Category: Fiber Transceivers

Optical transceivers, Active Optic Cables, data center switches, and cable management in data centers.

How to Selecte CWDM SFP Transceivers

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As an extension of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) is a technology that multiplexes a number of optical carrier signals onto a single optical fiber through the use of different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of laser light. A CWDM SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) transceiver is a hot-swappable input/output device that plugs into an SFP port or slot of a switch or router, linking the port with the fiber-optic network. It is a  kind of optical-electric/electric-optical converter. With the transmitter on one end, the CWDM SFP transceiver takes in and converts the electrical signal into light, after the optical fiber transmission in the fiber cable plant, the receiver end again converts the light signal into electrical signal. The following figure shows the CWDM SFP transceiver in the CWDM system. In the figure, TX represents “transmit”, RX represents “receive”. Being a kind of compact optical transceiver, CWDM SFP transceiver is widely used in optical communications for both telecommunication and data communication. It is designed for operations in Metro Access Rings and Point-to-Point networks using Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy), Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel networking equipment.
Three Components of CWDM SFP Transceivers
The CWDM SFP transceiver consists of an un-cooled CWDM Distributed Feed Back (DFB) laser transmitter, a PIN photodiode integrated with a Trans-impedance Preamplifier (TIA) and a Microprogrammed Control Unit (MCU). The DFB laser used in the CWDM SFP transceiver transmitter is a 18 CWDM DFB wavelengths laser. It is well suited for high capacity reverse traffic. Obeying the standard diode equation for low frequency signals, The PIN photodiode has a 80km transmission distance. And the MCU is a high-speed, executive, input-output (I/O) processor and interrupt handler for the NRL Signal Processing Element (SPE).
Advantages of CWDM SFP transceivers
Using existing fiber connections efficiently through the adoption of active wavelength multiplexing, CWDM SFP transceivers have improved the designs of telecommunications devices and other technologies. Here are some advantages of CWDM SFP transceivers:
Scalability and Flexibility—CWDM SFP transceivers can support multiple channels. It means that more channels can be activated as demand increases. CWDM SFP transceivers have a wide variety of network configurations that range from the meshed-ring configurations to the multi-channel point-to-point. In point-to-point configurations, the two endpoints will connect directly through a fiber link, allowing users to add or delete as many as eight channels at a time.
Low Risks in Investment—Most CDWM SFP transceivers have a low failure rate, which is less likely to be the reason why the user’s solution fails. It helps enterprises increase the bandwidth of the Gigabit Ethernet optical infrastructure without adding any additional fiber strands and can also be used in conjunction with other SFP devices on the same platform. Thus the user will be able to re-invest the capital saved by avoiding prematurely failed devices.
Selecting a Right CWDM SFP Transceiver
There are many kinds of CWDM SFP transceivers in the market. Their wavelengths are available from 1270 nm to 1610 nm, with each step 20 nm. Different CDWM SFP transceivers have different color codes, distances, date rates and laser operating wavelengths. For example, the CWDM-SFP-1470, which is colored gray, is one of Cisco CWDM SFP. It is a CWDM SFP transceiver that rates for distances up to 80 km and a maximum bandwidth of 1Gbps, operating at 1470nm wavelength. Customers may choose a CWDM SFP transceiver in accordance with their actual needs.
Applied to the access layer of Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), CWDM is a low-cost WDM transmission technology. fiber-mart.com provides the aforesaid CWDM-SFP-1470 and other types of CWDM SFP transceivers, which are convenient and cost-effective solution for the adoption of Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel in campus, data center, and metropolitan-area access networks.

