OpenZR+ Interoperability Study Methodology and Results

This white paper presents the methodology and findings from an interoperability study of OpenZR+ MSA QSFP-DD transceivers conducted during the ECOC 2023 plugfest. The study involved testing ten different transceivers in a matrix of transmitter-to-receiver combinations to assess interoperability penalties among various suppliers. The paper details the testing of individual transceiver performance using 400GE traffic over a shortened optical line system link, with a focus on the noise-loaded link configurations. Key performance metrics include the required optical signal to noise ratio (rOSNR) of the receiver and the transmitter's Error Vector Magnitude (EVM). The document outlines the test setups, which utilized optical network equipment from multiple vendors, and describes the procedures for measuring loopback performance and interoperability performance. The goal of the study is to provide network operators with insights into the OpenZR+ application, following established testing methods from previous OIF interoperability studies.