[June 25, 2001]

Tektronix Speeds Component Design For Optical Networks With New Instrument

Tektronix, Inc., a provider of optical test, measurement and monitoring tools for communications equipment manufacturers, announced a new integrated instrument to speed the design of optical components, modules and communications transmission elements.

Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN) and Metropolitan Network manufacturers use technologies such as SONET, SDH and Gigabit Ethernet to build high-performance, low-cost optical networks. These manufacturers seek to expand data capacity in the optical infrastructure with cost-effective components that meet today's higher bandwidth demands and support future applications and next generation services. The D3371-2V-3V Bit Error Rate Tester (BERT) answers the need for a fast, simple tool with which designers can accurately test the performance of communication components and systems and analyze the acquired results.

"In today's competitive communications market, equipment manufacturers need test tools that address these critical time-to-market challenges. The D3371 compliments our existing portfolio of optical test products, providing a reliable solution for the rapid design and production of communications components," said David Churchill, vice president, Optical Business Unit, Tektronix Inc. "The ability to test data transmission rates up to 3.6 Gigabits per second is crucial to those customers testing fiber channel, Gigabit Ethernet and other transmission standards. The D3371 answers this demand and includes important features such as extremely high pattern waveform quality and burst signal generation and analysis."

An integrated "one-box" test set, the D3371 provides superior performance in key areas including pattern generator signal amplitude and quality, burst signal generation and analysis, and automated error measurement functions. The D3371 helps engineers reliably detect and track down problems related to error rates by creating, generating and transmitting data signals to a communication component or module under test, and then receiving the responses accurately. This necessary step ensures that the Device Under Test (DUT) meets specified tolerances and will not contribute errors that can affect data capacity and Quality of Service (QoS).

The error measurement capabilities of the D3371 work in tandem with its integral pattern generation features. The instrument can measure error rates, counts, intervals, and can carry out "bit-by-bit" tests to locate specific errors in the pattern. A range of pattern types is included. Built-in pattern editing software simplifies the task of designing data patterns to exercise communication elements. An innovative search tool automatically sets measurement parameters to save time and effort when setting up tests on the D3371.

In addition, the D3371's 3.6 Gigabits per second (Gb/s) maximum test frequency offers headroom above the basic data rate of the OC-48/STM16 standard, providing an essential performance margin for required Forward Error Correction tests. The instrument also delivers high quality data patterns at amplitudes up to 3 volts (peak to peak) to directly modulate laser diodes and other power-hungry devices.

The D3371 Bit Error Rate Tester was developed by Advantest, Japan, and is marketed and supported in North America by Tektronix under a strategic alliance formed in 1993. The new BERT is part of a full line of communications test products offered by Tektronix.

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