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Broomfield, Colo. - Optical components supplier Vixel Corp. is moving up into the systems business with the introduction of a Fibre Channel hub for arbitrated-loop (FC-AL) storage clusters.
The IntraLink 1000 Fibre Channel hub implements FC-AL loop topology using Vixel's short-wavelength Gbit interface converter (GBIC) modules to meet 1.0625-Gbit/second speeds at distances to 500 meters. The modules are developed by Vixel with compact-disk lasers available in the merchant market.
Later this year, Vixel will offer a long-wavelength laser interface based on single-mode fiber to extend distances for Fibre Channel loops. The company also offers twin-coaxial copper interfaces for special 30-meter rack-to-rack copper interconnects. These hubs use a new converter module based on the company's vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) that are now coming out of the company's fab (see Dec. 16, page 33).
The Vixel physical-layer devices will adapt perfectly to a Gigabit Ethernet environment,...