What Are the Features & Applications of Cisco 6500 Series Switches

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Cisco Catalyst 6500 series switches provide multiple slot choices—3-, 6-, 9-, 9-Vertical and 13-slot of different chassis. They offer the broadest range of interface modules with industry-leading performance and advanced feature integration. Catalyst 6500 Series switches feature an unparalleled range of integrated services modules, including multi-gigabit network security, content switching, telephony, and network analysis modules. There are five available 6500 series switch models in total, which would be mainly presented in the following.
Cisco Catalyst 6513-E Switch
Cisco Catalyst 6509-E Switch
Cisco Catalyst 6506-E Switch
Cisco Catalyst 6504-E Switch
Cisco Catalyst 6503-E Switch
Features & Benefits
—High security
The 6500 Series switches integrate proven, multi-gigabit Cisco security solutions, including intrusion detection, firewall, VPN, and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) into existing networks.
—High scalability
They provide up to 400-mpps performance with distributed forwarding architecture.
—High flexibility
By integrating advanced services such as security, wireless LAN services, customers would experience the the widest range of interfaces and densities, from 10/100 and 10/100/1000 Ethernet to 10 Gigabit, and from DS-0 to OC-48, and performs in any deployment from end to end.
—Operational Consistency
A common set of modules are shared among all chassis configurations, and any network management tool can be used in the network.
—Time-saving
With Cisco IOS Software Modularity and platform, power supply, supervisor engine, switch fabric, and integrated network services redundancy. They deliver applications and services continuity in a converged network, minimizing disruption of mission-critical data and services, which offer the maximum network uptime to save your time.
—Network investment protection
The Cisco 6500 series provides extraordinary investment protection for your network, for they support three generations of interchangeable, hot-swappable modules in the same chassis, optimizing IT infrastructure usage, maximizing ROI, and reducing TCO.
Applications of Cisco 6500 Series Switches
The Cisco 6500 series switches are mainly deployed in campus networks, metro edge, Internet service provider (ISP) and grid computer networks. Owing to time and space limiting, we would only clarify the first two in this passage.
Campus Networks
As we mentioned in the first paragraph, the Cisco 6500 series switches have been widely applied to campus network. The 10/100 and 10/100/1000 autosensing modules provide inline power for the wiring closet. Besides, they are equipped with the work-class networking software and 1/10 Gigabit interface modules, which feature as robust high-availability, security and manageability. All in all, that would be of high performance for your distribution and core network in campus.
Metro Edge
The Cisco 6500 switches provide point-to-point and multipoint Ethernet services, which is rather suitable for metro and intermetro network deployments. It has edge, distribution, and core network-layer interfaces, which is compliant with Network Equipment Building Standards (NEBS). They offer high performance 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks that is of security, availability, and manageability.
Cisco Catalyst 6509-E Switch
As one of Cisco 6500 series switches, Cisco Catalyst 6509-E switch is of eye-catching recently. The 9-slot Cisco Catalyst 6509-E Switch provides high port densities that are ideal for many wiring closet, distribution, and core network as well as data center deployments. It supports1G and 10G Gigabit Ethernet network connection, along with 386 1G SFP ports and 32 10G XENPAK/X2 ports respectively. There are four compatible 1000BASE transceivers in total for the 6509-E switch, 1000BASE-LX/LH SFP, 1000BASE-SX SFP, 1000BASE-T SFP and 1000BASE-ZX SFP. You can plug any of the four transceiver types into the SFP port on this switch to make 1G network connection. The 6509-E supports 10G X2/XENPAK ports, you could connect 10GBase LR X2 module or any other compatible X2/XENPAK modules to the switch.
Conclusion
Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches are inevitable choices for network investment of Multigigabit Ethernet services. They feature as high security, scalability, flexibility, operational consistency, time-saving, and network investment protection. Nowadays, they have been deployed in campus networks, metro edge, ISP and grid computer networks.

Some Notes Of Buying Fiber Pigtails

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In any fiber optic cable installation, the way the cables are attached to the system–is vital to the success of the telecommunications network. If done well, the connection allows optical signals to pass with low attenuation and little return loss. One of the proven ways to join optical fibers is with a fiber pigtail–a fiber cable with a installed connector on one end and unterminated fiber on the other end.
Pigtails are basically cable assemblies. Ninety-nine percent of singlemode applications use pigtails, also used in many multimode applications. One of the benefits of using pigtail is lower labor costs. The end of the pigtail is stripped back and fusion spliced to another single fiber. This is done easy in field with a multi-fiber trunk to break out the multi-fibers cable into its component for connection to the end equipment. Installers working with singlemode fiber typically have access to a fusion splicer–an expensive piece of equipment that costs $6000 to $30,000 or more. With a fusion splicer you just splice the pigtail right onto the cable in a minute or less.
Pigtails bridge a critical junction in the fiber-optic network. Pigtails consist of–a connector, a ferrule, standard fiber and jacket types, including singlemode and multimode varieties. The most important element you should know is that the quality of the connector itself. You need to know certain characteristics, such as insertion loss, the type of polish used and how well the connector is terminated to the cable. As fiber cable termination is the addition of connectors to each optical fiber in a cable. The fibers need to have connectors fitted before they can attach to other equipment. Two common solutions for fiber cable termination are pigtails and fanout kits or breakout kits.
Ferrule material, whether zirconia ceramic, plastic or stainless steel, must also be specified when buying a pigtail. If you go with a metal ferrule, it is a waste for any singlemode application.
The length of the pigtail is another element that must be specified. The extra slack allows for splicing errors to be corrected, without it, you may have to start with another pigtail.
Pigtails can have female connectors and be mounted in a wall mount or patch panel, often in pairs although single-fiber solutions exist, to allow them to be connected to endpoints or other fiber runs with patch cables. Alternatively they can have male connectors and plug directly into an optical device. Pigtails are different from patch cords, as both ends with connectors, like common patch cord LC-LC.
Testing a pigtail in the field is not easy. The unterminated end is difficult to check until the pigtail is actually spliced to the equipment.
Quality is typically high because the connectorized end is attached in a controlled environment–fiber-mart.com. fiber-mart.com can make singlemode pigtails more accurately than a field termination can be done.

