Great Importance Should Be Attached to Cable Management

In data center or field cabling, cables, both Ethernet cables and fibers, are nightmares, if they are not carefully organized. However, there are also many excellent well-organized cables which make us feel amazing. They look like the art works of a great master, and show the beauty of the cabling world thoroughly. This is the magic of cable management. It is extremely important in creating an aesthetically pleasing and clean environment, whether the setting is professional, industrial or in your home. Coordinating and managing cables helps maintain basic functionality, while also protecting equipment from blocked airflow due to messy and unorganized cables. Therefore, we should attach great importance to cable management.

Importance of Cable Management

Why do we have to take cable management seriously? The following part lists several reasons:

Ease of Cable Connection

A high quality cable management provides easy access not only to the cables themselves, but also to the devices that they are connected to. If the cables become tangled and interconnected, it will take a significantly longer amount of time to make sense of it, which can lead to decreased efficiency, even for a simple task. However, if your cables are well-organized, the connection between cables and devices will be seen clearly. So that the time can be greatly shortened.

Avoid the Risk of Fire

If cables are left unchecked for a long enough period of time, they can be tangled and are more likely to lead to sparks and even a fire. Furthermore people may walk near a bundle of cables, tripped and yanking a cable out of its socket which could also cause a fire or damage the equipment that the cable is connected to. But if you check cables regularly and manage your cables well, this situation can be avoided.

Easy Troubleshooting

Testing the data transfer cable is always one of the first steps in routine troubleshooting to make sure that the cables are still in good working condition. But if dozens (or in certain cases hundreds) of tangled cables are in disarray, such a simple task will become infinitely more complex and you have no idea how long it will take to finish the job. Thanks to cable management, you can easily swap out cables, quickly access the cables you need to maintain, troubleshoot hardware and perform other basic tasks.

Cable Management Solution

Cable management is really necessary and essential for data center cabling. Tangled cables sometimes can be stressful and time-consuming to untangle and keep straight. Fortunately, FS.COM provides easy and affordable solutions to help you with cable management.

Cable Ties

Cable tie is a classic and indispensable product in the world of cable management. It is the starting point and most commonly used one to organize cable mess. Cable tie is designed to secure wire bundles and harness components quickly without slipping. It comes to various types according to their color, length, width, and serration. Proper cable ties do not only provide long-life services, but also better cable management, especially in data center and server room.

Wire Loom

Wire loom, also known as corrugated tubing or convoluted loom, is an easy solution for organizing cables and managing cords into color-coded bundles that will help keep your electronic equipment in order and prevent equipment failure or fire hazards. The slit down the side of wire loom makes it easy to slip in any additional cables, without having to remove the bundles that are already inside. Wire loom is usually used in wide-range applications such as electrical wiring in trucks, cars, boats, as well as for use in home entertainment centers, video games, and so on.

Conclusion

Overall, cable management is crucial for maintaining organization, functionality, and a professional environment. After reading this passage, you should check your cables and manage them well right now. In addition, if you want to know more details about cable management solutions, please visit FS.COM or contact sales@fs.com.

Why We Choose Fiber Optic Cable Over Copper Cable?

When installing network cable, fiber optic cable or copper cable, which one do you prefer? Both of them have advantages and specific features. Copper cable has already existed in many places and it is economical in network devices connection. However, with the dramatic reduction of cost of optical deployment, fiber optic cable has become one of the most popular mediums for both new cabling installation and upgrades, including backbone, horizontal, and even desktop applications. There are several advantages which make it a more enticing cable infrastructure solution than its copper counterpart. This passage will present five reasons for the choice in fiber cable instead of copper cable from bandwidth, speed&distance, security, immunity&reliability, and cost.

Bandwidth

Copper cable has very limited bandwidth that is perfect for a voice signal, while fiber cable provides more bandwidth than copper cable and has standardized performance more than 10 Gbps (experimentally car reach to 100 Gbps). More bandwidth means fiber cable can carry more information with greater fidelity than copper cable. For example, cat6a cable is classified by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) to handle a bandwidth up to 600 MHz over 100 meters, which theoretically could carry around 18,000 calls at the same time. By the way, the signal losses over 100 meters in fiber are negligible, but copper has very high losses at high frequencies.

Speed and Distance

Fiber optic transmission versus copper transmission can be boiled down to the speed of photons versus the speed of electrons. Since the fiber optic signal is made of light, which will cause little signal loss during transmission, data can move at higher speeds and greater distances. In addition, fiber does not have the 100-meter (328-ft.) distance limitation of unshielded twisted pair copper (without a booster), so distances can range from 550 meters (928.2-ft.) for 10Gbps multimode to 40 km for single-mode cables.

Security

The data transmitted over the fiber are always safe. Eavesdropping on a LAN using copper cables only requires a sensitive antenna to pick up the energy radiated from the cable. Since fiber optic doesn’t transmit electricity, it won’t radiate energy and cannot be tapped by an antenna, while the copper using electricity is easy to be tapped which will cause the entire system to fail. The optical fiber does not produce EMI, so it cannot catch on fire. Besides, you will not have to worry about replacing fiber cables as frequently as copper cables. Because the fiber core is made of glass, the optical fiber won’t break as easily.

Immunity and Reliability

 

There are a number of factors that can cause outages when an organization is reliant on copper cable-based network, such as temperature fluctuations, severe weather conditions, and moisture. However, fiber cable is completely immune to these environmental factors that makes it extremely reliable in data transmission. What’s more, it is also impervious to electrometric interference (EMI) and radio-frequency interference (RFI), crosstalk, impedance problems and so on. You can apply fiber cable next to industrial equipment without worry.

Cost

A few years ago, the overall price of fiber cables was 100% to 200% higher than copper cables. With the maturity of production technology, the cost for fiber cables, components, and hardware has steadily decreased. Fiber cable is certainly more expensive compared to copper cable when you are looking at it on a short term basis, but cheaper in the long term. Since fiber cable costs less to maintain and needs less networking hardware compared to its copper counterpart.

