One of the most groundbreaking network innovations driving transformations of data centers in 2025 is Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO)—a Digital Signal Processor (DSP)-free optical solution designed to optimize power, cost, and latency. An LPO (Linear Pluggable Optics) solution offers considerable power savings for optical interconnect by removing the digital signal processing (DSP) function from the pluggable optical module. This architecture takes advantage of the capabilities in each segment of the link to form a power, cost. While copper cabling still offers cost and reliability advantages for short-distance connections, it faces the dual challenges of speed bottlenecks and cabling complexity in high-bandwidth, long-distance, and high-energy-efficiency scenarios. The idea is simple: instead of a DSP (digital signal processor) inside the module – replacing it with transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and a driver chip with high linearity and EQ capability – LPO shifts signal processing into. As hyperscale data centers and AI/ML clusters demand ever higher bandwidth, lower latency, and improved power efficiency, optical interconnect technology faces unprecedented challenges.
[PDF Version]