New platforms combine high-density switching, routing validation and realistic AI workload emulation to identify performance bottlenecks before deployment.
Keysight Technologies has introduced two test platforms designed to address the growing complexity of next-generation Ethernet infrastructure powering AI data centres, hyperscale networks and edge routing. The SERT 1600GE and AresONE Plus 1600GE aim to help engineers validate performance, interoperability and congestion under realistic operating conditions before networks enter production.
The launch reflects the increasing pressure on network infrastructure as AI workloads demand higher bandwidth, predictable latency and efficient traffic management. Moving to 1.6T Ethernet requires more than faster links; operators must also ensure that switching fabrics, routing protocols and AI traffic patterns perform reliably at scale.
The AresONE Plus 1600GE combines eight OSFP1600 ports in a single 2U appliance, delivering 12.8 terabits per second of line-rate traffic at 64-byte packet sizes. It supports 224G SerDes, backward compatibility with 112G, and flexible port configurations spanning 1.6T, 800G, 400G and 200G Ethernet.
“As engineering teams race to upgrade AI infrastructure to 1.6T Ethernet, they need to emulate the broader AI system throughout the development process.” — Ram Periakaruppan, Vice President and General Manager, Network Test & Security Solutions, Keysight
Beyond throughput testing, the platform integrates with Keysight AI Data Center Builder software to emulate mix-of-experts AI workloads and evaluate RoCEv2, Priority Flow Control and Explicit Congestion Notification. These capabilities allow engineering teams to assess how network behaviour affects AI traffic and identify congestion risks before deployment.
The SERT 1600GE focuses on data centre switch fabrics and edge-router validation, supporting protocol and control-plane testing across BGP, ECMP, VXLAN and SONiC environments. Both platforms support Precision Time Protocol synchronisation and a range of optical and cable interfaces, providing flexibility for expanding test topologies.
Through its collaboration with NVIDIA, Keysight is also targeting validation of Spectrum-X Ethernet fabrics using high-speed traffic generation, routing-scale testing and AI workload emulation. The platforms are designed to support testing across device qualification, system validation and AI infrastructure deployment.