Summary

With its wide bandwidth, high speed, long distance, great security and reliability, as well as low cost, fiber cable has already replaced the copper cable in many aspects of networking. As fiber optic connectivity improves, fiber construction will become more convenient.

Fiber Media Converter Solution

In today’s networking systems, LANs are becoming larger and more complicated, and people are looking for equipment that is cost-effective, flexible and easy to manage. Therefore, a fiber media converter which can connect two dissimilar media types such as twisted pair cable with fiber optic cabling effectively and seamlessly, is designed to satisfy the demand.

What Is Fiber Media Converter?

Fiber media converter, also known as Ethernet media converter is a small device with two media-dependent interfaces and a power supply, simply receives data signals from one media, converts and transmits them to another media. It is a key component in optical networking, since its long distance operation, high bandwidth capacity and reliability make the most desired channel for data communications. Besides, fiber media converter can also extend the productive life of the existing cabling as well as the active equipment.

Working Principle of Fiber Media Converter

Fiber media converter works on the physical layer of the network. It receives signals from one media and converts them to another while remaining invisible to data traffic and other net devices. It does not interfere with upper-level protocol information which lets them support quality of service.

Media converters change the format of an Ethernet-based signal on cat5 into a format compatible with fiber optics. At the other end of the cable run, a second media converter is used to change the data back to its original format.

Types of Fiber Media Converter

Fiber media converters support many different data transmission protocols including Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, T1/E1/J1, DS3/E3, as well as multiple cabling types such as coax, twisted pair, multimode and single-mode fiber optics. According to different criteria, fiber media converter can be classified into different types.

Stand-Alone VS Modular Chassis-Based Media Converters

According to the platform type, fiber media converters can be divided into stand-alone and modular chassis-based converters. Stand-alone fiber media converters are designed to be used in where a single or limited number of converters need to be quickly implemented. They are available for converting and extending single twisted pair network interfaces over fiber optic cabling especially where space is limited, while modular chassis-based fiber media converters are used in high-density applications that multiple points of copper or fiber integration are essential.

Managed VS Unmanaged Media Converters

According to the network to points, media converters can be divided into managed and unmanaged fiber media converters. The managed fiber media converter has the function of networking monitoring, fault detection and remote management. It helps the network administrator to easily monitor and manage the network. An unmanaged media converter simply allows devices to communicate and does not provide the same level of monitoring, fault detection and configuration as equivalent managed media converter. It is a great option for newbies if you want a plug and play fiber network cable installation.

Fiber Media Converters in FS.COM

FS.COM provides various types of fiber media converters which support many different data communication protocols with high quality and great price.

Fiber to RJ45 Converter

10/100Base-T to 100Base-FX Single Fiber 1310 nm 20 km 1SC+XRJ45 Media Converter

It is used in couples to transmit and receive signal through single fiber over long distance via splitting wavelengths 1310/1550 nm. If you need to keep the costs of fiber cable down, this kind of converter could be the solution.

10/100/1000Base-T to 1000Base-FX Dual Fiber 1310 nm 20 km 2SC+4RJ45 Media converter

With four RJ45 ports and two SC fiber ports, this 10/100/1000Mbps auto-negotiation media converter has extremely low power consumption and low heat. It could achieve reliable and stable performance over 1310nm wavelength up to 20 km.

SFP Ethernet Converter

10/100/1000Base-TX to 1000Base-FX SFP Mini Gigabit Media Converter

With compact size, this media converter is used for 10/100/1000Base-TX UTP to 1000Base-FX fiber media converter. It provides cost-effective connectivity from Ethernet switches to diagnostic equipment, desktop and laptop computers.

Besides the fiber media converters listed above, FS.COM supplies 10/100Base Ethernet fiber media converters, 1000Base Gigabit fiber media converter, SFP fiber media converter, options in single-mode dual fiber, multimode dual fiber and single-mode single fiber. We also supply media converter chassis and so on. If you have any requirement, please visit FS.COM or contact sales@fs.com.

Twisted Pair Cable Overview

Twisted pair is the ordinary copper wire which connects home and many business computers to the telephone company. It is made by putting two separate insulated wires together in a twisted pattern and running them parallel to each other which helps to reduce crosstalk or electromagnetic induction between pairs of wires. Since some telephone sets or desktop locations require multiple connections, twisted pair is sometimes installed in two or more pairs, all within a single cable.

Twisted pair cable is good for transferring balanced differential signals. The practice of transmitting signals differentially dates back to the early days of telegraph and radio. The advantages of improved signal-to-noise ratio, crosstalk, and ground bounce that balanced signal transmission bring are particularly valuable in wide bandwidth and high fidelity systems.

How Does Twisted Pair Cable Work？

Twisted pair cable is widely used for telecommunications and most modern Ethernet networks. But do you know how a twisted pair cable works?

When electrical current flows through a wire, it creates a small, circular magnetic field around the wire. Noise is generated within signal lines through magnetic fields. Therefore the noise in data outlines is the consequence of the magnetic field. Within the straight cable connection, all sound current is moving in the same direction, exactly like within a regular transformer coils. Once the cable is actually twisted, their magnetic fields are opposite to each other. Thus, the two magnetic fields cancel each other and any outside magnetic fields. Due to this, the noise current in a twisted cable is lower than in an ordinary cable.

Types of Twisted Pair Cable

According to whether the cable has a shielding layer, there are two common types of twisted pair cables—shielded twisted pair cable and unshielded twisted pair cable.

