Another effort is underway to specify a new interface standard. This one is called 10-Bit Interface Specification. The fundamental goal of this new specification is to define a common, standard signaling interface between FC Physical and Protocol layers for 1062.5 Mbaud target applications. The specification is primarily developed for electrical (not optical) connections in FC-AL (Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop) applications, but not restricted only to FC-AL applications. A second goal in defining a minimum conforming set of features is to minimize the complexity of the physical layer function thus reducing cost and power in these devices.
This 10-bit interface specification is generated by an Ad Hoc group of interested companies committed to providing a standard low cost interface for FC-AL applications. This Ad Hoc group is sanctioned by and operates under the jursidiction of X3T11 Fibre Channel committee. Currently the specification is only at the draft level, version 0.30. The postscript and framemaker versions of the document can be found at the server of Western Digital.
Fibre Channel has different options for the driving of the Fibre and for the type of media used. These different FC-0 technology options have different speed and distance abilities. Most cards available use the 780 nm laser option with multimode cabling. KFKI/RMKI is the only company making OLCs with electrical output. Electrical versions of GLMs are sold by Vitesse.
The Optical Link Cards use 10 bits of coded data and a 48 pin connector. OLCs are available for 266 and 531 Mbps operation. The Gigabaud Link Modules can use 20 bits of coded data and use an 80 pin connector. GLM's are available for operation from 266 Mbps to 1 Gbps. The Fibre Channel Systems Initiative has made the GLM specification (see "FC Specifications"). GLMs are recommended for new applications as they provide more functionality and are better specified than the OLCs.
Contact: Finisar Corporation, 3515 Edison Way, Menlo Park, California 94025, Tel: +1 415 364 2722, Fax: +1 415 364 3041
See also HP's Fiber Channel Components page
Contact: Schuhmacher, HP (Schweiz) AG, Tel: +41 1 735 79 39 / 71 11, Fax: +41 1 735 77 00 / 77 10 - 8-Dec-1997
OLC-531 780 nm (50-M5-SL-I)
Contact: Markus Zischg, IBM Switzerland, Tel: +41 1 436 7671, Fax: +41
1 436 6262, E-m: chibmf5k@ibmmail.com.
Chuck Masog, IBM Optical Interconnect technology, Tel: +1 507 253 5554,
Fax: +1 507 253 1438, E-m: C_MASOG@vnet.ibm.com
Contact: Gyorgy Rubin, KFKI - RMKI, Research Institute for Solid State Physics, H-1525 Budapest, POB 49, Hungary, E-m: Rubin@cern.ch, Tel: +361 169 65 75, Fax: +361 169 53 80
This OLC from Siemens has the option of doing the 8b10b coding and decoding, which can simplify the logic on the main card. The cards from other manufacturers don't have this functionality.
Contact: Schelto van Doorn, Siemens Fiber Optic Components Group, Tel : +1 408 982 1981, Fax : +1 408 980 8350, E-m : 465-1880@mcimail.com
Marketing: Uwe Schmidt, Siemens Germany, Tel: +49 30 386 26317, Fax:
+49 30 386 27956
Application Engineer: Prediger, Siemens Germany, Tel: +49 30 386 29017,
Fax: +49 30 386 24939
Contact: Finisar Corporation - 7-Jan-1998
Contact:
Pricing, Mike Morando, Tel: +1 408/988-7408, Fax: +1 408/727-3460,
E-mail: morando@fujikura.com.
Technical support, Bob Dahlgren, Tel: +1 408/988-7407, Fax: +1 408/727-3460,
E-mail: bob@fujikura.com
- 14-Aug-1996
This is a cooperative effort betweem Gore and Vitesse.
Contact: W.L. Gore & Associates - 7-Jan-1998
HGLM-1063 780 nm (100-M5-SL-I) 780nm OFC GLM
HGLM-1563 780nm non-OFC GLM
HGLM-2063 1300nm 2 km OFC GLM
HGLM-0063 Copper GLM with DB9 connector
See HP's Fiber Channel Components page
Contact: Schuhmacher, HP (Schweiz) AG, Tel: +41 1 735 79 39 / 71 11, Fax: +41 1 735 77 00 / 77 10 - 9-Dec-1997
OLM-531 780 nm (50-M5-SL-I)
OLM-1063 780 nm (100-M5-SL-I)
IBM is also looking at a OLM-1063 long wave product (100-SM-LL-I).
Contact: Markus Zischg, IBM Switzerland, Tel: +41 1 436 7671, Fax: +41
1 436 6262, E-m: chibmf5k@ibmmail.com.
Chuck Masog, IBM Optical Interconnect technology, Tel: +1 507 253 5554,
Fax: +1 507 253 1438, E-m: C_MASOG@vnet.ibm.com
According to Methode Electronics the MGLM-1063 offers the lowest power consumption of any GLM on the market (August 1995).
Methode modules are offered with a choice of 780nm or 850 nm laser and are available with or without open fiber control and have integral self diagnostics for monitoring by the host system and can be used for link analysis, system administration and future fault prediction.
Contact: Tricia Kelly, Methode Electronics;
Tel: +1-708-867-9600 ext 368; Fax: +1-708-867-9130, E-m: info@methode.com;
or in Europe, Methode Mikon Ltd., UK, Fax: +44-440-71-2542. - 23-July-1997
Model number TC1000GLC, Part number V23808-G1320-C1
Contact: Schelto van Doorn, Siemens Fiber Optic Components Group, Tel : +1 408 982 1981, Fax : +1 408 980 8350, E-m : 465-1880@mcimail.com
Marketing: Uwe Schmidt, Siemens Germany, Tel: +49 30 386 26317, Fax:
+49 30 386 27956
Application Engineer: Prediger, Siemens Germany, Tel: +49 30 386 29017,
Fax: +49 30 386 24939
It is a "copper GLM", which is abbreviated as CuGLM.
Contact: Vitesse Semiconductor Corp. France - Dieter Doring; Tel: +33 1 3975 6310; Fax: +33 1 3975 2062
CERN - High Speed Interconnect
- FCS
Erik van der Bij - 7 January
1998 - Disclaimer