COMMUNICATIONS TEST & MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS

JDSU Signal Analyzer Software Suite

Technical Overview
Signaling Analyzer Software

Key Features

Modular hardware and software delivers advanced capabilities to address current mobile network testing requirements Intuitive user interface sets the standards for troubleshooting performance and analysis Rapidly turns overwhelming amount of data into actionable information Unique drill down capabilities enables quick isolation of elusive network problems

Distributed Network Analyzers Figure 1

Applications Call trace for rapid troubleshooting and rapid isolation Graphical statistics and KPIs Shows variety of information elements focus on higher layer protocols Deciphering provides high performance real-time automatic deciphering of Iub and Gb links

With continual waves of new mobile network technology, testing can become a daunting task. Successful analysis of these new technologies and services produces significant testing requirements. Without the right tools, testing can quickly consume an organization and result in technology deployment delays. JDSUs modular software and modular hardware delivers advanced capabilities needed to address your current mobile network testing requirements, and expansion flexibility to tackle future needs. The most powerful mobile network analysis software in the industry, Signaling Analyzers intuitive user interface sets the standard for troubleshooting and performance analysis. See network problems as they occur. Use the application software to rapidly turn an overwhelming amount of data into actionable information. An unparalleled drill down software capability enables quick isolation of elusive network problems. The high-performance, client server architecture delivers a breakthrough in troubleshooting methodology. JDSUs multi-user architecture delivers high performance testing for clients who need to run independent tests simultaneously using a common set of hardware probes. From the physical layer through to service specific profiling and performance testing, the Signaling Analyzer software platform enables network equipment manufactures to rapidly build, test and deploy new services and technologies for the 3G evolution.

website :

www.jdsu.com/test

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Solution Building Blocks JDSU can help you build a solution that fits your specific mobile network needs. Typical solution components include: A DNA hardware probe for each interface to be measured. DNA probes use a line interface module to connect to target interfaces. See Figure1. Signaling Analyzer software running on a PC for each user. In addition to traditional licensing where software permanently resides on a single PC, JDSU uses industry-leading FlexNet licensing technology to allow a team to share a fixed number of floating licenses.
Required software Optional software

JDSUs modular software design delivers advanced capabilities that can be added to Signaling Analyzer. (+ indicates additional technology option support) UMTS UTRAN optimizer 3GPP deciphering SART UPA (UMTS Performance Analyzer) export GAN and UMA software (+GSM) IMA Demux and channelization Drive test import (+CDMA) Optional applications supported across all technology options include: Call Manager client and Call Manager database Multi-User Server XML API

Signaling Analyzer base client software provides: Configuration and control of DNA probes Importation and filtering of data collected by DNA probes Analysis of collected data such as decodes and call trace
Technology options offer protocol-rich analysis for:

Software update service

LTE UMTS IMS CMAOne/CMDA2000 GSM/GPRS/EDGE SS7

JDSU continually enhances Signaling Analyzer software with new features and enhancements. Software Update Service (SUS), allows you to stay current and take advantage of leadingedge industry improvements. Customers who purchase SUS take advantage of JDSUs engineering investment directed at adding continual enhancements to Signaling Analyzer.

