Inventive humans have always sought better, faster methods of communications. Today’s high-speed communications are enabled by high-speed cabling and connectors that are rapidly evolving to give us connectivity on a level we couldn’t imagine only a few years ago — and that will inevitably be left in the dust by future iterations. For centuries, innovatorsRead More
System architects are using over-the-board technologies to extend signal reach and density and achieve high-speed data rates by routing signals through ultra-low-skew twinax cable instead of through expensive, lossy PCBs. Industry observers have noted that emerging high-speed system requirements of 28Gb/s and 56Gb/s, and now 112Gb/s, are nearing the physical limitations of traditional electronic hardwareRead More
The 2020 Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition celebrated 50 years of optical connectivity with a combination of exhibits on the show floor and remote presentations. The 2020 Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition (OFC 2020), scheduled for March 8–12, had grand plans to celebrate 50 years of optical communication. Groundbreaking technologies, including low-loss opticalRead More
As more companies turn to the cloud for data storage, security concerns are rising. The current solution for protecting IT infrastructure from data breaches and network failures is a combination of software and hardware defenses. The current major trend in the evolution of IT infrastructure is the widespread migration of computing and storage resources fromRead More
The Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition explored emerging optical connectivity technologies, including optical transmitters, multi-fiber cables, and connectors. The Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition recently held in San Diego is the prime showcase of current and next-generation optical network communication technology. With over 700 exhibitors and 15,000 registered attendees, this conference filled bothRead More
Observers have claimed Fibre Channel, which powers Storage Area Networks (SANs), has been in decline for years, replaced by newer, faster standards. But innovations in storage network software and infrastructure may help keep demand for Fibre Channel and its dedicated connectors and cables alive. By Neil Shurtz Computing applications are continuing to grow in complexity.Read More
Processor and SerDes speeds continue to bump up, putting pressure on input/output connectors mounted on the faceplate. Like investors running to the exit when the market tanks, the I/O panel can quickly become a serious bottleneck that limits communication and slows the system. Computers and their users hate to sit idle while waiting for requiredRead More
This week’s product roundup features high-performance, high-speed solutions from leading connector and cable assembly suppliers. High-Speed Connector & Cable Products Samtec’s SEARAY™ high-speed, high-density, open-pin-field arrays offer enhanced design flexibility with stack heights spanning 7–18.5mm and compatibility with a variety of high-speed protocols and standards. Rated for speeds up to 56Gb/s PAM4 and 28Gb/s NRZ,Read More
As speeds and requirements rise, the QSFP-DD MSA comes forth as a solution that addresses the technical challenges of achieving a double-density interface. By Joe Dambach Next-Gen Datacenter Connectivity Chips, switches, connectors, cables, and optical module technologies are at the core of datacenter networks, which must be able to support increasingly faster processing, as wellRead More
Summary coverage of upcoming events and recent news from across the connector industry. Event News DesignCon 2018, which will take place January 31 – February 1 in Santa Clara, California, will feature in-depth education, top-tier suppliers, and easy networking activities designed to help chip, board, and systems design engineers stay ahead of the pack, pushRead More
When I/O connectors block airflow, a toolbox of solutions is required to keep today’s fast, dense, and hot systems cool. Lithium ion batteries are not the only source of excessive heat in electronic devices. A nasty combination of dense system packaging and increased power consumption tends to concentrate heat inside the box, causing component stressRead More
Very early computers were a mass of discrete point-to-point wires. The combination of physics and economics is bringing that interconnect architecture back full circle. Design engineers have been grappling for years with the challenge of propagating ever-increasing signal rates in printed circuit boards. As data rates pushed into RF regions, signal modeling transitioned from simpleRead More
Check out this week’s product roundup for information about some of the industry’s latest and greatest optical transceiver products. Optical Transceivers Product Roundup Amphenol ICC’s 300Gb/s Leap® High-Speed Optical Transceiver Module is faster, smaller, and more efficient with regard to both cost and power than most conventional datacenter interconnects. It is capable of speeds up toRead More
As the IoT drives the demand for faster networks, the need for one-terabit speeds is just around the corner. The march to ever-faster data transfer has been an assumed objective since the development of the first computer. Information transmitted at the rate of kilobits per second (kb/s) evolved to megabits per second (Mb/s), whichRead More
The acronyms may change, but new SFP connectors continually emerge with enhanced port densities and data rates. For anyone who does not work with communication standards, protocol specifications, or data rates on a daily basis, navigating the world of telecom acronyms as it relates to interconnect can be a daunting task — sort of likeRead More
Several trends were apparent at last week’s DesignCon 2017 conference. Foremost among them was the advance of copper solutions that include wiring as an alternative to PCB traces. DesignCon 2017 opened amid a thoroughly drenched Bay Area, but did not deter more than 5,000 attendees to this premier exhibition of leading edge electronic design,Read More
Joint efforts ensure compatible products from multiple sources The complexity of high-end electronics creates many opportunities for hardware and/or software problems, while pricing and time to market pressures create problems for those tasked with setting up the supply chain. For the connector world, the merger of these trends often means that second sources needRead More
Connector makers upgraded lines, extended product families and unveiled new interfaces to meet customer demands for increased circuit density and higher data rates. 2016 Connector Trends In a continuation of trends we’ve seen for several years now, a host of faster, smaller, and more affordable electronic components propelled the connector industry forward in 2016. ConnectorRead More
Fiber has traditionally been the go-to solution for long-distance, high-speed communication links. Fiber optic cable offers huge advantages of bandwidth, low attenuation, and reduced size and weight to transmit hundreds of data channels over a single glass fiber. Look to these suppliers for the products you need. Fiber Optic Cable Fiber has traditionally beenRead More
Increasing demands of growing data volumes force IT professionals to explore better connection options. Ask five people to define “Big Data” and you are likely to get five different definitions – ranging from broad references about analyzing numerous data sets for patterns and trends, down to very precise specifications for data set size orRead More
