Compatibility & Optics Matrices: Validated Combinations of Switches, NICs and LUXOPTX Modules
Executive Summary
In today's multi-vendor data center environments, optical module compatibility is critical for seamless network operations. LUXOPTX has conducted extensive validation testing across major switch and NIC vendors to ensure plug-and-play interoperability. This comprehensive guide provides validated compatibility matrices, technical specifications, and deployment best practices for 100G, 200G, 400G, and 800G optical interconnects.
1. Understanding Optical Module Compatibility
1.1 Key Compatibility Factors
Form Factor Standards:
- QSFP28 (100G): 4x25G lanes, backward compatible with QSFP+
- QSFP56 (200G): 4x50G PAM4 modulation
- QSFP-DD (400G): 8x50G dual-density design
- OSFP (800G): 8x100G for next-gen AI clusters
Reach Classifications:
- SR (Short Reach): 100m over OM4 MMF - ideal for intra-rack
- DR (Data Center Reach): 500m over OS2 SMF - inter-building connectivity
- LR (Long Reach): 10km over OS2 SMF - campus networks
- ER (Extended Reach): 40km over OS2 SMF - metro applications
Critical Technical Parameters:
- Power Budget: Transmit power vs. receiver sensitivity margin
- Dispersion Tolerance: Chromatic and polarization mode dispersion
- Thermal Management: Operating temperature range (-5°C to +70°C)
- EEPROM Compatibility: Digital diagnostics (DDM/DOM) support
1.2 Common Compatibility Challenges
Vendor Lock-in Mechanisms:
- Proprietary coding in EEPROM memory maps
- Custom firmware handshakes
- Non-standard power sequencing
LUXOPTX Solution:
- MSA-compliant programming
- Universal vendor ID support
- Adaptive link training algorithms
2. Architecture Diagrams
Diagram 1: Leaf-Spine Data Center Architecture
Architecture Highlights:
- Spine Layer: 400G QSFP-DD interconnects (LUXOPTX 400G-DR4)
- Leaf Layer: 100G QSFP28 server connections (LUXOPTX 100G-SR4)
- Oversubscription Ratio: 3:1 typical, 1:1 for AI workloads
- Latency: <500ns switch fabric, <2μs end-to-end
Diagram 2: AI/ML GPU Cluster Topology
AI Cluster Specifications:
- GPU Servers: 8x NVIDIA H100 per node
- NIC: NVIDIA ConnectX-7 400G (2-port)
- Optics: LUXOPTX QSFP-DD 400G-SR8 (OM4, 100m)
- Storage Fabric: Dedicated 400G network for NVMe-oF
- Protocols: RoCEv2, GPU-Direct RDMA, NCCL optimization
Diagram 3: Multi-Vendor Interoperability
Interoperability Benefits:
- Vendor Flexibility: Mix Cisco, Arista, Juniper without constraints
- Cost Optimization: 40-60% savings vs. OEM optics
- Future-Proof: Easy migration path to 800G/1.6T
3. Validated Switch Compatibility Matrix
3.1 Cisco Nexus Series
| Switch Model | Ports | LUXOPTX Module | Cable | Distance | Validation Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N9K-C93180YC-EX | 48x100G | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | OM4 MMF | 100m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| N9K-C9364C | 64x400G | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | OS2 SMF | 500m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| N9K-C9508 | 36x400G | QSFP-DD-400G-SR8 | OM4 MMF | 100m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| N9K-C93600CD-GX | 28x400G | QSFP-DD-400G-LR4 | OS2 SMF | 10km | ✅ Fully Validated |
Firmware Requirements:
- NX-OS 9.3(5) or later for 100G
- NX-OS 10.2(1) or later for 400G
- Enable
no system default switchport shutdown
Testing Results:
- BER: <10^-15 (error-free over 72-hour burn-in)
- Link Training: Auto-negotiation success rate 100%
- Power Consumption: Within Cisco spec (3.5W typical for 100G-SR4)
3.2 Arista 7000 Series
| Switch Model | Ports | LUXOPTX Module | Cable | Distance | Validation Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7050SX3-48YC12 | 48x25G + 12x100G | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | OM4 MMF | 100m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| 7280R3-36D | 36x400G | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | OS2 SMF | 500m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| 7800R3A-36DM2 | 36x400G | QSFP-DD-400G-SR8 | OM4 MMF | 100m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| 7358X4 | 48x100G | QSFP28-100G-LR4 | OS2 SMF | 10km | ✅ Fully Validated |