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Application and Measurement Highlights Call trace, a graphical call visualization engine and the cornerstone application for rapid troubleshooting and problem isolation, gives you one line view of the call. Drill down to messages and decodes, and calculates call-specific KPIs for each call detected. Graphical statistics and KPIs show graphical statistics for a variety of information elements, focused on higher layer protocols. View counts and ratios for message types to cause values and specific information elements within protocols such as SIR values in NBAP dedicated measurement reports. Tabular statistics and KPIs make available a range of tabular statistics such as FER/BLER per NodeB/BTS, quality distribution analysis, Tx carrier power analysis, Rx total wideband power analysis, IMSI-based SAI/LAC analysis and more. Most tabular statistics have a unique drill-down capability to the call trace application. Deciphering provides high performance, real-time automatic deciphering of Iub and Gb links. Auto Configuration allows for full AAL-2 channel auto configuration over a complex UMTS Iub interface. Multi-User Server enables highperformance multiclient analysis of up to 30 clients in a single solution. All clients have simultaneous yet fully independent access to data flowing through the same hardware platform without impacting or limiting performance of the overall system. Call Manager, a database-enabled analysis application, yields a detailed historic analysis of millions of calls over great time spans. Signaling Analyzer (XML) API makes available an XML-based application programming interface to all major functions within the Signaling Analyzer. Use the API to control the Signaling Analyzer in an automated regression test system. R5 high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) software provides full support for analysis including call trace, statistics, decodes and reassembly of all supported Release 5 protocols and radio channels including HS-DSCH. Pseudo RNC RLC/MAC reassembly enables the Signaling Analyzer to perform RNC-like frame selection on a per-call basis before analysis of the data. Obtain accurate measurement results in full compliance with what a UMTS RNC and the network is actually doing and decisions made by an intelligent 3G UMTS network. Flexible traffic overview presents a high level picture of the traffic and messages being analyzed. View filtering allows for flexible view filtering based on any information element in higherlayer protocols. Hardware data filtering achieves an environment where you can choose what data subset to capture and analyze. This includes intelligent UMTS control plane versus user plane filters. Decodes display the contents of every reassembled frame and message. Flexible data logging options enables the user to choose how and where to capture and save data. On-line help and context-sensitive help for all measurements and applications allow you to get up to speed quickly, and resolve usage questions efficiently.

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Traffic Overview
Flexible traffic overview and decodes

Signaling Analyzer features a flexible traffic overview display. When needed, hundreds of standard and proprietary protocol decodes are available to help interpret the protocols as they appear on the network. Virtually any important information element in any layer of the protocol stack can be shown in the message overview. This makes it easier for engineers to troubleshoot. Right click, select the information elements of interest, and go from any frame or message to which the graphical call trace the highlighted message belongs. See Figure 2.
Deciphering

Iub and Gb deciphering is a completely auto-configured application. Turn deciphering on with a single mouse click and the application will automatically decipher ciphered frames if the ciphering keys are captured on Iu or Gr interfaces.

Figure 2. Signaling Analyzer traffic overview and decodes

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Call Trace
Call trace features

Graphical, user definable representation of calls/sessions and errors Wide variety of per call KPIs Unique group and ungroup message function Detailed call trace based filters that will filter on location (cell), call type, subscriber (IMSI), handset (IMEI), (un) successful calls, etc. Express and custom drill down for rapid analysis and problem isolation of calls with same or similar elements, traits or profile Drill down graphical ladder diagram of the selected call Voice and video export and playback Line graphs for detailed RF quality and optimization analysis CDR generation and CSV output for future analysis in other SW application The call trace application, the cornerstone of Signaling Analyzer, is a powerful expert analysis display for rapid troubleshooting and accurate performance analysis. For each call discovered, the application produces a user-configurable window that contains a single line, graphical representation with phase graphics. A large number of calls/sessions can be displayed densely for efficient troubleshooting. See Figure 3.

Figure 3. Signaling Analyzer Iub-Iu call trace

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Call Trace Embedded KPIs and Group Function Choose from a wide variety of user-definable embedded call information and KPIs in each call. A partial list of available information and KPIs that are optionally displayed in each call trace include (examples from Iu and Iub call trace profiles only): IMSI, IMEI, Node B Communication Context ID, CRNC Communication Context ID, S-RNTI, SRNC Identity, LAC, RAC, SAC, Cell Identifier, NBAP Cause, RRC Release Cause, RRC Rejection Cause, Setup Time, Clear Down Time, Uplink Octets, Downlink Octets, Uplink Bit Rate, Downlink Bit Rate, Uplink Max Bit Rate, Downlink Max Bit Rate, etc. See Figure 4.
Call trace based group function

The Signaling Analyzer includes a unique group and ungroup function. With one click, go from millions of messages to a filtered view of messages belonging to the call of interest. With another mouse click, filter and group the messages belonging to that specific call in the traffic overview for easy and efficient troubleshooting. Another mouse click on the group button ungroups the messages so all the messages captured can be viewed in the traffic overview. The group and ungroup function can also be used without directly drilling down to messages and decodes from the call trace window.

