Author: Fiber-MART.COM

eShop of Fiber Optic Network, Fiber Cables & Tools

Basics of OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer)

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

OTDR, short for optical time-domain reflectometer, is an optoelectronic instrument used to characterize an optical fiber. It injects a series of optical pulses into the fiber under test and extracts, from the same end of the fiber, light that is scattered (Rayleigh backscatter) or reflected back from points along the fiber.  It can offer you an overview of the whole system you test and can be used for estimating the fiber length and overall attenuation, including splice and mated-connector losses. It can also be used to locate faults, such as breaks, and to measure optical return loss.

 

How does an OTDR work?

 

OTDR is used to test the performance of newly installed fiber links and detect problems that may exist in them. Its purpose is to detect, locate, and measure elements at any location on a fiber optic link. OTDR works like radar—it sends pulse down the fiber and looks for a return signal, creating a display called a “trace”or “signature” from the measurement of the fiber.

 

the OTDR uses a unique optical phenomena “backscattered light” to make measurements along with reflected light from connectors or cleaved fiber ends, thus to measure loss indirectly.Unlike sources and power meters, which measure the loss of the fibre optic cable plant directly, the OTDR works indirectly. The source and meter duplicate the transmitter and receiver of the fibre optic transmission link, so the measurement correlates well with actual system loss.

 

During the process of OTDR testing, the instrument injects a higher power laser or fiber optic light source pulse into a fiber from one end of the fiber cable, with the OTDR port to receive the returning information. As the optical pulse is transmitted through the fiber, part of the scattered reflection will return to the OTDR. Only useful information returned could be measured by the OTDR detector which acts as the time or curve segments of fibers at different positions. By recording the time for signals from transmission to returning and the speed of transmission in fibers, the distance thus can be calculated.

When do you need an OTDR? 

 

You can use an OTDR to locate a break or similar problem in a cable run, or to take a snapshot of fibers before turning an installation over to a customer. This snapshot, which is a paper copy of the ODTR trace, gives you a permanent record of the state of that fiber at any point in time. This can help installers when fibers have been damaged or altered after installation, proving where responsibility for the damage lies. In fact, some customers will demand OTDR testing as a condition for system acceptance.

 

Although OTDRs are not especially accurate for loss testing, they can be used to conduct loss testing on long, outdoor runs of singlemode fiber where access to both ends of the cable isn’t practical. It can also be helpful for preventive maintenance procedures, such as routine checkups on a facility’s fibers.

 

Characteristics of OTDR

 

Rayleigh scattering refers to the irregular scattering generated when the optical signals transmitting in the fiber. OTDR only measure the scattered light back on the OTDR port. The backscatter signal show the attenuation degree (loss/distance) of the optical fiber, and will be tracked as a downward curve, illustrating the power of backscatter is decreasing, this is because that both transmission signal and backscatter loss are attenuated.given the optical parameters, Rayleigh scattering power can be marked, if the wavelength is know, it is proportional with the pulse width of the signal: the longer the pulse width, the stronger backscatter power. Rayleigh scattering power is also related to the wavelength of transmitted signal: the shorter the wavelength, the power is stronger. That is to say, the backscatter loose generated by the trajectory of 1310nm will higher than that of 1550nm signals.

 

In the higher wavelength region (more than 1500nm), the Rayleigh scattering will continue to decrease, and the other one phenomenon which called infrared attenuation (or absorption) will appear to increase and cause an increase the overall attenuation values. Therefore, 1550nm wavelength is the lowest attenuation, this also explains why it is a long distance communication wavelength. Naturally, these phenomena will return to affect the OTDR. OTDR of 1550nm wavelength is also have low attenuation, so it can be used for long distance testing. While as the high attenuation wavelength 1310nm or 1625nm, OTDR testing distance is bound to be limited, because the test equipment need to test a sharp front in the OTDR trace, and the end of the spikes will quickly fall into the noise area.

