Category: Fiber Transceivers

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

How To Install Outdoor Fiber Optic Cables In Underground Ducts And Innerducts

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

Fiber ducts are usually made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene), PVC or other compound. They are usually in black or gray. Fiber innerduct is usually orange or yellow.
:: Why usually fiber ducts and innerducts are corrugated?
Fiber ducts and innerducts are corrugated to provide the following benefits:
1. Decreasing pulling tensions during installation
2. Very flexible and can be used in installation locations where many turns are involved
3. After installation, corrugated innerduct should be left for a day to allow the innerduct to retreat back into the duct through its corrugated spring action
:: The use of pulling tape
Fiber optic cable pulling tape is preinstalled in fiber duct and innerduct in the factory. This saves significant time during the installation process. Duct and innerduct can also be pre-lubricated in the factory, thus significantly reduces pulling tensions.
:: Never bend over its minimum bend radius
Just like fiber optic cable, fiber duct and innerduct also have a minimum bend radius spec. Never ever should the duct or innerduct be bent tighter than its minimum bend radius.
:: What is supported radius?
The supported radius is the minimum bend radius when the duct is bent around a supporting structure such as in another duct or on a reel.
:: What is unsupported radius?
The unsupported radius is the minimum bend radius when the duct has no supporting structure in the bend.
Duplex OM1 62.5/125 Multimode Fiber Optic Patch Cable
:: Benefits of using fiber duct
Fiber duct protects the fiber cable and also provides an opportunity for future cable access and expansion. Fiber optic cable can be pulling into existing duct. The duct should usually be oversized to allow future cables be pulled in.
:: Benefits of using fiber innerduct
Fiber innerduct provides protection for the fiber cable from being disturbed by other companies’ cable installation operation. It also provides extra protection from the environment. Or fiber innerduct can be used in old duct installation.
:: Things to keep in mind
1. Install end plugs
After the fiber optic cable is installed into a duct or innerduct, end plugs should be installed to provide a water seal. No debris should be able to enter the duct or innerduct, and watertight should always be maintained for the duct or innerduct.
2. Duct and innerduct should be properly sized for future expansion possibility
As always, planning for future expansion is crucial for real successful projects. A maximum of 40% fill ratio is a good practice to follow. The duct size should be increased for long installation lengths with many turns. A larger duct can help to reduce cable-pulling tensions. Standard duct sizes vary from 3 to 8 inch ID and innerduct sizes vary from 0.75 to 2 inch.
:: The benefit of using duct lubricant
Duct lubricant can significantly reduce the cable’s coefficient of friction, thus lessening the pulling tension during cable pulling process. This is especially important in long cable duct pulls and pulls with many turns.
Duct lubricant spillage should be cleaned up as soon as possible to prevent accident since it is very slippery. Manufactures’ recommended procedure for cleaning lubricant provides good instruction on how to do the cleaning.

MTP/MPO Fiber Optic Cables in High-Density Wiring System

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

In recent years, in order to adapt high speed and large capacity optical fiber communication systems of the high density and high efficiency cabling connecting needs, there are some companies have developed and research in MPO/MTP fiber connectors. Now the most popular 8 fiber MTP/MPO connector SM optical density is about five times as the SC connectors. Optical fiber connector affect the reliability and the performance of optical transmission system.
MTP/MPO high-density wiring system will be completed the termination, testing equipment in the factory, and plug and play all at the scene, support the deployment of high-density optical fiber connector, User data center shows that under the background of high capacity of wiring the the ideal solution for optical fiber connector need to have the characteristics of simple installation, construction speed, compact structure design and higher precision.
With the improvement of network speed, in terms of optical fiber, correlates twin-core fiber can support MB, gigabit application, but without the use of special coding and agreement, it is difficult to support the 40G and 100G two core optical fiber, and a single channel of 4 core or 10 core optical fiber, 40G and 100G in normal optical fiber communication networks just like the 8 core optical fiber and 20 core optical fiber, it has brought more challenges to the traditional data communication, so we need to use a high density of optical fiber. MPO/MTP Fiber Optic Cable conform to the current needs.
Duplex OM1 62.5/125 Multimode Fiber Optic Patch Cable
The product for the Multimode 10G OM3 MPO 12 Fiber Optic cable, multimode 10G MPO fiber optic patch cables for aqua skin. MPO (Multi-fiber Push On) is one of MT series connectors, the product used in core is not guided needle (also called the PIN needle) to connect, multimode MPO fiber optic patch cables compact design, a number of cores, small volume, and it is easy to connect and disconnect, moreover each MPO connector is according to the polishing face quality standards in polishing, it widely used in Optical Fiber Patch Cords connections high density integration in the process of wiring environment. fiber-mart.com can provide all kinds of multimode MPO fiber optic patch cords, connector type MPO or MTP specified by the customer, the length and the skin texture of multimode MPO fiber optic patch cables also allowed the customer to choose. The Products are accord with TIA/EI942, ISO/IEC24764 and EN 50173-5. Multimode 10G MPO fiber optic patch cable is one of the most production of MPO Fiber Optic Patch Cable in fiber-mart.com, and most widely used in the system of 10G to 100G.
fiber-mart.com is a largest manufacturer supplier of fiber optic network solutions in China. It offers various MTP/MPO products such as MTP/MPO cassettes, MTP/MPO modules and patch panels. Now you can custom your own optical networking devices and assemblies directly on the website.

