Broadcom just hit a big milestone with Meta—over one million “flap‑free” operating hours for its co‑packaged optics (CPO) technology. That’s a pretty strong signal that next‑gen optical networking is ready for prime time, especially at the scale of massive data centers.
This trial ran on Broadcom’s 25.6 Tb/s Tomahawk 5 Ethernet switch. If you’re following the space, CPO looks like a real game‑changer for bandwidth density, energy use, and maybe even the future of sustainable data centers.
What is Co‑Packaged Optics and Why It Matters
Co‑packaged optics totally flips the script on old networking setups. Instead of plugging in separate optical modules, CPO puts the optical interconnects right next to the switch ASIC silicon.
That move wipes out a lot of the old inefficiencies and lets data fly faster, using less power. For AI and machine learning, where every millisecond and watt counts, this shift feels overdue.
Advantages of CPO Technology
Broadcom and Meta’s trial gives us a good look at why CPO is catching on with the big players:
Broadcom’s Tomahawk 5 and Meta’s Role
Broadcom’s Tomahawk 5 Ethernet switch sits at the heart of this trial. It pushes 25.6 terabits per second and is tuned for AI clusters and huge cloud services.
Meta’s involvement really says something about how hyperscalers view CPO. These companies need more than just raw computing—they want high bandwidth, low latency, and rock‑solid connections. That’s exactly where CPO seems to shine.
Hyperscalers Driving Next‑Gen Networking
Meta’s hands‑on approach hints that other big cloud and social media players might not be far behind. When you’re running at hyperscale, you have to keep your networks ahead of user growth and ever‑crazier applications.
By testing out CPO now, these companies are setting themselves up to stay ahead of the curve on scalable, energy‑smart networking.
Impact on Sustainability Goals
Data centers keep drawing more attention for their environmental impact. CPO’s knack for trimming energy use fits right in with green initiatives.
Reducing total energy consumption across thousands of switches isn’t just about saving money—it could actually start to move the needle on global energy demand and carbon emissions.
Energy Efficiency in Action
If CPO goes mainstream, hyperscalers could:
The Road Ahead for Co‑Packaged Optics
Broadcom isn’t stopping here. The company plans to keep working with partners to standardize and commercialize CPO tech.
Standardization matters—a lot. It’s how you make sure different vendors’ gear plays nice together, and it’s the only way CPO goes truly mainstream.
Future Deployment and Industry Transition
The million-hour milestone marks a big step on the industry’s path toward full CPO integration. As networking speeds push past 1.6 Tb/s, CPO could easily become the new standard for high-speed interconnects in AI-ready data centers.
There’s a strong sustainability case for this shift, and the technical progress is hard to ignore. The move from pluggable optics to co-packaged systems feels more and more inevitable.
From what I’ve seen over the last thirty years, these kinds of transitions never happen overnight. Still, Broadcom and Meta’s results suggest the pieces for mainstream adoption are falling into place.
It’s an exciting glimpse into the future of data centers—faster, greener, and built for the wild demands of advanced AI.
Here is the source article for this story: Broadcom says Meta CPO trial achieves over 1 million flap-free operating hours