Ciena Launches 1.6 Tb/s Coherent-Lite to Meet AI and Cloud Traffic Growth

Ciena has launched its 1.6 Tb/s Coherent-Lite pluggable solution, designed to help cloud and data center providers manage the increasing data traffic driven by cloud computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI).

This high-performance solution, built on Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Nano (WL6n) platform, is tailored for data center fabric and campus applications. Available in both 1.6 Tb/s and 800G options, the WL6n uses a 3nm coherent ASIC to support dual 800G data paths on a single DSP chip. The Coherent-Lite design is optimized for power and latency, making it ideal for shorter-reach, data center environments.

“The rapid adoption of AI and machine learning is propelling global bandwidth demand to new heights,” commented Dr. Vlad Kozlov, Chief Analyst at LightCounting. “Ciena’s 1.6 Tb/s coherent pluggable, powered by advanced 3nm CMOS, sets a new standard for scale and flexibility in data center architecture.”

Dino DiPerna, Senior Vice President of Global Research & Development at Ciena, added, “As data capacity increases, traditional data center technologies face limitations. Coherent technology will play a key role in addressing these challenges. Our 1.6 Tb/s coherent pluggable delivers the performance, power efficiency, and compact footprint that the future of data center design demands.”

Ciena’s WL6n Coherent ASIC will be available for electro-optic integration by the end of the year. A prototype of the WL6n 1.6 Tb/s pluggable will be on display at ECOC 2024 (Booth A14).