Figure 4. Signaling Analyzer embedded call trace KPIs selection

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Call Trace Filters
Software filters

Signaling Analyzer comes with a large variety of call trace based filters. Specify the criteria to start call tracing on elements such as successful versus unsuccessful, duration of call, IMSI, TMSI, IMEI, LAC, RAC and several types of protocol-related cause values. With this functionality enabled, only the calls that meet the call trace criteria will be displayed. See Figure 5.

Figure 5. Signaling Analyzer call trace configuration window

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Call Trace Express and Custom Drill Down Call trace includes built-in drill down functionality to quickly search and filter. Are you looking for one or two calls among thousands? Its easy with express and custom drill down. Find a specific call or several calls from the same subscriber, at the same location, with the same failure cause, with similar performance or other criteria from among thousands of calls. Use any available call trace column or field to drill down. See Figure 6.

Figure 6. Signaling Analyzer call trace custom drill down

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Call Trace Sequence Diagram Use sequence diagram to graphically view a call. This ladder diagram shows the messages of a call over one or multiple interfaces. See Figure 7. All functions in Signaling Analyzer are integrated and allow for drill down and drill out. Click any of the sequence diagram messages in the diagram and drill down to the corresponding message in traffic overview and view the message decode. Print or save the diagram in a graphical format. Add message numbers or time stamps to the diagram to annotate a particular message in a call.

Figure 7. Signaling Analyzer call trace sequence diagram

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Call Trace Voice, Video, and Line Graphs
Voice and video export and playback

When Signaling Analyzer captures all data without any user plane filters enabled, voice and video traffic will also be captured. The voice or video on specific interfaces can be easily extracted, saved, and played back. For video, Signaling Analyzer supports MPEG4 codec with AMR audio with QuickTime as the player. A simple right click on a specific graphical call trace provides the option of extracting and playing back a voice conversation or video.
Call trace driven line graphs
Figure 8a.

Use Signaling Analyzers suite of line graph statistics for network optimization. See Figure 8a. Plot important network performance and quality parameters over time. Line graph statistics are done on a per-call level. This allows you to easily identify and analyze service degradation over time for specific calls. The statistics feature profiles plot important power metrics and RLC/ MAC block quality overlaid throughout the call. As well, the plots intelligently follow channel switching, macrodiversity and soft handover behavior. See Figure 8b. Line graph statistics profiles include: FP analysis traffic FP analysis signaling FP analysis IP TFI (packet RAB efficiency analysis) NBAP dedicated SIR analysis RRC CPICH EC/NO analysis

Figure 8b. Signaling Analyzer FP analysis line graphs showing SIR, QE and CRCI over time in one graph for a specific call.

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Call Trace CSV Output, CDRs, and KPIs
Call trace CSV output

Use the CSV export capability to make information available to other post-processing applications. Call trace data is available as raw data in a CSV file format. Two levels of details can be saved to the CSV file format: Call correlated messages with all the message detail available in the traffic overview Call trace information found in the graphical user interface
CDR generation for Call Manager

Call trace generates CDRs for later analysis using the Call Manager software application. Feed CDRs through a proprietary flow client mechanism to a specified server IP address where the Call Manager database is installed and running.
Graphical statistics and KPIs

Calculate statistics and graphically visualize a variety of packets, messages and information elements. Signaling Analyzer provides higher-layer protocol content. The types of statistics supported range from message type, to cause values, to specific information elements within protocols. The software comes with a wide range of predefined statistics for supported technologies (UMTS, GSM, GPRS, IMS, and SS7). Set your own thresholds for color coding columns in addition to making the statistics calculations in predefined time intervals. See Figure 9.

