First 400G network processor tested with Spirent’s high-speed ethernet test solution

Alcatel-Lucent has used Spirent TestCenter HyperMetrics mX 40/100G to validate the scale and performance of its FP3 Processor in initial public demonstrations.

Alcatel-Lucent selected Spirent Communications’ solution to test the performance of its new FP3 400G network processor in advance of its commercial introduction. Validating a leading-edge, high-speed network processor such as the FP3 requires a test tool able to match its performance, scale and density. The Spirent TestCenter HyperMetrics mX 40/100G provided Alcatel-Lucent with the ability to test its FP3-based Service Router modules under real-world scenarios with high-scale services and traffic.

“Our innovative FP3 processor delivers a four-fold increase in performance over today’s leading-edge NPU silicon,” said Kevin Macaluso, Vice President and General Manager of the Service Router product group with Alcatel-Lucent. “To ensure we are able to address the needs of tomorrow’s IP networks, it is critical to validate how our solutions will perform in the real world as our service provider customers enhance their offerings and deploy 100GE technology. We look for test products that can match our leading-edge capabilities to ensure we deliver to our customers the reliability and quality they need. As we validated our high-density 100GE modules, Spirent was able to provide the robust testing we looked for to confirm that we had a deployment-ready product.”

Spirent provides key test capabilities that it claimed its closest competitor cannot achieve including:

“As networks evolve to handle faster data speeds and to support new services, thorough testing of the equipment, components and infrastructure is the key to success,” said Jeff Schmitz, Vice President of Marketing, Networks & Applications group at Spirent. “We are the only test equipment provider to architect our solutions specifically to address the industry’s move toward multiprotocol environments. Our no-compromise approach doesn’t force our customers to choose one particular aspect of testing over another. With the highest port density, performance per port, and scale testing, our test solution helps determine how tomorrow’s network equipment performs under realistic conditions.”