LXI (LAN eXtension for Instrumentation) is a new industry standard, created for rack and stack based test equipment communicating over Local Area Network (LAN) following the Ethernet protocol (IEEE Std.802.3). LXI can be viewed as successor for the aging GPIB industry standard, solving many problems related to latter technology’s performance limitations and cost. The LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI) specification, released in version 1.0 in September 2005, has been created and is managed by the LXI Consortium, which includes more than 50 member companies. First products have been introduced in December 2005. Being a natural successor of GPIB, LXI is a standardized platform for “rack and stack” type or stand-alone, benchtop instruments. LXI does not compete with PXI or VXI, which define modular, plug-in card cage based instrumentation platforms, but rather complements these standards. Some
applications can be satisfied with one or the other approach, while others demand the integration of various test platforms in hybrid systems. LXI is well suited for remote, distributed, and highly dispersed test and measurement applications, for example. LXI is more flexible than modular instruments in regard to mechanical features (physical dimensions needed to fit required circuitry and interface elements, for example) and instrument internal requirements such as power consumption and cooling. Vendors can develop instruments with unique electrical and physical requirements, but with standardized interface control (LAN, WLAN). Since LXI is not backplane based, there is no significant system overhead cost other than network infrastructure (cabling, routers, etc.); however, every LXI device requires its own power supply and instrument control circuitry. As defined in the LXI standard, each compliant instrument provides the means for remote access from a web browser anywhere within the network through a web server embedded into the device.