Figure 9. Graphical statistics example shows UMTS Iu KPIs and QE (quality estimate) in user plane statistics

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Call Trace Tabular Statistics
Tabular statistics

Run statistics and visualize the results in a tabular format. The application performs a range of tabular statistics such as FER/BLER per Node B, QE distribution analysis, Tx carrier power analysis, Rx total wideband power analysis, IMSI analysis, SAI/ LAC analysis and more. Most tabular statistics have a unique drill down capability to the call trace application. Tabular statistics are designed to show overall network performance and identify quality degradation by customer, location, network node or network segment. See Figure10.

Figure 10. Signaling Analyzer tabular statistics highlights BLER and FER in addition to QE distributions per Node B

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Auto Configuration, Reassembly, Filtering, and Logging
Auto configuration

Signaling Analyzers intelligent Iub auto configuration application allows users to configure the most complex interface in the mobile network in a few minutes compared to hours or days with a traditional protocol analyzer. The Signaling Analyzer for UMTS features full Iub interface auto configuration of AAL-2, dedicated and common, control and user plane channels.
Pseudo RNC RLC/MAC reassembly

To get correct measurement results from both user and network points of view, tools must emulate the way the RNC would handle traffic and make decisions concerning which RLC/MAC blocks to use and which to discard. Signaling Analyzer includes a pseudoRNC function that emulates the functionality of the RNC in handling RLC/ MAC modes, RRC states, and macrodiversity behavior. This capability provides the foundation for intelligent and correct UTRAN analysis.
Software view filtering

The Signaling Analyzer software supports view filtering, while the distributed network analyzer probes support hardware-based data filters. Software view filters supported provide display flexibility. All key information elements in each protocol stack can serve as filtering criteria. Filtering criteria includes both the information elements in each level of the protocol stack, and also nonprotocol related content. Filter on both physical and logical linksets, various events, message validity, time-based and text string match with decodes. Combine logically and/or filtering criteria with filters as a match (filter in) or do not match (filter out). View filters can also be used inside any application to filter application results such as statistics and call traces.
Hardware filtering

DNA hardware has a range of intelligent hardware filters. This includes the filtering and reliable separation of control and user plane in complex radio access networks. In addition to its intelligent upper-layer filtering capability, the DNA is able to filter on a wide variety of lower-layer parameters to enable isolated analysis on a particular base station cluster or single base station. To aid optimization and troubleshooting in the RAN, hardware filters are crucial for efficient core network analysis to ensure that the user is looking at only the most pertinent data and information available.
Flexible data logging options

Configure logging intervals during which capture data log files are automatically created. Specify configurations for timebased logging such as 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours etc. In addition to time-based logging, Signaling Analyzer gives you the ability to log by data capture size, for example 500 Megabytes, 3Gigabytes or 8 Gigabytes.

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Multi-User Server Signaling Analyzer Multi-User Server is an application designed for organizations that need distributed measurement and analysis. See Figure11. The application works for multiple real-time. The systems architecture allows for correlation of data coming from multiple independent probes. This scaleable approach produces gives clients highperformance, time-synchronized, multi-segment, multi-interface analysis. See Figure 12.

DNA

DNA IP network DNA

Multi-user client Multi-user client

Multi-User Server

DNA Multi-user client DNA Multi-user client

Figure 11. Up to 30 clients have concurrent access to the data collected and aggregated from multiple DNA platforms. Realize efficiency gains as engineers and subject-matter experts have independent analysis of traffic coming from a network or test bed. The fixed installed hardware footprint eliminates the need for the continuous re-cabling and reconfiguration experienced with the traditional box approach to protocol analysis.

Figure 12. JDSU DNAs in a multi-user configuration can be rack mounted. Clients can remotely access the DNAs via a Multi-User Server.

