The EXFO TK AXS-850-1 is a portable Ethernet test set engineered for installation, turn-up, and maintenance of Ethernet and IP services. This handheld unit delivers carrier-grade performance validation through RFC 2544 testing, bit-error-rate analysis, traffic generation at full line rate, IP connectivity diagnostics, and cable characterization. Field technicians gain rapid test cycles and pass/fail confirmation via intuitive LED indicators, enabling efficient service deployment and troubleshooting in live network environments.
Technical Specifications
Testing Capabilities:
• RFC 2544 bidirectional testing with simultaneous independent directional results
• Throughput, back-to-back, frame loss, and latency measurements
• Bit-Error-Rate Testing (BERT) up to Layer 4 with PRBS patterns: 2E9-1, 2E11-1, 2E15-1, 2E20-1, 2E23-1, 2E31-1, plus one user-defined pattern
• BERT with or without VLAN Q-in-Q encapsulation
• Full-line-rate bidirectional traffic generation and monitoring
• Real-time bandwidth and frame-size adjustment
• Multiple background streams for carrier Ethernet service validation
• Intelligent network autodiscovery with Smart Loopback and remote loopback functionality
• Layer 4 loopback capability
Network & Protocol Support:
• Configurable VLAN and IEEE 802.1ad Q-in-Q with up to two VLAN layers
• VLAN ID, priority, type, and drop eligibility modification
• QoS, ToS, and DiffServ verification on metro Ethernet circuits
• IP connectivity tools: ping and traceroute
• Automatic and manual straight/crossover cable detection
User Interface & Data Management:
• LED indicators for pass/fail results, errors, alarms, test status, and link status
• User-definable pass/fail thresholds with rate-limited service accommodation
• Event logger for Traffic Generation & Monitoring and BERT with historical tracking
• Threshold crossing alerts
• Print-ready reports saved internally
Physical Design:
• Compact, rugged, lightweight form factor for field deployment
– Key Features
• Bidirectional RFC 2544 with simultaneous independent measurements
• Layer 4 BERT with seven standard patterns and custom pattern support
• Full-line-rate traffic generation with dynamic bandwidth control
• Smart Loopback with intelligent autodiscovery
• Dual-layer VLAN encapsulation (Q-in-Q)
• Metro Ethernet QoS validation
• Event-based data logging with threshold monitoring
– Typical Applications
• Ethernet service installation and turn-up
• Circuit performance validation and maintenance
• Carrier Ethernet QoS verification
• Cable infrastructure testing
• IP connectivity diagnostics
• Network performance benchmarking
– Compatibility & Integration
The AXS-850-1 supports standard Ethernet testing methodologies including RFC 2544 and multiple BERT pattern formats. VLAN and Q-in-Q capability enables testing of complex service configurations. Full-line-rate operation accommodates modern Ethernet service demands.