 

Fresnel reflection falls into the category of discrete reflection that is caused by the individual point of the whole fibers. These points are the result of changes in reverse coefficient elements such as glass and air gap. At these points, a strong backscatter light will be reflected back. Therefore, OTDR uses the information of Fresnel reflection to locate the connection point, fiber optic terminal and breakpoints.

 

Conclusion

 

OTDRs are invaluable test instruments that can illuminate problems in your optical fiber before they bring your system to its knees. Once you’re familiar with its limitations and how to overcome them, you’ll be prepared to detect and eliminate your optical fiber events. Fiber-MART can offer OTDRs are available with a variety of fiber types and wavelengths, including single mode fiber, multimode fiber, 1310nm, 1550 nm, 1625 nm, etc.. And we also supply OTDRs of famous brands, such as AFL Noyes OFL & FLX series, JDSU MTS series, EXFO FTB series, YOKOGAWA AQ series and so on. OEM portable and handheld OTDRs (manufactured by Fiber-Mart) are also available.Pls not hesitate to contact us for any question, for more information, welcome to visit http://www.fiber-mart.com or E-mail: service@fiber-mart.com

40G QSFP+ Direct Attach Copper Cabling

In today’s network building, requiring higher speeds, greater scalability and cost-effective cabling solution is preferable. Direct Attach Cable(DAC) is a kind of optical transceiver assembly widely applied in storage area network, data center, and high-performance computing connectivity etc and high density cabling interconnect system capable of delivering an aggregate data bandwidth of 40Gb/s,therefore, It is the cost-effective way to upgrade from 10G to 40G or 40G to 40G interconnect connection.

In today’s network building, requiring higher speeds, greater scalability and cost-effective cabling solution is preferable. Direct Attach Cable(DAC) is a kind of optical transceiver assembly widely applied in storage area network, data center, and high-performance computing connectivity etc and high density cabling interconnect system capable of delivering an aggregate data bandwidth of 40Gb/s,therefore, It is the cost-effective way to upgrade from 10G to 40G or 40G to 40G interconnect connection.

 

40G QSFP+ Direct Attach Copper Cable (DAC) Basics

40G QSFP+ Direct Attach Copper Cable (DAC) is a high speed twinax cable with QSFP+ connector on either end of the cable. It is designed to meet emerging data center and high performance computing application needs for a short distance and high density cabling interconnect system capable of delivering an aggregate data bandwidth of 40Gb/s. The maximum transmission distance of QSFP+ direct attach copper cable is 10 meters, which makes the cable suitable for in-rack connections between servers and Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches because they often require shorter distances and not routed to the Main Distribution Frames.

 

How to Use 40G QSFP+ Direct Attach Copper Cable

According to the connector types on both ends. One is QSFP+ to 4 SFP+ direct attach breakout copper cable, and the other is QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cable. In fact, it is not common for there is a third type QSFP+ direct attach copper cable called QSFP+ to 4 XFP breakout cable. For a QSFP+ to 4 SFP+ direct attach breakout copper cable, it has a QSFP+ connector on one end and four SFP+ connectors on the other end. In terms of a QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cable, it has a QSFP+ connector on both ends of the cable. When we use a fiber optic transceiver and patch cable to establish a fiber link, we should firstly plug the transceiver to the switch and then plug the patch cable to the transceiver. But for a QSFP+ direct attach copper cable, either SFP+ connector or QSFP+ connector, before building the network, it is necessary to buy 40G DAC cables from reliable QSFP cables supplier and manufacturer.can be both directly inserted into the switch and don’t need a transceiver at all, which provides a really cost-effective solution for interconnecting high speed 40G switches to existing 10G equipment or 40G switches to 40G switches.

