Keysight Releases New 1.6T Ethernet Test Platforms
The new 1600GE testing hardware enables validation of next-generation AI data center and hyperscale network infrastructure.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Data Centers
Live Poll
Do you believe the rapid adoption of AI infrastructure is a positive development for business efficiency?
Keysight Technologies has released the Switch and Edge Router Tester 1600GE and the AresONE Plus 1600GE to support high-speed AI data center validation. These platforms are available now, offering specialized hardware for stress-testing next-generation hyperscale networking infrastructure.
Why it matters
As data centers transition to 1.6T Ethernet, engineering teams require precise emulation of traffic patterns to identify congestion and performance bottlenecks before physical deployment. These testing tools accelerate the validation of AI systems by simulating real-world network loads at extreme scales.
The AresONE Plus 1600GE provides 12.8T of aggregate line-rate traffic capacity within a 2U appliance. It supports 1600GE PAM4 signalling over 224G SerDes, with backward compatibility for 112G signal speeds.
The players
Keysight Technologies
A developer of design and validation software and hardware for electronic, communications, and networking systems.
NVIDIA
A semiconductor company specializing in GPU architecture and networking hardware for AI data centers.
The details
The platform functions by emulating complex network protocols including Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) to stress-test switches like the NVIDIA Spectrum-6. By utilizing Precision Time Protocol (PTP) for synchronisation, the system allows engineers to scale test topologies dynamically. It supports multiple interconnect types, including Direct Attach Copper (DAC) and Active Optical Cables (AOC), to ensure consistency across heterogeneous infrastructure environments.
Timeline
October 26, 2026: Official release of the 1.6T Ethernet testing platforms.
The Tech Race
The rollout of 1.6T testing capacity marks a shift toward validating the next generation of AI fabric before mass deployment. It follows the industry trend of increasing SerDes speeds to 224G, aiming to clear the bottleneck in hyperscale networking hardware.
Network engineers and data center operators can now begin testing their 1.6T infrastructure compatibility with existing AI workloads. The platform allows teams to switch between four-port and eight-port modes to scale validation environments according to their specific hardware density requirements.
The takeaway
Validation tools like these are the first step in stabilizing the high-speed networking standards needed for next-gen AI clusters. Watch for future performance benchmarks on 1.6T equipment that utilize these platforms to confirm interoperability with upcoming hyperscale switch deployments.
Further reading
For more on the infrastructure supporting hyperscale AI, visit our coverage of Data Centers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Electropages.
Live Poll
Do you believe the rapid adoption of AI infrastructure is a positive development for business efficiency?
