Test Instrument analyzes communication performance.
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Press Release Summary:
OmniBER OTN communication performance analyzer offers Generic Framing Procedure (GFP), Virtual Concatenation (VCat), Ethernet payload, and Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS) measurement capabilities. Used for next-generation SONET/SDH (NG SONET) technologies, analysis capabilities provide insight into standards conformance and quality of service. System also helps resolve multi-vendor interoperability problems.
Original Press Release:
Agilent Technologies OmniBER OTN First to Offer Advanced GFP, Ethernet Payload, VCat and LCAS Analysis
Capabilities Provide Detailed Insight into Next-Generation SONET/SDH Design Conformance
CHICAGO, Supercomm, June 21, 2004, Booth No. 12351 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced enhancements to its industry-leading OmniBER OTN communication performance analyzer used for next-generation SONET/SDH (NG SONET) technologies. It is the first test instrument to offer Generic Framing Procedure (GFP), Virtual Concatenation (VCat), Ethernet payload, and Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS) measurement capabilities.
The OmniBER OTN's advanced analysis capabilities for NG SONET give design and test engineers deep insight into standards conformance and quality of service (QoS), as well as help resolve multivendor interoperability problems. By combining the best features of the widely deployed SONET/SDH standards with new approaches to efficiently transport broadband data, component suppliers and network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) are building a migration path for service providers to offer new services along with lower network operating costs.
Combining new methods and standards with a complex legacy technology poses a difficult challenge for engineers designing and testing NG SONET. Agilent has worked closely with leading chipset suppliers, NEMs and service providers to develop advanced analysis capabilities for faster and more complete problem isolation. NG SONET devices and networks can be analyzed in ways never before possible, with the OmniBER OTN's following capabilities:
o GFP encapsulation analysis, providing selective capture and full byte decode of GFP (framed and transparent) frames within high order and low order SONET containers, that allows designers to find and fix non-conformant designs;
o Ethernet payload analysis that enables frame sequence and "packet BER" of Ethernet traffic transported over SONET/SDH. Using an Agilent-proprietary Ethernet Test Payload, users can find QoS problems not visible with existing test equipment;
o new VCat delay analysis that uses thru-mode differential delay generation to allow users to test the effect of virtual container delay (both high order and low order containers) on the QoS of Ethernet, fiber channel or other data client payloads; and
o LCAS protocol analysis that provides time stamping and decoding of both high order and low order LCAS messages for debugging control protocol errors.
"The OmniBER OTN has been a key enabler for bringing the very first NG SONET devices to market," said Dave Bass, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Data Networking Division. "With its advanced analysis, OmniBER OTN enables everyone from chipset designers to network operators to confirm that NG SONET can deliver high QoS, lower operating costs, and full multivendor interoperability."
U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Agilent OmniBER OTN with advanced NG SONET analysis capability is expected to be available in August 2004. The base price for the Agilent OmniBER OTN is $117,000.
Further Information
o For more information on the Agilent OmniBER OTN, visit www.agilent.com/comms/otn.
The OmniBER OTN is a key tester component of the Optical Internetworking Forum's "World Interoperability Demo" (Booth No. 20334 - Hall A), where it is analyzing NG SONET on a large multivendor, multiservice provider network.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2003. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.