b5cdbf5672f444d298d0dedf7a52d027.image.500x500.jpg

40G QSFP+ to 4 SFP+ Direct Attach Copper Cabling

The move from 10G to 40G Ethernet will be a gradual one. It is very likely that one may deploy switches that have 40G Ethernet ports while the servers still have 10G Ethernet ports. For that situation, we should use a QSFP+ to 4 SFP+ direct attach breakout copper cable.In 40G to 40G connection, QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cables are suitable for very short distances and offer a highly cost-effective way to establish a 40G link between QSFP+ ports of QSFP+ switches within racks and across adjacent racks. These QSFP+ copper cables connect to a 40G QSFP port of a switch on one end and to another 40G QSFP port of a switch on the other end. It is noted that the distance between the two switches is within the cable length.  These cables connect to a 40G QSFP Port of a switch on one end and to four 10G SFP+ ports of a switch on the other end, which allows a 40G Ethernet port to be used as four independent 10G ports thus providing increased density while permitting backward compatibility and a phased upgrade of equipment. As a lower cost alternative to MTP/MPO breakouts for short reach applications up to 5 meters, it helps IT organizations achieve new levels of infrastructure consolidation while expanding application and service capabilities.

 

40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ Direct Attach Copper Cabling

QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cable are suitable for very short distances and offer a highly cost-effective way to establish a 40G link between QSFP+ ports of QSFP+ switches within racks and across adjacent racks. These cables connect to a 40G QSFP port of a switch on one end and to another 40G QSFP port of a switch on the other end. Supporting similar applications to SFP+, these four-lane high speed interconnects were designed for high density applications at 10Gb/s transmission speeds per lane. One QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cable link is equivalent to 4 SFP+ cable links, providing greater density and reduced system cost. Passive and active QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cables are both available. With a active QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cable assembly, the connection is capable of distances of up to 10 meters.

 

Why Use 40G QSFP+ Direct Attach Copper Cable (DAC)?

For 40G short reach applications, 40G QSFP+ direct attach copper cable provides simple and inexpensive cabling solution.

The main advantages in following.

  •  Robust
  •  Cheap
  •  Low-power Consumption
  •  Easy Operation

 

 

Conclusion

With the wide deployment of 40 Gigabit Ethernet, the 40G QSFP+ direct attach copper cables are becoming more and more popular due to the compact size, low power and cost-effectiveness.  Fiber-Mart supplies various kinds of high speed interconnect DAC cable assemblies including 10G SFP+ Cables, 40G QSFP+ Cables, and 120G CXP Cables. All of our direct attach cables can meet the ever growing need to cost-effectively deliver more bandwidth, and can be customized to meet different requirements. For more information, welcome to visit www.fiber-mart.com.or contact us .E-mail: service@fiber-mart.com

 

 

Basics of OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer)

OTDR, short for optical time-domain reflectometer, is an optoelectronic instrument used to characterize an optical fiber. It injects a series of optical pulses into the fiber under test and extracts, from the same end of the fiber, light that is scattered (Rayleigh backscatter) or reflected back from points along the fiber.

OTDR, short for optical time-domain reflectometer, is an optoelectronic instrument used to characterize an optical fiber. It injects a series of optical pulses into the fiber under test and extracts, from the same end of the fiber, light that is scattered (Rayleigh backscatter) or reflected back from points along the fiber.  It can offer you an overview of the whole system you test and can be used for estimating the fiber length and overall attenuation, including splice and mated-connector losses. It can also be used to locate faults, such as breaks, and to measure optical return loss.

How does an OTDR work?

OTDR is used to test the performance of newly installed fiber links and detect problems that may exist in them. Its purpose is to detect, locate, and measure elements at any location on a fiber optic link. OTDR works like radar—it sends pulse down the fiber and looks for a return signal, creating a display called a “trace”or “signature” from the measurement of the fiber.

the OTDR uses a unique optical phenomena “backscattered light” to make measurements along with reflected light from connectors or cleaved fiber ends, thus to measure loss indirectly.Unlike sources and power meters, which measure the loss of the fibre optic cable plant directly, the OTDR works indirectly. The source and meter duplicate the transmitter and receiver of the fibre optic transmission link, so the measurement correlates well with actual system loss.

