Keysight Technologies launches PathWave, an integrated software platform
Keysight Technologies has launched PathWave, a software platform that integrates design, test, measurement and analysis. The platform will enable customers to accelerate innovation and product development from concept to manufacturing and deployment.
PathWave is an open, scalable and predictive software platform that integrates both hardware and software at every stage in the product development workflow. It combines design software, instrument control and application-specific test software in an open development environment, allowing users to create high-performance solutions fast.
PathWave provides customers with flexible and immediate access to the design and test tools they need, when they need them. The interoperability of the design and test tools, and advanced data management significantly speeds up the product development cycle, eliminating the need to re-create individual measurements and test plans at each discrete stage of the process. It offers a set of integrated software products for the entire design, test and verification workflow. These products are connected, interoperable and rapidly reconfigurable, delivering an efficient workflow that enables customers to allocate the right computing resources where and when needed; evaluate collected data for optimising workflow; ensure new hardware and software works with existing hardware to maximise the returns on investment; predict bottlenecks and rapidly correct them to ensure an efficient workflow process; and review the project status from anywhere to maintain completion commitments.
Cobham Wireless announces its 5G New Radio test solution
Cobham Wireless has announced that its 5G New Radio (NR) test solution can validate 5G NR air interface technologies, including massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems and ultra-reliable, low latency communication (URLLC) use cases.
According to the company, the 5G NR test solution can test multiple 3GPP 5G NR air interface specifications, in line with the company’s design focus, integration plans, technological preferences and test parameters. It enables the development and validation of the critical part of the new 5G RAN, the gNodeB (gNB), and offers a range of programmable test cases to ensure compliance with 3GPP 5G specifications. The flexible software defined radio architecture enables it to target different 5G NR numerologies with sub-carrier spacing of 30 kHz, 60 kHz and 120 kHz.
The solution marks a shift in the 5G massive MIMO lab test and system validation methodologies, targeting the vital 5G NR air interface test cases and KPIs. This includes being able to emulate hundreds of simultaneous multi-user MIMO beams and thousands of user equipment (UE) at different geometric locations relative to a base station antenna. By combining statistical and UE traffic behaviour, driven by adaptive test scenario modelling algorithms, the solution can generate realistic gNB test behaviours.
The solution’s low-latency architecture can also enable the validation of another extreme 5G use case, URLLC, which will be needed to connect critical internet of things devices and systems. The solution validates and showcases its customer’s URLLC air interface design, achieving 1 ms end-to-end latency with a reliability rate of 99.99 per cent.
Rohde & Schwarz launches Smart platform
Rohde & Schwarz has launched the Smart platform, a software suite covering lab engineering, field acceptance, optimisation, benchmarking and monitoring with common modules. Test resources can be used efficiently to identify key network investments in order to successfully deploy new technologies while delivering optimal subscriber quality of experience (QoE).
The platform has an easy system and test configuration, and immediate access to real-time and value-added insights, thereby giving operators a clear picture of the true quality that end-users receive when using voice, video, data and other services offered by 3GPP and third parties. This helps operators identify areas for focused investments that can positively affect QoE. In addition, with the characterisation of network conditions and a deep understanding of their relationship, the platform allows operators to identify areas of network improvement. The platform also provides a seamless user interface for the entire test cycle, from lab verification to field acceptance, troubleshooting, optimisation, benchmarking and monitoring.
The platform relies on a unified set of collecting probes based on the QualiPoc handheld for active testing with smartphones and on R&S TSMx scanners for passive measurements. Data collection can be controlled on-site or remotely. Results for various use cases are displayed in real time.
Ciena unveils new 5G network solutions for operators
Ciena has introduced an open and adaptive wireline network architecture to enable scale and automation that will help network operators. According to the company, the current 4G and future 5G networks require massively agile and scalable wireline networks. To address these performance demands, Ciena has developed innovative 5G network solutions to help operators scale their current 4G networks, while simultaneously preparing for the evolution towards 5G.
Ciena’s 5G network solutions are designed to provide the scale and automation operators need to deliver a superior end-to-end user experience in this environment and usher in a new age of mobile connectivity.
