Agilent announces fiber-optic transceivers for 4-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel

20 January 2004 Palo Alto, CA Lightwave--Agilent Technologies today announced fiber-optic transceivers targeted at 4-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel applications. The small-form factor (SFF) and small-form factor pluggable (SFP) devices support next-generation storage networks based on the emerging 4-Gbit/sec standard, which is expected to be the next performance level for Fibre Channel storage networks.

Agilent is a provider of 2-Gbit/sec transceivers for Fibre Channel networks. The 4-Gbit/sec devices include internally developed ICs and vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. This vertical integration gives customers enhanced performance and assurance of both supply and quality. For example, Agilent's electrical bandwidth switchable IC enables the new transceivers to support the 4-, 2-, and 1-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel auto-negotiation algorithm.

Agilent is developing a broad suite of products to enable the emerging 4-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel market, including Tachyon Fibre Channel controller and loop switch ICs, as well as protocol and physical layer test equipment. Agilent expects to announce all the new products within the first half of 2004.

Availability
Agilent is offering both SFF (AFBR-59R5L) and SFP (AFBR-57R5P) devices for multimode fiber. The company is also developing SFP singlemode devices for 10-, 35- and 70-km link distances. Agilent is sampling the new transceivers now. Full availability is expected in mid-2004. Pricing for the devices will be set when they are fully introduced.