Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRVL) has expanded its ZR/ZR+ and coherent DSP portfolio, introducing the industry’s first 1.6T ZR/ZR+ data center interconnect (DCI) pluggable and 2nm coherent DSPs with MACsec security. These innovations are designed to scale AI workloads across hyperscale and cloud data centers while ensuring high performance, low power consumption, and built-in security.
Breaking Records in Coherent Pluggable Technology
The new COLORZ 1600, powered by Marvell’s Electra coherent DSP, delivers 1.6T ZR/ZR+ connectivity between campus, metro, and regional data centers (up to 1,000km). It includes in-chip MACsec, full interoperability across OIF, OpenZR+, and OpenROADM, and supports C and L bands in an OSFP form factor while reducing power per bit versus previous generations.
Marvell also introduced COLORZ 800 with the new Libra 2nm coherent DSP, enabling 800G ZR/ZR+ interconnects and secure scaling across metro and regional networks (up to 3,000km at 400G). COLORZ 800 offers full interoperability, supports multiple form factors, and reduces capital costs for DCI deployments.
“Marvell, in close collaboration with hyperscale customers, introduced the first ZR pluggable nearly a decade ago and has continued to set the pace for every generation of coherent technology,” said Russ Esmacher, SVP and GM, Data Center Interconnect at Marvell. “Meeting the global needs of AI-driven data centers requires proven, large-scale manufacturing strength. We are expanding our pluggable manufacturing capacity to help customers rapidly deploy these disruptive technologies.”
Why It Matters for AI and Cloud
As AI workloads grow exponentially, high-bandwidth, low-power, and secure interconnects are critical. ZR/ZR+ coherent pluggables have become essential for scaling multi-data center AI networks, and demand is expected to surge through 2030. Marvell’s 2nm DSPs and expanded COLORZ portfolio aim to meet this demand while enabling secure, high-performance connectivity.
“The size of the pluggable coherent market is massive but increasingly competitive,” said Scott Wilkinson, lead analyst at Cignal AI. “Marvell’s move to 2nm solutions underscores its commitment to density, performance, and power efficiency, reinforcing its leadership across multiple coherent DSP generations.”
Roadmap and Availability
- COLORZ 1600 & Electra DSP: 1.6T ZR/ZR+ pluggable, MACsec, OSFP form factor, available H2 2026.
- COLORZ 800 & Libra DSP: 800G ZR/ZR+ pluggable, MACsec, QSFP-DD/OSFP form factors, available H2 2026.
Marvell will showcase its end-to-end connectivity portfolio at OFC 2026, March 15–19 in Los Angeles, highlighting innovations for AI and cloud data center infrastructure.
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