During the process of OTDR testing, the instrument injects a higher power laser or fiber optic light source pulse into a fiber from one end of the fiber cable, with the OTDR port to receive the returning information. As the optical pulse is transmitted through the fiber, part of the scattered reflection will return to the OTDR. Only useful information returned could be measured by the OTDR detector which acts as the time or curve segments of fibers at different positions. By recording the time for signals from transmission to returning and the speed of transmission in fibers, the distance thus can be calculated.

When do you need an OTDR? 

You can use an OTDR to locate a break or similar problem in a cable run, or to take a snapshot of fibers before turning an installation over to a customer. This snapshot, which is a paper copy of the ODTR trace, gives you a permanent record of the state of that fiber at any point in time. This can help installers when fibers have been damaged or altered after installation, proving where responsibility for the damage lies. In fact, some customers will demand OTDR testing as a condition for system acceptance.

Although OTDRs are not especially accurate for loss testing, they can be used to conduct loss testing on long, outdoor runs of singlemode fiber where access to both ends of the cable isn’t practical. It can also be helpful for preventive maintenance procedures, such as routine checkups on a facility’s fibers.

Characteristics of OTDR

Rayleigh scattering refers to the irregular scattering generated when the optical signals transmitting in the fiber. OTDR only measure the scattered light back on the OTDR port. The backscatter signal show the attenuation degree (loss/distance) of the optical fiber, and will be tracked as a downward curve, illustrating the power of backscatter is decreasing, this is because that both transmission signal and backscatter loss are attenuated.given the optical parameters, Rayleigh scattering power can be marked, if the wavelength is know, it is proportional with the pulse width of the signal: the longer the pulse width, the stronger backscatter power. Rayleigh scattering power is also related to the wavelength of transmitted signal: the shorter the wavelength, the power is stronger. That is to say, the backscatter loose generated by the trajectory of 1310nm will higher than that of 1550nm signals.

In the higher wavelength region (more than 1500nm), the Rayleigh scattering will continue to decrease, and the other one phenomenon which called infrared attenuation (or absorption) will appear to increase and cause an increase the overall attenuation values. Therefore, 1550nm wavelength is the lowest attenuation, this also explains why it is a long distance communication wavelength. Naturally, these phenomena will return to affect the OTDR. OTDR of 1550nm wavelength is also have low attenuation, so it can be used for long distance testing. While as the high attenuation wavelength 1310nm or 1625nm, OTDR testing distance is bound to be limited, because the test equipment need to test a sharp front in the OTDR trace, and the end of the spikes will quickly fall into the noise area.

Fresnel reflection falls into the category of discrete reflection that is caused by the individual point of the whole fibers. These points are the result of changes in reverse coefficient elements such as glass and air gap. At these points, a strong backscatter light will be reflected back. Therefore, OTDR uses the information of Fresnel reflection to locate the connection point, fiber optic terminal and breakpoints.

Conclusion

OTDRs are invaluable test instruments that can illuminate problems in your optical fiber before they bring your system to its knees. Once you’re familiar with its limitations and how to overcome them, you’ll be prepared to detect and eliminate your optical fiber events. Fiber-MART can offer OTDRs are available with a variety of fiber types and wavelengths, including single mode fiber, multimode fiber, 1310nm, 1550 nm, 1625 nm, etc.. And we also supply OTDRs of famous brands, such as AFL Noyes OFL & FLX series, JDSU MTS series, EXFO FTB series, YOKOGAWA AQ series and so on. OEM portable and handheld OTDRs (manufactured by Fiber-Mart) are also available.Pls not hesitate to contact us for any question, for more information, welcome to visit www.fiber-mart.com or E-mail: service@fiber-mart.com

How to Select a Fiber Optic Patch Cable?

