Why AI Growth Is Changing How You Choose Optics
Posted by Ribal Btaddini on Oct 26, 2026
GPUs get much of the attention when organizations plan AI infrastructure. But buying compute is only part of building a high-performance environment. Those GPUs also need to exchange data quickly and consistently—and being able to do so depends on the network that connects them.
As AI clusters grow, adding compute also requires planning the connectivity needed to support it. If the network can’t support the communication demands of the workload, you may not fully utilize the GPU capacity you’ve purchased.
That’s why optics deserve attention earlier in AI infrastructure planning. As connection speeds move from 400G to 800G and toward 1.6T, optical connectivity becomes an increasingly important part of infrastructure performance, operating requirements, and deployment schedules.
Your optics decisions affect how you build and scale your AI environment, so you need a supplier that can help you evaluate options in the context of your broader infrastructure requirements. After all, a multimillion-dollar AI investment is only as effective as the network connecting it.
Optics Considerations in a Growing AI Environment
Higher-speed optics need to deliver required bandwidth, of course, but you also need to be able to deploy and support them across an expanding AI environment. This means they must:
- Be compatible with your network equipment
- Operate reliably within your power and cooling constraints
- Be available in time for your deployment schedule
These requirements need to be considered together, especially as the number of optical connections grows. For example, an available product must still meet your compatibility and performance requirements.
Compatibility Comes First
First, an optic needs to work with the specific switch or platform you use. This makes qualification and testing important parts of the selection process. Confirm that the product has been tested for compatibility with your equipment instead of relying on its listed speed alone. Ask the supplier how it tests for compliance, performance, and compatibility, and what support is provided for your platform.
Consider How and Where Optics Will Operate
Consider the operating environment. Optical transceivers consume power and generate heat, so their requirements need to be evaluated alongside the equipment and cooling around them. For an AI deployment, plan optics alongside the equipment they will connect. Reliability matters, too. Before selecting a product, understand how the supplier tests it and what support it provides if a connection becomes unstable.
Plan for Quantities and Timing
Finally, availability is another important consideration, especially as organizations race to build AI infrastructure.. Meeting the technical specifications isn’t enough if delivery delays prevent you from connecting equipment on schedule.
Availability also needs to match the scale of your deployment. A supplier may have the optics you need, but can it deliver the full quantity on your schedule? Discuss quantities and timing early so you can evaluate alternatives before a shortage disrupts your plans.
Factor in the Cost of Performance Problems
These factors also affect how you evaluate optics cost. The purchase price tells you what you’ll spend to acquire an optic, but it doesn’t account for the expense of resolving a performance problem after deployment.
If an optical link becomes unstable, your team may need to identify the cause, troubleshoot the issue, and restore performance. During that work, the GPUs relying on that link may not be able to exchange data efficiently, leaving some of the computing capacity you paid for underused.
In other words, the economics of optics extend beyond the transceiver itself to the infrastructure it connects. The objective is to manage connectivity costs while protecting the performance of a much larger investment in compute.
Availability Is Sparking New Conversations
The pressure to build AI infrastructure is making deployment timelines especially important right now. In my conversations with network teams, availability is taking priority in ways I haven’t seen before. Some buyers are asking what we can supply before discussing price; they’re trying to secure products rather than risk a long lead time that could delay their plans. They often begin with a direct request: “Tell me what you have available today.” Buyers want to secure products before a long lead time puts their deployment schedule at risk.
This urgency is also prompting some customers to reconsider their usual sources. Buyers accustomed to purchasing the equipment manufacturer’s branded transceivers are becoming more willing to explore OEM-compatible alternatives when their existing supplier can’t meet demand. These alternatives come from other suppliers and are designed to work with specified equipment platforms.
In these situations, it’s important to note that the application requirements don’t change, even if your sourcing options do. An available alternative still needs to meet the compatibility, performance, and operating requirements you’ve established.
You need a supplier that can support both sides of the decision: the right product for your application and a delivery schedule that works for your deployment. As your AI infrastructure grows, that discussion also needs to account for what comes next—the connectivity requirements of future AI phases.
Connecting Optics Decisions to Broader Deployments
If you’re evaluating alternatives to the optics you currently buy for an AI deployment, you don’t need to start from scratch. Send us the manufacturer and part number of an optic you’re already using, along with the equipment it connects and what you need for your next deployment.
That gives our specialists a starting point to review your requirements and identify suitable options for you to consider. The conversation might focus on finding a compatible equivalent, addressing a delivery constraint, or comparing costs.
For some network teams, finding a suitable replacement optic is all the help they need. For others, the optic is one part of a larger deployment. Understanding your deployment helps us determine whether you also need support with fiber infrastructure, cable management, racks, power, and/or cooling.
This broader perspective matters when you’re adding AI infrastructure. An AI deployment needs enough optical ports to connect the equipment, as well as fiber infrastructure to support those connections, cable management to organize them, and racks, power, and cooling suited to the equipment being installed.
As a global accounts executive, I help connect network teams with relevant specialists across Legrand, bringing together our optics expertise with expertise across the surrounding data center infrastructure. That way, you have access to teams that can help with design, specifications, and product integration.
You don’t have to identify all those resources before contacting us. Tell us about the specific problem you’re trying to solve, and we can bring the appropriate specialists into the conversation. Whether you need a replacement for a single optic or support for a larger AI deployment, we can help evaluate your options for compatibility, availability, performance, and cost so you can meet your deployment goals without compromising on your network’s requirements.
