Xena Targets April 2010 for Low Cost 40Gb/100Gb Ethernet Test Platform 

XenaCompact C1-M1CFP 
40Gb/100Gb Ethernet Test Platform

The C1-M1CFP is a member of Xena’s XenaCompact product series with a feature set identical to and compatible with the features found on our 10 Gbps and 10/100/1000M Ethernet XenaCompact test port interfaces.

The C1-M1CFP will initially provide framed BERT capability and PMA (CAUI/XLAUI) test features and will host 40Gb and 100Gb Ethernet interfaces compliant with the IEEE 802.3ba draft specification. The platform will support a number of transceiver modules including 100Gb/40Gb CFP-MSA, 100Gb CXP and 40Gb QSFP. 

Preliminary product specifications and other information on Xena's 40GbE and 100GbE test solutions can be found in the Solutions section of the Xena website - here.

Requests to participate in beta testing of Xena's 40GbE/100GbE test solutions should be sent to info@xenanetworks.com.

CF-X12-C11901-01 100G Ethernet CFP Transceiver Module

CF-X08-C11901-01 Dual 40G Ethernet CFP Transceiver Module

The Reflex Photonics 40Gb and 100Gb CFP transceiver modules (shown above) will be one of the interface options available to customers ordering XenaCompact and XenaBay platforms.

The 100Gb test interface is compliant to the IEEE 802.3ba draft specification for 100GBASE-SR10 links. The interface will be implemented using a Reflex Photonics CFP module featuring a single MPO (Multi-Fiber Push On) connector that is CXP interoperable.

The 40Gb test interface is compliant to the IEEE 802.3ba draft specification for 40GBASE-SR4 links. In a similar fashion, the interface will be implemented using a Reflex Photonics CFP module featuring dual MPO connectors that are QSFP interoperable.

Multimode 100 GbE and 40GbE systems will typically employ parallel optics transceivers requiring 10 pairs of optical fiber per 100GbE channel or 4 pairs of optical fiber per 40GbE channel. 

These parallel optics transceivers will terminate onto 12 and 24-fiber ribbon cables with MPO/MTP connectors (8 fibers per 40Gb channel and 20 fibers per 100Gb channel). Each connector will support a number of fibers, the most common being 12 with some versions now supporting 24 fibers or more.

MPO (Multi-Fiber Push-On) refers to MTP (Mechanical Transfer Pull-Off) compatible ribbon fiber connectors based on MT ferrule which allow quick and reliable connections for many fibers per connector. 

The ferrule also includes two 0.7mm diameter holes, running parallel to the fibers on the outer side of the ferrule. These two holes hold precision metal guide pins which align the fibers with tight tolerances.

MPO/MTP connectors feature male and female connector design. Male connectors have two guide pins and female connectors do not. Both connector types need an adapter to mate a pair of male and female connectors.

Because MPO/MTP connectors are trying to align so many fibers at once, their coupling loss is typically higher than single fiber connectors. However, advances in the technology are now achieving optical insertion losses of 0.5dB or less.