EOS Version:
- EOS 4.26.2F or later for 100G
- EOS 4.28.0F or later for 400G
Performance Benchmarks:
- Latency: 350ns (cut-through mode)
- Jitter: <50ps RMS
- Temperature Stability: ±0.1dB over 0-50°C range
3.3 Juniper QFX Series
| Switch Model | Ports | LUXOPTX Module | Cable | Distance | Validation Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QFX5120-48Y | 48x25G + 8x100G | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | OM4 MMF | 100m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| QFX5220-128C | 128x100G | QSFP28-100G-CWDM4 | OS2 SMF | 2km | ✅ Fully Validated |
| QFX5700 | 32x400G | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | OS2 SMF | 500m | ⚠️ Beta Testing |
Junos OS:
- Junos 19.4R1 or later
- Enable
set chassis fpc 0 pic 0 optics-options compatibility-mode
3.4 Dell EMC & Broadcom
| Switch Model | Chipset | LUXOPTX Module | Cable | Distance | Validation Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S5248F-ON | Broadcom Trident 3 | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | OM4 MMF | 100m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| Z9332F-ON | Broadcom Tomahawk 3 | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | OS2 SMF | 500m | ✅ Fully Validated |
| S5296F-ON | Broadcom Trident 4 | QSFP28-100G-LR4 | OS2 SMF | 10km | ✅ Fully Validated |
4. NIC Compatibility Analysis
4.1 Intel E810 Series
| NIC Model | Interface | LUXOPTX Module | Driver Version | OS Support | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E810-CQDA2 | 2x100G QSFP28 | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | ice 1.9.11+ | Linux, Windows, ESXi | ✅ Validated |
| E810-2CQDA2 | 2x100G QSFP28 | QSFP28-100G-LR4 | ice 1.9.11+ | Linux, Windows | ✅ Validated |
| E810-XXVDA4 | 4x25G SFP28 | SFP28-25G-SR | ice 1.11.14+ | Linux, VMware | ✅ Validated |
Configuration Notes:
- Enable DDP (Dynamic Device Personalization) for optimal performance
- Set MTU 9000 for jumbo frames
- RSS (Receive Side Scaling) with 16+ queues for multi-core servers
Performance:
- Throughput: Line-rate 100Gbps (148.8Mpps @ 64B packets)
- Latency: <1μs (application to wire)
- CPU Utilization: <5% at line rate with DPDK
4.2 NVIDIA/Mellanox ConnectX Series
| NIC Model | Interface | LUXOPTX Module | Firmware | RDMA Support | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ConnectX-6 Dx | 2x100G QSFP28 | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | 22.36.1010+ | RoCEv2, InfiniBand | ✅ Validated |
| ConnectX-7 | 2x400G QSFP-DD | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | 28.36.1010+ | RoCEv2, GPUDirect | ✅ Validated |
| ConnectX-7 | 2x200G QSFP56 | QSFP56-200G-SR4 | 28.36.1010+ | RoCEv2, RDMA | ✅ Validated |
AI/ML Optimizations:
- GPUDirect RDMA: Zero-copy GPU-to-GPU transfers
- SHARP (Scalable Hierarchical Aggregation and Reduction Protocol): In-network computing
- Adaptive Routing: Congestion-aware path selection
Benchmark Results (MLPerf):
- ResNet-50 Training: 15% faster vs. TCP/IP
- BERT Large: 22% improvement with NCCL over RoCEv2
- GPT-3: 400Gbps sustained bandwidth per NIC
4.3 Broadcom NetXtreme
| NIC Model | Interface | LUXOPTX Module | Firmware | Use Case | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P2100G | 2x100G QSFP28 | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | 226.0.190.0+ | Enterprise servers | ✅ Validated |
| P425G | 4x25G SFP28 | SFP28-25G-SR | 226.0.190.0+ | Hyper-converged | ✅ Validated |
5. Testing Methodology
5.1 Lab Environment
Environmental Controls:
- Temperature: 23°C ±2°C ambient
- Humidity: 45% ±5% RH
- Power Quality: <3% THD, ±2% voltage regulation
Test Equipment:
- BERT Tester: Anritsu MP2110A (up to 400G)
- Optical Power Meter: EXFO FPM-600
- Spectrum Analyzer: Keysight 86100D DCA-X
- Traffic Generator: Spirent TestCenter (N11U-400G)
5.2 Test Procedures
1. Physical Layer Validation:
- Optical power: -10dBm to +2dBm (typical)
- Receiver sensitivity: Better than -14dBm @ BER 10^-12
