Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. has introduced a test platform for installation and maintenance applications on optical networks, as well as an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) to assist network operators in their deployment of current and next-generation optical networks.
Exfo’s PC-based, modular FTB-500 test platform offers unlimited capabilities for characterizing next-generation, high-speed networks. Network professionals can mix and match up to eight test modules from Exfo’s product portfolio, extending from optical test modules to transport and datacom test solutions.
For example, Exfo’s new OSA can be combined with the FTB-8140 40G Transport Blazer inside the FTB-500 platform to create a ROADM/POTS/40G test solution that’s tailored to the needs of network operators deploying next-generation systems, the company said.
The FTB-500 platform supports advanced test applications and has been future-proofed to host upcoming 100G field-test modules. And its 12.1-inch LCD transflective screen makes analyzing data on-site much easier; information can also be transmitted via integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or mobile telephone technology for future analysis.
The FTB-500 field-testing platform will be showcased at CeBIT 2009, which kicks off tomorrow in Hannover, Germany. It will also be displayed at The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC) and The National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (NFOEC). OFC/NFOEC 2009 is being held March 22-26 in San Diego.
And Exfo’s new OSA – the FTB-5240S OSA test module, which is housed in either the FTB-200 platform or the FTB-500 platform – is designed for fast and accurate dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network commissioning and high-speed network upgrades up to 40G.
The FTB-5240S OSA benefits from ultra-fast scanning and analysis inside the new FTB-500 platform. A 90 dB dynamic range scan can be carried out within 1 second, including complete data analysis, according to Exfo.
“The deployment of high-speed, next-generation DWDM optical networks is increasingly becoming commonplace due to the unabated demand for bandwidth-intensive services worldwide,” said Etienne Gagnon, Exfo’s vice president of product management and marketing. “As a result, spectral characterization is becoming ubiquitous, but it presents serious challenges for network operators. Exfo’s new OSA addresses these issues with the most compact and flexible solution on the market for the Supertech.”
The new OSA will also be showcased at OFC/NFOEC 2009.
