Nvidia and Cisco have introduced the USFP specification, which is the industry's first pluggable optical module standard supporting 400Gbps per lane. The new modules are designed to match the physical dimensions of existing OSFP modules.
The initial version of the USFP module features 16 full-duplex channels, with plans to scale to 32 or more channels in the future. This architecture enables a total throughput of 12.8 Tb/s, providing four times the bandwidth of current 200G per lane modules.
The specification incorporates 400G SerDes technology, which improves energy efficiency by 1.3 times compared to previous standards. The module supports a power consumption of 100W, which is intended to simplify the design of network switches.
The USFP module utilizes a new two-dimensional array connector. Its two-step insertion design ensures that high-speed contacts engage only after the module is fully inserted. This mechanism reduces contact wear and improves signal integrity.
