Pluggable active optical module with managed connectivity support and simulated memory table

A system comprising:

• a host device having a first port with a first electrical connector;
• a pluggable active optical module connected to the first port of the host device, the pluggable active optical module including:
• a second electrical connector at a first end for communicating electrical signals, the second electrical connector connected to the first electrical connector of the host device;
• one or more optical adapters at a second end for communicating optical signals;
• a first storage device interface at the second end;
• a programmable processor coupled to the first storage device interface and to one or more first contacts of the second electrical connector;
• and
• a switch coupled between a second contact of the second electrical connector and ground, the switch coupled to the programmable processor such that the programmable processor can control the switch to selectively connect the second contact of the second electrical connector to ground, wherein the host device is configured to determine whether the pluggable active optical module is connected to the first port based on voltage state of a third contact on the first electrical connector contacting the second contact;
• a fiber optic cable having a first passive optical connector on a first end, the first passive optical connector having a first storage device and a second storage device interface associated therewith, wherein the first passive optical connector is connected to the one or more optical adapters of the pluggable active optical module and the second storage device interface contacts the first storage device interface;
• and
• an aggregation point communicatively coupled to the host device;
• wherein the programmable processor is configured to access the first storage device in the fiber optic cable through the first storage device interface and provide physical layer management (PLM) information obtained therefrom to the host device over the one or more first contacts;
• wherein the host device is configured to send a read message to the pluggable active optical module over the one or more first contacts to obtain AOM information therefrom;
• wherein the programmable processor of the pluggable active optical module is configured to include the PLM information obtained from the first storage device along with the AOM information in a return message over the one or more first contacts in response to the read message from the host device;
• wherein the host device is configured to provide the PLM information to the aggregation point.