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Views: 399 Author: Addams Publish Time: 2025-04-17 Origin: Site
1. Why does 800G need a new package?
2. OSFP: An innovator born for high performance
3. QSFP-DD: A reformer who puts compatibility first
4. The ultimate showdown: a life-and-death race on the technical route
5. The future is here: a symbiotic technology ecosystem
In the era of artificial intelligence, 5G and cloud computing, the demand for network bandwidth is growing exponentially. The desire for high-speed transmission in data centers and enterprise backbone networks has pushed optical module technology to continuously break through the limits. In 2023, 800G optical modules will officially enter the large-scale commercial stage, and the packaging technology battle behind it - the game between OSFP and QSFP-DD is quietly rewriting the competitive landscape of optical communications.
When the optical module rate moves from 400G to 800G, the traditional QSFP28 package with a maximum rate of 100G can no longer meet the demand. With the upgrade of 50G NRZ modulation per channel to 100G PAM4 modulation, the power consumption and heat generation of optoelectronic devices have increased sharply, and the limitation of physical size has also led to challenges in signal integrity. People are in urgent need of new packaging to solve these problems. At this time, OSFP (Octal Small Form Factor Pluggable) and QSFP-DD (Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density) came into being, and subsequent technological development also revolved around these two packages.
OSFP adopts a breakthrough 8-channel design, which solves the problem of high power dissipation through a pluggable heat dissipation top cover. Its internal integrated heat dissipation fins can reduce the surface temperature of the module by 8-10℃, supporting a single module with a maximum power consumption of 30W, which is difficult to achieve with traditional packages.
The unique front panel pull rod structure supports automatic power off during hot plugging, effectively preventing arc damage. The power connector added to the tail of the module reserves expansion space for future 1.6T transmission. While improving performance, the OSFP package also reduces transmission latency. Google's actual test data in 2022 showed that the OSFP 800G module achieved an ultra-low latency of 0.1μs in a hyperscale data center.
QSFP-DD expands the number of channels to 8 through a double-row contact design while maintaining backward compatibility with QSFP28/56. This means that enterprises can reuse existing switches and only need to add 800G equipment to achieve the transition from 400G to 800G, reducing financial pressure. They can also reuse existing network architectures without the need to re-lay optical fibers. It is also perfectly compatible with old equipment. According to Cisco's market research, 85% of customers list compatibility as a key purchasing indicator.
Although the volume is 15% smaller than OSFP, QSFP-DD successfully controls the power consumption per channel to less than 3.5W through 3D stacking packaging technology. Huawei laboratory tests show that its 800G QSFP-DD module maintains a stable bit error rate (BER) below 1E-12 under PAM4 modulation.
Feature | OSFP | QSFP-DD |
Number of channels | 8×100G PAM4 | 8×100G PAM4 |
Power consumption support | ≤30W | ≤21W |
Cooling by design | Integrated heat sink | Depends on system air duct |
Port Density | 36 ports/1U | 48 ports/1U |
Evolutionary potential | Support 1.6T | Theoretically supports 800G+ |
OSFP: Hyperscale data center, HPC cluster, AI training platform
QSFP-DD: Enterprise data center, telecom core network, cloud service access layer
In 2024, the global optical module market is expected to exceed US$20 billion, of which 800G modules will account for 35%. Industry analysts pointed out that OSFP and QSFP-DD will coexist in different fields for a long time: OSFP focuses on cutting-edge scenarios such as high-performance computing, while QSFP-DD dominates the enterprise market. With the emergence of innovations such as silicon photonics and LPO (Linear Pluggable Optics), the next generation of packaging technology may break the existing pattern.
When we watch 8K live broadcasts on YouTube and use ChatGPT for real-time conversations, it is these fingernail-sized optical modules that silently support every information flood in the digital world. Choose OSFP or QSFP-DD? This is not only a choice of technical route, but also a forward-looking prediction of future network architecture.
