How to Validate 1.6T Optical and Electrical Cables

+ Functional Interconnect Test Solutions

Measure Bidirectional Cable Error Performance

Validating a fully assembled 1.6T AOC or AEC requires engineers to exercise the complete cable in both directions while monitoring error performance across every lane. Testing one direction at a time does not represent the bidirectional operating condition of the finished assembly. Engineers need to generate PRBSQ traffic simultaneously from both ends, configure the transmit and receive lanes consistently, and measure bit error ratio (BER) performance without separating the cable into independent one-way tests. The test environment must also support Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) programming so engineers can configure and monitor supported operating modes throughout the measurement. Coordinating both cable ends within the same setup helps maintain consistent lane configurations, traffic patterns, and test durations while preserving visibility into individual lane behavior. This approach gives engineers a repeatable way to evaluate the complete 1.6T cable assembly under simultaneous bidirectional operation.

Engineers can extend the measurement beyond BER by monitoring forward error correction (FEC) performance across all lanes during repeated or long-duration tests. Per-lane results can include pre-FEC and post-FEC BER, FEC overhead and margin, FEC symbol-error distribution, and maximum symbol errors per codeword. Engineers can compare both traffic directions under the same conditions, apply pass/fail thresholds, and use real-time graphs to identify lane-specific performance differences. Saved configurations support repeatable measurements across additional cables or operating conditions, while PDF and CSV reporting provide consistent records for comparison and documentation. Combining bidirectional pattern generation, error detection, CMIS control, and multi-lane analysis in one test environment helps teams benchmark complete AOC and AEC assemblies, preserve lane-level measurement data, and identify performance differences that may require additional investigation before broader system validation.

1.6T AOC And AEC Validation Solution

Validating 1.6T AOC and AEC assemblies requires simultaneous traffic generation and error analysis at both ends of the cable. Keysight's Functional Interconnect Test Solutions (FITS-8CH) provides eight independent transmit and eight independent receive channels for multi-lane PAM4 error-performance validation. Engineers can generate PRBSQ traffic in both directions, measure per-lane BER, and analyze FEC performance while testing the complete cable assembly. CMIS programming supports module configuration and monitoring throughout the test, while automated control helps maintain consistent lane settings, patterns, and test durations. Engineers can run long-duration measurements, apply user-defined pass/fail thresholds, review real-time graphs, and save configurations for repeatable validation. Per-lane results, PDF reports, and CSV data make it easier to compare both traffic directions and document performance across cables and test runs. The solution brings bidirectional traffic generation, error detection, module control, analysis, and reporting into one coordinated 1.6T cable validation environment.

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