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable

Shielded twisted pair (STP) cable combines the technique of shielding, cancellation and wire twisting. Each pair of wires is wrapped in a metallic foil. The four pairs of wires then are wrapped in an overall metallic braid of foil. STP cable is used to eliminate inductive and capacitive coupling. Twisting cancels out inductive coupling, while the shield eliminates capacitive coupling. This kind of cable is often applied between equipment, racks and buildings. Compared to unshielded twisted pair cable, STP will cause more attenuation. However, because in the case of balanced transmission, the complementing signals will effectively cancel out any shield currents, so the losses are negligible. Besides, although STP prevents interference better than UTP, it is more expensive and difficult to install.

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable

Unshielded twisted pair cable is the most commonly used cable for Ethernet connections. It consists of color-coded copper wires, but does not include any foil or braiding as insulator to protect against interference. In addition, the wires in each pair are twisted around each other. UTP cables are smaller than STP cables, which makes them easier to install, particularly in bulk or in narrow spaces. They are also cheaper than STP cables, and do not require as much maintenance, since they do not rely on outer shield. Furthermore, UTP cables can also transmit data as fast as STP cables. However, UTP cables are more prone to cause electrical noise and interference than other types of networking media. Thus, UTP cables are best used for domestic and office Ethernet connections, and in any area where there is not a high degree of electromagnetic interference.

Applications of Twisted Pair Cable

The most commonly used twisted pair cable impedance is 100 ohms. And it is widely deployed for data communications and telecommunication applications in structured cabling system. As its transmission distance&speed and bandwidth are limited, twisted pair cables are often used in telephone lines to carry voice and data channels, and local area network such as 10Base-T and 100Base-T, and so on.

Conclusion

To sum up, twisted pair cable has great potential in the field of short distance transmission in the future. It can meet necessary conditions of high efficiency, energy saving, environmental protection and many other trends in today’s society. FS.COM has been devoted to the research of twisted pair transmission technology such as Cat 7 twisted pair cable, hoping to create the highest quality products and satisfy every consumer.

Things You Should Know About PoE Network

With the development of networking, local power is not always accessible for wireless access points, IP phones, and other network devices that may be deployed in ceilings, lobbies, stairwell, and other obscure areas. Adding power outlets near these devices may be extremely difficult and costly. But why not provide these devices network connection and power in the same cable? In response to this need, IEEE developed IEEE802.3af to standardize a system which is called power over Ethernet (PoE) to supply low voltage power to networked devices via communication lines. In the following paragraphs, more information about PoE network will be discussed.

Basic Concepts of PoE Network

Power over Ethernet (PoE), also called as active Ethernet, is a technology for wired Ethernet LANs (local area networks) allowing the electrical current necessary for the operation of each device to be carried by data cables rather than by power cords. There are three basic components in PoE system—PSE, PD and the cable itself. PSE which stands for power sourcing equipment like PoE switch is designed to deliver power to the cable, while PD (powered device) receives power from the cable. And the cable will help transmit the electrical power and data signal. In general, there are two methods of PoE. One is mid-span, and the other is end-span.

Working Principle of PoE 

The electrical current must go into the data cable at the power-supply end (PSE end), and come out at the device end (PD end), which can keep the current separated from the data signal so that neither of them interferes with the other. The current enters the cable by means of a component called an injector. If the device at the other end of the cable is PoE compatible, then the device will function properly without modification; otherwise a component called a picker or tap must be installed to remove the current from the cable.

Advantages of PoE

Why is PoE more and more widely used in many devices? Some of the advantages with PoE over other technologies may be:

• 1. Time and cost saving: It is the primary advantage. By reducing the time and expense of having electrical power cabling installed, network cables do not require a qualified electrician to fit them, and can be located wherever they are needed most.
• 2. Great flexibility: Without being tethered to an electrical outlet, devices such as IP cameras and wireless access points can be located regardless of area restriction. Besides, they can be repositioned easily if required.
• 3. Safety: PoE network is designed so safe and intelligent that it can protect network equipment from overload, under-powering, or incorrect installation.
• 4. Reliability: PoE power comes from a central and universally compatible source instead of a collection of distributed wall adapters. In addition, with the backing-up of an uninterruptible power supply, the PoE network can be operated more stably.
• 5. Scalability: Due to the electrical power available on PoE network, the installation and distribution of network connections can be simple and effective.

Applications of PoE

PoE has many applications, but the key areas are:

• VoIP phones—It is the original PoE application. Using PoE means phones have a single connection to a wall socket, and can be remotely powered down, just like with the older analog system.
• IP camera—Nowadays, PoE is ubiquitous on networked surveillance cameras, where it enables fast deployment and easy repositioning.
• Wireless—Wifi, Bluetooth APs and RFID (radio frequency identification devices) readers are commonly PoE-compatible, to allow remote location away from AC outlets, and relocation following site surveys.

Summary

Like all technologies, the advent of PoE has greatly enhanced the effectiveness of network. There is no doubt that PoE will become increasingly important in the future. The above statements only briefly explain PoE from basic concept, working principle, advantage and application. There is still more knowledge about it we should learn.

How to Clean Fiber Optic Connector

Cleaning fiber optic connectors is necessary to keep the quality connections between all fiber equipment. It is one of the most important preventative maintenance procedures to avoid premature failure of the system. It is known that fiber optic connector terminates the end of an optical fiber and mechanically couples and aligns the cores of fibers so light can pass. Experts studies have shown that one micrometer dust particle can block up to one percent of the light and cause a 0.05dB loss on a single-mode fiber cable. Although a 9-micrometer speck is too small to notice without a microscope, it can block a fiber core. Thus keeping the fiber end face and ferrule absolutely clean is very essential. The following article will provide some detailed information about the tips and procedures for cleaning fiber optic connector. 

Tips Before the Fiber Optic Connector Cleaning

Before the fiber optic connector cleaning, there are some tips which should be kept in mind.

