WHY FIBER OPTIC NETWORK IS HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION

Broadband connection has gained a lot of popularity over the last few years in both urban and rural areas. There is a massive rise in this service amongst businesses where entrepreneurs want to promote their services and products over the web in quick and convenient manner. Due to high speed internet connection, downloading the files, uploading the video or images and chatting has become quite easy. Users don’t find any issue of slow speed nowadays due to latest technology and connection. In last couple of year, fiber optic network has emerged as one of the best connections to provide high speed access to the web world.

 

Dial-up, Wireless, Cable and Fiber Optics are some of the techniques to allow users to access the web world. But when it comes to access web world in high speed manner then fiber optics is the best connection which has also changed the way people using internet in the past. This connection has very thin fibers built of glass that transmit the data and files through a fiber optic network. As the glass fibers go via low level of reduction and hindrance, the connection becomes highly effective for telecommunication. Now let’s discuss why it is seen as the high speed connection for residents and commercial places:

 

Fastest Speed: It is a fastest broadband connection that provides ultra fast speed up to 10,000 Mbps. With the use of innovative methods and latest technologies, the connection promises to give users high speed round the clock allowing them to send emails and files in ultra fast speed. When it comes to compare fiber optics to cable connection & Digital subscriber line (DSL), then one will find that sending data or files is much quicker with fiber network even during peak hours. From live streaming to downloading video, everything becomes faster and easier with this fiber connection.

 

More Reliability: Fiber Optics Network is also quite reliable as compared to cable connection & Digital subscriber line (DSL). Even during the power outrage, the connection remains intact as it is made of glass that required no electricity. It is also difficult for others to hack the network as mostly the system installed in the home of users.

 

Temperature Fluctuation: The best thing with fiber connection is that it resists more temperature fluctuations as compared to cable and Digital subscriber line (DSL). On the hand, fiber optics network can be submerged in water as well without facing any network issue.

 

Cost: It is obvious that when you are getting better services then you have to pay little more. Fiber Optics network is also little expensive as compared to other ordinary connections. But when users are getting high speed then paying little more can’t be a bad decision. Today businesses are running over the internet and it is only successful when they have high speed and better connectivity round the clock.  

 

So keeping in mind all the points, it is not wrong to say that Fiber Optics Network is best for those who want high speed connection with safe and strong connectivity.

WHAT CAN AFFECT THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR FIBER OPTIC NETWORK?

by www.fiber-mart.com

More and more people are starting to see all of the benefits that come along with installing fiber optic networks. As a result, many home and business owners are turning to fiber optics for all of their connectivity needs. They are using fiber optic network to connect TVs, computers, and many other electronics. However, there are some people who are concerned about how long fiber optic networks might last in the grand scheme of things, since they are made, in part, of glass. Take a look at a few of the factors that could impact how long your specific network lasts.

 

PROTECTION

The fiber inside of fiber optic cables have surface flaws that can cut down on their overall lifespan. Fortunately, those who manufacture the cables have figured out a simple way to reduce these flaws and to protect the cables as a whole. Fiber optic cables typically come coating in a protective material that is designed to make the fibers more durable. You should invest in fiber optic cables that utilize the most protective materials in order to ensure your cables last longer.

 

INSTALLATION

Pulling fiber optic cables during the installation process can cause them stretch and can actually cut down on their lifespan right from the very start. The stretching can wear the cables out and put an unnecessary strain on them. Instead, fiber optic cable installers should push cables during the installation process, as this is a much safer way of installing them.

 

ENVIRONMENT

There are a range of environmental factors that can affect the lifespan of a fiber optic cable network. Too much heat, for example, can reduce the life of the cables. Exposure to water can also lead to problems with a fiber optic network down the line. By reducing the effects that the environment has on fiber optic cables, you can make a fiber optic network last a lot longer.

Fiber Patch Cables for Harsh Environment

by www.fiber-mart.com

It is usually inevitable to deploy fiber cables in harsh environments for both indoor and outdoor applications. Rodents, like squirrels in outdoor and rats in data centers, are cable destroyers which like to bite or chew fiber optic cables. Except that, there are also many other challenges which can harm fiber optic cables and cause fiber failures, like dusts, water or other liquid, accidental impact, etc. Thus, enough protection should be provided for fiber optic network. Two types of fiber patch cables, which are specially designed for harsh cabling environments, will be introduced in this post.

 

The two fiber patch cables are armored fiber patch cable and IP67 fiber patch cable. As most fiber cable failures are usually caused by fiber breaks and contaminants, the fiber cable and the termination points of the fiber links should all be well protected. And the two types of fiber cable can perfectly meet most requirements of harsh cabling environment.

