Avago Technologies, Infinera, Ixia Demonstrate First 100 Gigabit Ethernet Traffic Generation and Interface at NXTcomm08

Business Wire, June 12, 2008

Significant Breakthroughs on Path to 100 GbE Products

LAS VEGAS -- Avago Technologies, Infinera (Nasdaq: INFN) and Ixia (Nasdaq: XXIA) are collaborating on live demonstrations that will send 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100 GbE) traffic over a long-haul network from Infinera's booth number SU5607 at NXTcomm08 in Las Vegas June 17-19th. The partners believe that the demonstrations of 100 GbE capability mark significant progress towards making 100 GbE products and services a commercial reality in the near future.

Ixia will demonstrate an initial implementation of 100 GbE line-rate traffic generation and analysis. The traffic will be handed off to a 100 GbE interface on the Infinera DTN DWDM transport system. The 100 GbE signal is then switched and transported by the DTN through a long-haul DWDM network to Los Angeles, where it will be looped back and then transported back to the Infinera booth in Las Vegas. Performance metrics will reported from the Ixia XM2 chassis.

The growth of converged voice, video and data network services and rapid advances in computer technology and network architecture are causing bandwidth bottlenecks convincing network operators and large Internet service providers to significantly boost data speeds: 100 GbE for aggregation and core networking applications, and 40 GbE for server and storage applications.

Ixia's proof-of-concept demonstration includes the first implementation of the Multi-Lane Distribution (MLD) protocol architecture, the new 100 GbE Physical Coding Sublayer (PCS) approved as the baseline proposal just last month by the IEEE 802.3ba task force. MLD bonds multiple physical lanes into a single, logical 100 GbE link. Currently, the highest line rate commonly available for Ethernet is 10 GbE. Ixia and Infinera have been working with the 802.3ba task force from its inception and are committed to supporting efforts to reach an industry-wide standard.

"Ixia is on the forefront of rolling out pre-standard and standards-based technologies, by working side-by side with industry leaders in the early stages of working draft standards," said Atul Bhatnagar, president and CEO of Ixia. "Ixia believes that its active participation in the IEEE standardization effort and its dedication to providing test equipment that paces the standardization effort will help to foster the development of 100 GbE network products. A full family of compatible, tested products will serve to ensure the acceptance of this important technology."

Avago is demonstrating prototype 100GBASE-SR10 optical modules consisting of a 10-channel optical transmitter and receiver pair. These modules are capable of transmitting data at rates in excess of 10 Gb/s per channel, yielding more than 100 Gb/s of aggregate bandwidth. 100GBASE-SR10, the new parallel Physical Media Dependent (PMD) sublayer for 100 GbE Short Reach links based on OM3 multimode fiber, was also approved last month as a baseline proposal by the IEEE 802.3ba task force.

"Leveraging our extensive parallel optics expertise and strong vertical integration, Avago can push the limits of high speed networking technology, such as 100 GbE, and keep costs controlled because we use our own VCSEL and IC technology," said Sharon Hall, product marketing manager for Avago Technologies' fiber optic products division. "In addition, Avago continues to be highly active in the industry with a leadership role in driving the technical standards for 100 Gb/s Short Reach products. We are very committed to bringing viable, higher speed communications products to market."

Infinera's 100 GbE Tributary Adapter Module (TAM) interface for the DTN takes the 100 GbE signal and puts it onto the transport network using Infinera's Digital Virtual Concatenation (DVC) protocol to send it across ten optical wavelengths at 10 Gb/s each. The TAM module fits inside an Infinera Digital Line Module (DLM), using only a single pair of photonic integrated circuits to transport the 100 GbE signal. With Infinera's new ILS2 system, which begins shipping this summer, up to sixteen 100 Gb/s DLMs can be multiplexed onto a single fiber, allowing the transport of 1.6 Terabits/second (Tb/s) of information, with future scalability rising to 8 Tb/s of capacity. Infinera's Bandwidth Virtualization[TM] enables these services to be carried over current optical infrastructures with little or no optical reengineering required.

"The technology developments from Infinera, Avago and Ixia mark very significant steps towards making 100 GbE services a reality," said Andy Moorwood, Infinera vice president of Systems Engineering. "The flexibility of Infinera's Bandwidth Virtualization, based on our highly scalable photonic integration platforms, makes Infinera the best-positioned optical systems developer to bring 100 GbE services to market."

The 100 GbE demonstrations can be viewed at NXTcomm08 from Tuesday, June 17 to Thursday, June 19 at the Infinera booth, number SU5607. Please call your Avago, Ixia or Infinera representative to make an appointment. Press and analysts are invited to contact the representatives below to make an appointment.