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

Fiber optic patch cable, also known as fiber patch cord or fiber jumper, is a basic and important part used to link equipment and components in fiber optic networks. There are many types of fiber optic patch cables, such as single-mode fiber patch cable, multimode fiber patch cable, 10G OM3 fiber patch cable, 10G OM4 fiber patch cable, and MPO cable, and there are a lot of special fiber patch cables for special applications, like plastic optical fiber patch cables, volition fiber patch cables, mode conditioning patch cable, military grade fiber cable, etc. Different kinds of fiber optic patch cables are utilized for different applications. How to select a fiber optic patch cable? How to choose the appropriate one? This post will provide a selection guide for you from several aspects.
Single-mode or Multimode
According to the core sizes of the fiber, fiber optic patch cables can be divided into single-mode fiber optic patch cable and multimode fiber optic patch cable. Single-mode fiber patch cable uses a single strand of glass fiber for a single ray of light transmission, allowing for greater signal distances. The power of single-mode fiber patch cable comes from high-powered lasers which transmit data at longer distances than multimode fiber patch cable. Multimode fiber optic patch cables have a core of either 50 or 62.5 microns. The larger core of multimode fiber patch cords gathers more light compared to single mode, and allows more signals to be transmitted. Light waves in the multimode fiber patch cable are dispersed into numerous paths as they travel through the cable core. Therefore, multimode fiber patch cable cannot travel as far as single-mode fiber optic patch cable. Multimode fiber patch cables are usually used for short distance applications, such as connections within the data center. Multimode fiber optic patch cable is available in several performance levels to support a variety of distances: OM1 applies to a large portion of the installed legacy systems; OM2 supports Gigabit Ethernet up to 550m; OM3 is laser-optimized to support 10G Ethernet up to 300m; and OM4 is also laser-optimized to support 10G Ethernet up to 550m.
Simplex or Duplex
Simplex fiber optic patch cable has a single strand of fiber and one connector on each end. Duplex fiber optic patch cable has two strands of fibers and two connectors on each end of the cable. Duplex fiber optic patch cable is the more popular patch cable type as most fiber electronics need two fibers to communicate, one to transmit data signals, and the other to receive signals. But in a few applications, only one fiber is needed, so simplex fiber optic patch cable is good for you. If you are not sure, you can always be on the safe side by ordering duplex fiber optic patch cables, and only using one of the two fibers.
Connectors
Fiber optic patch cable types can also be classified by the fiber optic connectors. They can be terminated with a variety of connector types such as LC, SC, FC, ST, MU, MTRJ, E200, etc. Connectors on both ends of a fiber jumper can be the same and can also be different. Fiber optic connectors have different constructions and their respective applications. For example, LC connector is a small form factor plastic push/pull connector with a 1.25mm ferrule, and it has a locking tab and a plastic housing and provides accurate alignment via its ceramic ferrule; FC connector is a metal screw on connector with a 2.5mm ferrule, and it is extensively used at the interfaces of test equipment due to its ruggedness. So when selecting a fiber optic patch cord, one important criterion to consider is to choose one with the most appropriate connector type that meets your needs.
Fiber-Optic-Connector
Cable Jacket
Fiber optic patch cables will be used in a variety of installation environments, thus there will be requirements for the jacket materials. The standard jacket type is called OFNR (optical fiber non-conductive riser) which contains no metal in it, conduct stray electric current, and can be installed in a riser application (going from one floor up to the next, for instance). OFNR cable jacket is also known as plenum jackets, which are suitable for plenum environments such as drop-ceilings or raised floors. Many data centers and server rooms have requirements for plenum-rated cables. Another jacket type is LSZH (low-smoke zero-halogen), which is made from special compounds which gives off very little smoke and no toxic halogenic compounds when burned and is being used in many public places, like schools, hospitals, train stations, etc.
Conclusion
Knowing the applications and desired capabilities is the very first step to determine the necessary supplies. Your choice will affect the level of fiber protection, ease of installation, splicing or termination, and, most importantly, cost. How to select the fiber optic patch cord that you need exactly? You need to take all those mentioned factors into consideration. And then make the right choice.

