Moving to 800G and 1.6T while staying ready for what’s next

The network communications sector is undergoing another significant transition as we move to 800G and 1.6T. This development is driving a full-on effort to create and validate a new generation of high-speed devices. In this fast-paced and intricate setting, the Ethernet-ecosystem community requires dependable test tools. These tools are essential for designing, manufacturing, and qualifying evolving 800G and 1.6T technology, while also preparing for future advancements, such as 3.2T.

The need for complete electrical-to-optical testing

Electrical and optical components form a symbiotic relationship as they depend on each other to function effectively within the greater network. Today, electro-optical interdependencies driving the signaling of 800GE and emerging 1.6T traffic have never been more closely aligned. But before live network traffic is introduced into the mix, the building blocks of these systems must perform optimally. From the chip level in the lab, right through to the manufacturing floor and onto live equipment in the field, electrical and optical components must be fully tested to ensure reliability and dependability.

Electrical and physical layer validation: electrical BERT, component testing, calibration, temperature and voltage corner tests, timing measurements

Optical validation: transceiver validation, traffic generation, BER tests, evaluation of transceiver software and control interfaces, network element performance

Take 1.6T from design to market

The drive for 1.6T networks, fueled by AI and machine learning, is transforming optical networking through advancements in transceiver technology, disaggregated networks, and more. These innovations tackle scalability, efficiency, and cost challenges while enabling critical next-gen high-speed connectivity. However, successfully taking 1.6T from design to market demands rigorous testing to ensure seamless integration, reliability, and compatibility with existing infrastructure.

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Test 800G and 1.6T from lab-to-fab, fab-to-live

Our strong portfolio of test solutions helps tackle the challenges of ensuring end-to-end interconnect compliance and data integrity. EXFO’s comprehensive, modular solutions span from lab-to-fab, through to live applications, covering design and research, validation, manufacturing, mass production, and field applications.

Network element development and validation

Designers and researchers must thoroughly test and validate new network elements under development—at both the physical and protocol layers, and at full capacity. With all these technologies at play it’s challenging to ensure all features and functions are properly validated.

How EXFO helps:

FTBx-88810 Series: Equips users with flexible, future-ready testing, and supports all rates from 1G to 800G while also fully covering the coherent ecosystem, from 100ZR to 800ZR, along with protocol validation for OTN, Fibre Channel and more.

Transceiver development and validation

Developers go through many iterations of testing mechanical, electrical and software to ensure each aspect of a newly designed transceiver functions properly (as expected). New samples need to be validated to ensure designs work correctly.

How EXFO helps:

BA-4000-L2: Provides L2 Ethernet framed and unframed electrical BERT testing including transceiver validation using EXFO’s Module Compliance Board (MCB) or other evaluation board, component testing, calibration, temperature and voltage corners tests, as well as timing measurements.

BA-1600 - 1.6T Bit Analyzer: Provides full lifecycle coverage from lab to fab, delivering both speed and simplicity through API-controlled automation. It supports 8-channel PAM4 coding with data rates of 106.25, 53.125, and 26.5625 GBd per lane.

In addition, EXFO also provides the building blocks for an end-to-end system including optical spectral analysis (OSA), variable optical attenuators (VOA), optical switches and power meters.

Transceiver manufacturing: quality assurance and production

Manufacturers must qualify and characterize actual bit error ratio and forward error correction (FEC) for silicon devices and validate an entire transceiver using switch attenuators.

How EXFO helps:

BA-4000: 800G bit analyzer with 8x 56GBd BERT built-in FEC simulator, and FEC hardware generator and checker, also supports 400G testing. Used in conjunction with EXFO’s Module Compliance Board (MCB) or third-party module compliance boards.

BA-4000-L2: Combined L1 BER tester and L2 traffic analyzer for 800G DR4/FR4/LR4, including the industry’s most reliable test solution for LPO transceivers

Accelerate electro-optical validation of 800G

EXFO delivers complete electrical-to-optical testing (including Ethernet) for high-speed systems (400G, 800G, and 1.6T)—testing solutions that go from lab-to-fab, fab-to-live. Our BA-4000 Series of test solutions provides advanced electrical-testing functionalities, and the FTBx-88810 Series provides full-rate coverage from 1G to 800G—supporting Ethernet, OTN, Fibre Channel and the full suite of coherent optics (800ZR-ready).

FTBx-88810 Series BA-4000-L2

Ensuring interoperability and compliance with the latest standards

As with any upgrade or migration to new technology, test-solution vendors and other members of the Ethernet-ecosystem community work closely together, creating standards to ensure interoperability. Real-world interoperability testing provides an additional level of certainty that 800G and 1.6T solutions will work properly, and as expected—first as these solutions move from alpha to beta, then eventually to deployment throughout networks worldwide. EXFO’s membership and contributions within various industry associations and active participation in plug fests and proof-of-concept demonstrations ensure our test solutions are at the forefront of new technology.

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Learn more!

Check out these videos and webinars to learn more about EXFO’s test solutions for electrical and optical validation of 800G.

Video: first portable 800ZR tester!

EXFO’s Anabel Alarcon talks about the rise of 800G technologies and introduces the industry’s first portable 800ZR test solution, available on EXFO’s FTBx-88800 Series of 800G testers.

Watch the video

Webinar: pushing boundaries, 800G and the future of coherent optics

Early adopters of higher Ethernet rates (e.g., 800G) and next-gen coherent optic technologies (800ZR/ZR+/LR) face new challenges. They require innovative tools and techniques to implement these new specifications effectively. In this webinar, industry experts from EXFO and Lumentum present a comprehensive overview of these emerging technologies and strategies on how to overcome the associated challenges.

Watch the webinar