VIAVI announces new high-speed Ethernet testing platform at OFC 2023

Ethernet is driving bandwidth and scale at an ever-accelerating rate. Ethernet technology is also picking up key aspects of classic DWDM in areas like Data Centre Interconnection (DCI) and ultra-long range such as ZR. This drives a new level of test requirements addressing the scale and bandwidth of Ethernet coupled with service provisioning and DWDM capability. Network architects and developers, more than ever, need sophisticated instrumentation to test at higher speed Ethernet services for greater flexibility and performance.

VIAVI expands its presence in the Ethernet testing space with a new High-Speed Ethernet (HSE) Platform, a multiport solution that complements the physical layer testing capabilities of the VIAVI ONT-800 Platform. The HSE provides IC, module and network systems companies with high-speed devices for testing up to 128x800G. It offers physical layer test features with advanced traffic generation and analysis to troubleshoot and test the functionality and performance of integrated circuits and pluggable interfaces along with switching and routing devices and networks.

VIAVI will also demonstrate the recently released 800G Ethernet Technology Consortium (ETC) capability of its ONT 800G FLEX XPM Module, supporting the testing needs of hyper scalers, data centres, and related applications. In addition to supporting the 800G ETC implementation, it also offers extensive Forward Error Correction (FEC) stress and validation tools critical to ASIC, FPGA and IP implementations. The VIAVI ONT 800G XPM also offers tools to validate potential draft IEEE 802.3df proposals.

“As the leader in optical network testing up to 1.6T, VIAVI continues to invest in helping its customers simplify the challenges and complications involved with testing at high Ethernet speeds,” said Tom Fawcett, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Lab & Production, VIAVI. “Our ONT-800 platform now supports 800G ETC, providing a logical addition to our solid physical layer testing foundation as we move up the Ethernet stack to the new HSE solution.”

A new line of VIAVI Loopback Adapters will also be introduced at OFC. VIAVI QSFP-DD800 Loopback Adapters enable network equipment vendors, IC designers, service providers, ICPs, contract manufacturers and FAE teams to develop, validate and produce Ethernet switches, routers and processors that use high-speed pluggable optics. These adapters provide a cost-effective and scalable solution for loopback and load ports up to 800Gbps compared with using expensive and sensitive pluggable optics. These adapters also support thermal simulation to validate the cooling function of the device architecture.

OFC 2023 attendees can see these new solutions in VIAVI Booth 2915. VIAVI will also participate in the Ethernet Alliance interop demo in Booth 5417.