• Disconnect the fiber optic cables from both ends and then turn off any laser source.
• Do not allow the end of the fiber optic cable to make contact with any surface including your fingers.
• Never to bend the fiber cable, which will in turn cause internal breaks along the fiber and cause poor performance or instability.
• Always inspect your connectors or adapters before you begin the cleaning process.
• Store unused protective caps in a reasonable container to prevent any transfer of dust to the fiber.

Fiber Optic Connector Cleaning Process

Step 1—Use a fiber microscope to inspect the fiber end, if it is contaminated as images shown below, it should be cleaned with the dry cleaning method.

Tips: Dry cleaning is a type of cleaning method which does not require the use of any solvent. First, use a reel-based cassette cleaner with medium pressure, then wipe the connector end face with a dry cleaning cloth (single swipe per exposure) in one direction. For angled physical contact (APC) polished connectors, ensure that the entire end face surface mates with the cleaning cloth. Finally, inspect the connector end face for contamination again after cleaning. Dry cleaning method will generally remove airborne contamination and should be attempted first.

Step 2—Inspect the connector.

Step 3—If the connector is dirty, repeat the dry cleaning method and inspect the connector again.

Step 4—Clean the connector with a wet cleaning technique if it’s still dirty.

Tips: Wet cleaning is another type of cleaning method which requires the use of a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol. First, lightly moisten a portion of a lint free wipe with fiber optic cleaning solution (or > 91 percent isopropyl alcohol), then wipe the end face against the wet area, and onto a dry area to clean potential residue from the end face. Wet cleaning is more aggressive than dry cleaning, and will remove airborne contamination as well as light oil residue.

Step 5—Inspect the connector again.

Step 6—If there is still contamination on the connector, repeat these steps until the connector is clean.

Step 7—After cleaning, immediately install a protective cover over the end of the cable to avoid re-contamination or insert the fiber for immediate use.

Note: Do not use a cleaning process that will leave a residue on the end face. Alcohol and wet cleaning procedures are the most common procedures that will leave residue on the surface of the devices.

Summary

Fiber optic connector is an indispensable component of optical network. Therefore, the cleanliness of the connector becomes increasingly important. This passage has briefly introduced the procedures of fiber optic cleaning. If you need to clean your connectors, you can follow my suggestion. In addition, choosing a suitable cleaning tools is also important for fiber optic connector cleaning. FS.COM supplies all kinds of fiber optic cleaner, such as pen cleaner, cassette cleaner, and so on. All of these optic connector cleaners are designed to effectively and quickly clean connector end face, both the unmated patch cord and through the adapter. They are also provided with high quality and reasonable price. If you have any requirement of our products, please visit FS.COM or contact sales@fs.com.

Guide to Optical Switch

With the development of fiber optic communication technology and dense wavelength division multiplexing system, optical networking has become the trend of network communication. In optical networks, optical fiber is the fundamental medium of transmission, but switching, signaling, and processing functions are accomplished electronically. Hence, optical switches are naturally developed. Optical switch is a device used to open or close an optical circuit which enables signals in optical fibers or integrated optical circuit (IOCs) to be selectively switched from one circuit to another in telecommunication. In a network system, optical switch plays an important part in protecting the path. It is the key to all-optical switching devices and can be realized in all-optical layer routing, wavelength selection, optical cross-connect and self-healing protection function. This post intends to give a brief introduction to optical switch.

Optical Switching Technology

When it comes to optical switch, it is necessary to mention optical switching technology. As an important foundation for all-optical communication network technology, the development and application of optical switching technology will greatly influence the trend of future optical communication networks development. It is known that optical signals are multiplexed in three ways, including space division, time division and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Accordingly, there are three optical switching methods, space division switching, time division switching and wave division switching to complete the three multiplexed ways. Besides, there are also hybrid switching technologies used in large-scale communication network, such as time-space (TS) switching which enables broadcast operators to seamlessly switch channels within the same or different TS stream.

Types of Optical Switch

Different principles and technologies of optical switches are different in characteristic and available for different applications. And according to different specific standards, there are a number of optical switches., such as thermal optical switch, acousto-optic switch, waveguide optical switch and magneto-optic switch, etc. However, opto-mechanical optical switch and MEMS optical switch are the most widely used products in the market today.

Opto-mechanical Optical Switch

Opto-mechanical switch is the oldest type of optical switch and it is the most widely deployed switch. Due to its working principle, it is relatively slow with switching times in the 10-100ms range. Nevertheless, it can achieve excellent reliability, insertion loss, and crosstalk. Generally, opto-mechanical optical switches collimate the optical beam from each input and output fiber, then move these collimated beams around inside the device which allows distance between the input and output fiber without deleterious effects.

 MEMS Optical Switch

OptoMEMS (micro-electro-mechanical) optical switch is a micro-optical switch in free space which is made of semiconductor material. It has attracted wide attention in the world because of its versatility. MEMS optical switch is designed to have the advantage of opto-mechanical, but it is more compact and easier to expand. With the ability of combining the electrical, mechanical and optical integration as a whole, MEMS optical switch can transparently transmit different rates and different businesses services.

Application of Optical Switch

Optical switches are widely used in high speed networks where high switching speeds and large switches are required to handle the large amount of traffic. Optical switches can be used within optical cross-connects (OXCs) which contain a whole series of optical switch to forward data using switches. Furthermore, optical switches can also be utilized for switching protection. The switch can allow the signal to be rerouted to another fiber before a fiber failing to transmit the signal. And it takes an optical switch only milliseconds to detect the failure and inform network.

Conclusion

Optical switch plays a very important role in optical network, which is not only as the switching core of the key equipment in WDM network, but also as key components in optical networks. This passage provides a brief introduction to optical switch for you. FS.COM offers optical switch solutions and tutorials for your project, please visit FS.COM for more information.