10 Gigabit Transceivers And Cables

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In computer networks, 10 Gigabit Ethernet refers to various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of 10 gigabits per second (10×109 or 10 billion bits per second), first defined by the IEEE 802.3ae-2002 standard. 10-Gigabit Connections For 10-Gigabit Ethernet cabling the fiber options are very similar. The transceivers are somewhat different, as is some nomenclature. New possibilities have evolved for copper connections.
Transceivers
Standards bodies initially offered several options for the 10-Gigabit transceiver. 10G transceivers series include QSFP+ Transceiver, XFP Transceiver, SFP+ Transceiver, 10G XENPAK Transceiver and X2 Transceiver. The one that ultimately evolved as most popular in commercial data center usage was the SFP+ transceiver. The Cisco 10GBASE SFP+ modules offer customers a wide variety of 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options for data center, enterprise wiring closet, and service provider transport applications.
Cisco SFP-10G-SR
The Cisco 10GBASE-SR Module supports a link length of 26m on standard Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI)-grade multimode fiber (MMF). It is 10GBase SR compliant and work at 850nm, this transceiver is in standards SFP+ package to plug into the ports or slots on Cisco equipment, optical interface is duplex LC connector. Using 2000MHz*km MMF (OM3), up to 300m link lengths are possible. Using 4700MHz*km MMF (OM4), up to 400m link lengths are possible.
Cisco SFP-10G-SR-X
The Cisco SFP-10G-SR-X is a 10GBASE-SR module for extended operating temperature range. It supports a link length of 26m on standard Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI)-grade multimode fiber (MMF). Using 2000MHz*km MMF (OM3), up to 300m link lengths are possible. Using 4700MHz*km MMF (OM4), up to 400m link lengths are possible.
Cisco SFP-10G-LRM
The Cisco 10GBASE-LRM Module supports link lengths of 220m on standard Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) grade multimode fiber (MMF). To ensure that specifications are met over FDDI-grade, OM1 and OM2 fibers, the transmitter should be coupled through a mode conditioning patch cord. No mode conditioning patch cord is required for applications over OM3 or OM4. The Cisco 10GBASE-LRM Module also supports link lengths of 300m on standard single-mode fiber (SMF, G.652).
Cisco FET-10G
The Cisco FET-10G Fabric Extender Transceiver support link lengths up to 100m on laser-optimized OM3 or OM4 multimode fiber. It is supported on fabric links only from a Nexus 2000 to a Cisco parent switch.
Cisco SFP-10G-LR
The Cisco 10GBASE-LR Module is single mode, supports a link length of 10 kilometers on standard single-mode fiber (SMF, G.652).
Duplex OS1 9/125 Singlemode Fiber Optic Patch Cable
Cisco SFP-10G-LR-X
The Cisco SFP-10G-LR-X is a multirate 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-LW and OTU2/OTU2e module for extended operating temperature range. It supports a link length of 10 kilometers on standard single-mode fiber (SMF, G.652).
Cisco SFP-10G-ER
The Cisco 10GBASE-ER Module supports a link length of up to 40 kilometers on standard single-mode fiber (SMF, G.652).
Cisco SFP-10G-ZR
The Cisco SFP-10G-ZR is a multirate 10GBASE-ZR, 10GBASE-ZW and OTU2/OTU2e module. It supports link lengths of up to about 80 kilometers on standard single-mode fiber (SMF, G.652). This interface is not specified as part of the 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard and is instead built according to Cisco specifications.
10GbE supports both copper and fiber cabling. However, due to its higher bandwidth requirements, higher-grade copper cables are required: category 6A or Class F/cat7 ethernet cable for links up to 100m. Unlike previous Ethernet standards, 10 gigabit Ethernet defines only full duplex point-to-point links which are generally connected by network switches. Half duplex operation and hubs do not exist in 10GbE.

