ELLEN MANNING TRANSCEIVER TESTING
TESTING TRANCEIVERS The Road to Reliability
The length of time an optical transceiver spends plugged into a switch and the amount and importance of the data it carries means that reliability is paramount. Ellen Manning looks at the rigorous testing procedures put in place to ensure maximum reliability.
T hey’re arguably the unsung heroes of optical networks, transforming data into light that can be beamed around the world, and back again at the other end. And while they may not be as high-profile as some other components within the network, the importance of transceivers is reflected in the growth of the market. In March 2019 Market Research Future (MRFR) predicted a 15% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the global optical transceiver market between 2017 and 2023. Unsurprisingly, it put this down to rising internet data traffic, a growth in the adoption of cloud-based services, as well as demand for smartphones and
does the need for transceivers, says Tim Smith, Group CTO at TXO Systems. And as demand across the board for different transceivers from TXO’s range increases, he says they have noticed growth in the demand for those that deal with higher data rates. “There is a real demand for 40G and 100G speeds and in telco networks now 100G is the de facto standard so we are definitely seeing an increase in demand for the higher data rate transceivers.” To ensure reliability when it comes to dealing with the ever-increasing requirements on transceivers, their manufacturers put testing at the heart of what they do. “Telcos have high standards and they want to know if they
other mobile devices, bringing with it the demand for low-cost transportation of data over networks. With a role this key, reliability is the watchword when it comes to transceivers. As demands on networks increase, so does the pressure on transceiver manufacturers to ensure they deliver. The addition of more and more fibres brings a need for transceivers with ever-smaller form factors along with the ongoing drive for lower power consumption as networks grow and data-centres face increasing pressure. All of that, and the inevitable increase in the numbers of transceivers required, means reliability is vital. As demands for capacity increase each year, so too
Telcos have high standards and want to know if they are going to put something into their network it absolutely has to be of carrier grade and has to be tested
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| ISSUE 17 | Q2 2019
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