How Do I Choose the Right Fiber Interconnect Box?

Decisions, Decisions

 

When talking about interconnect boxes (also known as enclosures), there are a variety of options that can be used. Often, a common question asked by customers is which box would be best for their application. This is a loaded question that requires some questions and answers to see what will work best for the situation that they have in front of them. There are a number of factors that will have to be addressed to come to a point where we can help to make a recommendation. Where is the interconnect going to be located, along with how many fibers are you going to be putting in the enclosure and if it will need to house fusion splices. Is there a 2 post rack existing or will you have to put that in as well?  Does your job have a spec that you need to follow? Specs are written by engineers and sometimes they call out specific manufacturers that can be used for a job. Other specs are open to different manufacturers as long as it covers what is needed for the job or project. 

 

Wall vs. Rack Mount

 

When talking about interconnects we will discuss the two types that are primarily used in building your network. Not to say there are not other options, we will just be talking about the most common two used. The first one we will discuss is rack mount enclosures. These come is several different sizes and configurations. You can have anywhere from a 1RU (Rack Unit) all the way an 8RU. This is the amount of space that the rack mount will take up in your 2 post rack. So if you have 72 fibers to install and you are using SC 6 pack adapter plates then you would need a 4RU rack that accepts 12 plates. If you were to use duplex SC adapter plates you could use a 2RU rack with 6 adapter plates. Again, this will also depend on what you are looking to do along with if you are splicing in the back. If splicing you want to make sure you have enough room for your fiber management along with splice trays. 

 

Now with wall mounts you have the same idea as rack mounts except now you will need to know how much room you have where it is being installed. So dimensions of the wall mount are important along with how many adapter plates it holds. You will still need to know if you are splicing in it. Fiber count is important, as well as what style connectors you will be using to determine how many adapter plates you will need. Some installers look at cosmetics for both the wall and rack mounts. Interconnects are offered in black and off white and they will be off the shelf items. We do also have the capability of customizing these to different colors as well. When you are customizing there are quantity requirements that need to be met. This not only applies to the enclosures but adapter plates as well. If you have a good size project and would like to customize it all to match it can be done. 

 

Fiber Count

 

When talking enclosures one of the first questions that is asked has to do with how many fibers will you, the customer, be putting into these enclosures. This is a vital part of figuring out what you will need. When designing a system you will typically have a central point that will hold all fibers in one location. This has to have a little bigger rack or wall mount due to having a larger number of fibers. Then what happens is there are several runs of fiber that go out to several different locations that need to be connected. At these locations there is a smaller box that will hold the number of fibers needed for that location. For example, at your central location you have a total of twelve different runs that go to twelve different locations. So at your central point you will need to have an enclosure that will hold a minimum of 144 fibers (12 fibers per run x12 different locations). So for each of your runs of fiber you will need a rack or wall mount enclosure, at the end of the run, that will hold 12 fibers. 

 

Splice Trays

 

When picking out the correct enclosures, a big part of the decision is whether or not splicing will occur in the back of the wall or rack mount. If you are splicing, then this section will apply to your decision. If not, you can skim over this part like most of us do with nutritional facts on the back of food products. Splice trays, like the rack and wall mounts, have several different options that you can choose from. There is the number of splices to consider, which is typically 12 or 24 per tray. There are dimension differences as well that will play in to the decision of which one to choose. Splice trays are one of the last things to consider because you will need the dimensions of the enclosure to choose the correct size splice tray. If you are trying to splice a higher fiber count you will want to try to use the splice tray that can accept more splices per tray. This will help keep the number of splice trays needed down and to make the fiber management look as professional as a man dressed in a tuxedo ready for his wedding.

 

LGX Style vs. Proprietary

 

In all interconnect boxes you need adapter plates loaded with mating sleeves that allow you to connect your fibers together. Along with knowing which connector style you are connecting, you will also need to know what style box you are using, especially if you are connecting in a panel that already is in place. There are plates that are “universal” that will fit in multiple manufacturers’ enclosures. One style is known as LGX adapter plates. There are several manufacturers that use this concept allowing for multiple manufacturers’ adapter plates to be interchanged and used with several different manufacturers interconnect boxes. There are other manufacturers that have proprietary adapter plates, meaning you can only use that manufacturers adapter plates with their rack and wall mount enclosures.

8 Steps to a Successful Network Cable Infrastructure

by www.fiber-mart.com

In our last blog post we covered the use of balanced STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) and UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) to minimize the effects of RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference), along with crosstalk that can take place between wire pairs carrying dissimilar data.

 

Because STP is not as common in today’s networked environment,we’ll reference this discussion on UTP only. We’ll also look at some of the basic issues with respect to the proper installation of UTP, such as Category5e, 6, 6e, and 7. This blog article builds on the information contained in our recent blog articles so be sure to have them handy if you need to review.

 

When we speak of installation with regards to UTP, we’re concerned with the potential for physical changes. Preserving the integrity of our cable(s) will give our network the stability and ongoing support it needs to maintain data rates of 1 Gbps (Cat5e) to 10 Gbps (Cat6, 6e, and 7).

 

The first place to begin in our effort to avoid problems is in how we install them.

 

Remove the cable from the spool or pullbox carefully to avoid twisting and kinking. Either one can change the outer dimension of the cable as well as how the conductors twist around one another within it. Kinks can flatten the cable, thus altering its electrical properties. This can adversely affect performance.

