infoTECH Feature

January 12, 2010

EXFO and Opnext Successfully Test IEEE-Compliant 100 Gigabit Ethernet Optics

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering has reportedly completed interoperability trials for testing IEEE (News - Alert)-compliant 100 gigabit Ethernet optics jointly with Opnext. The trials included generating 100 gigabit Ethernet IP traffic at 100 percent wire speed with pseudo-random bit sequence (PRBS) patterns and they used the EXFO (News - Alert) FTB-85100G Packet Blazer (40G/100G) and the Opnext 100GBASE-LR4 CFP Multi-Source Agreement (MSA)-compliant optical module, stated EXFO.

100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE or 1 GigE) is a term describing various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of 100 gigabits per second. This is defined by the defined by the IEEE 802.3-2008 standard.

EXFO recognizes the quick development and deployment of next-generation carrier and data-center 100G networks as an important element in implementing IEEE-compliant 100 gigabit Ethernet optics. To provide Opnext (News - Alert) and other transceiver manufacturers with a powerful way to optimize the interface between the host ICs on the tester and gearboxes inside the CFP, the EXFO FTB-85100G's signal conditioning feature includes pre-emphasis and receiver-equalization control-testing capabilities.

In a release, Etienne Gagnon (News - Alert), EXFO's vice president of product management and marketing, said “in this case, we were the first test and measurement manufacturer to release a portable 100G tester and the first and only one to support the signal conditioning testing capability. This allowed us to work closely with Opnext at this critical stage of their 100G CFP product development by providing a robust product.”

EXFO's Packet Blazer offers a full range of advanced 802.3ba compliance test functions apart from the signal conditioning feature. This supports the whole gamut of 40G/100G and OTU3/OTU4 OTN testing applications, as it is part of a growing set of 100G test solutions.

Recently, the company released the MCM Gigabit Ethernet Interface Series, a powerful test module. According to the company, the new test module has been designed to meet performance and capacity requirements of network equipment manufacturers and service providers who are developing and deploying voice-over-Internet protocol and IP multimedia subsystem networks. The new MCM Gigabit Ethernet Interface Series meets challenges of today’s networks.


Raju Shanbhag is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Raju’s articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Patrick Barnard
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