Introduction of Armored Fiber Patch Cable Overview

Introduction of Armored Fiber Patch Cable Overview

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

Fiber optic jumper cables, as one of the most common component in fiber optic networks, are a transmission medium used to transmit data via light. There are many types of fiber optic jumper cables. For example, by fiber optic cable types, there are single mode patch cable and multimode patch cord; by optical connector, there are ST ST fiber patch cable, LC SC fiber patch cable, and so on; and by fiber optic cable jacket, there are PVC and LSZH fiber patch cords. And you can even order custom fiber patch cables with custom lengths and colors. In this post, a type of fiber patch cord, armored fiber patch cable, will be introduced.
Structure
The outer sleeve of armored fiber patch cable is usually made of plastics, like polyethylene, to protect it against solvents and abrasions. The layer between sleeve and inner jacket is an armored layer made of materials that are quite difficult to cut, chew and burn. Besides, this kind of material is able to prevent armored fiber patch cable from being stretched during cable installation. Ripcords are usually provided directly under the armored and the inner sleeve to aid in stripping the layer for splicing the cable to connectors or terminators. And the inner jacket is a protective and flame retardant material to support the inner fiber cable bundle. The inner fiber cable bundle often includes structures to support the fibers inside, like fillers and strength members. Among them, there is usually a central strength member to support the whole fiber cable.
Armored Fiber Cable
Features
Armored fiber patch cable, as a member of fiber optic jumper cables family, it retains all the features of standard fiber patch cables. Compared with those common patch cables, armored fiber patch cables are much stronger and tougher. For example, once stepped by an adult, standard patch cables may get damaged easily and fail to work normally. But armored fiber patch cables can withstand the pressure and perform well. Armored fiber patch cables are rodent-resistant, which means that you don’t need to worry about rats biting the cables.
Basically, armored fiber patch cables offer benefits and features of traditional fiber patch cables, but they are with the production and durability of armor. Armored fiber patch cables allow high flexibility without causing damage, which proves to be helpful especially in limited space. Moreover, armored fiber patch cables offer an ideal option for harsh environments without adding extra protection. Apparently, they provide an efficient solution for many fiber cable problems such as twist, pressure and rodent damage.
Types
There are mainly two types of armored fiber patch cable, indoor armored fiber patch cable and outdoor armored fiber patch cable.
Indoor armored fiber patch cable is used for indoor applications. It consists of tight-buffered or loose-buffered optical fibers, strength members and an inner jacket. The inner jacket is commonly surrounded by a spirally wrapped interlocking metal tap armor. As the fiber optic communication technology develops rapidly with the trend of FTTX, there is a fast growing demand for installing indoor fiber optic cables between and inside buildings. Indoor fiber patch cable experiences less temperature and mechanical stress. Besides, it can retard fire effectively, which means it only emits a low level of smoke in the face of fire.
Outdoor armored fiber patch cable is designed to ensure operation safety of the fiber in complicated outdoor environments. Most outdoor armored fiber patch cables are loose buffer design, with the strength member in the middle of the whole cable, loose tubes surrounding the central strength member. Inside the loose tube there are waterproof gels filled, the whole cable materials and gels inside the cable between different components (not only inside the loose tube) help make the whole cable resist water. The combination of the outer jacket and the armor protects the fibers from gnawing animals and damages that occur during direct burial installations.
Applications
Armored fiber patch cable is generally adopted in direct buried outside plant applications where a rugged cable is needed for rodent resistance. It has metal armor between two jackets to prevent from rodent penetration. Armored fiber patch cables can withstand crush loads well. Another application of armored fiber patch cable is in data centers, in which cables are installed under the floor where it can be easily crushed. Single or double armored fiber patch cable is typically used underwater near shores and shoals. And armored fiber patch cords are also used in customer premises, central offices and in indoor harsh environments. They can provide flexible interconnection to active equipment, passive optical devices and cross-connects.
Conclusion
In summary, when transmitting data or conducting power in harsh environments, protecting your cables is crucial to safe and reliable operation. This is where armored fiber patch cables come into play. Armored fiber patch cables are used in applications where cables will be exposed to mechanical or environmental damage under normal operating conditions.

