VIAVI launches test platform for 1.6T ethernet networks

Viavi Solutions has introduced the TestCenter D2 1.6T Appliance, a new testing platform designed to support the development and deployment of next-generation high-speed Ethernet networks. The system is aimed at cloud providers, hyperscalers, emerging cloud infrastructure companies and network equipment manufacturers working on advanced data centre and AI network architectures. The appliance forms part of VIAVI’s broader portfolio of network testing solutions covering multiple layers of network validation, including physical layer testing, AI fabric validation and performance testing for complex network environments.

The launch comes at a time when the networking industry is preparing for a transition from 800G to 1.6T Ethernet technologies, particularly in infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence workloads. The shift is expected to gather momentum this year as cloud service providers build larger and more complex AI clusters to handle growing computational demands.

High-speed Ethernet has increasingly become the preferred networking fabric for AI infrastructure due to its scalability, interoperability across equipment vendors and continued technological development.

According to the company, the TestCenter D2 1.6T Appliance is among the first platforms specifically developed to test 1.6T Ethernet networks designed for AI workloads and multi-vendor environments. The system is intended to help network developers evaluate performance, scalability, reliability and operational stability in high-capacity Ethernet environments before large-scale deployment.

The platform includes traffic generation and analysis tools that allow engineers to simulate high-volume data flows and test network behaviour under demanding conditions. It also supports multi-rate operation, enabling testing across different generations of Ethernet speeds that may coexist within evolving network architectures.