Spirent Communications, the leader in testing networks, devices and services, has introduced the launch of the 4-port Spirent dX2 100G test module with support for CFP4 transceiver interfaces. CFP4 refers to the form factor of a new generation of optical transceivers, defined under the CFP Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), supporting the 40Gbit/s and 100Gbit/s interfaces needed to address the ultra-high bandwidth requirements of today and tomorrow’s communication networks.

With industry-leading port density and support for 100G, 40G or 10G speeds on the same interface, Spirent’s new test module enables network equipment manufacturers and service providers to validate the performance of next-generation data center fabrics and service provider core routers, while controlling the overall cost of testing.

During the live demonstration of optical technologies at the Ethernet Alliance booth (Theater III, South Hall), Finisar’s 100GBASE-SR4 CFP4 optical transceiver will interoperate error-free with the Spirent dX2 100G CFP4 test module. This joint demonstration highlights the readiness of CFP4 technology and helps accelerate time to market of these important modules.

“CFP4 transceivers allow system vendors to support significantly increased port density and lower the power dissipation per 100G port compared to previous generation designs,” said Christian Urricariet, Director of Marketing for High-Speed Optics at Finisar. “This joint interoperability demonstration with Spirent allows us to publicly showcase the performance of our CFP4 optics.”

CFP4 optical transceivers are about half the width of CFP2 and a quarter of the width of the currently-used CFP modules, while consuming significantly lower power. This makes them attractive for new implementations of ultra-high bandwidth data center and service provider core routers, allowing network equipment manufacturers to double the front-panel port density by migrating from CFP2 to CFP4 interfaces.

“Spirent continues to advance the boundaries of next generation networking with support for CFP4, the industry’s cutting edge optical transceiver technology,” said Rajesh Rajamani, Market Segment Leader at Spirent Communications. “With the same number of test modules and chassis as before, our customers can now double the amount of traffic generated using our 4-port Spirent dX2 100G modules with CFP4. Furthermore, our customers have the flexibility of operating the module in 100G, 40G or 10G modes, providing investment protection and reducing testing cycle times.”