These solutions offer an open, scalable design that allows network operators to select best-of-breed products that meet stringent 4G and 5G network performance expectations and adapt to evolving demand characteristics over time. The solutions are composed of Ciena’s industry-leading converged packet optical (6500 and Waveserver) and packet networking (3,900 family, 5,100 family, 8,700 Packetwave) platforms as well as new products and capabilities such as:
- New deterministic packet capability that will support 4G/5G converged front-haul/mid-haul networks offering digital radio transport over standards-based Ethernet.
- New IP functionality that will provide the necessary connectivity features required for IP-based network infrastructures.
- Programmable network slicing capabilities that will allow network operators to logically partition and virtualise network resources from Layer 0 to 3.
With Ciena’s 5G network solutions, operators can also benefit from its blue planet manage, control and plan and multi-domain service orchestration software that provides enhanced network orchestration, analytics, and end-to-end software defined network (SDN)-based network control. In addition, Ciena’s design, deploy and manage professional services help maximise network infrastructure investment throughout the evolution from 4G to 5G.
Netgear launches the M4300-96X modular 10G switch
Netgear has launched the M4300-96X stackable 10G and 40G modular managed switch. The M4300-96X is a 2U rack height modular switch that comes either empty or pre-populated and can be scaled up to 96 ports of 10G Ethernet or up to 24 ports of 40G Ethernet, or a combination of both. With 12 open slots and two redundant power supplies, the M4300-96X supports maximum granularity between copper, power over Ethernet plus (PoE+) and fibre.
The M4300-96X switch makes AV–over-IP solutions simple. The zero-touch configuration eliminates the need for switch programming, making software defined video over Ethernet (SDVoE) installations plug and play. The card-frame design and eight-port modules make the M4300-96X cost effective for modest-sized systems while also providing the ability to scale the system further to support any combination of SDVoE transmitters and receivers. The switch supports SDVoE systems with symmetric input-output configurations such as 48×48, as well as asymmetric solutions such as 24×72.
Netgear’s M4300 switches are preconfigured for easy, true AV and multicast zero touch network configuration in order to take unnecessary complexity out of AV-over-IP deployments. Internet group management protocol (IGMP) snooping, IGMP fast leave and IGMP querier are already enabled for the default virtual local area network 1 that devices will automatically use. The user has to simply select the M4300-96X port expansion card, insert the card, connect the SDVoE encoders and decoders, and turn the power switch on.
Ciena expands its packet-optical portfolio
Ciena has added to its packet-optical portfolio with the launch of the 8180 Coherent Networking Platform and the 6500 Reconfigurable Line System (RLS), which allow for higher density, more adaptive networks that can support densification initiatives in applications such as data centre interconnect (DCI), 4G/5G and Fiber Deep.
Ciena’s 8180 and 6500 RLS platforms help tackle network complexity by combining massive bandwidth scalability and aggregation with integrated intelligence and programmability to improve the end-user experience. For example, they allow operators to roll out their networks much faster, enabling users
to enjoy bandwidth-hungry services such as video streaming, virtual reality and future internet of things (IoT) as well as machine-to-machine applications such as digital health and self-driving vehicles.
The 8180 platform is a high-density stackable packet aggregation switch that combines the density, openness and programmability of a data centre switch with the optical intelligence of Ciena’s WaveLogic coherent optics. The 8180 offers powerful optical and packet capabilities with support for 400G wavelengths and scales to 6.4 Tbps of packet switching.
The 6500 RLS is a programmable, open and modular line system that scales to support the highest bandwidth requirements of metro and long-haul DCI as well as cable access applications. Designed to provide choice in how providers deploy their line systems (integrated or disaggregated), it also reduces footprint and expands fibre capacity with L-Band.
Both the 8180 and the 6500 RLS are designed for ease-of-use with an IT-operational model, and include common open application programming interfaces (APIs) for software programmability, automated provisioning and streaming telemetry as well as simpler integration with back-office systems.
Anritsu launches the MT8000A tester for 5G products
Anritsu has launched its radio communication test station, MT8000A, for developing chipsets and terminals for 5G communication systems. With built-in support for broadband signal processing and beamforming technologies required by ultrafast broadband 5G communications, desktops with the advanced architectures of MT8000A support radio frequency (RF) and protocol tests for the sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave bands.
The design of the MT8000A achieves flexibility and scalability using a modular architecture. As well as supporting high-speed broadband communications, this design provides flexible future-proof support for new 5G test requirements, including ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine type communications (mMTC).
