Standards including NBASE-T and the latest IEEE 802.3bz and
Automated test application supporting various data rates

Tektronix recently announced the industry's first automated conformance test solution for the NBASE-T specification and the latest IEEE 802.3bz standard.

A new application based on the TekExpress framework for high-performance Tektronix oscilloscopes supports 2.5G, 5G, and 10G data speeds in a single solution, allowing for fast and easy testing of devices using various speeds.

The NBASE-T specification and the IEEE 802.3bz standard define speeds of 2.5 and 5 gigabits per second found in the large-scale copper cables installed in corporate and university networks worldwide. Industry efforts to transition to these speeds are being led by the NBASE-T Alliance, and specifications for PHY and MAC/PHY interfaces have already been released. Additionally, the IEEE 802.3bz Special Committee is working to establish standards compatible with the NBASE-T specification.

Brian Reich, General Manager of High Performance Oscilloscopes at Tektronix, said, “There is no doubt that NBASE-T/IEEE 802.3bz addresses the critical need for cost-effective network performance in enterprise and university environments. “Fast and accurate conformance testing is a critical requirement for launching 2.5G and 5G products,” he said. “As a member of the NBASE-T Alliance, Tektronix is leading the industry by providing customers with the ability to perform complete NBASE-T transmitter testing in an easier, more reliable, and cost-effective manner.”

The new application automates complex NBASE-T/IEEE 802.3bz compliance testing and debugging processes through features such as automatic oscilloscope setup, multi-lane test support, full data acquisition, and custom reporting. Integrated reflection loss testing eliminates the need for additional expensive vector network analyzers, while enabling advanced margin testing through flexible control over test configurations and parameters.

Peter Jones, Chairman of the NBASE-T Alliance, stated, “Migration capabilities to faster wireless access network speeds are essential to help enterprises keep pace with the explosive growth of smartphones, tablets, and IoT environments in the workplace. For companies utilizing wired environments, there is a demand for the technology required to connect these new wireless access points to on-premises switches.” He added, “Tektronix’s automated conformance test solutions will play a critical role in helping engineers across the network industry meet new requirements by launching plug-and-play 2.5G and 5G solutions in a timely manner.”