Challenges in Data Center Interconnect (DCI) Installation

The scale of data centers is expanding to provide optimal performance to meet increasing demands. Because of these demands and other factors such as real estate constraints, power consumption, and latency issues, data centers are shifting to a more distributed model. Therefore, the number of data center interconnects is increasing but the Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) system will require a high cost to achieve good performance.

400GBASE-ZR (400ZR) technology is expected to reduce the cost for DC operators because 400ZR does not need the installation of WDM systems including transponders. However, DC operators are required to guarantee the performance by themselves as the maintenance of several WDM components such as 400ZR transceiver becomes their responsibility.

> Details: White Paper explaining about 400ZR

DCI Deployment Process

Challenge 1: Need to guarantee the performance on 400ZR by DC operators themselves

The deployment of 400ZR network contributes to a reduction in costs, while DC operators need to guarantee the signal quality of their network equipment. For example, before introducing 400ZR transceivers which can switch an optical wavelength, DC operators should confirm that the optical wavelength keeps within the specific channel bandwidth. And then, the Ethernet frame test is required.

Challenge 2: Require easy and efficient installation procedure

DC operators need to establish a procedure that enables their engineers to easily operate and test transport performances in 400ZR optical networks. This is because DC operators themselves must construct their network and guarantee the quality of the communications in their networks.

Solution 1: MT1040A and MS9740B support for confirming the performance at transceivers, communication networks, client servers

MT1040A directly connects to a 400ZR transceiver to provide a quality testing environment for 400ZR DCI network. In addition to the standard Ethernet frame testing to confirm the bit error rate and the number of TRx frame, the MT1040A can import the monitored values of the quality of communications and display them on the screen. And then, an optical spectrum analyzer MS9740B measures and confirms that the output power, wavelength, and signal bandwidth meet the required network specifications.

Solution 2: Efficient automated on-site testing by MT1040A

The built-in automatic test scenario on the MT1040A makes it easy to perform the tests. MT1040A shows guidance for the necessary settings and connections, so it can simplify the training for instrument operation and smoothly get used to the procedures. Therefore, it can enhance your efficient deployment of 400ZR by reducing the possibility of measurement errors.

> Click here to watch video of automated testing

> Click here for details of automatic testing.

> Click Here to Get the Automatic Test Scenario