Xena Networks joins consortium developing technology for 100GbE networks and test systems

OCTOBER 8, 2009 -- Xena Networks ApS, a developer of Ethernet test equipment, has joined with TPACK and the Technical University of Denmark's Department of Photonics Engineering (Fotonik) on a 14.6 million (Danish Kroner) project sponsored by the Advanced Technology Foundation of Denmark (Hoejteknologifonden). The project consortium aims to develop packet processing, traffic management, and low-cost test systems for 40- and 100-Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) networks.

Xena has also announced that the company is currently accepting enquiries from equipment manufacturers and network service providers who are interested in becoming Xena 100GbE Alpha Partners. Alpha program partners receive early product releases and provide input on technical requirements and features for Xena's upcoming line of low-cost 40GbE/100GbE testers. Enquiries should be directed to [email protected].

"With industry analysts projecting a $4 billion market for 40GbE/100GbE equipment and services by 2016, we expect to see frequent announcements of 100GbE trials beginning in 2010," says Jacob V. Nielsen, chief executive officer of Xena Networks. "From a timing perspective, we think Xena is at the right place at the right time to be developing our low-cost, line-rate 40GbE/100GbE test platform," continues Nielsen.

"We have seen data traffic on the Internet rise by over 50% per year in recent years," says Colin Macnab, chief executive officer of TPACK. "We therefore anticipate strong demand for silicon solutions that can handle significantly larger volumes of data traffic than that carried by today's Internet."

"Denmark has surprisingly strong competence in the development of advanced data communications solutions," adds Michael Berger, associate professor, DTU Photonics. "The 100GbE project ensures that we can continue to be counted among the world's leading centers for technological and entrepreneurial innovation that is helping to define the future direction of the Internet."

Xena, TPACK, and DTU Photonics are working together to produce component technology, hardware designs, and software systems to be used in a range of switching/routing platforms supporting 100-Gbps transmission rates. "The strong collaboration between university and industry allows us to apply latest research to industrial products in a short timeframe, and exploiting those synergies gives the consortium a strong standpoint in the 100GbE field," says Sarah Ruepp, assistant professor at DTU Photonics and leader of the 100GbE project. The consortium expects to begin making product announcements in the mid-2010 timeframe.

The 40GbE/100GbE modules for the XenaCompact and XenaBay platforms are expected to become available in the mid-2010 timeframe.


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