Guide to SFP Transceiver Communication Standards

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

Over the years of SFP transceiver communication existence, there have been numerous different standards introduced. The great thing about SFP transceivers in networking hardware is that they allow a single piece of equipment, such as a switch, to support different wiring and transmission formats. The problem comes when trying to figure out which of the many transceiver types out there you need. There are several different types of SFP transceivers capable of supporting a multitude of communication standards, such as: CWDM/DWDM, SONET, Fibre Channel, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet.
CWDM/DWDM SFP Transceivers
WDM, or wavelength-division multiplexing, is a type of technology that allows a transceiver to have different wavelengths assigned to it.Coarse wavelength-division multiplexing (CWDM) SFP transceivers are capable of transmitting data at eight different wavelengths ranging from 1470nm to 1610nm. CDWM SFP transceivers are color coded, to help identify which wavelength is mapped to the transceiver.Dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) SFP transceivers are available in 32 different wavelengths, and offer high-capacity bandwidth for serial optical data communications. DWDM SFP transceivers are slightly more expensive than CWDM SFP transceivers, but the more densely spaced channels allow for a greater number of wavelengths to travel over a single fiber.Both CWDM and DWDM SFP transceivers can be used to transmit data over Gigabit Ethernet, SONET and Fibre Channel.
SONET SFP Transceivers
Synchronous optical networking (SONET) technology enables the transmission of a large volume of data over long distances. SONET can be used to transmit multiple streams of data simultaneously over fiber optic mediums using laser beams and LEDs.SFP transceivers are built to transmit data over SONET at varying rates (OC-3, OC-12 and OC-48) and with different reaches (short-reach, intermediate-reach, and long-reach). SONET SFP transceivers are able to transmit data over both singlemode and multimode fiber.
Fibre Channel SFP Transceivers
Fibre Channel is a protocol which is used primarily in “Storage Area Networks”. It comes in different speeds like 1xFC, 2xFC, 4xFC, 8xFC and 16xFC. Fibre Channel was developed as a lossless protocol in a time when switches were less reliable than they are today. When using Ethernet as a protocol, frames were dropped, which created a problem for applications like data traffic. With the advent of greater technology, switches are now much more reliable; however, Fibre Channel still holds a small advantage over Ethernet when it comes to consistency and latency.Fibre Channel SFP transceivers are modules comonly used in storage area networks (SAN) and are available in 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 16 and 20Gbps data transmission rates. Fibre Channel SFP transceivers can be used in both singlemode and multimode fiber applications.
Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet
Fast Ethernet is slowly being replaced with Gigabit Ethernet. Fast Ethernet SFP transceivers were originally designed to transmit data at 10Mbps, and eventually reached transmission speeds of 100Mbps (100Base). 100Base rate Fast Ethernet transceivers are available in the following interface types: FX, SX, BX and LX10.With the development of Gigabit Ethernet, SFP transceiver transmission rates increased to 1000Mbps (1000Base). 1000Base rate Gigabit Ethernet SFP transceivers are available in the following interface types: T, SX, LX, LX10, BX10, and the non-standard EX and ZX.
fiber-mart.com is sure to have the right SFP transceiver for your network! We carry a full line of both name-brand and affordable 100% compatible transceivers of every type your business could possibly need. Contact us today for a free consultation on which standards meet your business needs, or to discuss fiber connectivity network solutions that will best support your future business plans.