Keysight introduces APS-M8400 Modular Network Cybersecurity Test Platform

Keysight Technologies announced the new APS-M8400 Modular Network Cybersecurity Test Platform, which provides data center network equipment manufacturers (NEM) and operators with the high density 8-port 400GE Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density (QSFP-DD) network security test platform.

Data center operators and service providers are facing exponential growth in encrypted traffic volumes and security threats driven by increases in video streaming, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and internet of things (IoT) devices.

In addition, with the introduction of 400GE, critical infrastructure is placed under even greater demand as these growing volumes of encrypted traffic are being delivered at unprecedented speed. To meet these requirements, data center NEMs and operators need tools that can validate that their products and services support hyperscale loads without compromising security and usability.

Keysight’s APS-M8400 addresses this challenge by delivering a modular, 400GE network security test platform that aggregates compute and field programmable gate array (FPGA) resources to deliver hyperscale application and cybersecurity test and validation.

The APS-M8400 test platform offers the following benefits:

• 400GE port density: The APS-M8400 offers the ability to test 8 x 400GE QSFP-DD, supporting industry moves from 100GE to 400GE without the need for additional switches or infrastructure.
• Ease of management: The APS-M8400 provides a centralized, “single pane of glass” management of up to 16 compute nodes reducing the management learning curve and simplifying system upgrades and maintenance.
• Flexible testing options: The APS-M800 offers flexible aggregation of compute and FPGA resources to optimize the performance and scalability requirements for any simulated workload, using one or multiple 400GE test interfaces.
• Hyperscale performance: The APS-M8400 can drive hyperscale application and cybersecurity test performance, including encrypted traffic loads, to effectively emulate the rigorous demands put upon data center and service provider infrastructure. This platform can generate up to 3+ Tbps of Layer 4-7 traffic, 5+ billion concurrent connections, 2.4 Tbps of transport layer security (TLS) traffic, and 2.4 million TLS connections per second.
• Scalable solution: The APS-M8400 is designed as a “pay-as-you-grow” solution, allowing users to build out a system that supports today’s test needs and spending constraints, with the flexibility to add capacity as requirements change and budgets allow.

John Maddison, Executive Vice President of Products and Chief Marketing Officer at Fortinet, said: “The world’s fastest NGFWs need an equally nimble testing platform to validate their capabilities. Fortinet is the only vendor delivering 400GE interface speeds on a hyperscale firewall via the FortiGate 7121F, 4800F, and 3700F. Keysight’s groundbreaking 8x400GE APS-M8400 cybersecurity test platform delivers the port density, multi-terabit application and TLS throughput rates, and session scalability that help Fortinet test and validate the performance and real-time threat protection our customers expect.”

Ram Periakaruppan, Vice President and General Manager, Keysight’s Network Test and Security Solutions, said: “Data center NEMs and operators face conflicting demands to produce solutions that support ever increasing data volumes and traffic speeds driven by new standards like 400GE, while protecting systems against a growing, dynamic cybersecurity threat landscape – all without breaking the bank. Keysight’s APS-8400 meets these teams where they are, delivering hyperscale application and cybersecurity test loads via an industry leading 8 x 400GE of test port density in a flexible solution that allows users to add test capacity as demands and budgets change.”