PUTTING smartphones and tablets and officesIn all over world, the the OVERVIEW industry moves to 802.11ac Wave 2 between the WIFI Access Points (AP) and the connected end devices. And as the bottlenecks performance employees to use personally owned, WIFI connected devices at work. To alleviate many companies support a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, permitting demand for test solutions that can verify the new speeds. investment. their infrastructure to protect companies allowing cables cables are now standardized providing on more2.5 or times bandwidth 5 As a result 2.5 Gigabit/s Ethernet (2.5GE) and 5 Gigabit/s Ethernet (5GE) over electrical run on existing cables and provide increased bandwidth. option. This has an expensive be will Ethernet Gigabit/s 10 with cables supporting buildings Refitting reliably. Ethernet Gigabit/s 10 to support unable be cases most switch in will and AP the next higher dat by upgrading the connection between AP and switch to 10 Gigabit/s Ethernet, being Ethernet link carried over an electrical cable. The need for bandwidth could be solved In mostIn needed. be will network the in access switches Xena Networks

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Xena Networks Contents

Protocol Stack Standardization 5GE and 2.5GE technologies Ethernet based pair Twisted Introduction OVERVIEW 2.5GE and 5GE NICs 5GE and 2.5GE 5GE switches2.5GE and Xena Networks 2.5GE and 5GE Test Solutions Test 5GE and 2.5GE Networks Xena CONCLUSION Gigabit/s 10 to Megabit/s 100 from Testing 1 Layer Above Testing –

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Xena Networks Figure 1: Typical Enterprise Network structure Network Enterprise Typical 1: Figure is sh networks enterprise typical of a The structure (APs). Points laptops, smartphones and tablets. In many cases the devices are connected through WIFI Access Many different types of equipment can be connected to an enterprise network, e.g. desk top PCs, Introduction bandwidth for the connected end devices. For IEEE 802.11ac maximum air interface data rate is: between APs and end devices and it is rapidly being deployed in the networks as it provides more IEEE 802.11ac, whichoperates in Figure 2: WIFI access network elements network access WIFI 2: Figure

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the 5 GHz isband, the new standard for the WIFI interface WIFI Access Point Point Access WIFI Cables EthernetAccess Switch

• • • • • • •

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Xena Networks • 100 run can T specifies 2.5 Gigabit/s Ethernet (2.5GE) and 5 Gigabit/s Ethernet (5GE). 2.5GBASE recently been completed with the IE betweenGigabit/s 1 and 10 Gigabit/s thatrun can on the Catand 5e Cat6 cables. This has existing networks. As an alternative they can ask for definition and standardization of data rates Cat6A cables between the APsand the accessswitches, which howe meter long Cat and5e Cat 6 cables. To overcome this, companies could upgrade their network to 5e/6 cables. the APs and the switches are mostin cases (more than 85%) 100 meter long Category (or Cat) providetherequired capacityfor 802.11ac WaveHowever 2. approx. 5.2 Gigabit/s. Upgrading the connections between AP and switch to 10GBASE require will 802.11ac IEEE wave second while Gigabit/s, 1 speed of approx. a connection require approx. of75% maximum the air interface data rate. Consequently first wave IEEE 802 To have sufficient capacity, the connection speed between AP and the access switch should be Table 1: 10GBASE 1: Table Figure 3: Installed Cat 5e/6/6e/7 Base: Estimated Outlets (millions) Source: BSRIA Source: (millions) Outlets Estimated Base: 5e/6/6e/7 Cat Table 1 shows how far a 10GBASE Installed 3: Figure • that 10GBASE means This

1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

200 400 600 800 Second wave (from 2017): 6.9 Gigabit/s First wave (from 2013): 1.3 Gigabit/s 0 2003 – 2004

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m on unshielded Cat 5e and Cat 6 twisted 2005 - T reach on Cat 5e/6/6e/7 cables 5e/6/6e/7 Cat on reach T Cat 7 Cat 6A Cat 6 Cat 5e Cat Cable type Cable

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Xena Networks 10GBASE 5GBASE 2.5GBASE 1000BASE 100BASE Standard categories are required: are categories • Notes on table 2: Table 2: Cable requirement for Ethernet speeds up to of Ethernet at rates from 100 Mbit/s to 10000 Mbit/s through a 100 m cable performance are defined; each level has been assigned a Category (or Cat) number. For transfer p twisted Unshielded technologies Ethernet based pair Twisted the cables. requirements on reduce the spectr type meter cable per 1000BASE transfer reliably to isneeded This specifications. crosstalk improved bandwidth Compared with the Cat spectral Max. 3: Table • •

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Transfer speed 10000 Mbit/s 5000 Mbit/s 2500 Mbit/s 1000 Mbit/s -

100 Mbit/s al bandwidth of the signals compared with the 10 Gigabit/s signal, reducing the TX one in the cable is used for transmission and another for Cat 5 Cat Cable type Cat 6A Cat 6 Cat 5e Cat