 

 

Feed cable trays, sleeves, and conduits with care to avoid damaging the outer sheath. Lack of care can also scrape the insulation from one or more conductors within the jacket causing potential short circuits.

 

 

Be sure not to pull Cat5e, 6, 6e, or 7 with more than 25 lb. of  pulling force for every 4-pair. To exceed this pull force has the potential to change the inter capacitance and inductive properties of the cable twists which can change the way it transports data. It also can snap conductors within it, in which case wire pairs may have to be substituted or a new cable installed.

 

 

Do not exceed a bend radius of 4 x the cable OD (outer dimension). For a  4-pair UTP cable, 10 x the cable OD for a 25-pair backbone cable. Tighter bends can and often will cause changes in the outer dimension of the cable thus causing it to change how it transports data.

 

 

Maintain the tight twist of a UTP cable right up to the point of termination at the jack or plug assembly. This will assist in your effort to maintain the rated specification of the cable.

 

 

When horizontally hanging UTP cable,maintain a maximum of 4 ft. between hangers. Cable sag should be maintained from 4 to 12 inches. When cable sag exceeds 12 inches, there’s a strong chance that the distance between hangers is greater than 4 in. If cable sag is less than 4 inches, it could indicate that the cable may be pulled too tightly.

 

 

When working in return air returns(plenum spaces), use plenum-rated cable because the insulation will not support a flame nor will it emit toxic fumes in the presence of one. Regular non-plenum UTP cable, however, is flammable and it will spread the fire when exposed to it. In addition, it will emit toxic fumes when it burns, and that can cause injury and death.

 

 

When binding cable bundles with wireties, do not pull them too tight as it will pinch the outer cable sheath thus causing potential problems with effective bandwidth and data transmission rates. We will continue to drill down into the installation and care of network cable in my next blog post. Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog.

Fiber Optic Media vs Copper Media

by Fiber-MART.COM

Fiber-optic technology is getting more and more popular nowadays in the professional networking world. “Why?” – one may ask. “Is it the distances that signal can travel without a repeater? Or is it the passive components that require no energy to operate?” Both statements are true, however main reasons are potentially unlimited bandwidth (limited only by the speed of light) and immunity to external factors.

 

Data in the optic-fiber is transmitted by a LED or a laser, and received by an optical detector. Data in single optical cable can travel simultaneously in multiple wavelengths. However that would require multiple lasers transmitting signal, and multiple receivers to accept data at the same time.

 

 

Difference in wavelengths is measured in nm (nanometers). Typical data transmission wavelengths are between 850nm and 1550nm.

 

As it was mentioned before, optical-fiber is more advanced type of cable than copper cable, due to multiple reasons. External factors (electromagnetic interference) cannot affect the signal in the fiber, since it is a light, not the electricity based transmission. All of the electric cables generate EMI at some level, which will affect other cables in the range. That will result in crosstalk inside the cable, especially if it is of a significant length. Not being able to produce magnetic field, and not being affected by one makes optical cable ideal candidate if the cable should be deployed through elevator shaft, industrial machinery, or electrical transformers. 

 

Fiber optical cable is not only being able to transmit high bandwidth signal over longer distances, but it is also extremely secure. If the copper cable can be easily tapped, physically penetrating the shell of the cable and connecting to the core in order to “steal” data, fiber optic cable cannot be accessed that easy. Advanced systems use EMI in order to access data from the copper cable, which is also impossible to do with the data transmitted “at the speed of light”. 

 

Why we still use copper over optical fiber, one may ask. There are two main reasons for that. First one is the cost. If you check the cost for the optical fiber, you may see it is not much more expensive than the high-end UTP cable. Sometimes it is even cheaper than some advanced copper cables. So where does the expenses problem comes from. Optical fiber requires specialized equipment, including switches, hubs, routers, network cards, and it comes for a price. In fact, it might be over four times more expensive than the UTP equipment with the same functionality. However optical fiber offers option for unique topologies, that can save some of the expenses.

 

Second reason for limiting optical installations, is the… installation. Compared to the copper network installation, where anyone can do it with proper tools, following online tutorial, optical fiber is much more difficult to install. Since you are dealing with glass material, the connection cannot be anything but perfect, otherwise it will result in huge signal loss (if it would work at all). Multiple special tools require advanced training to be able to work with them.

 

In any case, one always can consider fiber optic media converters for easy conversion between fiber optic and copper media.

Understanding Polarity in MPO System

by Fiber-MART.COM

Understanding Polarity in MPO System

 

 

MPO/MTP technology has led to the adoption of 40/100GbE, however on of its challenges is with regards to  proper polarity of these array connections.  Maintaining  the correct polarity across a fiber network enables signals  from any type of active equipment to be  directed to the receive port of a second piece of active equipment – and vice versa. To ensure the MPO/MTP systems work with correct polarity, the TIA 568 standard suggests several methods. 

 

MPO Connector

 

First on the list is the  MPO connector usually consisting of  12 fibers. 24 fibers, 36 fibers and 72 fibers  Each MTP connector has a key on one of the flat side added by the body. When the key sits on the bottom, this is called key down. When the key sits on top, this is referred to as the key up position.  In this orientation, each of the fiber holes in the connector is numbered in sequence from left to right and is referred as fiber position. The orientation of this key also determines the MPO cable’s polarity.