- Extinction ratio: >3.5dB
- Eye diagram: Open eye with >30% margin
2. Link Training:
- Auto-negotiation success rate: 100/100 attempts
- Link-up time: <500ms from cold start
- FEC (Forward Error Correction): RS-FEC enabled, <10^-15 post-FEC BER
3. Stress Testing:
- 72-hour burn-in: No link flaps, zero errors
- Temperature cycling: -5°C to +70°C, 10 cycles
- Power cycling: 1000 cycles, no failures
4. Interoperability:
- Cross-vendor switch-to-switch: Cisco ↔ Arista ↔ Juniper
- Mixed cable plants: OM3, OM4, OS2
- Firmware compatibility: 5+ versions per vendor
6. Deployment Best Practices
6.1 Pre-Deployment Checklist
✅ Verify firmware versions on switches and NICs
✅ Check cable plant quality: OTDR test for SMF, light source for MMF
✅ Inspect connector end-faces: <5μm scratch depth
✅ Enable LLDP/CDP for topology discovery
✅ Configure syslog for optics alarms
6.2 Cable Selection Guide
| Application | Distance | Cable Type | LUXOPTX Module | Cost/m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intra-rack (ToR to server) | <10m | OM4 MMF | 100G-SR4, 400G-SR8 | $2-5 |
| Inter-rack (same row) | 10-100m | OM4 MMF | 100G-SR4, 400G-SR8 | $5-10 |
| Inter-building | 100-500m | OS2 SMF | 100G-LR4, 400G-DR4 | $8-15 |
| Campus network | 500m-10km | OS2 SMF | 100G-LR4, 400G-LR4 | $15-30 |
6.3 Monitoring & Troubleshooting
Key Metrics to Monitor:
- Optical RX Power: Should be within ±3dB of nominal
- Temperature: <60°C for QSFP28, <70°C for QSFP-DD
- Voltage: 3.3V ±5%
- TX Bias Current: Stable over time (±10%)
Common Issues & Solutions:
| Symptom | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Link down | Dirty connectors | Clean with IPA, inspect under microscope |
| High BER | Cable bend radius <25mm | Re-route cable, use bend-insensitive fiber |
| Intermittent flaps | Thermal throttling | Improve airflow, check fan speeds |
| Low RX power | Fiber attenuation | Replace cable, check splice loss |
7. Complete Compatibility Matrix
100G Compatibility Matrix
| Switch | NIC | LUXOPTX Module | Cable | Distance | Latency | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco N9K-C93180YC-EX | Intel E810-CQDA2 | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | OM4 MMF | 100m | <500ns | ✅ |
| Arista 7050SX3-48YC12 | NVIDIA CX-6 Dx | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | OM4 MMF | 100m | <350ns | ✅ |
| Juniper QFX5120-48Y | Broadcom P2100G | QSFP28-100G-SR4 | OM4 MMF | 100m | <600ns | ✅ |
| Dell S5248F-ON | Intel E810-CQDA2 | QSFP28-100G-LR4 | OS2 SMF | 10km | <50μs | ✅ |
| Cisco N9K-C9336C-FX2 | NVIDIA CX-6 Dx | QSFP28-100G-CWDM4 | OS2 SMF | 2km | <10μs | ✅ |
400G Compatibility Matrix
| Switch | NIC | LUXOPTX Module | Cable | Distance | Bandwidth | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco N9K-C9364C | NVIDIA CX-7 | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | OS2 SMF | 500m | 400Gbps | ✅ |
| Arista 7280R3-36D | NVIDIA CX-7 | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | OS2 SMF | 500m | 400Gbps | ✅ |
| Arista 7800R3A-36DM2 | NVIDIA CX-7 | QSFP-DD-400G-SR8 | OM4 MMF | 100m | 400Gbps | ✅ |
| Dell Z9332F-ON | NVIDIA CX-7 | QSFP-DD-400G-LR4 | OS2 SMF | 10km | 400Gbps | ✅ |
| Juniper QFX5700 | NVIDIA CX-7 | QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 | OS2 SMF | 500m | 400Gbps | ⚠️ Beta |
8. Future Roadmap
800G & 1.6T Validation (Q2 2025)
Upcoming Tests:
- OSFP 800G-SR8: 8x100G PAM4, OM4 MMF, 100m
- QSFP-DD800: 8x100G, OS2 SMF, 500m
- 1.6T OSFP: 8x200G, next-gen AI clusters
Target Platforms:
- Cisco Silicon One Q200
- Broadcom Tomahawk 5
- NVIDIA Spectrum-4
9. Conclusion
LUXOPTX optical modules deliver proven interoperability across the industry's leading switch and NIC platforms. Our rigorous validation process ensures:
✅ Plug-and-play compatibility with Cisco, Arista, Juniper, Dell
✅ 40-60% cost savings vs. OEM optics
✅ Same-day shipping with lifetime warranty
✅ 24/7 technical support for deployment assistance
Contact LUXOPTX:
- Email: support@luxoptx.com
- Phone: +44 (0) 20 XXXX XXXX
- Live Chat: Available 24/7