Tektronix, Inc. (NYSE: TEK), a provider of optical test and measurement tools for communications equipment manufacturers, announced a new multi-rate production test solution for its successful optical test platform.
Current complex optical network elements use multiple channels and employ multiple transmission rates, challenging optical equipment manufacturers to test components to a variety of standards without compromising quality. Now, using the OTS9300 module, manufacturers can complete testing of various optical standards -- from all existing SONET/SDH DWDM standards to the edge rates of OC-192 at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) simultaneously -- while retaining product quality and reducing test time and costs. In addition, the OTS9300 module also uses an innovative technology that allows users to test network components in a real-world environment.
One important role of an optical test system is to apply errors to the device under test (DUT) to see how the DUT reacts under stress. Historically, errors have been generated in a linear fashion, more or less evenly distributed through the data stream. The OTS9300 supports this approach and offers an innovative Poisson error generation scheme. Instead of appearing at steady, predictable intervals, the errors follow the Poisson mathematical distribution. The result is an effectively random error pattern that more closely resembles the erratic events in a real-world telecommunication signal.
Poisson error distribution has no degrading effect on test time, but it is more stressful to the DUT. Tests conducted with the OTS9300 using Poisson distribution are considered a better index of the DUT's eventual performance under unpredictable real-world conditions. The OTS9300 also offers conventional linear error generation.
The OTS9300 module, consisting of one transmitter card and one receiver card, adds three new data rates (2.5 Gb/s, 622 Mb/s, and 155 Mb/s) to the platform's 10 Gb/s capability. The new module, combined with the existing 10 Gb/s test module, equips the OTS product family to address the testing needs of SONET/SDH DWDM transmission systems at all optical line rates -- from 10 Gb/s to 155 Mb/s. In addition, the OTS9300 module addresses the unframed rates of 1.24 Gb/s and 2.66 Gb/s for Gigabit Ethernet and Forward Error Correction bit error rate testing. The modules can be configured in any practical combination. As a result, an OTS chassis can be equipped for simultaneous multi-channel, multi-rate testing. Moreover, each module is controlled independently of the others, allowing multiple users to apply the system's test resources concurrently.
The OTS product family is a fully modular optical test platform aimed at SONET/SDH DWDM testing. The OTS product family consists of chassis, (The OTS9000 -- a 14-slot mainframe; The OTS9010I-- an eight-slot bench-top chassis; and the recently introduced OTS9030 -- a five-slot portable chassis) modules (such as the OTS9300), and software. Because the product family uses the same modules and software across all chassis types, OTS systems can be configured for engineering, manufacturing, and portable field use. The same user interface applies across all these applications, a particular benefit for manufacturing test engineers, who can re-use engineering test code rather than developing a whole new set of test programs for their production testers.
About Tektronix:
Tektronix, Inc. is a test, measurement and monitoring company providing measurement solutions to telecommunications, computer and semiconductor industries. For more information, visit www.tektronix.com.