Validate 400GE, optimize traffic-Ixia's new test solution

Although data centers / enterprise networks are becoming faster and larger in capacity, there are still few places where 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GE) systems are installed. One reason for this is that the market for products for 400GE has just started, and users are worried about the connectivity between products, including transceivers. Meanwhile, there is an attempt that attracted attention at Interop Tokyo 2019 held last month. This is a 400GE demo held at the Keysight Technology booth. At the venue, 11 major transceiver / network equipment vendors in the 400GE market showed how 400GE-compatible products were interconnected and successfully connected. Companies such as Amphenol, Cambridge Industries Group (CIG), Cisco Systems, Finisar, Foxconn Optical Interconnect Technology (FOIT), Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT), InnoLight Technology, Molex and TE Connectivity also participated in the demonstration. Keysight's "Ares ONE-400GE" was used for the test. Regarding AresONE-400GE, Shuichi Matsumoto, General Manager of System Engineering Department, Keysight Technology Ixia Solution Sales Headquarters, explains, "It is a product that can inspect the communication status from the end of the network to the core of the network."

Overview of Ares ONE-400GE

The biggest feature is that one unit supports multiple standards. For example, an optical transceiver. In optical communication, an optical transceiver that mutually converts electrical and optical signals is indispensable. There are two major standards for optical transceivers, "QSFP-DD" and "OSFP", and Ares ONE-400GE supports both. Furthermore, the standards for optical transceivers are divided according to PMD (physical media dependence) and distance. At 400G, SR8 (100m), DR4 (500m), FR4 (2km), LR8 (10km), etc. Again, Ares ONE-400GE supports SR8 to LR8. In addition to optical transceivers, it also supports DAC (Direct Attached Cable). In recognition of these features, we won the Grand Prix in the "Best of Show Award" test category of Interop Tokyo 2019. Mr. Matsumoto said, "Since 11 companies were gathered and interconnected (in this demo), we needed products that support various standards. At this stage, there are many standards in the 400G market, and we will continue to be testers. I want to respond as a manufacturer. "

(From left) Mr. Norikazu Sakai, Senior System Engineer, System Engineering Department, Ixia Solution Sales Division, Keysight Technology, Mr. Shuichi Matsumoto, General Manager of the Department, and Mr. Yoshiyuki Kozaki, Marketing Manager of the Department.