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Xena Networks and 1GEand 10GE devices basedoncurrent standards. Gigabit/s twisted Gigabit/s HewlettPackard Enterprise company, has defined Ethernet speeds at 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 Gigabit/s and the NBASE compatible with IEEE 802.3bz. Cisco now markets Multigigabit Ethernet products, which support Ethernet speeds at 2.5 Gigabit/s and Gigabit/s.5 Both alliances aim to have thei The IEEE 802.3bz standard objectives (approved March 2015) included: connections over Cat 5e and Cat 6 cables that are typically connecting the APs and the switches. and switches in the access part of enterprise networks, the IEEE 802.3bz standard focus on running at lower rates. As the main application of 2.5GE and 5GE are connections between APs The IEEE 802.3bz standard is based on technology defined for , but of course stand NBase addition to In The IEEE 802.3bz standard was approved in September 2016. the IEEE 802.3bz 2.5G/5GBASE started in the IEEE standards body with a Call for Interest in(CFI) November 2014. Based on this t in and switches (APs) Points existing Cat 5e and Cat 6 cables in enterprise networks for the interface between WIFI Access 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (2.5GE) and 5 Gigabit Ethernet (5GE) are new data rates aimed at reusing Standardization 5GE and 2.5GE The Ethernet protocol stack is based on sevethe Protocol Stack • • • • • •

o o o Define Define a 5 Gb/s PHY for operation over Define Define a 2.5 Gb/s PHY for operation over Support PoE Support (Power over Ethernet) ( Supportoptional Energy Efficient Ethernet (IEEE 78) 802.3 Clause Support Auto Support MAC data rates of 2.5 Gb/s and 5 Gb/s ardsin March 2015.

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the IEEE 802.3bz 2.5G/5GBASE - - pair pair interoperablenetwork with interface the NBASE Negotiation ( Layer 6 Layer 7 Layer

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Xena Networks • • • • • with points access WIFI points Access • • computerto a network. NIC productssupporting 2.5GEand 5GEinclude: NetworkA Interface Controller (NIC) 5GE and NICs2.5GE 5GE and 2.5GE supporting Switches 6: Table the 2.5GEand sig 5GE additionIn a Signal negotiation, Link Training and EEE must be performed. 1 func layer also applies to the new 2.5GE and 5GE solutions as they are developed and deployed. To test the Testing Ethernet systems is required to ensure the proper functioning and quality. This of course Requirements Test 5GE and 2.5GE

and 100Mbps over Tehuti Networks: TN9510: 5- BASE Cisco Meraki MR84 Access Point. Link speed between AP and switch: 1x 100/1000/2.5G Cisco Meraki MR53 Access Point. Link speed between AP and switch: 2.5G and 1G 100BASE BASE Aironet LinkCisco 3800 Series speed 100Mbps BASE Aruba 330 Series Access Points. Link speed between AP and switch: 5G, 2.5G, 1G and TechnologyIOI Corporation: GE10 supporting five network speeds: 10G, 5G, 2.5G, 1G Startech.com: ST10GSPEXNB 1- - - T Ethernet & 1x 10/100/1000 BASE 10/100/1000 & 1x T Ethernet T Netgear M4200 Netgear CatalystCisco WS Brocade ICX 7450 –

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Xena Networks • • • Odin the correct functioning of this feature. Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) can be checked, as the CU out the for SNR read of each four BASE electrical the negotiation process. The Odin capabilities to test and verify layerthe 1 functions defined for 2.5GE and 5GE. Under Test theUnder (DUT) described in the in section.described previous Based module You can set the Figure The Xena Solutions Test and 5GE 2.5GE Networks Xena important to test Ethernet at all rates supp supporting 10GE, 5GE, 2.5GE, 1GE and 100 Mbit/s Ethernet from one port it is of course also products as flexible are implemented typically switches NICs and capable 5GE and 2.5GE As Ethernet testing with the 1 Layer Above Testing Furthermore Signal

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Xena Networks between between Xena equipment Devices test and Test analyze and Under the(DUTs) results. XenaManager with with • the the Advanced layer 2 and layer 3 test scenarios can be performed using the free test applications for from 100 interfaces Ethernet electrical Mbit/s addition 2 In 10 Gigabit/s to 100 Megabit/s from Testing Another free application • • • •

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Xena Networks by new WIFIstandard IEEE 802.11ac for cost effective expansion of infrastructure of network infrastructure and Ethernet equipment such as switches, NICs the IEEE 2.5 Gigabit/s and 5 Gigabit/s CONCLUSION 802.11ac IEEE networks with enterprise Odin the with equippedwith 6 the makes speeds The powerful capability of Ethernet testing up to layer at3 five different Ethernet network that supportthat 10GE, 5GE, S can avoid costly upgrade of the in frastructureand infrastructure cabling their investment. protect can run on the most common electrical cable types in enterprise networks, whereby companies module th elec Mbit/s, 1 Ethernet rates thein range from 100 capabilities up to layer to3 test and verify both new and existing With the Xena the With witches witches

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