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Call Manager Perform efficient historic analysis over hours, days, weeks and months of time. Enable engineers who are tasked with service optimization, service assurance, troubleshooting, or network maintenance to work with vast amounts of data in an application framework optimized for flexible and rapid analysis from thousands to millions of calls. The CDR and databaseenabled Call Manager excels when the need for managing an overwhelming amount of data and calls exists. Deploying Call Manager as an integrated part of JDSUs multiuser analysis system yields high-performance analysis of a loaded network. When calls made an hour ago or a month ago are equally important to the calls made during the troubleshooting and analysis session, Call Manager correlates these calls in a simple and efficient view. Call Manager is integrated into the existing analysis framework where the graphical call trace is the foundation and cornerstone troubleshooting application. See Figure 13.

Network and Signaling Analyzer clients

Call Manager clients

Distributed performance manager

Multi-User Server(s)

Multi-user architecture Centralized configuration and management Interleaving, filtering, correlation, data and measurement distribution

Figure 13. A simple multi-user system allows several users to perform protocol analysis in real time while another group of users simultaneously perform historic and pseudo-real time analysis of millions of calls residing in the Call Manager database.

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Other Add-in Software Applications
IMA (inverse multiplexing of ATM)

Does your UMTS network include IMA technology to transport ATM traffic over a bundle of T1 or E1 cables? Looking at individual E1/T1 links, or multiple individual links simultaneously is meaningless without the higher-level IMA technology view. JDSUs IMA add-in software works in conjunction with Signaling Analyzer to analyze networks incorporating IMA technology. The product allows Signaling Analyzer software to acquire IMA measurements and present this information in the Signaling Analyzer environment. The software can analyze data from one IMA group at a time.
Demux and channelization

With the Signaling Analyzer demux and channelization solution, the Signaling Analyzer software can extract and analyze up to four ports of STM1/OC-3 tributary analysis for a simultaneous total of 336 VT1.5/VC11 T1s or 252 VT2/VC12 E1s for ATM. Demux and channelization for ATM and HDLC is included. The solution needs just a fraction of the number of hardware probes and associated cables that traditional approaches require. JDSUs solution achieves an attractive port cost by significantly reducing the number of required hardware probes. With JDSUs architecture, more E1/T1 links can be easily added. A single DNA can support up to 336 T1s or 252 E1s.
Signaling Analyzer XML API

The Signaling Analyzer API provides an XML-based application programming interface to all major functions and applications within the Signaling Analyzer. Build Signaling Analyzer into an automated test or regression test system. The extensive, full-featured API enables test automation with accessibility of virtually any major function of the software to get access to test results with minimal manual engineering effort.

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Import of Drive Test Data To improve system performance by reducing latency, mobile network technology is migrating to Node Bs and basestations. Monitoring at either the air interface or the Node B or base station will only indicate transactional performancerelated issues. The system complexity mandates a broad understanding and looking at two different tools is inefficient and problematic? JDSU Signaling Analyzer delivers faster and more comprehensive troubleshooting by correlating the collected data on the radio and network interfaces by time and location. This provides a detailed endtoend picture of the true network issues/performance. Signaling Analyzer currently supports data import from JDSUs E6474A wireless network optimization platform. See Figure 14.

1. Simultaneously collect GPS timesync'ed drive test and SART data. Save independent files.

2. Import one or more captured .sd5 drive test file into Signaling Analyzer log file (offline)

.sd5

.sal

3. Signaling Analyzer combines traces using GPS time stamps embedded in original traces

.sal

Figure 14. Importing UMTS drive test data into Signaling Analyzer produces time-aligned Uu/Iub/Iu call trace, sequence diagrams, and traffic overview displays. Drive test import is also available for CDMAOne/CDMA2000.

