Co-packaged connectivity is coming. The Open CPX MSA (Co-packaging Multisource Agreement) is working to simplify adoption.

The consortium, which includes Marvell and other leaders in connectivity, is developing specifications and standards for solutions for integrating near-packaged optical (NPO) and/or co-packaged optical (CPO) technology into switches and servers in scalable, repeatable ways. Members are also working to support interoperability with co-packaged copper (CPC).

The idea is to give data center service providers, equipment manufacturers and others a unified framework for next-generation connectivity to accelerate innovation and meet the surging demand for these technologies. Fewer than one million near- and co-packaged ports shipped in 2025, according to LightCounting; by 2030, shipments are projected to surpass 100 million ports per year.¹ Standards that can ensure predictability and flexibility will be critical in enabling this expected growth.

“The initial target of the MSA will be to develop an optimized optical engine with a defined pluggable socket and electrical connector system supporting high speed and high-density connectivity between a switch or processor and co-packaged and near-package interconnects,” the Open CPX MSA website states. “The specifications will define connector mechanicals, thermals, electrical pinout, mechanical form factors, electrical, optical, and management interface specifications to ensure interoperability between multiple vendors of Open CPX.”

While grounded in standards, implementation will vary by customer and manufacturer. A CPX array containing 16 connectors, for example, could be configured to include ports for co-packaged copper or active electrical cables (AECs) for intra-rack connections, co-packaged optics for rack-to-rack communication, and ports for ZR/ZR+ modules for long-distance scale-across data center interconnects.

Data center service providers will be able to determine the nature of each port in a CPX array at the time the array is deployed. The organization plans to collaborate with switch and server silicon developers to ensure compatibility and reduce supply chain complexity. With widespread adoption, CPX could operate like a wall socket for connectivity: an interface that simply just works.

Below is a pre-CPX array with a server containing 32 co-packaged copper connections that gives a sense of what to expect:

CPX will also have an impact on the functions of the printed circuit board (PCB). Today, copper traces connecting components pass through the PCB. A shift to CPC and flyover cables will help reduce noise by up to 30% or more² and enable designers to increase the length and bandwidth of copper connections. The PCB will also become instrumental in the power delivery network for CPO and NPO.

AI has fundamentally raised the performance of interconnect technology. Customers not only want interconnects that can deliver higher bandwidths, longer reaches, lower latency, and greater efficiency; they also want to deploy them in larger numbers than ever before and more rapidly than in the past to keep up with the data center build-out. Modular, interoperable standards like Open CPX are essential to meeting these requirements while accelerating deployment and reducing integration complexity.

Expect to hear more about CPX and other efforts to streamline connectivity from Marvell in the future.

1. AOCs, DACs. Linear Drive Pluggable and Co-Packaged Optics, LightCounting, December 2025.
2. Marvell estimates

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