HYWICOM’s Unique Optical Module Physical Layer Delay Testing — Real, Accurate, and Efficient!

News Highlights

Based on a deep understanding of underlying implementations and international communication standards, Hywicom has pioneered a delay testing solution for traffic analyzers based on the physical layer. The delay performance and accuracy are not affected by Ethernet upper layer application modes. Numerous optical module users and end users have fully verified Hywicom’s delay testing results. These include comparisons between oscilloscope measurement data and Hywicom analyzer delay data, showing complete consistency and nanosecond-level accuracy. The final conclusion is unanimous: Hywicom’s 800G network tester, the FRAEO 8800, is the industry’s only traffic analyzer that tests the delay performance of optical modules with true accuracy and precision.

With the rapid development of generative AI technology, low latency is particularly important in providing real-time data processing capabilities for AI and enhancing user application experience. It has become a necessary test item for end-users to verify optical modules. Therefore, the authenticity and accuracy of the optical module’s delay performance test results are extremely crucial.

However, in the past, the delay performance indicators measured by optical module manufacturers using foreign traffic analyzers often led to customer doubts due to inaccurate data. This sometimes resulted in negative outcomes, such as being at a disadvantage compared to competitors in terms of delay indicators. Consequently, many optical module manufacturers had to set up environments with oscilloscopes to test the real delay indicators of the modules (as oscilloscopes are physical layer testing instruments that can reflect physical layer performance indicators most accurately). However, setting up an oscilloscope testing environment is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also cannot test under various real traffic conditions. What’s more frustrating is that the delay data tested with oscilloscopes and foreign traffic analyzers are not only inconsistent but also vary greatly (in a real case, the same optical module had a delay result of 90ns tested with an oscilloscope, while a foreign traffic analyzer showed 220ns). Additionally, the delay test results of foreign traffic analyzers vary under different Ethernet application modes (such as 400GE, 200GE, 100GE).

To address this industry demand and pain point, Hywicom, based on a deep understanding of underlying implementations and international communication standards, has pioneered a delay testing solution for traffic analyzers based on the physical layer. Unlike the delay testing solution of foreign instrument manufacturers that timestamp at the IP layer packet generation, Hywicom’s testing principle and implementation method are: on the sending side, timestamp at the exit near the physical layer (i.e., the signal of the instrument’s physical layer connecting to the optical module), and on the receiving side, immediately extract the timestamp at the physical layer entry (i.e., the signal of the optical module entering the instrument’s physical layer). Delay calculation is then performed. Since all timestamp generation, extraction, and calculation occur near the physical layer, the delay performance and accuracy are not affected by Ethernet upper layer application modes, i.e., the delay measured is basically consistent under different Ethernet application modes such as 800GE, 400GE, 200GE, 100GE, 50GE, 25GE, 10GE. This is because the optical module itself is a physical layer device and is invisible to the upper Ethernet application modes, so the delay test results should not be affected by them.

Hywicom’s delay test results have been fully verified by numerous optical module users and end users, including comparisons between oscilloscope measurement data and Hywicom analyzer delay data, showing complete consistency with nanosecond-level accuracy (see the figure below). The unanimous conclusion is that Hywicom’s 800G network tester, the FRAEO 8800, is the industry’s only traffic analyzer that tests the delay performance of optical modules with true accuracy and precision. Additionally, the FRAEO 8800 features a simple operating interface and efficient delay testing process, making the testing process more convenient and efficient. Users can complete delay tests in just a few minutes without complex setup and operation.

 

Customer Latency Test Results Comparison
Oscilloscope Test Result: 93.26 ns
FRAEO 8800 Test Result: 94.0 ns

Hywicom’s 800G network tester FRAEO 8800 has achieved multiple industry firsts and has been the most extensively and thoroughly validated for 800G/400G optical module testing, becoming the industry’s preferred 800G network tester. Its main features include:

— Industry’s First Hybrid Multi-Port 800G Design: Advanced hardware system architecture natively supports dual-port 800G QSFP-DD800 and dual-port 800G OSFP800, meeting various traffic testing applications such as loopback, interconnect, optical cable/cable, breakout, and switch interconnect. One FRAEO 8800 traffic analyzer is equivalent to multiple 800G traffic analyzers on the market, thus the hybrid multi-port 800G has become the industry’s consensus best configuration for 800G traffic analyzers.
— The Industry’s Only “Three All” (All-Speed, All-Compatible, All-Application) Tester: 1. Seamless switching between 112G PAM4, 56G PAM4, 28G/10G NRZ at all speeds; 2. Fully downward compatible with all OSFP and QSFP optical module packaging types; 3. Fully supports various Ethernet service traffic modes (800GE – 10GE). The innovative “Three All” design allows one FRAEO 8800 to cover 800G, 400G, and 100G traffic analyzers, helping users solve the pain point of repeated equipment investment, greatly saving costs.
— Supports Line-Side Pluggable Coherent Optical Module Testing: Provides sufficient power and reliable heat dissipation design to support testing of 800ZR / 400ZR DCO coherent optical modules.
— The Industry’s Only Tester Supporting 1.6T OSFP-XD and OSFP-RHS Optical Module Testing.
Hywicom has always been committed to providing customers with the most advanced testing instruments and solutions. We will continue to innovate and work hand in hand with our customers to promote the development of testing technology and make greater contributions to the development of optical communications.