 

Three Cables for Three Polarization Methods

 

The three methods for proper polarity defined by TIA 568 standard are named as Method A, Method B and Method C. To match these standards, three type of MPO truck cables with different structures named Type A, Type B and Type C are being used for the three different connectivity methods respectively. In this part, the three different cables will be introduced firstly and then the three connectivity methods.

 

MPO Trunk Cable Type A: Type A cable is also known as straight cable, is a straight through cable with a key up MPO connector on one end and a key down MPO connector on the opposite end. This makes the fibers at each end of the cable have the same fiber position. 

 

The issue of polarity with MPO cables can be easily addressed by selecting the correct type of MPO cables, connectors, cassettes and patch cables. Various  polarity settings/methods can be applied  to satisfy the requirements of the 40G environment.  

 

The issue of polarity with MPO cables can be easily addressed by selecting the correct type of MPO cables, connectors, cassettes and patch cables. Various  polarity settings/methods can be applied  to satisfy the requirements of the 40G environment.  

 

Benefits of Fiber Optic and Passive Optical LAN Test

by Fiber-MART.COM

In recent years, passive optical LANs have gained significant popularity as an alternative to horizontal copper structured cabling in a variety of enterprise spaces.

 

The technology brings fiber out of the riser backbone and data center, and with that comes the need for fiber technicians to test these systems out in the horizontal space.

 

Let’s take a closer look at these passive optical deployments.

 

 

Passive optical LANs are a point-to-multipoint fiber architecture that use passive optical splitters to divide the signal from one singlemode fiber into multiple fiber signals.The signals are transmitted simultaneously in both directions over separate wavelengths using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology—1310nm for upstream data and 1490nm for downstream data.

 

Available in a variety of split ratios such as 1:8, 1:16, and 1:32, optical splitters basically serve the same purpose as a network switch, but they are not electrically powered—that’s why the technology is referred to as “passive.”

 

The singlemode fiber that arrives at the splitter originates at an optical line terminal (OLT) typically located in a data center or main equipment room.

 

From the splitter, multiple fibers connect to optical network terminals (ONTs) that convert the optical signal into multiple balanced signals for transmission over twisted-pair copper cabling to end devices.

 

What are the Benefits?

 

Because passive optical LANs use singlemode fiber, they are not limited by the 100-meter channel distance of copper but instead can reach distances of 20 kilometers.This is ideal for large facilities, or really any facility where 100 meters is not feasible.

 

In addition to eliminating the distance limitation, the primary cost-saving benefits of passive optical LANs include the ability to eliminate telecommunications rooms and the associated power and cooling infrastructure.The smaller, lighter singlemode fiber cables used in these systems also reduces pathway and space requirements.

 

Other benefits touted by proponents of passive optical LANs, and of fiber systems in general, include improved security and eliminating the crosstalk and EMI/RFI concerns associated with copper cabling.

 

 

How are they Tested?

 

Just like any fiber optic system, a passive optical LAN requires insertion loss testing.And just like any fiber system, the overall channel loss is based on the end-to-end path between application specific equipment—the OLT and ONT in the case of the passive optical LAN.That means that everything in between—cable, connectors, splitters, and splices—attributes to loss.And just like any fiber optic system, connector cleanliness remains vital.That means the connectors should be inspected for contamination.

 

For passive optical LANs, the acceptable insertion loss is a minimum of 13dB and a maximum of 28dB at a 20km distance.The singlemode fiber used in a passive optical LAN should also be tested at both the 1310nm and 1490nm wavelengths.And test reference cords must include the angled polish contact (APC) style connector to match those used in passive optical LANs.

 

Best practices for passive optical LAN testing will be included in the upcoming international standard IEC 61280-4-3, which in keeping with existing TIA and ISO/IEC standards, specifies a light source/power meter for Tier 1 testing and an OTDR for Tier 2 testing in the upstream direction.

 

Decoding Grade A Connector in Fiber Optic Cables

by Fiber-MART.COM

With the advances in fiber optic technology and transmission systems, reliable cabling systems are becoming even more important. Active optical equipment, which is often worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, is all connected into the network via the humble fiber optic patch cord or patch lead. The risk of network downtime due to unreliable cabling is one that should be avoided. Therefore, these types of networks, along with many other Data Center and high speed Commercial networks require reliable cabling infrastructure in order to maximize performance and to ensure long term reliability. Today’s article will introduce Grade A optical fiber cables.

 

What Are Grade A, Grade B, Grade C Fiber Optic Connector?

IEC standards dictate the connector performance requirement for each grade of fiber optic patch cord connector. These standards guide end users and manufacturers in ensuring compliance to best practices in optical fiber technology.

 

According to IEC 61753 and IEC 61300-3-34 Attenuation Random Testing Method, Grade C connectors have the following performance characteristics.

Attenuation: 0.25dB-0.50dB, for >97% of samples.

Return Loss: 35dB

 

According to IEC, Grade B connectors have the following performance characteristics

Attenuation: 0.12dB-0.25dB, for >97% of samples.

Return Loss: 45dB

 

Grade A connector performance (which is still yet to be officially ratified by IEC) has the following performance characteristics. Average Insertion loss of 0.07dB (randomly mated IEC Standard 61300-3-34)and a Maximum Insertion Loss of 0.15db max, for >97% of samples.

