Prior to installation of the switch, reconfiguring the network elements, and conducting “fiber break” tests had to be done manually – a long and often tedious process. Now, the switch can rapidly reconfigure the elements, or quickly sequence through link failure tests, reducing the set-up time from hours to minutes. Tests can be scripted to run automatically, enabling 24/7 test runs. With a switch in the loop, wear and tear on connectors is eliminated, and trouble-shooting mistakes in set-up is no longer an issue.

DirectLight IG is a fully transparent physical layer connection tool, and can be used for any of Avici’s products or optical interfaces, regardless of line rate or launch power. As an instrument-grade tool, the physical impairments are minimal. Extremely high quality optics (low loss, high repeatability, high return loss) and switching capabilities ensure the highest in test quality confidence.

Vincent Bartolino, Avici’s Senior Manager for Product Verification comments on the use of the switch. “This is an example of our commitment to investing in advanced test capabilities, which allows us to deliver product to our customers sooner, while conducting thorough qualification testing. With its complete transparency and easy to integrate interface, the Continuum switch allowed us to virtually drop it into our test platform and get up and running in a very short period of time. We were able to have an immediate impact on the efficiency of our product verification testbed, dramatically increasing our test scenario throughput.”