PCI-SIG® today announced a new optical interconnect specification revision to enable higher PCI Express® (PCIe®) technology performance. The Optical Aware Retimer Engineering Change Notice (ECN) amends the PCIe 6.4 specification and the new PCIe 7.0 specification to include a PCIe retimer-based solution, providing the first industry standardized way to implement PCIe technology over optical fiber.

“We saw a need for an industry standard optical interconnect based on PCIe technology and the Optical Aware Retimer ECN is the first step to add a modular optical solution,” said Al Yanes, PCI-SIG president and Chairperson. “We expect initial adoption to occur in data center applications like AI/ML and cloud. As PCIe technology becomes more widely available over time, we foresee innovative use cases across many market segments.”

Optical Aware Retimer ECN

• Seamlessly enables various optical technologies for optical interconnection between existing PCIe 6.4 and 7.0 specification-compliant Switch, Root-Complex and Endpoint silicon designs
• Grants extended reach across racks and pods
• Allows multiplexing and data mapping across electrical and optical domains
• Enables more compact implementations than electrical copper solutions

The Optical Retimer ECN is now available for PCI-SIG members to download in the PCIe 6.4 and 7.0 specifications here. PCI-SIG invites interested parties to participate in its technical workgroups.

To become a member of PCI-SIG and access all published specifications, visit www.pcisig.com/membership.