 

While the return loss using IEC 61300-3-6 Random Mated Method is >55dB (unmated–only angled connectors) and >60dB (mated), this performance level is generally available for LC, A/SC, SC and E2000 interfaces.

 

 

How are Grade A Connectors on Optical Fiber Patch Cords Identified?

Grade A fiber optic patch cords are identified with the letter ‘A’ printed on the connector side. The symbol is actually the letter ‘A’ enclosed within a triangle (“A”).

 

This identification marker is proof that you are using a high quality fiber optic patch cord. Grade A connectivity is also available for Optical fiber through adapters. The same rule applies for A grade fiber optic Adapters which also have the letter “A” clearly marked.

 

 

What Does a Fiber Optic Patch Cord Meet the Grade A Criteria?

Firstly a high quality Grade A fiber optic patch cord begins with using high quality zirconia ferrules and high quality optical fiber cable. However, the manufacturing and testing process must be first class.

 

In order to meet the stringent performance criteria of ‘A’ Grade connectors on patch cords, high quality manufacturing, inspection, testing and Quality Assurance (QA) procedures are required. Without the proper expertise in optical fiber technology, many other manufacturers are unable to meet these requirements.

 

To consistently achieve ‘A’ Grade performance, high accuracy testing using state of the art test equipment as well as constantly assessing testing methods are all required. Analysing and ensuring mechanical end face limits and that parameters are within range, ensures that Grade A connectivity is achieved.

 

Grade A connectors offer virtually the same IL performance as a fusion splice, with the added benefit of providing a physical contact which can be connected, disconnected and moved when required.

 

 

Conclusion

It is important to fully understand the benefits of using reliable, good quality optic fiber patch cords and connectivity. Good quality connectors with low Insertion Loss will meet large bandwidth and high speed requirements of the latest active optical equipment allowing large streams of data to be transmitted reliably over long distances. Grade A connectors on optical fiber patch cords are an example of the advances in this technology.

Global Optical Transceiver Market: Striding to 200G and 400G

by Fiber-MART.COM

The demand for higher Ethernet speed, couple with the prevalence of Cloud computing, Internet of Things and virtual data center, has driven the prosperity of optical transceiver market. Optical transceivers, direct attach cables (DACs) and active optical cables (AOCs) have evolved dramatically to catch leading edge broadband network capacity. The past decades have witnessed massive adoption of optical transceivers with data rates ranging from 1G, 10/25G to 40/100G, while higher-speed 200G or even data center 400G is just on the horizon. The sales of optical components grows steadily and is expected to continue in the years to come.

 

10G, 25G, 40G and 100G: Seeing Broad Adoption in Data Center 

As network gets faster and virtualization gradually becomes the norm, data center is undergoing a major transformation. The trend emerges in the industry signifies a migration toward higher speed transceivers and better service. These high-bandwidth transceivers are driving revenue growth which suggests a strong market. The global optical transceiver market is anticipated to reach to $9.9 billion by 2020, driven by the widespread use of 10/25 Gbps, 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps, and with the biggest sales forecasted for 25G and 100G ports. The imminent 200 Gbps and 400 Gbps optical transceivers also poise to hold a fraction of the market share.

 

10G Transceiver: Moving to the Edge

Initially offered in the early 2000s, 10 Gigabit Ethernet has matured now to become a commonplace in data center. 10G server connections reached majority of new shipments and have outpaced 1G connection in 2015. Basically the 10G Ethernet is stacked to move to 40G and 100G at the access layer, following the upgrade path of 10G-40G-100G, which, however, will quadruple the cabling complexity, power consumption and overall cost. And this will be exacerbated when aggregating into 100G (10×10G) interface.

 

25G Transceiver: Pave the Road for 100G

So there comes the game changer: 25G Ethernet for better economics and efficiency. 25 Gigabit Ethernet makes the road to 100G smoother with reduced cost, lower power consumption and less cabling complexity. SFP28 optical transceiver is designed for use in 25G Ethernet, delivering 2.5 times higher speed per lane at lower power. 25G SFP28 can be viewed as the enhanced version of 10G SFP+ transceiver, utilizing the same form factor but running at 25 Gb/s instead of 10 Gb/s. Besides, SFP28 25G is back compatible with SFP+ so it will work sufficiently on SFP+ ports. By the year of 2019, the price of a 25G SFP28 will be almost the same as a 10G SFP+. So you will be saving a great bunch of money if choosing to move to 25G. Some users even plan to skip 10G and directly deploy 25G Ethernet for better scaling to 50G and 100G.

 

40G Transceiver: Affordable for Mass Deployment

Obviously, 10GbE is no longer fast enough for data centers handling large-scale applications, so 40G is designed to alleviate bottlenecks in the access layer . When firstly planning to scale to 40G, the cost is extremely high that makes the implement of 40G technology difficult. Luckily, we’ve seen significant cost reduction of 40G optics in the past 2 years: QSFP-40G-SR offered by fiber-mart.COM is $49 only. The price drop accelerates 40G transceivers adoption in aggregation links, or in access links to connect servers. For scaling to“spine-leaf” architecture, 40G switches can be used as spine switch with the 40G QSFP+ ports breaking out into 4 10G SFP+ ports to support 10G server uplinks. 40G port revenue has peaked in 2016 and will now decline in favor of 25G and 50G ports.

