STOCKHOLM -- Transmode, a leading provider of optical networking solutions, today announced the availability of 8G Fibre Channel support over both the TM-Series and TS-Series WDM platforms.

Supporting the drive to ever higher bandwidth in SAN extension applications, such as data center interconnection projects, Transmode introduces 8G Fibre Channel (FC) support for its existing 10G Transponders for the TM-Series and TS-Series WDM platforms via the introduction of 8G XFP pluggable optics modules. Specifically the Dual 10G Lite Transponder in the TM-Series and the 7900 Transponder in the TS-Series support the new 8G FC XFP modules enabling both transponders to support 8G FC in addition to 10G FC, STM-64/OC-192 and 10G LAN and WAN Ethernet services.

Fibre Channel services are often deployed alongside Ethernet services and 8G FC will most commonly be deployed alongside 10G LAN Ethernet over WDM for datacenter interconnect projects. Transmode's decision to bring 8G FC to the existing 10G Transponders enables customers to simply add 8G FC to existing 10G WDM solutions with the simple addition of an additional 8G FC XFPs. This simplifies the deployment of 8G FC services and reduces the need for additional spares, therefore reducing both OPEX and CAPEX for 8G FC services.

Additionally, as the TM-Series Dual 10G Lite Transponder supports two independent transponder functions, any combination of 8G/10G FC, STM-64/OC-192 or 10G LAN/WAN Ethernet services can be deployed over the same card. Furthermore, by using XFP interfaces on both the line and the client interfaces, either of the two 8G/10G Transponders can be used in regenerator mode allowing extended distances to be supported.

"By supporting 8G FC on our existing 10G Transponders, Transmode provides the most economical and simplest to deploy solution for 8G FC SAN applications", said Sten Nordell, Transmode's CTO. "Alternative approaches either use fixed optics with the associated higher sparing requirement and lack of flexibility, or have a technical solution which limits the functionality of the card and do not support the full range of 10G services or regenerator modes on the same Transponder. We believe the approach we have taken to enable 8G FC to easily coexist with 10G Ethernet services will provide the best solution for our customers."

Transmode Systems AB