There's a new addition to Cisco's Single-Lambda 100G series of QSFP28 optics that provides 10km reach. It's called 100G LR and is the blue one shown here:

In this blog series we've touted Single-Lambda 100G optics and how it enables network operators to migrate more easily to 400G optics and to future 100G optics in a low-cost 100G form factor. It started with the 2km reach 100G FR. Then we introduced the 500m reach 100G DR for data center applications. Now, thanks to Cisco Optics innovations, we are introducing the 100G LR (Product ID: QSFP-100G-LR-S).

100G LR shares the benefits common to all of our Single-Lambda 100G optics, like manufacturability and interoperability with 400G optics. Be careful not to confuse it with another 10km optic that has been around for years, the 100G LR4. The names are deceptively similar (LR and LR4), but they're quite different and don't interoperate with each other at all.

The new 10km reach capability expands the Single-Lambda 100G portfolio's utility beyond networks that are contained within buildings. At 10km, the PAM4 silicon photonics technology can connect different buildings that may not even be in the same city. For example, operators of campus networks will find the 100G LR to be a great choice, especially if it's for a greenfield deployment and there is no legacy 100G LR4 to have to interoperate with. Links between core switches, or between core and aggregation switches may require this distance.

As exciting as this is, the Single-Lambda 100G optics story is far from over. Stay tuned!

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