Do you know Fiber Optical Transponders?

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As we know, transponder is important in optical fiber communications, it is the element that sends and receives the optical signal from a fiber. A transponder is typically characterized by its data and the maximum distance the signal can travel.
Functions of a Fiber Optical Transponder includes:
Electrical and optical signals conversion
Serialzation and deserialization
Control and monitoring
Applications of Fiber Optical Transponder
Multi-rate, bidirectional fiber transponders convert short-reach 10gb/s and 40 gb/s optical signals to long-reach, single-mode dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical interfaces.
The modules can be used to enable DWDM applications such as fiber relief, wavelength services, and Metro optical DWDM access overtay on existing optical infrastructure.
Supporting dense wavelength multiplexing schemes, fiber optic transponders can expand the useable bandwidth of a single optical fiber to over 300 Gb/s.
Transponders also provide a standard line interface for multiple protocols through replaceable 10G small form-factor pluggable (XFP) client-side optics.
The data rate and typical protocols transported include synchronous optical network/synchronous digital hierarchy (SONET/SDH) (OC-192 SR1), Gigabit Ethernet (10GBaseS and 10GBaseL), 10G Fibre Channel (10 GFC) and SONET G.709 forward error correction (FEC)(10.709 Gb/s).
Fiber optic transponder modules can also support 3R operation (reshape, retime, regenerate) at supported rates.
Often, fiber optic transponders are used to for testing interoperability and compatibility. Typical tests and measurements include litter performance, receiver sensitivity as a function of bit error rate (BER), and transmission performance based on path penalty.Some fiber optic transponders are also used to perform transmitter eye measurements.
fiber-mart Provides Optical Transponders Solution
Let’s image that the architecture that can not support automated reconfigureability. Connectivity is provided via a manual Fibre Optic Patch Panel, a patch panel where equipment within an office is connected via fiber cables to one side (typically in the back), and where short patch cables are used on the other side (typically in the front) to manually interconnect the equipment as desired.  There is a point that Fibre Optic Patch Panel, people usually different ports patch panel , for example, 6, 8, 12, 24 port fiber patch panel and they according to different connectors to choose different patch panel, such as LC patch panel,  LC patch panel,  MTP patch panel…
The traffic that is being added to or dropped from the optical layer at this node is termed add/drop traffic, the traffic that is transmitting the mode is called through traffic. Regardless of the traffic type, note that all of the traffic entering and exiting the node is processed by a WDM transponder. In the course of converting between a WDM-compatible optical signal and a client optical signal, the transponder processes the signal in the electrical domain. Thus, all traffic enters the node in the optical domain, is converted to the electrical domain, and is returned to the optical domain. This architecture, where all traffic undergoes optical electrical (OEO) conversion, is referred to as the OEO architecture.

What is The Fiber Identifier?

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The Fiber Identifier acts as the fiber optic installer or technician’s infrared eyes. By placing a slight macrobend in an optical fiber or fiber-optic cable, it can detect infrared light traveling through the optical fiber and determine the direction of light travel. Some fiber identifiers can also detect test pulses from an infrared (800–1700nm) light source.
The fiber identifier typically contains two photodiodes that are used to detect the infrared light. The photodiodes are mounted so that they will be on opposite ends of the macrobend of the optical fiber or fiber-optic cable being tested. The electronics in the fiber identifier measure the detected light energy and display the direction of light travel through the optical fiber.
The optical fiber identifier is used very much like the Fiber Locator (VFL) when it comes to troubleshooting. But there are two difference: One key difference is that the fiber identifier replaces your eyes. Another difference is that fiber optic cable under test typically does not have to be disconnected from an active circuit – it can remain plugged into the transmitter and receiver.The fiber identifier can typically be used with coated optical fiber, tight-buffered optical fiber, a single optical fiber cable, or a ribbon cable. Each of these must be placed in the center of the photodiodes during testing. Selecting the correct attachment for the optical fiber or optical-fiber cable type under test typically does this.
The fiber identifier can also be used with external light source. Often the external light source is an Fiber OTDR. Many OTDR manufacturers build or program in a pulsed output function. When set for a pulsed output, the OTDR emits a continuous pulse train at a predetermined frequency. The electronics in the fiber identifier can detect preset frequencies and illuminate the corresponding LED. This feature can be very helpful when you are trying to identify an unmarked tight-buffered optical fiber within a bundle of tight-buffered optical fibers. This feature can also be helpful when you are trying to approximate the location of a break in the optical fiber.
The fiber identifier can be used with the OTDR to narrow down the location of a break in an optical fiber when a VFL is not available or when the light from the VFL is not visible through the jacket of the fiber optic cable. If the index of refraction is correct, the OTDR should provide an accurate distance to the fault. The OTDR measures the length of optical fiber to the fault, not the length of fiber optic cable. The cable length may be shorter than the optical fiber length.
Once you have found the approximate location of the fault with the OTDR, set the OTDR or infrared light source to pulse at a predetermined frequency. Clamp the fibr identifier on the faulted fiber optic cable several meters before the approximate location of the fault. Check the fiber identifier for the predetermined frequency. If the fiber identifier does not detect the predetermined frequency, move the fiber identifier several meters closer to the OTDR or infrared light source and recheck for the predetermined pulse. If you have choosen the correct fiber optic cable test to the fault of the distance with you, you should be testing a predetermined frequency. If you still don’t test frequency, carefully check everything, and test again. If you still do not detect the predetermined frequency, there may not be enough optical energy for the fiber identifier to function properly.
If you are able to detect the predetermined frequency, move the fiber identifier down the fiber optic cable away from the OTDR or infrared light source in one meter increments. Continue to do this until the fiber identifier no longer detects the predetermined pulse. You now know within one meter where the break in the optical fiber is located. At this point, you may want to disconnect the OTDR or infrared light source and connect the visible fault locator. The visible fault locator may illuminate the exact location of the fault. If the visible fault locator does not illuminate and conditions permit, darken the area around the fault. This may allow you to see the illuminated fault.