 

Armored Fiber Patch Cable

Unlike traditional fiber patch cables which are fragile and usually need careful operation, armored fiber patch cables are usually much more durable and flexible. Armored fiber patch cable usually has two jackets, one inner jacket and one outer jacket, between which there is a build-in steel tube. Some vendors also provide armored fiber cables with aluminum tube. This robust metal tube can provide optical fibers inside armored fiber cable from the impact and bite from animals. The most commonly used designs of armor used in armored fiber cables are interlock and corrugated. For most outside plant applications, the corrugated armored fiber cables are suggested. Now a lot of armored fiber patch cable uses interlock armor. During operation in data center, armored fiber patch cable can provide a more flexible cabling environment, because it has bend restrictor which can provide optical fibers from over bending. The following picture shows the structure of an armored fiber patch cable.

 

With its durability and flexibility, armored fiber patch cables and armored fiber cable are widely deployed in today’s network. For data center applications, there is a wide selection of armored fiber patch cables, which are available from different connector type, fiber type, jacket type, fiber count, etc.

 

IP67 Fiber Patch Cable

IP67 fiber patch cable is a robust fiber patch cable terminated with specially designed fiber optic connections, which can protection fiber links from the harm of dusts and liquid. “IP67” is the code of Ingress Protection Marking which is a system to provide the protection level of products. The former digit “6” (totally protected against dust) and the latter digit “7” (protection from water dip) is used to describe the protection degrees of dust and liquid separately. The highest level of a fiber patch cable that can be provided in the market is IP68. IP67 fiber patch cable is an ideal solution to protect fiber links, especially the termination points. The fiber connector terminated on the IP67 fiber patch cable is different from traditional ones. A standard fiber optic connector is being protected by a special shell. To connect two IP67 fiber patch cables, special fiber optic adapter should be used for better sealing and protection. The following picture shows a LC-LC fiber patch cable. The following table listed part of the most commonly used IP67 assemblies.

 

Conclusion

Fiber cable protection is always the priority of fiber optic networks. Selecting the right patch cable according to applications is essential and necessary. For environments where animals and impact are very common, armored fiber patch cable can be used. For places where liquid and dusts are great challenges, waterproof IP67 fiber patch cable, proving great sealing, is suggested.

JUMPERS: PICK THE RIGHT PATCH CORD FOR YOUR FIBER OPTIC NETWORK

by www.fiber-mart.com

A fiber jumper—more commonly called a fiber patch cord—is a length of fiber cable that connects end devices or network hardware to your structured cabling system. The cable is terminated with LC, SC, MTRJ or ST connectors at each end.

 

Jumpers come in simplex or duplex and should be chosen based on your network needs. Figuring that part out is as easy as knowing the difference between its and it's when you're writing blog posts.

 

SIMPLEX VS DUPLEX JUMPERS

Simplex cables, a single strand of glass encased in plastic, are generally used when a data transmission needs to travel in only one direction. They're a great choice for connections within buildings or across large areas like cable TV networks.

 

Duplex cables, two strands of fiber in a single cable, are like a two-lane highway. The signal needs to go both ways, called bi-directional communication, between your active gear.

 

One cable is transmitting the signal, while the other is receiving it. Duplex cables are typically used in larger work stations, switches, servers and on major networking hardware.

 

Duplex cables also come in zipcord or uniboot construction. In zipcord, two fiber strands are fused together but are easily torn apart when it's time to mine out either the transmission or receiver strand.

 

For uniboot, the two fibers merge into a single connector at either end, making replacement and maintenance a bit more difficult and costly than zipcord cables.

 

CHOOSING YOUR PATCH CORD

Single-mode simplex fiber carries only one ray of light at a time. It's extremely reliable and holds a high-carrying capacity for long-distance transmissions.

 

Since it requires less material, it's usually more cost-effective than duplex cable. It's the most commonly used cable in modern communications, because of its high capacity, allowing for higher transmission speeds and more bandwidth.

 

The risk you run is the amount of fiber you're going to have on your fiber distribution frames.

 

You know … spaghetti syndrome.

 

Duplex jumpers help keep your data center cleaner and tidier. They allow you to require less cable, and maintenance becomes a lot easier.

 

The choice between simplex and duplex jumpers really depends on your network—who it's serving and how complex it needs to be.

