Printer FriendlyEmail Article Link

Spirent TestCenter: Is FEC/AN/LT supported in MX3/FX3/DX3 modules?

Environment/Versions
  • Spirent TestCenter
  • MX3/FX3/DX3
  • FEC
  • Current table of supported releases for MX3/FX3 is in FAQ18063
  • See also FAQ17719, KNI15046
Answer
  • 4.69 GA supports 25G and 100G speed.
  • FEC/AN/LT is supported in 25G mode, support for 100G is scheduled for 4.71 GA
  • AN/FEC is required in 100GBASE-CR4.  FEC is required in 100GBASE-SR4. These are both listed in 802.3 2015
  • What FEC code is used out of RS(528,514) or RS(544,514)?
    • It is Clause 108 which is RS(528, 514). 
      • Please note that we are using the codeword markers from IEEE Clause 108 and 25G Consortium Release 1.6.  
      • Older versions of the Consortium draft used different values for the codeword markers.
    • Clause 74 (referred to as either KR FEC, BASE-R FEC, or Firecode FEC) does not use Reed Solomon.  Instead it uses a shortened cyclic code (2112, 2080).  
    • For completeness, RS(528, 514) and RS(544,514) were both defined in Clause 91 for 100G using 4 lanes.  Clause 108 adapted Clause 91 RS(528, 514) to run over a single lane.  Prior to Clause 108, the 25G consortium had adapted Clause 91 RS(528, 514) to run over a single lane but they did the adaption differently.  Eventually the Consortium modified their RS definition to work with Clause 108 which is why the Consortium spec release 1.5 and earlier does not work with our implementation. We implemented release 1.6 which is the latest.  If you are having RS-FEC issues it is most likely due to the version of the spec that they implemented.
  • Latest information from Engineering for all 3 versions of modules based on GA dates.
    • FX3 and MX3
    • Current table of supported releases for MX3/FX3 is in FAQ18063
      • Feature Date STC Release
        25G June '16 4.66
        100G Sept '16 4.69
        25G +FECs +AN/LT Nov '16 4.70
        100G +FEC Dec '16 4.71
        10G Dec '16 4.71
        40G Dec '16 4.71
        50G Dec '16 4.71
        100G +AN/LT Jan-Feb '17  
        40G +AN/LT Jan-Feb '17  
        50G +FEC +AN/LT Jan-Feb '17  
    • DX3
      • Feature Date STC Release
        25G Aug '16 4.68
        100G Sept '16 4.69
        25G +FECs +AN/LT Dec '16 4.71
        100G +FEC Dec '16 4.71
        10G Dec '16 4.71
        40G Dec '16 4.71
        50G Dec '16 4.71
        100G +AN/LT Jan-Feb '17  
        40G +AN/LT Jan-Feb '17  
        50G +FEC +AN/LT Jan-Feb '17  
        ​​
  • For 50G
    • FX3/MX3
      • CL74 FEC, plus AN/LT is already released since 4.7x.
        • There is a defect where Link-up can take a long time when AN/LT is enabled, probably not an issue for UI configs, but probably is for Automation config
      • We are in process currently (high-priority) to build an new FPGA that also pulls in the only missing feature, CL91 RS-FEC.  
        • This also “should” resolve the long AN/LT Link time
        • Although clause 91 and RS-FEC are seperate specs, they are compliant with each other so it is regarded the same.
      • We target to have an 9.90 Engineering build around end-of-next week.  This feature does look at risk to miss the FX3/MX3 4.80 release target though, possibly slipping to 4.81
    • DX3
      • No FECs, AN/LT yet or in near future.  Target is now 4.81

Product : DX3,MX3,Spirent TestCenter,FX3