 

100G Transceiver: Ramping up in Data Center

Currently 100G are the fastest Ethernet connections in broad adoption, which is growing sustainably. And the optical transceiver market indicates that 100G QSFP28 module price will continue to drop, making the cost difference between 40G and 100G even small. For example, fiber-mart.COM offers great cost reduction on 100G transceivers: only $199 for QSFP28 100G-SR. Moreover, 100G switch port shipments will outnumber 40G switch port shipments in 2018—as 25G server and 100G switch became commonplace in most hyperscale data centers that replaces previous 10G servers and 40G switches. Vendors of 100G QSFP28 transceiver will continue to grow the product and push the limits of its versatility.

 

200G and 400G – New Connection Speed Hits Data Center

Another foreseeable trend in interconnect market is the phase out of low speed transceivers in the core of networks and in data centers. So here comes the major shift from 10G and under to 40/100G and higher. New developments with QSFP28 technology in 2018 also will pave the way for the 200G and 400G QSFP-DD: next-generation 200G and data center 400G Ethernet will deploy starting in 2018, and become mainstream by 2019-2020. On the whole, optical transceiver market is evolving to higher speed, more reduced power consumption and smaller form factor. Let’s take a look at these future-proofing optical transceivers.

 

DAC and AOC: Lower Cost Stimulate Popularity

DACs (direct attach copper cables) and AOCs (active optical cable), with their inherent advantage of enhanced signal integrity and superior flexibility, have become the preferred, cost-effective interconnect for high-speed links at 10G, 25G, 40G and 100G for about all applications in hyperscale and enterprises, and is likely to be used for 200G and 400G as well. DAC and AOC provide improved speed and cost efficiency, they are witnessing tremendous growth in data interconnect market. 2017 has witnessed shipment over 100k direct attach copper cables for 100Gb/s networks in hyperscale data centers, and this is anticipated to continue in 2018. While the global market for AOC is projected to surpass $2 billion by 2020, the sales will keep surging in the years to come.

 

Conclusion

Data demand will continue to skyrocket. As the vast increases in Internet traffic are pushing optical transceiver market to shift, we can still expect deployment of 10/25/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) optics in mega data centers to spur market growth in 2018. While the lower-cost and power-efficient DACs and AOCs are yielding significant growth in short-distance high speed interconnect. So just stay tuned and embrace the significant opportunities lie ahead for optical transceiver market.

WHY FIBER OPTICS ARE THE FUTURE

For more than 100 years now, the United States has relied on metal wires to send information by transmitting electricity. However, as the country has evolved, it has become clear that metal wires are simply not going to be able to keep up with all of the signals being sent through them on a regular basis. Many of these metal wires are already reaching the end of their life cycles, and they are having trouble delivering clear signals due to what is called impedance, which is electrical friction that causes a signal to break down as it travels over a great distance.

 

As such, fiber optics—or specialized fibers that carry signals made of light—are likely  to continue replace traditional metal wires and become the future of communication. Here are a few other additional reasons why:

 

FIBER OPTICS TRANSMIT INFORMATION MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN METAL WIRES.

When metal wires transmit information, they create a small amount of heat. This heat causes damage to the wires over time and eventually makes them useless. They often need to be replaced. But with fiber optics, data is transmitted through the use of light, which doesn’t create any heat in most cases. As a result, there is a much lower chance of fiber optics needing to be replaced.

 

FIBER OPTICS ARE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT THAN METAL WIRES.

As you might expect, it takes a lot more energy to send electrical signals through metal wires than it does to send light through fiber optics. There are also nodes that have to be installed regularly to help metal wires transfer information over longer distances, which isn’t usually the case with fiber optics. This makes fiber optics a greener option than metal wires.

 

FIBER OPTICS ARE ALREADY BEING USED BY MANY LARGE COMPANIES.

There are quite a few big DSL and cable providers across the country that have already adopted fiber optics, and more are expected to join them soon. These providers are seeing all the benefits that come along with using fiber optics, and they have decided not to wait until it’s too late in the game to use them.

 

Connected Fiber is a company that can provide emergency restoration services, fiber optic splicing, fiber optic testing and documentation, and more. If you want to learn more about fiber optics, call us at 910-443-0532 today to speak with someone about why there is so much excitement surrounding the future of fiber optics.

WHY IT PROFESSIONALS PREFER FIBER OPTICS

More and more IT professionals are choosing to install fiber optic cables over the copper cables that have traditionally been used to create networks. Why is that? Well, for one, fiber optic cables have proven to transmit data substantially faster than copper cables. Fiber optic cables use light to move data around, and that makes them quicker. But that’s not the only reason why IT professionals are choosing fiber optic cables. Here are several other reasons.

 

FIBER OPTIC CABLES DON’T LOSE THEIR SIGNAL STRENGTH AS QUICKLY AS COPPER CABLES.

When copper cables are forced to transmit data over a long distance, they end up losing a lot of their signal strength. IT professionals refer to this as low attenuation, and it can obviously be problematic for companies that need cables capable of carrying data over longer distances. Data doesn’t break down in fiber optic cables like it does in copper cables, which, outside of speed, is one of the biggest benefits of using them.

 

FIBER OPTIC CABLES AREN’T A FIRE HAZARD LIKE COPPER CABLES.

