Keysight expands validation for 1.6T AI DC interconnects
Author: Joe Peck
Keysight Technologies, a manufacturer of electronic test and measurement equipment and software, has introduced the Functional Interconnect Test Solutions (FITS) portfolio, alongside the first product in the range, FITS-8CH, designed to validate digital-layer error performance for high-speed optical and copper interconnects used in network infrastructure.
The platform provides bit error ratio (BER) and forward error correction (FEC) validation for interconnect technologies supporting modern ethernet architectures, including 400GE, 800GE, and emerging 1.6T deployments.
As interconnect speeds increase and designs become more complex, manufacturers of chips, interconnects, and networking equipment face greater pressure to ensure reliability before mass production and during manufacturing.
While traditional physical-layer test tools validate electrical lanes against industry specifications, system-level testing provides additional insight into how fully integrated interconnect assemblies perform under operational conditions.
Digital-layer testing for high-speed interconnects
The FITS-8CH platform provides multi-lane error performance validation at the digital layer, supporting PAM4 signalling speeds from 53Gb/s to 212.5Gb/s.
The system enables simultaneous bi-directional testing across eight transmit and eight receive channels, allowing complete optical or copper interconnect assemblies to be validated during development, manufacturing, and system-level qualification.
The platform also integrates with Keysight’s physical-layer testing systems, enabling validation across a broader range of network configurations and topologies.
According to the company, the platform includes automated lane-by-lane tuning to optimise PAM4 signal output and improve measurement consistency. This capability can help identify potential manufacturing or configuration issues earlier in the process, including mechanical misalignment, thermal failures, or incorrect digital signal processor settings.
Keysight says the FITS portfolio is intended to support testing requirements across the full product lifecycle, from research and development through to production and deployment in large-scale network environments.
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