The iPass+ CXP allows for both direct copper and optical connections to the same system port, increasing hardware flexibility for end users. This innovative dual-access card system was adopted as the InfiniBand* architecture specification vol. 2 Release 1.2.1; appendix A6, September 2009.
“The iPass+ HSC CXP system, a market first for Molex, represents one of the fastest and highest-density I/O solutions available today,” said Jay Neer, director of advanced technical sales and industry standards at Molex Incorporated. “By leveraging Molex’s high-speed wafer technology with compliant connectors, we were able to develop a high-density, twelve-channel I/O connector system that meets the needs of an increasingly performance-driven computing data market.”
This single-assembly connector is placed on the board in a single step and is available in single-port and dual-port stacking configurations. The twelve Molex CXP direct-attach copper cables are designed to support single, ganged, or stacked connector configurations that meet very high-density requirements. The passive CXP copper cables are available in various lengths.
In addition, Molex is developing optical CXP solutions with mounts and loopbacks on AOC pluggable optical module cables (active optical cables). Cabling options for CXP optical products include 24-fiber round OFNP (Optical Non-Conductive Plenum) cables in 3.8 mm and 5.4 mm diameters, suitable for both shorter rack-to-rack cabling and larger circuits. The round cable construction offers superior fiber management compared to traditional flat cables when connecting CXP ports. CXP optical cable assemblies for pluggable transceiver applications use 24-fiber high-bandwidth OM3 cable (12 transmit and 12 receive) with standard MTP/MPO connectors. This design meets the InfiniBand bandwidth requirements for CXP modules up to 300 m in length. Also included are MTP/MPO-to-LC cable units for connections to small form factor (SFP) pluggables and LC patch panels. CXP MPO loopbacks feature a compact housing that curves the optical TX to RX ports for testing, diagnostics, and troubleshooting.