When companies use copper cables, they are relying on electricity to transmit data. Anytime you count on electricity for anything, there is obviously a fire risk that comes along with it. This same fire risk is not present when fiber optic cables are utilized since light will not catch on fire when transmitting data.

 

FIBER OPTIC CABLES DON’T BREAK AS OFTEN AS COPPER CABLES DO.

Fiber optic cables and copper cables can both wear down and break over time. But despite the fact that fiber optic cables are comprised of glass, they break a whole lot less often than copper cables do. This means that IT professionals won’t be forced to make unnecessary repairs when they go with fiber optic cables.

 

There are so many different advantages to using fiber optic cables over copper cables. It’s why many IT professionals have started to turn their attention to fiber optic cables. If your company would like to find out more about the benefits of using fiber optic cables over copper cables, Connected Fiber can help. Call us at 1-862786-1199 today and ask about the fiber optic services we can provide for you.

Armored Fiber Optic Patch Cords

Armored fiber optic patch cord can be used for rodent protection in direct burial if required. This cable is non-gel filled and can also be used in aerial applications. The armor can be removed leaving the inner cable suitable for any indoor/outdoor use. Additional configurations available. Temperature range -40°C to +85°C.

 

we produce armored fiber optic patch cable and armored fiber optic patch cord, single mode,multi mode,SC,FC,ST,LC,MU,MTRJ,UPC,APC,simplex,duplex,9/125,50/125,62.5/125

armored fiber optic patch cables are used in harsh environment; they are designed with special structure to give extra protection to the cable. We have armored fiber optic patch cables for both indoor and outdoor applications. For outdoor armored fiber patch cables, please refer to the waterproof fiber cables, in this passage we are talking about armored fiber optic cables used for indoor applications.

These armored fiber optic patch cords are same diameter with commonly seen 2mm O.D or 3mm O.D cables, and their optical performance is also same as the common fiber patch cables. The difference is armored fiber cables are with stainless steel armor inside the cable jacket and outside the optical fiber, this stainless steel armour are strong enough to make the cables anti-rodent and the whole cable can resist the steps by an adult people.

 

Armored fiber optic patch cord is also single mode and multimode types, the connectors optional including commonly used LC, SC, ST, FC, E2000, MU, SMA, etc. cable structure can be simplex, duplex or multi-fiber types. These armored fiber cables can be with custom made colors and cable length, they are manufactured according to industrial and international standards.

 

Fiber-mart.com armored fibre optic patch cables are designed for being used in harsh environment ,in which the traditional standard fiber optic patch cable can not fit and can not get good performance. The armored fiber optic patch cable is made with special strong connectors and armored fiber optic cables, it can protect the cable from damage caused by twist ,pressure or rodent bite. Installation procedure and maintenance is also easy. They are ideal choice for people who is looking for fiber optic patch cords with addtional durability and protection as well as light weight.

 

Armored fiber optic patch cord Features:

Steel tape armored inside outer jacket

Resist damage by improper twist

Resistance of pressure and rodent bite

Different fiber optic connector types optional

Low insertion loss

Custom cable lengths optional

Waterproof Fiber Optic Cables

fiber-mart.com has developed a new type of waterproof fiber optic cable that has been manufactured according to IEC standards. Fiber optic cables are typically used to connect fiber optic cable with fiber optic equipment. The product possesses low insertion loss, repeat push-pull performance and high return loss and these qualities make the cable user-friendly.

 

Waterproof fiber optic patch cables are designed to fit for outdoor applications. The waterproof fiber optic cables are with strong PE jacket and armored structure, they can resist high temperature and suit to use in harsh environment.

We supply both single mode and multimode waterproof fiber cables, custom cable assemblies are available. Waterproof fiber optic cable assemblies include waterproof fiber optic cable and waterproof fiber optic patch cord.by adopting the special structure cables and connectors, these fiber cable assemblies are widely used in CATV and other applications.

 

Waterproof Fiber Optic cables are widely used in data transmission network, typical types are with 2 fiber cores, 4 fiber cores or 8, 12 fiber cores. fiber-mart.com produce the fiber optic waterproof cables strictly according to IEC standards, the products feature low insertion loss, high return loss, good interchangeability and repeat push-pull performance, which make them easy to use. The waterproof fiber optic cables are with strong PE jacket and waterproof sealed head connectors; they can be used in harsh environment.

 

Waterproof Fiber Optic cables Features:

Various kinds of connect interfaces optional such as SC,FC,ST,LC, etc.

Ceramic ferrules, PC, UPC, APC polishing optional

Low insertion loss, high return loss

Waterproof

Out diameter of inner fiber: 3.0mm, 2.0mm, 0.9mm

Typical Outdoor Fiber Optic Cables

Fiber optic cable provides protection for the fibers from the environment encountered in an installation. Outdoor Fiber Cable is designed strong to protect the fibers to operate safely in complicated outdoor environment, it can be buried directly, pulled in conduit, strung aerially or even placed underwater. While indoor cables don’t have to be that strong.

 

Outdoor fiber optic cable is composed of many fibers enclosed in protective coverings and strength members. Common features for fiber optic cable include polarization maintaining, graded index, and metalization. Most outdoor fiber cables are loose buffer design, with the strengthen member in the middle of the whole cable, the loose tubes surround the central strength member. Inside the loose tube there is waterproof gel filled, whole cable materials used and gels inside cable between the different components will help make the whole cable resist of water.

