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MRV Intros SFP Transceivers for SAN Test Lab Automation
 TMCnet Contributing Editor
MRV Communications ( News - Alert), Inc. today announced two new Serial Attached SCSI/Serial ATA storage interface modules for its Media Cross Connect physical layer switch, designed to enable “wire-once” test lab automation of storage area network test lab environments.
The protocol-specific small form-factor pluggable modules come in 3 Gbps host-connection and drive-connection versions that are backward compatible to 1.5 Gbps, according to the company. MRV’s test lab already offers storage area networks, which includes support for Fiber Channel, and Fiber Channel over Ethernet, company officials say.
The Media Cross Connect from MRV enable “wire-once” physical layer switch in a test lab and manage all testing dynamically through software, rather than have to reconfigure test topologies manually, according to the company. Storage labs can avoid connector wear and tear and inconvenient cable length issues that are common in the SAS ( News - Alert)/SATA environment by minimizing the number of physical reconnections required for test set up, company officials say.
“Test lab automation is entering the mainstream phase of its development, which is marked by more industry players, a wider range of solutions, broad industry coalitions and wider acceptance by network equipment manufacturers,” said Frost & Sullivan ( News - Alert) Industry Manager Jessy Cavazos. “MRV’s announcement of its SAS/SATA solutions shows that the company is one of the leaders of this evolution because it is adding the flexibility to deliver the benefits of test lab automation to storage vendors.”
“Storage networking vendors are facing a significant technology evolution that will put pressure on their test labs to increase efficiency and throughput in order to meet product shipment goals. By continuing to expand our TAP solutions, we are showing our customers that MRV will be there with them through this transition,” said Noam Lotan, president and chief executive officer of MRV Communications. “With the addition of these new SFPs, MRV continues its market leadership position by offering a complete set of interface solutions for storage industry’s test lab environment.”
The SFP-SATA-SAS-DR and SFP-SATA-SAS-HT pluggable interfaces enable test lab administrators to tailor their solutions on a per port basis, connecting storage equipment of various types and protocols in a single blade or chassis, providing greater flexibility and efficiency in the storage test lab, company officials say.
In a release, the company said that the SFP-SATA-SAS-DR and SFP-SATA-SAS-HT interfaces will be available immediately from MRV sales representatives worldwide.
MRV’s Media Cross Connect product line is a physical layer switch that replaces the manual patch panel providing the missing link to true test automation. Using the MCC users can program connections from any port to any other port within the system. Modularly designed, the MCC is available in 72, 144 and 288 port versions.
Arun Satapathy is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Arun’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
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