INTEROPERABILITY
“
legacy implementations into tomorrow’s high- speed switches and ecosystems comes down to preserving Ethernet’s capacity for multivendor interoperability.’ Encompassing the latest high-speed Ethernet
technologies, the Ethernet Alliance’s live ECOC multivendor demo includes a broad array of products and solutions, including routers, switches, active optical cables (AOCs) and direct atach cables (DACs), interconnects, and more. With components ranging from 25GbE to 400GbE at lengths of up to 4m in OSFP, QSFP28, and QSFP-DD form factors, the organisation’s display showcases Ethernet’s rapid advancement and expansion. Reflecting growing momentum in test
and measurement, the demo also includes contributions from leading organisations dedicated to accelerating time-to-market by ensuring compliance with Ethernet specifications. Te interoperability demonstration included
equipment provided by some of the big names in Ethernet technology developers and
vendors, including Amphenol; Arista Networks; Cisco Systems; CommScope; EXFO; TE Connectivity; Tektronix; Teledyne LeCroy and Xena Networks.
Need for speed As well as larger industry events such as ECOC, the alliance also holds its own member events to conduct interoperability. Te members-only Higher-Speed Networking Plugfest events have atracted growing atention from diverse stakeholders throughout the Ethernet ecosystem. Plugfests provide an ongoing development
environment for conducting confidential, non- competitive interoperability testing against published and draſt IEEE 802 Ethernet standards alike. Incorporating a wide variety of high-speed products and solutions, testing regularly includes network interface cards (NICs); switches; field- programmable gate arrays; protocol analysers; interconnects, such as optical transceivers, and passive and active optical and copper cabling; and PHY test equipment. In a secure, vendor- neutral seting such as this, Ethernet device manufacturers and solutions providers can more easily debug and optimise interoperability for pre-release products. Te events have proved successful, with the
third in the series including equipment that ranged from 25Gb/s to 400Gb/s supplied by 13 companies from all aspects of the Ethernet ecosystem. With pass rates of more than 97 per cent, the
plugfest highlighted the key role multivendor interoperability plays in Ethernet’s continued success. Addressing the need for enabling emerging
OIF members are developing an implementation agreement for 400G ZR and short-reach DWDM multi-vendor interoperability
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technologies, products and solutions spanning speeds of 25GbE up to 400GbE were tested in various form factors such as OSFP, QSFP and QSFP-DD. Equipment undergoing testing included
both electrical and optical interconnects; new signalling and modulation technologies; switches
Getting traffic to travel seamlessly from legacy implementations to tomorrow’s high- speed switches and ecosystems means preserving Ethernet’s capacity for multivendor interoperability”
and NICs; cabling; and test and measurement solutions and methodologies. Te results showed consistent improvement over the previous two events, with Frame Error Rate tests producing a 100 per cent pass rate, and functional interoperability tests achieving an aggregated 97.5 per cent pass rate.
Testing times Dave Chalupsky, board member and plugfest chair at Ethernet Alliance, said: ‘Tis Ethernet Alliance plugfest was a valuable opportunity for testing of both pre-release and market-ready products and solutions against IEEE standards in a confidential, non-competitive environment. ‘Te substantial turnout among member
companies and high volume of successful tests speaks to Ethernet’s enduring legacy of continuous improvement. Ethernet’s hallmark multi-vendor interoperability makes it ideal for addressing global demand for higher-speed connectivity. Test events like this are the key to unleashing that interoperability.’ Te plugfest events are becoming more
popular, a testament to the commitment from industry towards multi-vendor interoperability. Te fourth and latest event experienced a rise
in atendees from new companies, as McSorley explained: ‘Te rising number of new companies participating in our HSN Plugfest series illustrates just how far these rapidly maturing Ethernet technologies are spreading. ‘Te drive to deliver more products to market
faster is fuelling a surge in participation from companies. Plugfests are a cost-effective avenue for companies to securely test against an array of costly equipment – particularly pre-release products – that they may not have otherwise had access to. ‘It is a perfect representation of how the
Ethernet Alliance is working to foster seamless, end-to-end interoperability across the Ethernet landscape, while delivering added value for our members.’n
Fibre Yearbook 2020
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