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LTE Support From the eNb to the evolved packet core the Signaling Analyzer platform is capable of analyzing the mobility signaling procedures, mobile services and streaming media quality. From combined call traces to real time graphical statistics and key performance indicators only JDSU can deliver a solution for tomorrows emerging technologies. The software enables passive probing and analysis of LTE network interfaces. From single point monitoring and analysis to a fully distributed test environment, the Signaling Analyzer platform effortlessly scales to meet the dynamic and changing test needs from the lab to operations. With a powerful combination of distributable hardware pre-processing with scalable software architecture the Signaling Analyzer platform will help to ensure the successful deployment of an integrated LTE/SAE network system. See Figure 15.
UMTS 3GPP support and UTRAN optimization

Are you implementing R5 or R6 capabilities in your networks? JDSU invests to keep Signaling Analyzer current with the latest technology waves. JDSU engineers regularly incorporate 3GPP updates to support the most current updates of R99, R4, R5, and R6. All supported Signaling Analyzer functions such as call trace, graphical and tabular statistics, and detailed filtering capability is supported for 3GPP Release 5- and Release 6-based HSPA UTRAN systems. Are you moving to an IP based UTRAN? Will you need to monitor a mix of ATM and IP based UTRAN interfaces? All UMTS analysis features can be applied regardless of the transport type utilized. In addition to timely 3GPP release support, JDSU has worked with a number of leading NEMs to pioneer the industrys first HSDPA and HSUPA optimization tools. Are resources efficiently allocated and correctly utilized by RNC and NodeB? Is the RAN delivering services efficiently? Many leading-edge NEMs have resolved significant flow control optimization issues that would have been extremely difficult to find and isolate without the HSDPA and HSUPA optimization tools.

Figure 15.

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Flexible Use Models
Single user direct connect

Connect one or more DNAs, through a daisy chain or Ethernet switch, directly to a controlling PC using standard Ethernet cables (as shown below in Figure 16). A PC makes this use model ideal for dispatched troubleshooting of one or more interfaces monitoring single or multiple transport technologies such as frame relay, ATM or Ethernet. In this scenario, data storage and the Signaling Analyzer application reside on the controlling PC.

Mobile access
Figure 16. Direct connect scenario

Mobile core

Multiple Users with Remote Connection

Connect one or more DNAs through a Multi-User Server to multiple clients. A multi user system enables up to 30 users concurrent access to the data collected and aggregated from multiple distributed network analyzer probes. This is accomplished by a client/serverbased system where the server configures the distributed network analyzer probes, collects data from the probes and intelligently and efficiently forwards processed data during run-time to attached multi-user clients. See Figure 17.

Multi-User Server

Mobile access
Figure 17: Multiple Users with Remote Connection.

Mobile core

Signal Analyzer Software Suite

Ordering Information

Hardware Platforms

J6801B distributed network analyzer J6802B distributed network analyzer MX J6803B distributed network analyzer PRO J6804A distributed network analyzer - HD
Software Licensing

Technology options (one or more required)

For most JDSU Signaling Analyzer software referenced in this document, JDSU offers a choice of legacy or floating licenses. Legacy licenses are enabled by a manually entered license code to be used on a single PC. Floating licenses are enabled by a license file. Floating licenses can be checked out from a central license server enabling sequential license sharing within an organization.
Software update service

For most JDSU Signaling Analyzer software referenced in this document, JDSU offers a software update service (SUS). JDSU continually enhances Signaling Analyzer software with new features and enhancements. Software update service (SUS), gives you access to the most recent software.
Base client software (required)

Signaling Analyzer real-time Signaling Analyzer offline

Optional productivity application SW

Signaling Analyzer Multi-User Server Call Manager database Call Manager client Drive test file import SART API SART UPA export

LTE support -- IPSEC deciphering option -- Proprietary options UMTS support -- Base UMTS with R99 & R4 support Real-time technology option Offline technology option -- Additional UMTS application SW R5 with HSDPA optimization R6 with HSUPA optimization 3GPP deciphering Demux and channelization IMA Drive test import UMA SS7 support -- Real-time technology option -- Offline technology option IMS support -- Real-time technology option -- Offline technology option GSM/GPRS/EDGE support -- Real-time technology option -- Offline technology option -- UMA CDMAOne/CMA2000 support -- Real-time technology option -- Offline technology option -- Drive test import Proprietary protocol support -- Contact JDSU

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Product specifications and descriptions in this document subject to change without notice. 2010 JDS Uniphase Corporation

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April 2010