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EXFO Offers Intelligent and Automated Optical Cable Certifier for Data Centers


December 16, 2014

EXFO is a company that was founded in 1985 that designs and manufactures test and service assurance instruments for fixed and mobile telecom networks. Its products include optical, transport, datacom, 3G, LTE, copper, xDSL, IMS and VoIP test platforms used by network operators and network equipment manufacturers to assess the telecom infrastructure and the telecom services carried on it. Earlier this year, EXFO acquired ByteSphere whose solutions feature advanced patented techniques for infrastructure performance management, including network element polling and fault management.

Intelligent Optical Link Mapper, or iOLM, uses automated multi-pulse acquisitions and advanced algorithms. The iOLM is an OTDR-based application designed to deliver detailed information on every element of a link. What makes it useful is that it is a single-button operation, which provides maximum intelligence and simplicity for expert-level link characterization. Recently, EXFO announced that its iOLM now features iCERT, making it an accurate, error-free fiber certification tool.

Having used a variety of these types of devices in the early days of network infrastructures, I know the pitfalls you can face when having to set parameters and then analyzing multiple traces, making sure that everything is entered correctly. EXFO OTDR-based software eliminates the parameter setting phase by dynamically defining all test parameters.

In addition, it selects the optimum number of acquisitions required to deliver better accuracy. The bottom line is that not only will you save time and be able to receive reliable information on any failed components, but you will also get a professional test report directly generated with no need for post-processing.

Etienne Gagnon, who is vice president, physical-layer and wireless division, said "Bringing the iOLM unique capability into the data center and enterprise market is yet another milestone in EXFO's vision to help IT network managers improve global efficiency. Our intelligent and automated solution finds network faults faster, keeping mean-time-to-repair low while ensuring networks are ready for the migration to 40G/100G.”

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is the leading trade association representing the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, policy initiatives, business opportunities and market intelligence. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. The International Organization for Standardization known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. EXFO’s iOLM meets the latest industry standards that include TIA, IEC and ISO.




Edited by Maurice Nagle









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