Keysight Technologies Expands 1.6T Ethernet Interconnect Validation Technology

Keysight Technologies, Inc. introduced the next generation of its 1.6T Ethernet interconnect error-performance validation portfolio, expanding and enhancing its capabilities to qualify the most challenging 1.6T-capable passive copper Direct Attach Cables (DAC), Active Copper Cables (ACC), Low Power Optics (LPO) and Linear Receive Optics (LRO). These interconnect types are critical to successful scale-out and scale-up network deployments for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications. Enhancements to Keysight?s AresONE 1600GE and INPT-1600GE test platforms now expand 1.6T Ethernet interconnect validation to include challenging passive copper and low power optics, enabling the future of AI networks.

As AI and HPC infrastructures scale, 1.6T interconnect technologies?including DAC, LPO, and LRO?must deliver ultra-high Ethernet speeds at the lowest possible cost and power consumption while maintaining error-free performance for extended operation in scale-up and scale-out networks. Reducing power consumption is particularly critical as global data center power demand is projected to increase by 50% by 2027 and up to 165% by the end of the decade compared to 2023, according to Black Ridge Research. Keysight has enhanced its Interconnect and Network Performance Tester 1600GE (INPT-1600GE) and recently announced AresONE 1600GE test systems to accurately and repeatably characterize the error performance of these interconnect technologies.

This enables manufacturers and network operators to select the most reliable solutions and reduce the risk of costly downtime in AI networks, where outages can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour depending on the scale of the AI workload. Keysight?s latest technology innovations expand the capabilities of the INPT-1600GE and AresONE 1600GE platforms to validate the performance and reliability of a broader range of 224G interconnects. Enhanced capabilities include: Coherent Optical Transceivers ?

used for Data Center Interconnect (DCI) applications with reach ranges up to 120 kilometers. Fully Retimed Optical Transceivers (FRO) ? supports network equipment for 500-meter to 10-kilometer applications.

Low Power Optics (LPO) - used in high-density network switches for shorter-reach applications up to 500 meters, conserving power consumption. Linear Receive Optics (LRO) - enables high-density switch equipment to reach applications up to 2000 meters while conserving power. Active Electrical Cables (AECs) ?

deployed in data center racks and for intra-rack applications extending up to 7?9 meters. Active Copper Cables (ACC) - used in data center racks and for intra-rack applications reaching up to 3 meters, reducing cost and conserving power. Passive Copper Direct Attach Cables (DAC) ?

installed within network racks for 1-meter reach applications that are inherently low power and highly dependable. New, leading-edge silicon in the form of digital signal processors (DSPs), retimers, and linear amplifiers is driving innovation across these interconnect types. The benefits these devices provide?such as longer reach at 224G lane speeds and lower latency and cost?come with a tradeoff: the silicon must be tuned to achieve the goals of each interconnect type.

Due to complex tuning, once initial settings are applied, the fully assembled interconnect must be evaluated for performance, and settings often need multiple adjustment cycles to reach optimum levels. Each tuning iteration requires re-assessment of the interconnect?s performance. Characterizing the performance of these interconnects is especially important at the system level (i.e., fully assembled) ?

and when measured while connected to networking equipment such as GPUs, Network Interface Cards (NICs), switches, and routers. This validation goes beyond interoperability by measuring interconnect performance installed in network equipment in long-duration tests. This allows network designers and operators to make informed decisions.

Both INPT-1600GE and AresONE 1600GE can measure error performance in real-world scenarios within production networks. Keysight will showcase its latest 1.6T Ethernet and interconnect validation solutions at OFC 2026 in South Hall, booth #1300, March 17-19, 2026, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, Calif.