Radiance Multi-Rate Line Card 5
OverviewThe Radiance multi-rate line card with dual small form-factor pluggable
(SFP) optics provides a simple and versatile solution for converting between
two physical data formats. Use it to connect multimode to singlemode fiber, or
singlemode fiber with different wavelengths. A wide range of interchangeable
optics ensures the multi-rate line card will accommodate current and future
system needs regardless of the network’s data rate, protocol, or wavelength.
The multi-rate card supports a frequency range from 44.7 Mbps up to 2.7 Gbps,
however, it is not a rate adapter that converts from one protocol to another. Only
one data rate is configured manually through a set of DIP switches on the card,
automatically through software auto-detection, or by changing the settings via
software commands.
The card features loopback capability for testing link integrity, Link Loss Carry
Forward and Link Loss Return for troubleshooting remote connections, and a
clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit which can be bypassed for protocol
transparency. The CDR circuitry extracts the clock and data information from
the incoming stream and clears the signal from noise or jitter, which can
significantly compromise the transmission of error-free data. The hot-swappable
multi-rate line card is designed for use with the Radiance chassis system.
Compatible with the Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM)
System, the multi-rate line card supports Metrobility’s CWDM pluggable optics
with wavelengths from 1310 up to 1610 nm. When installed in a managed
Radiance R5000 Central Service Platform, the multi-rate line card provides the
interface between the service provider’s switch and a wavelength-specific
connection to the mux/demux module in an R4000 chassis. At the customer site,
the multi-rate line card converts the specific wavelength back to a standard fiber
media that matches the customer’s equipment.
When configured with an R502-M management card, software management
over the multi-rate line card allows a system administrator to monitor and
configure the unit from a PC. Console commands, Metrobility’s NetBeacon® or
WebBeacon™ management software, or any standard SNMP application can be
used for management. Through software, the multi-rate line card delivers real-
time monitoring of its internal temperature, SFP optical receive/transmit power
levels, and port link state, along with switch controls and other hardware data to
simplify troubleshooting and to ensure system stability.