Network device with optical communication interface

A network device comprising:

• a chassis comprising a plurality of sockets;
• one or more lasers configured to produce an optical signal;
• at least one integrated silicon optical components unit configured to receive the optical signal from the one or more lasers;
• and
• one or more optical connectors configured proximate to one or more of the plurality of sockets, wherein the optical connectors are coupled to the at least one integrated silicon optical components unit and are configured to couple to at least one pluggable semiconductor optical amplifier to receive the optical signal from the at least one integrated silicon optical components unit and produce an amplified optical signal to an optical fiber coupled to an output of the at least one semiconductor optical amplifier.

A method of sending data across a network comprising:

• generating an optical signal in one or more lasers;
• coupling the optical signal to at least one integrated silicon optical components unit;
• and
• coupling the optical signal from the at least one integrated silicon optical components unit to at least one optical connector configured proximate to at least one socket of a network device chassis,
• wherein the at least one optical connector is configured to couple to a pluggable semiconductor optical amplifier to receive the optical signal from the at least one integrated silicon optical components unit through the optical connector and produce an amplified optical signal to an optical fiber coupled to an output of the at least one semiconductor optical amplifier.