Ixia Demonstrates First Flex Ethernet Implementation at OFC 2016

Ixia Demonstrates First Flex Ethernet Implementation at OFC 2016

Ixia (Nasdaq: XXIA), a leading provider of network testing, visibility, and security solutions will showcase the world’s first public demonstration of Flex Ethernet (FlexE), which delivers adaptable and scalable bandwidth provisioning for hyperscale datacenters and optical transport systems, at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) 2016 to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center from March 22 to 24, 2016.

What is OFC?

OFC is the largest global conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals. At OFC, Ixia will showcase the company’s FlexE 2x 100GbE technology in the Altera (now a part of Intel) booth (#2667), to address the industry’s need for flexible and scalable bandwidth provisioning.

What is Flex Ethernet?

FlexE defines methods for Ethernet equipment to bond lower rates in order to create a higher rate for greater network performance, or segment a higher speed into lower speeds for improved bandwidth provisioning.  The industry currently employs link aggregation to increase throughput, combining physical ports to make a single high-bandwidth data path with multiple network connections which has inherent inefficiencies. FlexE eliminates these inefficiencies enabling network planners to tailor Ethernet transmission rates to maximize existing bandwidth and reach.

What is Ixia demonstrating at OFC?

Ixia’s FlexE technology addresses the specific needs of today’s hyperscale datacenters by matching router Ethernet rates with long haul optical transmission rates. It has been designed to the Optical Internetworking Forum’s (OIF) FlexE Implementation Agreement – Draft 1.1 to create a new 200Gb media access control (MAC) over two bonded 100GbE PHYs.  Ixia will also demonstrate sub-rating to run 150Gb and 100Gb over two bonded 100GbE PHYs. The 200Gb and 150Gb rates do not correspond to any existing Ethernet PHY rates today.