GL Advances High-Speed Multi-Port Ethernet Testing

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GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GL Communications Inc., a global leader in telecom testing solutions, addressed the press regarding their multi-port testing for high-speed network environments. As networks continue to grow in speed and complexity, the ability to test multiple ports simultaneously becomes essential. GL’s PacketExpert™ 100G enables testing across several high-speed Ethernet ports in parallel. This allows network engineers to verify performance and reliability more efficiently, while also saving space and reducing equipment needs in labs and production setups.

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Vijay Kulkarni, CEO of GL Communications, states, “GL’s PacketExpert™ 100G is a scalable, multi-functional network testing appliance for comprehensive Ethernet and IP testing at speeds up to 100 Gbps. It integrates a high-performance PC with specialized NICs, GL’s PacketExpert™ software, and optimized hardware for processing, storage, and cooling. The system supports 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 50 Gbps, and 100 Gbps Ethernet ports, with up to eight ports capable of simultaneous wirespeed traffic generation and reception.”

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A web-based interface allows multiple users to remotely access and control devices, enabling centralized management of large multi-port test setups. Python scripting further enhances efficiency by enabling repeatable, scalable, and fully remote execution of complex test scenarios.

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Multi-port testing is essential to validate that devices with multiple high-speed ports can simultaneously handle diverse traffic streams at full line rate without errors or degradation—ensuring reliable, high-density performance in real-world environments.

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PacketExpert™ 100G supports flexible multi-port configurations using dual 100G ports with breakout cables and adapters. A single 100G port can be split into four 25G ports via a QSFP28 to 4 × SFP28 cable (4 x 25G), while a 40G port can be split into four 10G ports using a QSFP to 4 × SFP+ cable (4 x 10G), enabling simultaneous multi-rate testing without additional hardware.

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In 4 × 25G or 4 × 10G modes, PacketExpert™ 100G activates four independent ports (Port 1 to Port 4) for concurrent Ethernet interface testing. This setup reduces device and cable requirements, saves rack space, and boosts efficiency in lab and production environments.

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PacketExpert™ 100G supports up to eight 100G ports in a 4U rack-mount chassis using multiple network interface cards, enabling extensive multi-port scalability. It performs Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT) and RFC 2544 throughput and latency measurements on up to 8 ports for 100G, 50G, 40G, and 1G, and up to 16 ports for 10G and 25G. The platform handles up to 128 unique streams (16 per port), scalable to 256 streams for 10G and 25G, allowing comprehensive ExpertSAM™ (ITU-T Y.1564) service activation testing.