Preparing for Next-Generation Data Center Speeds: 400G, 800G, and Beyond
Modern data centers are under constant pressure to handle ever-increasing amounts of data at faster speeds and with lower latency. Organizations that adapt to these demands thrive; those that do not risk being left behind. As network traffic continues to surge, data centers are moving from 25G/100G link speeds toward 400G and 800G—and even planning for 1.6T in the not-so-distant future.
At Cable & Connections, we help clients keep pace with these rapid changes by providing the infrastructure, expertise, and support needed for seamless high-speed migration. In this article, we explore the key developments, transceiver technologies, and fiber strategies behind 400G, 800G, and 1.6T links.
The Need for Higher Speeds
Massive data volumes in cloud and hyperscale environments drive the need for faster network fabrics. While many facilities currently operate at 100G or 400G, larger-scale data centers are already deploying 800G solutions, and standards are emerging to define 1.6T as the next major milestone. Each jump in speed requires a corresponding evolution in optical components, fiber cabling, and network architecture and the ability to Test to 400G, 800G and 1.6 Terabyte standards.
Understanding Optical Transceivers
Optical transceivers are usually defined by two main characteristics:
Reach: How far the signal must travel before needing regeneration or amplification.
Fiber Type: Whether they use multimode or singlemode fiber, in parallel or via wavelength division multiplexing (WDM).
Common designations include:
Short-reach (SR) optics, typically for up to 100 meters over parallel multimode fiber.
Longer-reach (DR, FR, LR) optics that employ singlemode fiber for distances from a few hundred meters up to 10 kilometers.
Cable & Connections’ Role
As a distributor, Cable & Connections advises data center operators on matching transceiver types to their performance needs, budget constraints, and existing infrastructure. We offer product lines that span from short-reach multimode to long-reach singlemode solutions—ensuring our customers can migrate to new speeds as demand grows.
400G: Today’s Standard (and Still Growing)
Transitioning to 400G often involves swapping out previous-generation 8×50G lanes in favor of 4×100G lanes, reducing both component cost and power consumption. The 400G space includes:
Parallel Fiber (SR4, DR4): Employing either multimode or singlemode over eight fibers in an MPO-based connectivity scheme.
WDM (FR4, LR4): Combining multiple wavelengths on two fibers (one transmit, one receive) for longer reaches—up to 10 km in some cases.
Many data center managers favor parallel fiber for reduced overall costs and easier cable management, particularly for shorter distances. Cable & Connections carries a range of parallel fiber solutions and can help design breakouts (e.g., 400G to four 100G links).
800G: Doubling the Throughput
The first wave of 800G technology typically uses 8×100G lanes and parallel fiber. Standards bodies are working on specifications to enable 800G transceivers running 4×200G lanes, which will likely follow a similar blueprint for cabling. Key 800G variants include:
VR8 and SR8: Meant for multimode fiber runs of 50 to 100 meters.
DR8 and DR8-2: Targeting 500 m to 2 km over parallel singlemode fiber with up to 16 total fibers.
BiDi (bidirectional): Using each fiber for both transmission and reception simultaneously. This approach can reduce the fiber count while still supporting 800G.
Some operators will treat 800G interfaces as two separate 400G lanes, using dual MPO-8 connections or an MPO-16 connector. Cable & Connections stocks and supports both options, ensuring that upgrades to 800G remain flexible and cost-effective.
Looking Ahead to 1.6T
Building on 800G, 1.6T effectively doubles that throughput. Early solutions rely on:
Parallel Fiber (DR8): 16 fibers carrying 8×200G lanes in each direction, reaching up to 500 m or 2 km over singlemode.
BiDi Over Multimode: Multiwavelength VCSELs transmitting in both directions across OM4/OM5 fibers for distances up to 70–100 m.
Although 1.6T is still on the horizon, forward-looking data centers are already designing fiber infrastructures that can handle future expansions without costly overhauls. Cable & Connections can advise on cabling layouts that anticipate higher lane speeds and new connector form factors.
Multimode vs. Singlemode: Key Tradeoffs
For links under 100 m, there’s often a choice between multimode and singlemode fiber. While singlemode is often cited for its extended reach, multimode typically offers:
Lower Optic Costs: Early generations of singlemode transceivers can be nearly twice as expensive as equivalent multimode units.
Lower Power Consumption: Multimode optics often require 1–2 watts less power per transceiver, leading to significant savings in large-scale deployments.
As data centers evolve, many short-reach “in-rack” or “in-row” connections move from copper to fiber. Multimode remains a popular choice, particularly in AI clusters where high-speed data movement is crucial.
How to Prepare Your Fiber Plant
Upgrading to 400G, 800G, or eventually 1.6T requires careful planning to ensure compatibility and scalability. Considerations include:
Lane Counts: Moving from 8-fiber MPO to 16-fiber connectors (or 2×MPO-8) for certain 800G and 1.6T transceivers.
WDM vs. Parallel: Balancing cost, power, and distance requirements to determine the right approach for each link.
Future Lane Rates: Anticipating a shift to 200G lanes for upcoming transceivers, ensuring your infrastructure can handle these speeds.
Cable & Connections works closely with customers to design fiber links that leverage existing cabling where possible, while ensuring the ability to scale up when new standards and technologies reach the market.
Conclusion
The progression from 400G to 800G and beyond to 1.6T is accelerating data center transformation on an unprecedented scale. Operators who plan ahead can leverage future-ready fiber architectures to minimize disruptive overhauls and capitalize on next-generation speeds as soon as they’re commercially available.
Cable & Connections stays at the forefront of these technological developments—ready to advise, supply, and support everything from transceiver selection to fiber cable management. Reach out to our team to discuss how you can make your data center network more resilient and scalable, one upgrade at a time.
Cable & Connections www.CableAndConnections.com
For more information on how we can help you navigate the move to 400G, 800G, or 1.6T connectivity, contact us today. We’re here to empower your data center’s success—now and into the future.