All That Fiber Optic Cable Under Your Feet Can Hear You Walking

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

The National Security Agency most likely did not listen to you trudge to work this morning over a series of underground microphones. For all we know, the agency isn’t keeping its ears to the ground, as it were. But it could if it wanted to.
It would be the most ambitious use of what’s known as distributed acoustic sensing. Put simply, DAS systems exploit the very same fiber infrastructure that enables our day-to-day communications. But unlike the sensors and cameras baked into our phones and our computers, both tangible manifestations of the specter of surveillance, the largely untapped power (and potential abuse) of DAS is buried deep underground, virtually unseen. To think, a simple hardware add-on to existing fiber lines can have entire swaths of the telecom grid listening around the clock for anything considered physically out of the ordinary.
This is actually going on right now, albeit by a handful of private campanies specializing in both civilian and law enforcement applications of DAS technologies on land and at sea. So we should not get ahead of ourselves in presuming that Keith “I Don’t Know A Better Way to Do It” Alexander or any other NSA hacks have their ears to the ground. Indeed, of all that’s come to light from the ongoing NSA scandal, perhaps the most chilling revelation lies in the agency’s ability to eavesdrop on conversations by turning even your powered-down phone into a microphone. A sprawling network of NAS-DAS listening posts, with microphones positioned every ten meters along a fiber stretch, is probably still a pipe dream.
But the potential for an entity like the NSA to listen to you trudge to work over a series of underground mics is there. Everything is in place. Using DAS technology, the NSA might add a truly staggering number of listening devices to its global dragnet. The fiber optic cables criss-crossing the Earth, forming the central nervous system of telecommunications as we know them today, from email to texts to phone calls, are not simply the strings through which the NSA can listen to your conversations after flipping your powered-off phone into a microphone. The fiber optic cables criss-crossing the Earth are themselves a giant array of microphones, just laying in wait.

Allied Fiber opens southeast fiber-optic network route

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

Allied Fiber, which plans a nationwide open-access, network-neutral colocation and dark fiber network, says that the first links on its southeastern route are ready for service. The newly opened route segment runs 360 miles from Miami, FL to Jacksonville, FL, and is part of a system expected to reach Atlanta (see “Allied Fiber begins installation of Miami-to-Atlanta fiber-optic network route”).
As with the rest of Allied Fiber’s infrastructure, the fiber cable system features a unique design that simplifies connection to the network and to colocation facilities (see “Bubble-era ambition in a post-bubble world”). The three major components are high-count dark fiber cable, handholes for lateral splicing, and integrated, network-neutral colocation facilities. The 528-count fiber-optic cable uses Corning’s SMF 28e+ and LEAF fiber. The cable accessible via handholes installed every 5000 feet along the network.
The newly opened run connects NAP of the Americas in Miami to 421 West Church Street, the main carrier hotel in Jacksonville. In between, the cable provides access to Allied Fiber’s network-neutral colocation facilities in West Palm Beach, Ft. Pierce, Rockledge, New Smyrna Beach, St. Augustine, and Jacksonville. The modular 1200-square-foot facilities are designed to support 64 customer cabinets, 150-kW protected AC 120-V and DC -48-V power, backup generators, HVAC, and 24/7 NOC monitoring services.
“This announcement is a monumental step in Allied Fiber’s evolution to becoming the first national, open-access, integrated network-neutral colocation and dark fiber superstructure in the United States,” said Hunter Newby, CEO of Allied Fiber. “We believe the Florida segment of our Southeast route will serve as a standard for all future segments of our national build where the process and benefits of physical interconnection will be repeated. The impact on all network operators and the communities that they serve across the nation will be to provide access to improved network speeds at more cost effective rates by introducing choice. The access to quality, reduced costs, increased revenue, and improved margins through direct connect options for service providers will result in a significant contribution to overall economic growth and productivity gains throughout the country.”

Components of fiber optic cable

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The components of fiber optic cables include the core, cladding, strength members, buffer, and jacket. Some types of cable also have a copper conductor that provides power to repeaters, concentrators, and other components.
The core of the cable is made of one or more glass or plastic fibers, and it provides the pathway through which the transmitted light can flow. Plastic is more flexible than glass; consequently, plastic is cheaper and easier to manufacture, but it doesn’t work very well over long distances. The diameter of a core will measure from two to several hundred microns. A micron is about 1/25,000 of an inch. For networking considerations you should use core sizes of 60 to 100 microns. Most networking cables have two core fibers, which allow the cables to transmit in both directions at once.
The core and cladding are manufactured as a single unit. The cladding is usually made from plastic, and it provides a refractive surface. Light that strikes this surface is reflected back into the core and continues its journey. The cladding has a lower refraction index, which means that it reflects light instead of absorbing light.
The buffer consists of one or more layers of plastic. It surrounds the cladding and core. The buffer strengthens the cable and prevents damage to the core.
The strength members are strands of very tough material, such as fiberglass, steel, or Kevlar. They provide extra strength for the cable.
The jacket (which can be either plenum or nonplenum) is the outer covering or shield of the cable.
Fiber-optic cable comes in two forms: single-mode and multi-mode. Single-mode cable is so narrow that light can travel through it only in a single path. This type of cable is extremely expensive and very difficult to work with. Multi-mode cable has a wider core diameter, which gives light beams the freedom to travel several paths. Unfortunately, this multi-path configuration allows for the possibility of signal distortion at the receiving end.