Keysight Technologies Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) announced enhancements to its 1.6T Ethernet interconnect validation portfolio, expanding capabilities to test passive copper Direct Attach Cables, Active Copper Cables, Low Power Optics and Linear Receive Optics for AI and high-performance computing networks.

The company enhanced its Interconnect and Network Performance Tester 1600GE and AresONE 1600GE test systems to characterize error performance of these interconnect technologies. The expanded capabilities now include testing for coherent optical transceivers with reach ranges up to 120 kilometers, fully retimed optical transceivers for 500-meter to 10-kilometer applications, and various cable types for shorter-reach data center applications.

According to Black Ridge Research data cited in the announcement, global data center power demand is projected to increase by 50% by 2027 and up to 165% by the end of the decade compared to 2023 levels. The testing capabilities address power consumption concerns as AI and HPC infrastructures scale to 1.6T interconnect technologies.

"As AI and HPC networks scale to 1.6T, the industry is demanding interconnect solutions that extend reach while reducing power and cost," said Scott Schube, vice president of applications and business development for signal integrity products at Semtech.

The enhanced test platforms can measure error performance in production network environments when connected to networking equipment including GPUs, Network Interface Cards, switches and routers. This validation allows network designers and operators to assess interconnect performance beyond basic interoperability testing.

Ram Periakaruppan, vice president and general manager of network test and security solutions at Keysight, stated the new capabilities address challenges presented by 224G interconnects for 1.6T-capable networks. Keysight participates in industry standards development through IEEE802.3, the OIF, the LPO-MSA, and the ACC-MSA.

Keysight plans to showcase the testing solutions at OFC 2026 in Los Angeles from March 17-19, 2026.