Keep Your Fiber Optic Network Database Vibrant

by www.fiber-mart.com

A few weeks ago I had a chance to meet with my good friends at Lambda Test Equipment in Pretoria, South Africa.  Lambda is an award winning organization that specializes in test equipment to support fiber optic networks.  They have a solid reputation and loyal customer base that they’ve been serving for over two decades.  And, of course, they represent fiber-mart.com.

 

Along with various customer visits around Pretoria and Johannesburg, I had the opportunity to spend a full morning with many Lambda clients, discussing the importance of implementing software solutions to manage their fiber optic networks.  There is a point in such presentations, after explaining the benefits of properly documenting a fiber optic network, that I pause and say something like, “Once you do all of this, you will have wasted your money.”  After I say that, I usually let the words float in silence while the participants stare at me like I just spewed some “alternative fact”.  And then, I explain.

 

Investing in a solution to support the management of your fiber optic network is more than just buying software; it requires a commitment to migrate legacy data and maintain the database going forward.  If you can’t make that commitment, YOU ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY! 

 

Think of the fiber optic network database as if it were a beautiful garden.  Imagine this garden being one where you’ve spent hours, days, and weeks weeding, planting, watering, and pruning.  Imagine how you’d feel on warm summer nights and early summer mornings enjoying the beauty and serenity of that garden.   Imagine savoring the sweet taste of fruits and vegetables grown in the garden.  It would be vibrant with bright colors and fresh fragrances.  Then, imagine what it would look like if you went on vacation for a few months without leaving anyone to care for it.  The plants would whither without water under the scalding sun.  Weeds would engulf the plants and spread like a virus.  The garden would become an eye-sore, a dusty plot of disarray with all of the effort of creation lost and forgotten.

 

Just as the garden, every database begins its life with hope and aspiration.  There is energy and resources dedicated to adding data to the system.  As that happens, the data begins to blossom across a network map to appear on computer screens and mobile devices.  Entities become enriched with newly available reporting capabilities.  Field technicians are empowered with tools to dig deep into the rich supply of information to plan and problem solve.  But, as the physical network grows and changes, if the database does not grow and change likewise, the integrity of the data will be compromised.  This can result in user skepticism which may trigger a death spiral of the data since the less the data is trusted the less it is used, and the less it is used the less it is trusted.  Ultimately the data becomes irrelevant and worthless; a failed project and a wasted investment.

 

Since our very first experience of creating and maintaining a fiber optic network database in 1996, along with the hundreds of databases since then, we, along with our clients, have experienced just about everything when it comes to maintaining these databases.  There have been successes and failures, yet with each we have learned valuable lessons.  Based on those lessons I’ve summarized seven essential items listed below that have been proven to help attain and maintain a vibrant fiber optic network database.

 

1.Know where changes to the physical network are going to be made

 

There are various approaches to tracking where the physical work is being done on the network, but the easiest to implement is to use the network map in the fiber optic network documentation system to help you visualize them.  For example, place a marker at the locations on the network map where work is being planned or performed.  Then, as the as-built drawings come in for those projects, change the marker to indicate that the data has been received and input.  This will give you a quick visual of where to expect database changes. 

 

If you use fiber-mart.com PET to design and manage your projects, you will always know where the work is being done and what is being done.  You will also know where work is planned to be done, where it has been done, who did it, and for what cost.   Learn more about fiber-mart.com PET at fiber-mart.compet.com.

 

2.Establish an internal owner of the database who has authority to demand updates from field crews and other personnel

 

If you are lucky enough to have someone who is passionate about keeping the database updated, put that person in charge.  If you don’t have that person, incentivize someone to take ownership.  We have found that it is better to have only one person responsible to manage the process.  For small networks, this person may also be the one doing the revisions.  For large networks, this person may be managing a team of editors.  With one point of entry, the data will be less likely to get lost in the shuffle.  Furthermore, this person should be empowered to demand as-built updates if they are not being received from the field in a timely manner.

 

3.Thoroughly train editors of the database to understand exactly how to do their job

 

Our philosophy is the fewer editors the better, meaning that there are fewer potential issues when fewer people touch the data.  Even so, we work with companies that have scores of editors because their data rollover is so massive.  No matter how many editors, each editor needs to be highly trained in the specific tasks they’re assigned.  Everyone that has the ability to add, modify, or delete data, no matter how small the job, should understand the tremendous responsibility and privilege they have.  It is much easier to do it right the first time than it is to fix errors later. 

 

With fiber-mart.com, we have invested in online training courses for our products to have them available 24 / 7 / 365.  This makes it easier for editors to get the training they need, when they need it. 