Special Instructions of Cisco SFP Transceivers

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The Cisco SFP transceivers are designed to change the serial electric signals to the serial optical signals which mainly maintain gigabit Ethernet, includes fiber channel and SONET/SDH, it provides a beneficial way, adopt the method of resolution in the university campus, data center, metropolitan areas, ring networks and store web site.
Ethernet converter net from one end to another in order to let more systems with different thread accurately corresponding associated Ethernet cable. This is likewise being used within the similar set up once there are several computers functioning with varying types of technology. In addition, optical fiber cable can defy from any type of electronic equipment, mobile phones and wireless complex which usually don’t like with the traditional Ethernet, such equipment which was exposed loses the signal interference. In this case, as converted into optical fiber Ethernet, because it provides a quick and excellent signal. The SFP is by the maritime safety administration or from IBM, lucent, Siemens, ample/TYCO and Infineon Multi-source is unqualified, this is the main content of the network vendor management. The SFP transceivers have the following advantages:
1. For reasons of that you can insert, optical fiber interface, still can modify on the end pace of the creation of the card.
2. It is able to accommodate a lot of connector interface or a combination of LX SFP and SX.
3. Since the basket of SFP transceiver is placed in the PCB in order to accept stated, it can reduce the additional program, thereby reducing the costs. As a result, it made it easier to reconfigure and replacement.
4. Because of optical element, SFP transceivers enhanced reliability. It allows the use of higher the temperature.
Cisco SFP is interchangeable, in addition to its flexibility, from a wide range of Cisco project. It can be used with Cisco 1000BASE-TX, 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX/LH, 1000BASE-EX, 1000BASE-ZX, or 1000BASE-BX10-D/U in a port through the port joint.
Cisco SFP modules need to connect the one-piece structure to another, because it plays an important role in the most commonly used information technology business.
The SFP transceiver modules are generally hot-pluggable I/O devices that can easily get plugged into the module sockets. The transceiver efficiently connects the electrical circuitry of the module to the copper or optical network. Users can utilize any combination of SFP transceiver modules that the Cisco transceiver device assists. The only thing to take note here is that every port should match the wavelength requirements on the other end of the cable and that the cable should not exceed the concerned cable length in order to ensure consistent communication. It is recommended that users utilize the SFP transceiver Cisco modules only on the Cisco instrument. Every single Cisco SFP transceiver module assists the Cisco quality identification that enables a Cisco router or switch to identify and authenticate that the transceiver module is examined and approved by Cisco. Now I introduce SFP-10G-ZR compatible with Cisco devices in fiber-mart.com. it is cheaper than Cisco company. The SFP-10G55-80-CO series single mode transceiver is small form factor pluggable module for duplex optical data communications of 10G. This transceiver offers the same function with Cisco SFP-10G-ZR and it is fully compatible with Cisco devices. It is with the SFP+ 20-pin connector to allow hot plug capability.This module is designed for single mode fiber and operates at a nominal wavelength of 1550 nm.
fiber-mart.com was founded in 2001, our focus is to provide high quality fiber interface, SFP compatible modules, GBIC LAN and WAN networks and related products. fiber-mart.com believes that the road to success is through excellence and customer service. And now fiber-mart.com in order to feedback customer of their comings, it is making with 30% discount of the price, it you want know more information about these fiber optical transceivers welcome to visit our fiber-mart.com.