Typical outdoor fiber optic cable types are used for aerial, direct buried and duct applications.

 

Loose Tube Cables

 

Loose Tube cables are the most widely used cables for outside plant trunks, as it can be made with the loose tubes filled with gel or water absorbent powder to prevent harm to the fibers from water. Loose Tube Fiber Optic cables are composed of several fibers together inside a small plastic tube, which are in turn wound around a central strength member and jacketed, providing a small, high fiber count cable. They can be installed in ducts, direct buried and aerial/lashed installations for trunk and fiber to the premise applications. Loose tube cables with singlemode fibers are generally terminated by spicing pigtails onto the fibers and protecting them in a splice closure. Multimode loose tube cables can be terminated directly by installing a breakout kit, also called a furcation or fan-out kit, which sleeves each fiber for protection.

 

Ribbon Cable

 

Ribbon cable is preferred where high fiber counts and small diameter cables are needed. This cable has the highest packing density, since all the fibers are laid out in rows in ribbons, typically of 12 fibers, and the ribbons are laid on top of each other. Not only is this the smallest cable for the most number of fibers, it’s usually the lowest cost. Typically 144 fibers in ribbons only has a cross section of about 1/4 inch or 6 mm and the jacket is only 13 mm or 1/2 inch diameter! Some cable designs use a “slotted core” with up to 6 of these 144 fiber ribbon assemblies for 864 fibers in one cable! Since it’s outside plant cable, it’s gel-filled for water blocking or dry water-blocked. These cables are common in LAN backbones and data centers.

 

Armored Fiber Optic Cable

 

Armored cable is used in direct buried outside plant applications where a rugged cable is needed and/or for rodent resistance. Armored cable withstands crush loads well, for example in rocky soil, often necessary for direct burial applications. Cable installed by direct burial in areas where rodents are a problem usually have metal armoring between two jackets to prevent rodent penetration. Another application for armored fiber optic cable is in data centers, where cables are installed under the floor and one worries about the fiber cable being crushed. This means the cable is conductive, so it must be grounded properly.

 

Aerial Fiber Optic Cable

 

Aerial cables are for outside installation on poles. They can be lashed to a messenger or another cable (common in CATV) or have metal or aramid strength members to make them self supporting. A widely used Aerial Cable is optical power ground wire (OPGW) which is a high voltage distribution cable with fiber in the center. The fiber is not affected by the electrical fields and the utility installing it gets fibers for grid management and communications. This cable is usually installed on the top of high voltage towers but brought to ground level for splicing or termination.

 

Indoor/Outdoor Cables

 

Fiber Optic Indoor/Outdoor Cables are designed to meet both the stringent environmental requirements typical of outside plant cable AND the flammability requirements of premise applications. Ideal for applications that span indoor and outdoor environments. By eliminating the need for outside to inside cross-connection, the entire system reliability is improved and with lower overall installation costs.

 

Underwater and Submarine Cables

 

It is often necessary to install fibers under water, such as crossing a river or lake where a bridge other above water location is not possible. For simple applications a rugged direct burial cable may be adequate. For true undersea applications, cables are extremely rugged, with fibers in the middle of the cable inside stainless steel tubes and the outside coated with many layers of steel strength members and conductors for powering repeaters. Submarine cables are completed on shore, then loaded on ships and laid from the ship, often while operational to ensure proper operation.

 

fiber-mart.com offers a comprehensive range of multimode fiber cable and single-mode fiber optic cables. Indoor, outdoor, armoured, tight buffered or loose tube structures, which cover all possible applications.

The FOA Reference For Fiber Optics

Fiber Optic Transmitters and Receivers (Transceivers)

 

Fiber optic transmission systems (datalinks) all work similar to the diagram shown above. They consist of a transmitter on one end of a fiber and a receiver on the other end. Most systems operate by transmitting in one direction on one fiber and in the reverse direction on another fiber for full duplex operation.

 

Most systems use a "transceiver" which includes both transmission and receiver in a single module. The transmitter takes an electrical input and converts it to an optical output from a laser diode or LED. The light from the transmitter is coupled into the fiber with a connector and is transmitted through the fiber optic cable plant. The light from the end of the fiber is coupled to a receiver where a detector converts the light into an electrical signal which is then conditioned properly for use by the receiving equipment.

 

The sources used for fiber optic transmitters need to meet several criteria: it has to be at the correct wavelength, be able to be modulated fast enough to transmit data and be efficiently coupled into fiber.

Four types of sources are commonly used, LEDs, fabry-perot (FP) lasers, distributed feedback (DFB) lasers and vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). All convert electrical signals into optical signals, but are otherwise quite different devices. All three are tiny semiconductor devices (chips). LEDs and VCSELs are fabricated on semiconductor wafers such that they emit light from the surface of the chip, while f-p lasers emit from the side of the chip from a laser cavity created in the middle of the chip. 

 

LEDs have much lower power outputs than lasers and their larger, diverging light output pattern makes them harder to couple into fibers, limiting them to use with multimode fibers. Laser have smaller tighter light outputs and are easily coupled to singlemode fibers, making them ideal for long distance high speed links. LEDs have much less bandwidth than lasers and are limited to systems operating up to about 250 MHz or around 200 Mb/s. Lasers have very high bandwidth capability, most being useful to well over 10 GHz or 10 Gb/s.

