Active Optical Cabling: A Technology Assessment and Market Forecast

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

• E.1 Introduction
  • E.1.1 QSFP as Enablers for the AOC Market
  • E.1.2 Summary of Major Opportunities in the Active Optical Cabling Market
  • E.1.3 Opportunities for Active Optical Cabling Assembly Manufacturers
  • E.1.4 Opportunities for Component (Connector and Laser) Firms
  • E.1.5 The Special Case of Active Copper Cable
  • E.1.6 Opportunities for Fiber Suppliers
• E.2 Firms to Watch in the AOC Business
  • E.2.1 Avago Technologies
  • E.2.2 Finisar
  • E.2.3 Emcore Connects Cables (Intel)
  • E.2.4 Lightwire
  • E.2.5 Luxtera
  • E.2.6 Reflex Photonics
  • E.2.7 Tyco Electronics
  • E.2.8 Zarlink
  • E.2.9 MergeOptics GmbH
  • E.2.10 Gevista Technology Co. Ltd.
  • E.2.11 Other Market Entrants
• E.3 Summary of Five-Year Forecasts of Optical Cabling Markets

Chapter One: Introduction

• 1.1 Background to this Report
  • 1.1.1 AOCs: Opportunities and Risks
  • 1.1.2 The Breadth of AOC' s Market Reach
  • 1.1.3 AOCs and the Reemergence of Parallel Optics
• 1.2 Objectives of this Report
• 1.3 Scope of this Report
• 1.4 Methodology and Information Sources for Report
• 1.5 Plan of this Report

Chapter Two: Active Optical Markets: Data Centers and Enterprise Networks

• 2.1 Evolution of Active Optical Cabling Products in the Corporate Environment
  • 2.1.1 The Impact of 10-Gbit Ethernet
  • 2.1.2 40/100 Gbps Active Optical Cabling Products
• 2.2 AOC in the InfiniBand Market
  • 2.2.1 CX-4 Replacement
  • 2.2.2 QSFP Replacement
• 2.3 Active Optical Cabling in the Serial Ethernet Environment
• 2.4 Active Optical Cabling in the Campus Environment
• 2.5 Standards for Active Optical Cabling
• 2.6 The Network Manager' s Perspective: An Assessment of the advantages of AOCs for Corporate Users

Chapter Three: Active Optical Markets: PCs and Other Computer Applications

• 3.1 Current Requirements for High-Speed Interfaces on and in PCs
• 3.2 Intel' s Vision of Active Optical Cabling as the Universal Optical Interface for PCs
• 3.3 Addressable Market Segments for Active Optical Cables in the Computer Sector
  • 3.3.1 External Interfaces
  • 3.3.2 LAN-On Motherboard (LOM)
  • 3.3.3 Active Optical Cabling for Board-to-Board Communications
• 3.4 PC Industry Perspective on Active Optical Cabling
• 3.5 Challenges for Active Optical Cabling in the PC and Other Computer Markets
• 3.6 Assessment of the Active Optical Cabling Industry' s Ability to Enter the PC Market
  • 3.6.1 Likely Market Entry Strategies

Chapter Four: Consumer Electronics and Other Display Applications

• 4.1 Current Requirements for High-speed Interfaces in Consumer Electronics
• 4.2 AOC Vendors' Visions of Active Optical Cabling for Videophiles
• 4.3 Addressable Consumer Markets in Home Entertainment and Digital Signage
  • 4.3.1 Active Optical Cabling and HDMI
  • 4.3.2 Active Optical Cabling and DisplayPort
  • 4.3.3 Active Optical Cabling and SuperSpeed USB
  • 4.3.4 Active Optical Cabling in Home Theater Applications
  • 4.3.5 Active Optical Cabling and the Digital Signage Market
• 4.4 A Consumer Electronics Perspective on Active Optical Cabling Industry

Chapter Five: Market Forecasts

• 5.1 Forecasting Methodology
• 5.2 Forecast of Active Optical Cabling by End-User Market
  • 5.2.1 Data Center Applications for AOCs
  • 5.2.2 Digital Signage Applications for AOCs
  • 5.2.3 PC Interconnect Applications for AOCs
• 5.3 Forecast of Active Optical Cabling by Protocols/Connectors Used
  • 5.3.1 Protocols
• 5.4 Forecast of Active Optical Cabling by Length of Cable Used
• 5.5 Summary of AOC Forecasts
• Acronyms and Abbreviations Used in this Report 1
• About the Author

List of Exhibits

• Exhibit E-1: VCSEL Cross Section
• Exhibit E-2: SFP, QSFP Modules
• Exhibit E-3: Common Multi-Source Agreement Modules
• Exhibit E-4: Finisar' s CWire (left) and Quadwire (right)
• Exhibit E-5: Blazar AOC
• Exhibit E-6: Tyco ParaLight Cable
• Exhibit E-7: Zarlink' s ZLynx Cable
• Exhibit E-8: AOC Shipments by Market Value ($ Millions)
• Exhibit 2-1: XGMII to XAUI Signal Transition
• Exhibit 2-2: Early SFP Module from Finisar
• Exhibit 2-3: CFP Mockup Modules
• Exhibit 5-1: Data Center Active Optical Cabling Market, 2009-2017
• Exhibit 5-2: Digital Signage Active Optical Cabling Market, 2009-2017
• Exhibit 5-3: PC Interconnect Active Optical Cabling Market, 2009-2017
• Exhibit 5-4: Home Theater Active Optical Cabling Market, 2009-2017
• Exhibit 5-5: Protocols Used With AOCs
• Exhibit 5-6: Connectors Used With AOCs
• Exhibit 5-7: AOC Cable by Length
• Exhibit 5-8: AOC Shipments by Volume (Millions)
• Exhibit 5-9: AOC Shipments by Market Value ($ Millions)