Omnitron Ethernet media converter supports gigabit jumbo frames
JUNE 20, 2008 -- Omnitron Systems Technology (search for Omnitron), which provides fiber-optic access systems for next-generation Ethernet networks, has launched the FlexPoint GX/T, a standalone 1000Base-X fiber to 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet media converter. Omnitron says the FlexPoint GX/T is the first unmanaged media converter that supports gigabit jumbo frames up to 10,000 bytes. As newer IP networks move toward using jumbo frames to reduce network overhead and to reduce CPU utilization, the converter is expected to provide high performance and affordability for what previously was exclusive to expensive Ethernet equipment. The company also bills the device as the first unmanaged gigabit media converter that supports both 100Base-FX and 1000Base-X small form pluggable (SFP) transceivers, providing deployment flexibility by adding interoperability to Fast Ethernet fiber equipment.
"The new FlexPoint GX/T media converter can be deployed across a broad range of applications and is suitable for enterprise, utility, municipal, education, and military applications," says Doug Baar, Omnitron's vice president of engineering. "Depending on the SFP transceiver installed, the FlexPoint GX/T supports multimode, singlemode, singlemode single-fiber, and CWDM wavelengths, making it ideal for a wide range of Ethernet deployments."
A variety of test and fault detection tools are provided for easy installation and troubleshooting. The converter supports Port Loop-Back, IEEE defined Far-End-Fault (802.3u for 100Base-FX link) and Link Fault bit (802.3u for Auto-Negotiation) as remote fault indicators. It generates signals when it detects a link fault and reports detection (receiving) of these signals by displaying status on the LED. Through user DIP-switch configuration, the detection of these signals can also be propagated to the other port on the GX/T as a means of notifiying connected end-devices of the link fault.
The new media converter supports a commercial operational temperature range of 0 to 50 degrees Celsius, a wide temperature range of -40 to +60 degrees Celsius, and an extreme temperature range of -40 to +75 degrees C.