 Because of their fabrication methods, LEDs and VCSELs are cheap to make. Lasers are more expensive because creating the laser cavity inside the device is more difficult, the chip must be separated from the semiconductor wafer and each end coated before the laser can even be tested to see if its good.

LEDs have a limited bandwidth while all types of lasers are very fast. Another big difference between LEDs and both types of lasers is the spectral output. LEDs have a very broad spectral output which causes them to suffer chromatic dispersion in fiber, while lasers have a narrow spectral output that suffers very little chromatic dispersion. DFB lasers, which are used in long distance and DWDM systems, have the narrowest spectral width which minimizes chromatic dispersion on the longest links. DFB lasers are also highly linear (that is the light output directly follows the electrical input) so they can be used as sources in AM CATV systems.

 

The choice of these devices is determined mainly by speed and fiber compatibility issues.  As many premises systems using multimode fiber have exceeded bit rates of 1 Gb/s, lasers (mostly VCSELs) have replaced LEDs. The output of the LED is very broad but lasers are very focused, and the sources will have very different modal fill in the fibers. The restricted launch of the VCSEL (or any laser) makes the effective bandwidth of the fiber higher, but laser-optimized fiber, usually OM3, is the choice for lasers.

 

The electronics for a transmitter are simple. They convert an incoming pulse (voltage) into a precise current pulse to drive the source. Lasers generally are biased with a low DC current and modulated above that bias current to maximize speed.

 

Detectors for Fiber Optic Receivers

 

Receivers use semiconductor detectors (photodiodes or photodetectors) to convert optical signals to electrical signals. Silicon photodiodes are used for short wavelength links (650 for POF and 850 for glass MM fiber). Long wavelength systems usually use InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) detectors as they have lower noise than germanium which allows for more sensitive receivers.

 

Packaging

Transcivers are usually packaged in industry standard packages like these XFP modules for gigabit datalinks(L) and Xenpak (R). The XFP modules connect to a duplex LC connector on the optical end and a standard electrical interface on the other end. The Xenpak are for 10 gigabit networks but use SC duplex connection. Both are similar to media converters but are powered from the equipment they are built into.

 

Performance

Just as with copper wire or radio transmission, the performance of the fiber optic data link can be determined by how well the reconverted electrical signal out of the receiver matches the input to the transmitter. The discussion of performance on datalinks applies directly to transceivers which supply the optical to electrical conversion.

Every manufacturer of transceivers specifies their product for receiver sensitivity (perhaps a minimum power required) and minimum power coupled into the fiber from the source. Those specifications will end up being the datalink specifications on the final product used in the field.

All datalinks are limited by the power budget of the link. The power budget is the difference between the output power of the transmitter and the input power requirements of the receiver. The receiver has an operating range determined by the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) in the receiver. The S/N ratio is generally quoted for analog links while the bit-error-rate (BER) is used for digital links. BER is practically an inverse function of S/N.

 

UNDERSEA CABLE, THE INTERNETS BACKBONE

How it works

 

Rarely do we sit back a truly appreciate the tremendous effort that has been made in order to achieve what seems so simple on the surface. As we flick though the latest fashion posts on our tablets, read email reports on our laptops at the local coffee shop, we really don’t give much though to how that information got there and the daily challenges faced by many to bring us this convenience. Let’s dive in shall we?

 

Undersea or submarine cable is essentially the backbone of the internet and what allows countries and continents to share information between one another. While satellite communications are highly effective it is simply more reliable and cost effective to make use of fiber optic undersea cables. This is not to say that undersea cable is cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Submarine cable is placed on the sea bed between land based stations in order to convey signals across the ocean. With the first communication cables being laid as early as the 1850’s for use in telegraphy. Later on these cables would advance in order to make use of  modern fiber optic and carry digital data including telephony and the internet.

 

Typical modern undersea cables are far larger than fiber cable used in everyday land use. They are usually around 25 mm (0.98 in) in diameter and have a tremendous weight of around 1.4 kg per meter (0.4 lb/ft), although much larger and heavier ones are in use around shallower areas and nearer to shore.

 

How is it Laid?

 

The cables are laid gently on the ocean floor by specifically designed ships and in most cases remain submerged due to their weight. The cables are designed with an average life-span of 25 years, this however does not mean they are immune to breakages prior to this. There are a number of reasons a cable can fail including anything from simple degradation to shifts in the ocean floor. This of course means that repairs will be required and this in turn requires specialized equipment and specially trained personnel to carry out the work.

 

Repairing Undersea Cable

Should there be an issue with a submarine cable it must be  raised to the water surface and worked on from there.  It is a fairly complex operation in which a cable repair ship will be dispatched to the location and the deploy a marker buoy near the break. Once there the cable will be grappled off the ocean floor and raised in order to begin repairs, various types of grapples are used depending primarily on the conditions of the ocean floor. Cable repair can be both a lengthy and dangerous for all involved with work crews having to often postpone repairs due to inclement weather conditions, regardless of the state of repair they where currently in. Once splicing of the cable has taken place the repaired cable will be returned to the seabed , the repaired cable will be longer than the original, so the excess is deliberately laid in a ‘U’ shape on the ocean floor. This is done in the hopes of preventing future damage to the cable.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Connecting the world is far from simple and very, very expensive, so next time your cruising the internet super highway give some thought to the technologies that enable you to send that email, share that photo of your lunch or pay for that designer dress in Milan.