ADVISORY/Spirent Demos Optical Testing Technologies At OFC.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

Optical Fiber Communications 2002

ADVISORY for..March 19-21

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHO:       Spirent Communications (NYSE: SPM)

WHERE:     Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) 2002 conference,
           in Anaheim, Calif.
           Spirent Communications, Booth No. 2087.

WHEN:      March 19 - 21, 2002

WHAT: Spirent Communications will be demonstrating several
      technologies that help network equipment manufacturers and
      network service providers analyze, assure and accelerate
      optical networks, including:

-- OTA-4400 40G Optical Transport Analyzer Test System

Spirent's new Optical Transport Analyzer, the OTA-4400 enables evaluation and characterization of optical and electrical 40Gbps devices. The OTA-4400 is the industry's first optical transport testing platform to allow for SONET OC-768 and 40G Jitter Analysis. The OTA-4400 offers the industry's only single box solution with a scalable and modular architecture for 40Gbps testing.

-- OC-48 ML G/A Interface Test Module for the Adtech AX/4000 Broadband Test System

This multi-layer, multi-technology module consists of an OC-48 channelized interface connected to an OC-48 generator/analyzer test module. Installed in the AX/4000 mainframe or portable chassis, it performs testing at full-wire rate for SONET/SDH circuits and equipment by providing a single-port interface for generating and monitoring data network traffic over SONET/SDH links. Its two-slot design yields high port density per chassis, while the combination of OC-48 ATM and POS support provide complex functionality. Other notable features of this OC-48 module include a line monitor mode for POS and DCC byte access.

-- 10 Gbps Generator/Analyzer Test Module with UNI-PHY Interface supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet LAN/WAN, OC-192c POS/BERT for the Adtech AX/4000

Consisting of a 10 Gbps multi-layer generator/analyzer test module, an interface supporting 10 GbE LAN, 10 GbE WAN, OC-192c POS, and OC-192c BERT, and technology licenses, this test solution enables testing of the performance and reliability of IP backbone and metro networks. The delivery of the 10GbE UniPHY solution coincides with the increasing deployment of Gigabit Ethernet in the MAN and LAN space, which is driving a need for higher speed backbones to supply increased bandwidth. The new test module implements the current draft of the IEEE 802.3ae task force for the 10GBASE-LW and 10GBASE-LR PMDs. It will allow telecommunication equipment manufacturers and their customers, the service providers, to test conformance and performance as well as routing emulation for all major protocols, including BGP-4, MPLS, IS-IS and OSPF.

-- OIF UNI Emulation Software for the Adtech AX/4000

Spirent's OIF UNI Emulation software enables network equipment manufacturers to emulate Generalized Multi-protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) networks to test device performance based on the Optical Internetworking Forum's User Network Interface 1.0 signaling specification. The new software, running on Spirent's Adtech AX/4000 Broadband Test System, can emulate a UNI client or UNI network device to test OIF UNI implementations. Network equipment manufacturers can use OIF UNI emulation to accelerate time-to-market by leveraging Spirent's integrated control-plane/data-plane test platform during the development process; and service providers can use it to facilitate the roll out of new services. OIF UNI 1.0 defines signaling protocols implemented by client and transport network equipment. It enables clients to establish optical connections dynamically using GMPLS-compatible signaling procedures.

-- OC-12 Multi-Layer Test Module for the Adtech AX/4000

Spirent's OC-12 Multi-Layer test module for the Adtech AX/4000 supports powerful SONET/SDH Layer 1 transmission on optical cross-connects, switches, ADM, and DWDM systems. It also tests Layer 2 Frame Relay and ATM, Layer 3 IP over Frame Relay and ATM, PPP, channelization for STS-3c, clear channel DS3, channelized DS3 and fractional DS1 - all on a single interface. The channelized capability allows multiple, independent test streams to be generated, analyzed and reported upon simultaneously in real time.

-- OPX-192 Bit Error Rate Test (BERT) for the Adtech AX/4000

The new fully channelized OC-192 Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT) capabilities on the Adtech AX/4000 enable users to verify that network devices meet BER requirements and conform to the SONET/SDH standard, including reporting alarms/errors and protection switching, prior to deployment. Users can map payloads from STS-192/AU-4-64 down to STS-1, in any valid combination, and test up to 192 channels simultaneously and independently. Running diverse traffic patterns across all channels simultaneously is the best way to simulate real-world conditions and test for cross talk, which can pose a significant problem in multi-channel communication devices. Consisting of a 10Gbps generator/analyzer test module and a channelized OC-192/STM 64 interface, this test module also allows the transport overhead to be used as a signaling channel for Spirent control plane test solutions, which includes GMPLS and OIF UNI decodes, emulation and conformance testing.