Data Transfer Tests

Timbercon fiber optic products are designed and manufactured to optimize your data storage process and effectively manage the testing of your connectivity ports.

For testing applications, optical loopbacks or electrical loopbacks are used to verify the operational reliability of the device under test. With both optical and electrical loopbacks, the signal generated by the device under test is looped from the transmit (Tx) side of an active component back to the receive (Rx) port of the same component.

With this type of test setup, you can pass data to/from the device. The test code (data being transmitted) can range from simple data pass-through to very complex strings of data. To verify results in these applications, the data sent from the Tx port on the device under test is compared with data received in the Rx port. Providing these data sets are identical, you have verified that your system is working properly.

For optical testing, Armadillo loopbacks are used in conjunction with optical transceivers. Optical transceivers function both as light sources and media converters, changing an electrical signal to optical signal on the transmit (Tx) channel and transmitting to a receive port (Rx), where it is again converted back to electrical signal.

Electrical testing, like optical testing, utilizes a loopback to perform a signal loop test. Electrical loopbacks provide a looped signal without converting to optical but provide a very similar setup for testing.

The Armadillo loopback has become an industry standard for testing in the manufacture of NAS, SAN and CAS storage equipment.  It is used in board level testing as well as HASS testing levels.

Prior to shipment, data storage device manufacturing companies perform build quality, process consistency, and failure testing on finished products. This testing, commonly known as HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screening), is used to find defects and flaws in production to monitor the quality and consistency of the manufacturing processes. Typically, the criteria for developing parameters for HASS testing are a series of environmental tests consisting of, but not limited to, thermal transitions over specific time intervals (both high and low temperatures), voltage margining, vibration, and other application or product specific requirements.