 

4. After the data is input, use sample testing to confirm its accuracy

 

If a building is being added to the database and it contains a patch panel that has a terminated fiber cable that goes into the outside plant, it is always best to test the ports on that panel to make sure the related optical circuits take the correct path.  In fiber-mart.com, simply run a taper report on that entry cable to make sure the fibers go to the correct end points.  However, you can’t always reasonably check 100% of the data being input.  Test smart.  Sample testing is a good way to help ensure data accuracy when full testing is not possible.  Depending on the data being input, determine what the best sample size would be and test accordingly.  If errors are found, you will need to increase the sample size until errors are eradicated.  Then, reduce the sample size and continue.

 

5.Provide regular reports to upper management, focusing on metrics of interest that reference the fiber optic network database

 

If the contributors to the database know that upper management is using the data they are creating, they will be more sensitive to ensuring the accuracy and promptness of the data entry.  For example, if upper management is using a fiber capacity report on a weekly basis to determine the health of the network, they will notice changes to the numbers they evaluate.  Imagine if the report indicated there was 75% fiber availability in a given area and then the following week that number went to 50%.  That would spawn questions which would require answers.  In this way, a feedback loop for the data naturally occurs and has a positive effect on the veracity of the data. 

 

We have created our fiber-mart.com Reports tool to provide various reports to facilitate this need.  Learn more about fiber-mart.com Reports at fiber-mart.com.com/fiber-mart.com-reports.

 

6.Monitor the performance and integrity of the data consistently and often

 

Software development teams work tirelessly to find and fix every possible way that data could be adversely impacted by users.  But, there always seems to be scenarios that get missed.  Thus, it is important to have tools to monitor the mechanics of the data to search for issues that impact the integrity of the data.  Such tools become a safety net of sorts for software updates and new users.  Without an integrity report, there is always an issue of trust with the data. 

 

Our fiber-mart.com Integrity application is designed specifically to provide this feedback.  Learn more about fiber-mart.com Integrity at fiber-mart.com.com/fiber-mart.com-integrity.

 

7.Train and encourage your internal teams to embrace the system and rely on its data

 

The healthiest databases are those that are being used.  When the data is exercised it becomes self-validated.  An integrity tool, as described above, can only look for mechanical issues with the data, it cannot determine if the data was input at the wrong location.  Testing, as described above, can help root out such errors, but things can still be missed.  Ultimately, if a database is being used its data is being measured against some real world situation on a regular basis.  For example, a maintenance technician who accurately tracks down the location of a broken fiber would be validating much of the data contained within that fiber route.  Otherwise, the broken fiber would not have been found.  We address such training needs at our training website to make it easy for all users to learn how to make the data work for them.

 

It’s easy to underestimate the effort to properly maintain data.  But, with an awareness of that, and some careful planning and execution, prompt and accurate database maintenance can be achieved.  In fact, it can be wildly successful.  Use the suggestions listed above to get yourself started.  If you are having problems with your database, contact us.  Our passion is fiber optic network documentation.  We’ve migrated and maintained millions of miles of fiber optic strands across hundreds of databases for organizations around the world.  We know what it takes to make and keep your fiber optic network database healthy and vibrant, not only now, but for years to come.

Don’t Tell Us Connector Cleaning Does not Matter!

by www.fiber-mart.com

A high-performance fiber optic network requires low attenuation and low reflectance values to obtain the necessary bit error rate level. Unfortunately, all it takes is one contaminated or damaged connector to slow down or disrupt a transmission system.

In the images below, see how cleaning connectors significantly reduces insertion loss and reflectance and the effects of cross contamination.

Cleaning Makes a Difference!

These two dirty connectors are not an uncommon thing! We mated them ‘as is’ and tested for insertion loss and reflectance.

We then cleaned the connectors with a dry one-click cleaner, mated them again, and ran the same test. Connector images and results have improved dramatically.

Contamination from a Dirty Test Lead

Below is a clean connector – one end of your link where you’ll connect your test cord for optical loss testing.

This could be a test lead that someone carries around in their test equipment bag or tool kit. The technician may have lost the dust cap or even wiped it on their shirt. They plug that test lead in and mate it to your clean connector.

Ouch! See what your clean, undamaged connector looks like now? Cross-contaminated by the dirty test lead!

It is important to recognize the difference between contaminants and end face damage. To do so requires a good inspection scope with the digital video ones being the safest and most versatile. Inspecting and cleaning both ferrules and adapters is essential as cross contamination from one dirty plug can contaminate its mating plug.