Agilent Technologies introduces 10-Gigabit Ethernet WAN testing solution, partners with AMCC to offer OC-48 reference design
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) introduced what the company claims to be the industry's first line interface to support 10 Gigabit/s Ethernet (10 GbE) WAN serial testing, and the first dual interface, enabling testing of both OC-192c POS and 10 GbE equipment and services on the same hardware module. Agilent plans to deliver its 10 GbE Local Area Network (LAN) serial interface module later this year, providing a complete, integrated single-vendor 10GbE test solution. The new interfaces will allow network equipment manufacturers and service providers to accelerate the development of 10 GbE routers, switches, networks and services, while lowering related testing costs.
An emerging high-speed transmission technology, 10 GbE is based on the widely deployed Ethernet networking standard. The Ethernet networking standard offers the advantage of providing complete end-to-end connectivity, while minimizing the need for multiple conversions between different data transport standards and protocols.
The Agilent test module is compliant to the current IEEE 802.3ae 10GBASE-LW (or -EW) draft standard. It allows manufacturers to speed delivery of 10 GbE equipment that meets customer performance and reliability standards, while service providers and network operators can utilize the test solution to evaluate and select 10 GbE equipment for network use.
Users of the Agilent test module can configure the interface for either OC-192c POS or 10 GbE WAN serial testing, eliminating the need to purchase additional hardware or software. Customers currently using Agilent OC-192 modules will be able to add 10 GbE WAN serial testing at no charge by simply downloading new firmware.
Agilent's 10 GbE Internet Protocol (IP) routing test solutions provide multi-port functional and performance testing under a wide variety of real-world conditions. Designed for use with Agilent's IP router test platforms, the new 10 GbE WAN solution provides both Layer 2 and 3 testing capabilities, including traffic generation and real-time Ethernet and IP statistical measurement and analysis.
Agilent's IP testing solutions provide multi-port, multi-protocol (BGP-4, MPLS, OSPF and IS-IS) functional, performance and conformance testing at rates from 155 Mb/s to 10 Gb/s. Additional 10 GbE product information, including a Web-based product demonstration, can be found at www.agilent.com/comms/IPTest.
Agilent expects to begin shipping the 10 GbE WAN serial /OC-192c POS modules in the current quarter. Customers currently using Agilent OC-192 modules will be able to add 10 GbE WAN serial testing at no charge, by simply downloading new firmware.
In other Agilent news, the company has partnered with Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (AMCC) (NASDAQ:AMCC), a provider of high-bandwidth silicon connectivity for optical networks, to offer an OC-48 reference design demonstrating the interoperability of AMCC's S3055 16-bit transceiver with clock and data recovery (CDR) with Agilent's small form factor (SFF) fiber-optic transceivers for SONET/SDH short reach (SR) and intermediate reach (IR) links.
Developed to facilitate the design implementation of AMCC's and Agilent's highly configurable solutions, the reference design provides key parameter measurements and circuit schematics that allow users to simulate a connection to the optics module, or via SMA connectors, to the high-speed serial ports of AMCC's S3055 CMOS device. In addition, the design enables interoperability testing and characterizes equipment for jitter and waveform evaluations.
The HFCT-5942L SR and HFCT-5942TL IR SFF transceivers are SONET/SDH compliant and offer high performance, cost effective modules for OC-48 serial optical communication applications. These transceivers feature an industry standard 2 X 10 DIL-style package with LC fiber connector interfaces. The transceivers perform all light-to-logic and logic-to-light functions and provide network designers with high-density solutions for both short and intermediate range applications.
Manufactured in .18-micron CMOS technology, the S3055 exceeds Bellcore and ITU-TA specifications with jitter generation of 5mUI Erms, providing outstanding design margin for SONET applications. AMCC's S3055 SONET/SDH/ATM transceiver chip with CDR is a fully integrated SerDes SONET STS-48/OC-48 interface device packaged in a 324-pin PBGA. The device performs all necessary serial-to-parallel and parallel-to-serial functions in conformance with SONET/SDH transmission standards and supports interface to LVPECL and LVTTL logic.
The OC-48 reference design is currently available from AMCC at www.amcc.com/pdfs/S3055_Agilent_Ref_design.pdf or Agilent at www.agilent.com/view/sff. AMCC's S3055 and Agilent's OC-48 transceivers are currently in volume production.
About Agilent Technologies:
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global technology provider in communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. For more information, visit www.agilent.com.
About AMCC
AMCC designs, develops, manufactures and markets high-performance, high-bandwidth silicon solutions for optical networks. For more information, visit www.amcc.com.