UNH-IOL at the Forefront of Evolving Ethernet Technologies

DURHAM, N.H.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), an independent provider of broad-based testing and standards conformance services for the networking industry, today announced it is continuing to expand the capabilities of its 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet testing services. Members of the UNH-IOL’s 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet Consortium now have devices available that are ready for testing, and the enhancements to the testing services will allow members to prepare their products for market in advance of widespread industry adoption.

“Our members are leading the market with these devices, and rely on the lab’s experience in offering reliable interoperability testing results that can get working products to the market quickly.”

IEEE Std 802.3ba^TM-2010, ratified in June 2010, was created to address business and consumer demands for increased bandwidth by granting access to unprecedented Ethernet speeds. In addition, the standard is backward compatible, enabling devices that implement the 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet standard to be installed in an existing network, avoiding the costs associated with upgrading network components. With devices now ready to test, UNH-IOL member companies are leading the advancement of 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet technology, and the lab, as the de facto standard for Ethernet testing, is helping companies prepare their products for the continuing demands for speed and accessibility on the network.

The UNH-IOL 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet Consortium decreases research and development and quality assurance expenses and reduces product time to market for test system, network system, development system, transceiver and active and passive cable vendors. Since the consortium’s launch in September 2010, the UNH-IOL has increased the number of devices in its comprehensive test bed and all test suites have been made available on-line. By granting on-line access to the test suites, the UNH-IOL allows companies to prepare their products in advance of on-site testing at the lab. The on-line access also gives companies an opportunity to provide the lab with input into the testing procedures. To date, testing services in the consortium have focused on the MAC and Flow Control layers, and the lab is currently developing a custom test tool for the lower layers as well. Upon introduction of the test tool, which is anticipated by the end of the third quarter of 2011, the UNH-IOL will be the only independent laboratory to offer lower layer testing.

“Like all new technologies, repeated multi-vendor testing is imperative to speeding the development of 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet devices, as well as driving industry acceptance of the technology,” said Jeff Lapak, senior engineer for the UNH-IOL. “Our members are leading the market with these devices, and rely on the lab’s experience in offering reliable interoperability testing results that can get working products to the market quickly.”

In addition to working closely with companies on ensuring product interoperability, the UNH-IOL contributes extensively to technology standards development through participation in a variety of standards bodies and industry forums, such as the Ethernet Alliance. In April 2011, the UNH-IOL hosted the Higher Speed Ethernet 40/100Gb Plugfest, sponsored by the Ethernet Alliance, where system, module and cable manufacturers joined together to perform interoperability testing in a neutral, multi-vendor environment. For this test event, the UNH-IOL created the test plan, administrated the event, and provided on-site access to the lab’s experienced technical staff. The Ethernet Alliance will also be partnering with the UNH-IOL for the upcoming Energy Efficiency Ethernet (EEE) Plugfest. During the plugfest, which will take place at the lab from August 8 – 12, 2011, participating vendors will test their products and devices against the IEEE 802.3az standard. EEE is a protocol that addresses the growing need for companies and enterprises to be both energy efficient and energy conscious.

“Testing plays a critical role in the standardization of Ethernet technologies,” said Manoj Wadekar, Ethernet Alliance Technical Chair. “Our working relationship with UNH-IOL has proven to be a true benefit for our member companies who have been able to conduct their interoperability testing in a state-of-the-art laboratory facility.”

The UNH-IOL collaborative testing model distributes the cost of performing trusted, independent testing and validation through an annual membership. The fee for participation in the 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet Consortium is $24K. More information on becoming a member of the 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet Consortium at the UNH-IOL can be found at http://www.iol.unh.edu/services/testing/ethernet/.

About the UNH-IOL

Founded in 1988, the UNH-IOL provides independent, broad-based interoperability and standards conformance testing for data, telecommunications and storage networking products and technologies. Combining extensive staff experience, standards bodies participation and a 32,000+ square foot facility, the UNH-IOL helps companies efficiently and cost effectively deliver products to the market. For more information, visit http://www.iol.unh.edu/, or connect with the UNH-IOL on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UNHIOL, on Twitter at @UNH_IOL and on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/unh-interoperability-lab.