Overview of FTTx Network

With increasing demand for a more intensive bandwidth, the communication carriers must seek to offer a matured network convergence and enable the revolution of consumer media device interaction. Hence, the advent of FTTx network is of great significance for people around the world. Fiber to the x (FTTx) is a collective term for a variety of optical fiber delivery topologies. The x here can be replaced by such as H for home, B for building, C for curb or even W for wireless, and so on. Compared to traditional optical networks, FTTx is a new trend for a local area network (LAN) application. According to the different termination places, the common FTTx architectures include FTTH, FTTB, FTTP, FTTC and FTTN. This article will introduce these architectures respectively.

FTTH

FTTH (fiber to the home)—Fiber terminates at a box on the outside wall of our home. It provides unprecedented high-speed internet access from a central point directly to individual buildings such as residences, apartment buildings and businesses. In FTTH deployment, families and officers can both utilize the network in an easier way. It certainly becomes one of the fastest growing applications worldwide.

FTTB

FTTB (fiber to the building)—Fiber terminates at the boundary of the building. A fiber cable in FTTB installation goes to a point on a shared property and the other cabling provides the connection to single homes, offices or other spaces. FTTB applications often use active or passive optical networks to distribute signals over a shared fiber optic cable to individual households of offices.

FTTP

FTTP (fiber to the premises)—FTTP is used to encompass FTTH and FTTB deployment or is used to indicate that a particular fiber network includes both homes and small businesses. It is a form of fiber optic communication delivery where an optical fiber runs in an optical distribution network from the central office all the way to the premises occupied by the subscriber. Since FTTP can offer higher speed than any other broadband services, it is available for providing voice, video and data services.

FTTC

FTTC (fiber to the curb)—It is also called fiber to the cabinet. Optical cabling usually terminates in the street cabinet or pole with 300 m of the customer premises. Fiber cables are installed or utilized along the roadside from the central office to home or office. In FTTC deployment, coaxial cable can be used in the last connection between curb and home or office. It replaces old telephone service and would give us high bandwidth, making it possible that movies-on-demand and online multimedia presentation can arrive without noticeable delay.

FTTN

FTTN (fiber to the node)—Fiber terminates in a street cabinet, which may be miles away from the customer premises, with the final connections being copper. One of the main benefits of FTTN is the ability to deliver data over more efficient fiber optic lines, rather than other fiber optic lines with greater speed restriction

Conclusion

FTTx technology plays an important role in providing higher bandwidth for global network. As it has a higher speed, costs less, and carries more capacity than twisted pair conductor or coaxial cables, FTTx is widely used in applications like IPTV, VOIP, RF video, etc. This passage introduces several commonly used technologies in FTTx network., including FTTH, FTTB, FTTP, FTTC and FTTN. Hope you can have a basic understanding of it.

How to Install Fiber Splice Tray

Fiber splice tray is used in fiber optic cabling as a protective case for protecting splices from outside plant environment and damage. Although the design of this device is simple and it doesn’t contain any technical functions, the splice tray plays an important part in fiber protecting. In addition, professional and experienced skill is needed to install and use it.

Working Function of Fiber Splice Tray

The incoming cable is brought into the splicing center where the outer jacket of the cable has been stripped away. Then the fibers are completely looped around the tray and into a splice holder. Different holders are available for different types of splices. Next, the fibers are spliced onto the outgoing cable if it is an intermediate point or on to pigtails. These are also looped completely around the tray and fed out of the tray.

Installation Procedures and Using Tips

Installation Procedures

The installation procedures of fiber splice tray can be divided into five steps.

Step 1—Rout fibers into splice tray with the help of spiral transportation or fiber furcation tubes. And secure fibers with cable ties.

Step 2—Splice fibers per local practice.

Step 3—Place spliced fibers into the sleeve holders which have been arranged by color code.

 Step 4—Coil the outgoing fiber slack into the tray carefully (coil 1).

Step 5—Coil the incoming fiber slack into the tray carefully (coil 2).

Using Tips
 

When using fiber splice tray, skill is needed in order to ensure a good performance. The following tips can give you a good instruction.

• Make sure that the color, loose tube and the fiber number are in the exact sequence specified by the producer.
• Care should be taken when arranging fibers and splices in splice trays, buffer tubes in the splice closure to prevent stress on the fiber.
• Arranging fibers inside splice trays may require twisting the fiber but following the manufacturer’s instructions will minimize the stress on the fiber.
• Loose tube cables will have the tubes extending from the entrance of the closure to the tray, where they are secured, then about one meter of bare fibers are organized in the tray after splicing.
• Note that all closures must be sealed to prevent moisture entry.

Applications of Fiber Splice Tray

Fiber splice trays are usually installed in the middle of a route where cables are required to be joined or at the termination and patch panel points at the end of the cable runs. Splice s. Furthermore, when used for indoor applications, they are integrated into patch panels to offer connections to the fibers.

Solution

As a protection for fiber splices, there is no doubt that fiber splice trays are the best fit and the most cost effective devices. FS.COM provides splice trays to fit individual needs of customers. Each tray is supplied with splice holders that secure and protect both fusion and mechanical splices, also the top cover is included. Trays in FS.COM are designed to accommodate up to 12 splices and 12 adapters. They can be mounted in patch panels or directly into distribution cabinets. Besides, there is A, B, C, D, and so on, four types in different size and a wide range of its capacity of fibers in FS.COM. If you are interested and have any need, FS.COM is a good place to go.

“SE7EN” in Fiber Optic Cable Installation

Unlike copper cables, fiber optic cables have typically been categorized as fragile and easy to be broken. This is totally true in the process of dealing with fiber cables. This post will point out “SE7EN (seven deadly sins)” in fiber optic cable handling and installation. 

1. Ignoring Fiber Cleaning Before Fiber Fusion

It is necessary to thoroughly clean the fiber after the stripping and before the cleaving, because contamination is always deadly to fiber. Fast-drying and non-flammable fiber optic cleaning fluid rather than common alcohol are suggested to be used. 

