Experimental demonstration of multi-vendor interoperable 100G DWDM CFP line interfaces

100G DWDM pluggable modules for regional applications are now commercially available from multiple suppliers. They allow the expansion of existing 50-GHz based 10G networks to up to 10x capacity as well as the realization of greenfield dispersion-unmanaged networks. However, they are based on proprietary implementations which usually prevent transverse compatibility. We describe how we achieved error-free 100 GbE transport over a 1200+ km long system by means of interoperable 100G CFP interfaces from two different vendors employing proprietary DSPs and manufacturing technologies. Finally we estimate the benefits of reconfigurable FEC schemes and interoperability modes of these interfaces when deployed in a realistic SDN scenario.