDM systems in the world.

NEC's 100G transponder card for DWDM systems successfully achieved and demonstrated the ability to carry native 100-Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) data traffic with real-time operation. The 100G transponder card leverages multiple Stratix IV GT FPGAs and Stratix IV GX FPGAs to perform OTN framer functions including an 11.2-Gbps SFI-S and a 10.3-Gbps CAUI-MLD interface.

Recognized as the next step in Ethernet evolution, 100 GbE is capable of carrying large amounts of traffic generated by emerging Internet Protocol (IP) applications such as peer-to-peer video, Web 2.0, and bandwidth-intensive services in the broadcast, communications, medical and military markets. Deployment of 100-GbE-based DWDM systems is expected to begin in 2011 to support the increase in traffic growth.

“In setting out to build a 100G transponder card for our DWDM system, it was determined that Altera's Stratix IV GT FPGA was the only chip available that allowed us to develop and demonstrate 100-GbE traffic transmissions,” said Nobuhiro Kawahara, senior expert, NEC.

“Our system requirements were aggressive and Stratix IV GT FPGAs provided us with the density, performance and embedded transceiver speeds we required. As a result, we were able to easily integrate the devices into our advanced DWDM system and achieve some of the highest data rate speeds ever recorded.”

“Stratix IV GT devices were designed specifically for 100G systems to support the rapid growth in network traffic being driven by Internet and IP-based services and applications. We have experienced huge success with the adoption of Stratix IV GT FPGAs in the industry with nearly all of the top DWDM suppliers selecting the device for their 100G systems,” said Arun Iyengar, senior director of Altera's communications business unit.

“Using Stratix IV GT FPGAs, NEC is able to meet their stringent design requirements, while at the same time reduce their system power and minimize board complexity.”