2. Using Improper Cleaving Tools

A smooth surface of the fiber end is very important for the performance of terminated or spliced fiber cables. In the past, the cleavers are not so automated that the operator has to exert force manually for breaking the fiber, making fiber cleaving more dependent on the operator’s technique. Good cleavers are automatic and produce consistent results, irrespective of the operator. The user only needs to clamp the fiber into the cleaver and operate its controls. Thus automatic cleavers are strongly suggested in the fiber cleaving process. 

3. No Aligning Process Before Fiber Fusion

Alignment is an essential step before fiber fusion. And it can be done easily by the fiber fusion splicer. Using small, precise motors, the fusion splicer makes minute adjustments to the fibers’ positions until they’re properly aligned, so the finished splice will be as seamless and attenuation-free as possible. 

4. Microbending of the Fiber Cable

Microbending refers to small scale “bends” in the fiber, often from pressure exerted on the fiber itself as when it is cabled and the other elements in the cable press on it, which will result in increased attenuation that degrade the fiber cable’s performance. OTDR is often used to inspect if there are microbendings in fiber cables.

5. Macrobending of the Fiber Cable

It is known to us that every fiber cable has its minimum bend radius. This the minimum curve radius while bending the fiber cable in either installation process or after the installation in its final resting position. Thus, You can make larger curves but never smaller than specified. 

6. Reusing Wipes or Tissues

The reusing of wipes or tissues is penny wise and pound foolish, for the reason that it may cause great contamination to the whole network system. If you really want to save cost, try to buy small pieces of wipes or tissues. 

7. No Inspection and Cleaning of the Ferrule on Connector Before Connection

The cleaning of ferrule on the fiber optic connector is very essential. If any particles such as dust, lint or oil get on the ferrule, this will jeopardize the completeness of the optical signal that is being sent over the fiber. Therefore, it is essential to inspect and clean the ferrule on the connector before any installation. 

Conclusion

The above mentioned “SE7EN” are common misoperation in fiber optic installation. It is not difficult to eliminate these “SE7EN”. Operators should strictly follow the standards and requests, as well as being careful when working, ensuring that each process is proper and achieving a reliable network. 

This article originates from http://www.fs.com/blog/se7en-in-fiber-optic-cable-installation.html

Fiber Optic Splicing Guide

Fiber optic splicing is an important method to join two fiber optic cables together. It is needed in the occasion where an available fiber optic cable is not sufficiently long for the required run. In addition, fiber optic splicing is also used to restore fiber optic cables when a buried cable is accidentally severed. It is becoming a more and more common skill and is vital to any company or fiber optic technician involved in telecommunication or LAN (local area network) and networking projects. However, how to splice fiber optic cable? Typically, there are two methods to splice fiber optic cable—fusion and mechanical splicing. This article will introduce the two methods and make a comparison between them so that you can choose which technique best fits your requirement.

Fusion Splicing

Fusion splicing is using the professional machine to fuse or weld glass ends together with heat or electric arc, which enables the permanent connection between two optic fibers for a continuous light transmission. There are four steps of fusion splicing as illustrated in the following. 

Step1  Strip the fiber

The splicing process begins by preparing both fiber ends for fusion, so you need to strip the protective coating, jackets, tubes, strength members, etc, leaving only the bare fiber showing. The main concern here is to clean the cables. 

Step2  Cleave the fiber

Using a good fiber cleaver is essential to a successful fusion splice. The cleaved end-face must be mirror-smooth and perpendicular to the fiber axis to obtain a proper splice using the score-and-break method. 

Step3  Fuse the fiber

There are two steps within this step, alignment and heating. Alignment can be manual or automatic depending on what equipment you have. Once properly aligned the fusion splicer unit then utilizes an electrical arc to melt the fibers, permanently welding the two fiber ends together. 

Step4  Protect the fiber

Although a typical fusion splice will not break during normal handling as it has a tensile strength between 0.5 and 1.5 lbs, it still requires protection from excessive bending and pulling forces. With the help of heat shrink tubing, silicone gel and mechanical crimp protector, the splice can be protected from outside elements and breakage. 

Mechanical Splicing

Mechanical splicing is an optical junction where the fibers are precisely aligned and held in place by a self-contained assembly, not a permanent bond. The mechanical splices are normally used when splices need to be made quickly and easily. Like the fusion splice, there are also four basic steps in mechanical splice. 

Step1  Strip the fiber

This step is practically as same as for fusion splicing. It is still necessary to remove the protective coating, jackets, tubes, strength members, and so on, just showing the bare cores. It is noted that the cables should be cleaned. 

Step2  Cleave the fiber

The process is identical to the cleaving for fusion splicing. When cleaving the fiber, you need to obtain a very clean cut which is exactly at right angles to the axis of the fiber. 

Step3  Mechanically join the fiber

You need to join the fibers mechanically with no heat. Simply connecting the ends of fiber together inside the mechanical splice unit and the device will help couple the light between two fibers. 

Step4  Protect the fiber

Once fibers are spliced, a protection will be needed during the light transmission. Typically, the completed mechanical splice provides its own protection for the splice. 

Comparison Between Fusion Splicing and Mechanical Splicing

Both fusion splicing and mechanical splicing have their specific advantages and disadvantages. Whether to choose fusion or mechanical splicing depends on different applications. 

The fusion splice offers a lower level of loss and a high degree of performance. It gives very low back reflections and is preferred for single-mode high speed digital or CATV network. However, it requires the use of expensive fusion equipment. 

Compared to fusion splicing, mechanical splicing is deployed for applications where splices need to be made quickly. Some mechanical splices easily allow both connection and disconnection. Therefore, a mechanical splice is utilized for applications where the splice may be less permanent. 

Conclusion

Fiber optic splicing is essential and important for fiber connections. This passage provides two different types of methods for you to splice fiber optic cables. Choosing the appropriate method, whether the fusion splicing or mechanical splicing, can not only save money, but also enhance work efficiency. Besides, when you are doing fiber optic splicing, it is necessary to follow the steps strictly and carefully.

