Multiservice Test Solution in One Supertech Platform
The combination of digital media, personal computing and global networking is creating a radical shift in the telecom industry. The key trend is towards IP-fixed/mobile network convergence for the delivery of voice, video and data applications with IP (and Ethernet) as a common universal platform fueled by the exponential growth of video, gaming, collaboration and cloud-computer applications. This trend significantly stresses the transport backbones, which have been built on 10G wavelengths, and is driving the need for upgrades to 40G and 100G.
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Today’s High Speed Networks Roll-up Challenge
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As the deployment of 100G links continues to gather steam, the demand for increased bandwidth is at an all-time high and network operators must face significant challenges. Some of these challenges have been well-documented in the past and are now understood by most. However, there is one aspect of 100G technology that is too often overlooked when discussing link deployment: the CFP optical interface.
The optical interface is based on parallel optics transmission through which a number of wavelengths (usually 4 or 10) is combined on the same fiber pair to form the 100G rate. This functionality is handled by the CFP optics at both ends of the link. This is very different from 10G transmission, which uses serial transmission with a single wavelength to carry the full line rate. At the moment, the technology behind the pluggable XFP optics used for 10G interfaces is very mature and stable, resulting in a product that is extremely reliable and quite inexpensive. By contrast, 100G CFP technology, which is much more complex than 10G XFP, is still in its early stages and does not yet produce consistently reliable optical interfaces. In order to ensure the proper deployment and optimal performance of 100G links, it is imperative that carriers use the right tool to test the stability and reliability of every CFP being used.
CFP Internal Structure
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EXFO Solution : EXFO FTB-88100NGE 10M-to-100G Multiservice Tester
EXFO FTB-2 Pro with FTB-88100NGE Module
The FTB-88100NGE Power Blazer introduces new OPEX and CAPEX saving factors, as its FLEX configuration capitalizes on EXFO’s flexible platform architecture to enable any testing capability from 10M to 100G—anywhere, anytime with a simple point-and-click to enable software options. This flexibility guarantees a cost-effective, future-proof offering and ensures immediate access to testing capabilities and faster service provisioning, while avoiding unnecessary costs related to shipping back test equipment.
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- CFP/CFP2 Validation
In contrast to pluggable XFP optics used in lower speed networks, service providers face complex challenges in 100G networks that span from optics all the way to the protocol layer. Since this technology is still in its early stages, the CFP optical interface is often overlooked. The optical interface is based on parallel optics transmission and in order to ensure the proper deployment and optimal performance of 100G links, it is imperative that carriers use the right tool to test the stability and reliability of every CFP used. The FTB-88100NGE now includes a CFP health check, which can be used to validate the entire network, making it mission critical to 100G link deployment.
- Network Validation
Although 100G networks are more complex, the required tests are fairly similar to those performed at lower Ethernet rates, such as 1 GigE and 10 GigE. EXFO’s FTB-88100NGE, which offers advanced Ethernet and OTN testing from 10M all the way to 100G, provides network engineers with a quick and accurate way to pinpoint issues in the fi eld and speed up the troubleshooting process for quick service recovery.
( For more information about FTB-88100NGE, click here )