Agilent ships 4-Gbit/sec transceivers for storage networking applications
January 19, 2005, Tokyo -- Agilent Technologies Inc. today announced it is shipping multimode fiber-optic transceivers targeted at 4-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel applications such as Fibre Channel switches, disk arrays, and host bus adapters. The small-form factor (SFF) and small-form factor pluggable (SFP) devices support next-generation storage networks based on the new 4-Gbit/sec standard. The fiber-optic transceivers are on display this week at the Fiber Optics Expo in Tokyo in Agilent's booth #53-38.
According to company representatives, is a leading provider of 2-Gbit/sec transceivers for Fibre Channel networks. The higher-speed 4-Gbit/sec SFF and SFP devices incorporate Agilent's internally developed ICs and vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology. They round out Agilent's storage network product portfolio at 4 Gbits/sec, covering fiber optics, system testers, protocol ICs, and software.
"With volume shipments of our 4-Gbit/sec optical transceivers under way, Agilent is facilitating the market's transition from 2-Gbit/sec to 4-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel," reports Tom Fawcett, director of marketing for the Fiber Optic Products Division in Agilent's Semiconductor Products Group. "These new multimode fiber-optic transceivers offer outstanding performance and are supported by Agilent's well-known quality and assurance of high-volume supply."
Both the Agilent AFBR-59R5AL in the 2 x 7 SFF package and AFBR-57R5AP in the SFP package are compliant with ANSI (American National Standards Institute) FC-PI and FC-PI-2 physical layer standards and support Fibre Channel applications at 1-, 2- and 4-Gbit/sec data rates. Their SFF and improved electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance enable high-density configurations. Both feature integrated diagnostic monitoring interface (DMI) capabilities per the SFF-8472 multi-source agreement (MSA), which allows users to monitor link quality during operation using the standard I2C interface. DMI provides users with diagnostic information on optical power, bias current, temperature, and supply voltage.
The AFBR-57R5AP SFP transceiver features an extended operating temperature range of -10 ° C to +85 ° C, which allows customers to use the transceiver in extended temperature environments and high-density applications without the need for additional environmental control technology.
Both the Agilent multimode AFBR-59R5AL in the SFF package and AFBR-57R5AP in the SFP package are available now in production quantities through Agilent's direct sales channel and its worldwide distribution partners.
Agilent expects to offer production quantities of singlemode 4-Gbit/sec SFF and SFP fiber-optic transceivers later in 2005.