40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s Testing

Ixia - THOUGHT and ACTION Leader in Higher Speed Ethernet

Internet traffic has grown exponentially as greater numbers of users employ more and more complex types of traffic. The need for bandwidth that handles applications such as IPTV, video, peer-to-peer sharing, and wireless backhaul is becoming readily apparent. Aggregating 10 Gb/s links to handle increased bandwidth not only complicates data center topologies, but is also costly and labor-intensive. It's essential that single, higher-speed links be available in the data center and throughout the Internet. The exponential increase in network traffic requires a leap from 10 Gb/s aggregations to higher-speed Ethernet connections. The next step in data center evolution is 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s speed network devices.

Ixia's K2 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s modules are the first-to-market test solution for network equipment manufacturers developing 40/100 Gb/s devices, providing full IP layer 2-7 measurement and analysis. Test requirements for 40/100 Gb/s compliant devices range from generating and analyzing the simplest layer 2 data plane traffic all the way up to sophisticated stateful network communication testing, including IPTV, VoIP, video on demand, HDTV, Internet gaming, and multimedia streaming services.

Unframed BERT is supported on 40 Gb/s, 100 Gb/s, and dual speed load modules. This allows individual PCS lane BERT test and error injection over a wide range of PRBS patterns including support for PMD's in IEEE802.3ba draft standard. A full set of BERT-related and Bit Error Ratio (BER) statistics are available.

K2 modules can generate and analyze full 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s layer 2-7 line rate traffic, up to 1 million flows per port. Module testing includes such metrics as:

• Real-time latency
• Inter-arrival time
• Packet loss
• Data integrity
• Sequence checking
• Packet capture

K2 modules can measure and analyze the performance of HSE standard-compliant devices at line rate, and are compatible with Ixia's chassis and broad range of 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1 Gb/s, and 10 Gb/s interfaces, allowing real-world, full product testing in a single box.

Ixia has been an active participant in the IEEE P802.3ba standardization effort staring in 2006 with the IEEE Higher Speed Study Group, which validated the needs for the next generation of Ethernet traffic. Ixia facilitated in developing the new standards, including prototyping the proposed methods for the new 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s physical coding sublayer (PCS). PCS lanes are a key enabler that allows today's component, fiber optic, and computer processor technologies to be used at high 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s rates. Ixia assisted in developing PCS lanes, a key component of the PCS solution.

As the IEEE P802.3ba standard moves toward finalization in 2010, Ixia's FPGA-based design strategy provides the flexibility that allows it to keep pace with the developing standard. This allows NEMs and other developers test to their standard-compliant products accurately and get to market faster.

"Ixia is a highly valued source of test tools for all Juniper divisions," said Opher Kahane, senior vice president and general manager, High-End Systems Business Unit, Juniper Networks. “Moving beyond our traditional use of their industry-leading 1 and 10 GE interface solutions, Ixia's innovative K2 100 GE solution has become instrumental in helping us move into 100 Gigabit Ethernet ahead of our competition."

Ixia's new 40/100 Gb/s testing load modules are engineered to meet the testing needs of product teams developing 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s network devices. Ixia's testing solution provides both HSE speeds:

HSE40/100GETSP1 – 40/100 Gb/s PCS lane compatible test port running at either 40 Gb/s or 100 Gb/s.

HSE40GETSP1-01 – 40 Gb/s PCS lane compatible test port running at 40 Gb/s.

HSE100GETSP1-01 – 100 Gb/s PCS lane compatible test port running at 100 Gb/s.