Deploying Hybrid Electrical and Optical Network to Achieve Big Data Transfer

Data center networking topology has improved significantly for a few years. With the developments of high speed switching device and multilayer network architecture, we have more powerful data centers with low latency, scalability and higher bandwidth. But due to the exponential increase of internet traffic and emerging web application, still data centers performance is not up to the market to meet the requirement. In order to face the increasing bandwidth demand and power requirement in the data centers, new connection scheme must be developed that can provide high throughput, low latency and less power consumption. So the optimal solution would be using optical fiber link between server to access switch. 

Traditional Data Center Architecture

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a typical data center with four layers hierarchical network architecture from the bottom to top. The first layer is the servers which are connected to upper access layer switch. The second layer is access switch where many servers are connected with ToR switch. The third layer is aggregation layer which is connected with bottom access layer switch. Forth or highest layer is core layer where core switches are connected with router at top and aggregation layer at bottom to form a data center block. When a request is generated by a user, the request is forwarded through the internet to the top layer of the data center. The core switch devices are used to route the ingress traffic to the appropriate server. The main advantage of this architecture is that it can be scaled easily and has a good fault tolerance and quick failover. But the main drawback is high power consumption due to the several layer architecture switches and latency introduce due to multiple store-and-forwarding processing. 

Hybrid Electrical and Optical Network Architecture 

As the amount and size of traffic increase exponentially, the architecture of traditional data center is not sufficient to handle traffic and to meet the future challenges. An electrical-optical hybrid network has been proposed. It connects servers with upper layer switch with high availability and low latency. Connecting servers directly with upper layer using both electrical and optical link would fulfill the requirement for the propose scheme. Figure 2 depicts the proposed architecture. The blue lines indicate electrical connectivity and black dashed lines indicate optical connectivity. 

Hybrid Electrical and Optical Network

Due to the emerging demand, servers require high bandwidth and low latency communication. Optical connectivity consumes less power at the same bandwidth. Connecting server directly using optical and electrical links will meet the demand and at the same time better load balancing is achieved. 

Data Center Interconnection 

Data center interconnection could be provided by several schemes. Interconnection could be at layer 1, 2 or 3. Considering transportation option and layered architecture of data center, interconnection is recommended at layer 2 aggregation layer. Figure 3 shows a data center interconnectivity solution. Each data center is connected at its aggregation layer using high speed optical fiber. 

Each server has both optical and electrical connectivity. The electrical connectivity is usually useful for communication between servers and handling short data transfer, whereas optical connectivity is used for long bulked data transfer. This is necessary when transferring data between data centers that require large bandwidth and low latency. At the same time because of layered architecture server can communicate with each other via access layer and don’t need to go the upper layer. Load balancing is achieved due to both hybrid electrical and optical links. Due to the optical connectivity virtual Ethernet port aggregator switching situation enhanced, it becomes easier to move server virtually not only within the data center but also among the data centers. The hybrid links intra and inter data center networking scenarios have significantly improved. As the number of optical switches is introduced in every layer, the load sharing capability of the network is increased and power consumption for data center is reduced. In each layer, the electrical switch is reduced and replaced with optical switch. So the overall cost and power consumption associated with electrical switches have reduced.

Summary

A electrical and optical architecture is presented. Use of optical connectivity has some advantages such as less power consumption, higher bandwidth and low latency. Introducing both types of switches in each layer helps in load balancing. This also helps us when we interconnect our data centers where we require large bandwidth between servers. Because of higher bandwidth, it is easier to move server virtually not only within the data center but also among the data centers. So a hybrid electrical and optical networking topology improves the overall scenarios for data center and also for big data network.

This article originates from http://www.fs.com/blog/deploying-hybrid-electrical-and-optical-network-to-achieve-big-data-transfer.html

Effective OADM Solutions for CWDM/DWDM Network Systems

With the evolution of single wavelength point-to-point transmission lines to wavelength division multiplexed optical networks, wavelength selective OADMs have been introduced. OADM is the acronym of optical add-drop multiplexer considered to be a specific type of optical cross-connect, and widely used in wavelength-division multiplexing systems for multiplexing and routing different channels of light into or out of a single-mode fiber. It is the fundamental construction block of optical telecommunications network. “Add” refers to the capability of the device to add one or more new wavelength channels to an existing multi-wavelength WDM signals, while “drop” refers to drop one or more channels, passing those signals to another network path. This article will make an overview of OADM to help you understand it better.

Structure of OADM

A traditional OADM consists of MUX (multiplexer), DEMUX (demultiplexer) and between them a method of reconfiguring the paths between the MUX, DEMUX and a set of ports for adding and dropping signals. The MUX multiplexes the wavelength channels that are to continue on from DEMUX ports with those from the add ports, onto a single output fiber, while the DEMUX separates wavelengths in an input fiber onto ports as shown in the following picture. The reconfiguration can be achieved by a fiber patch panel or by optical switches which direct the wavelengths to the MUX or to drop ports.

Types of OADM

There are main two types of OADMs that can be used in WDM networks—fixed optical add-drop multiplexer (FOADM) and reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM). The former is used to drop or add data signals on dedicated WDM channels, and the latter is used to electronically alter the selected channel routing through the optical network.

Fixed Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (FOADM)

The FOADM is a traditional wavelength arrangement scheme that can only input or output a single wavelength via the fixed port. It uses a filter to select a dropping wavelength and a multiplexer to add a new channel at the same wavelength. Normally FOADM is built with thin-film filters (TFFs), fiber bragg grating (FBG), and integrated planar arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). The operational cost is high for FOADM because of the stationary nature of the arrangements and requirement of manual changes.

Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (ROADM)

The ROADM is a dynamic wavelength arrangement scheme, allowing for dynamic wavelength arrangement scheme using a wavelength selective switch (WSS). The WSS provides an eight-dimensional cross-connect and enables quick services start-up, remote cross-connect and WDM mesh networking. Different from FOADM, ROADM provides flexibility in rerouting optical streams, bypassing faulty connections, allowing minimal service disruption and the ability to adapt or upgrade the optical network to different WDM technologies.

Effective OADM Solutions

Dual Single-Channel CWDM OADM

Dual single-channel CWDM OADM allows you to add/drop two channels of the same wavelength into the two direction of an optical ring. The other wavelengths are passed through the OADM. Dual fiber is used for both the network and the CWDM GBIC connections. Eight versions of this OADM are available, one for each wavelength of light. The dual single-channel OADMs are color coded and match the color coding of the CWDM.

Dual Four-Channel DWDM OADM

Dual four-channel DWDM OADM multiplexes up to four channels on fiber pair. It is available in standalone 19” Rack Mount, LGX module and Field module packing. The four pair of add/drop channels with 100 GHz channel spacing into two-fiber paths, going in opposite directions into a network (east/west).

Conclusion

OADM is an essential element compatible with both LAN (local area network) and long haul networks. It enables carriers to exploit fiber bandwidth, improve network reliability and reduce the cost of providing broadband services. A further development of OADM is absolutely the future trend in fiber optic communications.

Benefits of Media Converters in the LAN and WAN

Media converters play an important role in today’s multi-protocol, mixed media Local Area Networks (LAN). Media converters can be used to integrate fiber optic cabling and active equipment into existing copper structured cabling systems without increasing extra cost. Media converters are also important for the networks outside the LAN because of the electrical-to-optical conversion function which enable service providers to speed up the deployment and offer low cost Metro Area Networks (MAN) access service to customers.

Media Converter in LAN

At first, media converters are simple devices just used to connect two dissimilar media types such as twisted pair with fiber optic cabling. Today, category of media converters increases a lot. And the function of media converter is not single and can meet more requirements. Media converters including fiber to RJ45 converters, SFP Ethernet converters, OEO converters, mode converters, fiber video converters, etc. can be found in the market.

Copper and Fiber Conversion

Now some LAN is still structured with twisted pair wiring. As a result, the transmission distance is greatly limited with only 100 meters. To extend the data transmission distance, fiber cable gains the popularity since it can support longer transmission distance and it’s more and more inexpensive. But in practice, copper is familiar and easier to be installed. Besides, many network devices still have copper ports. It would cost too much to replace all the expensive equipment with fiber optics. So media converter is applied to realize the copper & fiber conversion with the cheapest price. Media converters make it possible to migrate a local network to fiber while maintaining the existing infrastructure.

Speeds Conversion

When connecting legacy 10BASE-T network segments to a newer 100BASE-FX Fast Ethernet infrastructure, media converter is the best solution. With one RJ45 port and one SFP socket, this 10/100Base-T to 100base-X SFP Ethernet fiber media converter can mediate between 10/100M UTP ports and 100M optical fiber ports. And it can reduce electromagnetic interference and extend the distance up to 100 km. Media converters can support network speeds from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps.

Bridging Two LANs over Fiber

Media converters are also used to expand the reach of the LAN to cover more locations. A converter can connect multiple LANs to form one large “campus area network” that spans over a limited geographic area. As premises networks are primarily copper-based, media converters can connect two distance switches with single-mode fiber and extend the reach of the LAN up to 130 km.

Saving Cost for FTTD

Existing data rate in the LAN backbone at 100Mbps or Gigabit speeds, fiber can accommodate high-bandwidth applications such as streaming media and voice over IP for more secure desktop connections. Media converters can make FTTD (fiber to the desktop) cost-effective in the LAN. With media converters, the cost of expensive fiber home which requires all-fiber switches, patch panels and network interface cards can be saved by converting in the telecommunications room and at the desktop.

Media Converter in MAN

Ethernet is the dominate LAN protocol with the highest market penetration. Past 10/100Mbps connections in LAN can’t meet the demands for high-speed data traffic. With the publication of the 10, 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet standard, the applications space for Ethernet expands from the LAN to MAN.

Maintaining Optical Circuits

Media converters are deployed in the MAN to provide the physical layer connection and to bridge the bandwidth gap that exists between LAN and MAN. In the LAN, the structured cabling is often twisted-pair copper cable or multi-mode fiber. While the cabling is often single-mode fiber in the MAN. So media converters are used at both ends of the first mile to provide the electrical-to-optical conversion from the POP (point of presence) switching router to single-mode fiber, and back to 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet at the customer premises. At the same time, if the customer needs to increase the internet speed, the bit rate can be increased through the POP switch and the converter will automatically adapt to the increased speed, avoiding a visit to the customer site or POP.

Increasing Flexibility

Media converters can realize the connections between copper switch ports and optical access to get more flexible and further. Media converters can support multiple types of media from copper to multimode and single-mode fiber. Single-mode converters cover distances up to 80 km with 1310nm optics and even 130 km with 1550 nm optics.

Media converters can also enhance the consistency of service. On one side, if there is any problem, the network administrator can troubleshoot one circuit and keep other customers’ connections running. On the contrary, if a fixed port switch goes down, all connections will be down simultaneously when repairing a faulty port. On the other side, customers can used the media converter as an optical demarcation point, which brings cost savings and simplicity.

Conclusion

Media converters make practical sense in both LAN and WAN applications with the benefits of copper and fiber conversion, speed conversion, saving cost, easy network troubleshooting, etc. With simple design, media converters are easy and cost-effective to deploy. It’s the best solution for the the optical demarcation between the LAN and MAN and bridging the bandwidth gap between the LAN and fiber optic backbone of service provider. FS.COM offers a wide range of cost-effective media converters. Any question, please contact sales@fs.com.