High Density MPO/MTP Fiber Patch Cable in Data Center

With the advent and popularity of cloud computing and big data, the demand for high-speed transmission and data capacity is becoming much greater than ever before. In the meanwhile, as the data throughput increases, 40G and 100G are more commonplace and now become a hotspot for data center cabling system, plus the fact that MPO/MTP connector is the up-and-coming standard optical interface for 40G and 100G Ethernet network. In the following part, I will introduce two high-density MPO/MTP fiber cables types—MPO/MTP trunk cable and MPO/MTP harness cable, one by one.

MPO/MTP Connectors

Before the introduction to MPO/MTP fiber cable, we still have to review some knowledge about MPO/MTP connectors.

MPO connectors (multi-fiber push on) is used to connect or cross-connect equipment and cables with minimum attenuation and reflection. It is a multi-fiber connector which is standardized within the international regulatory framework (the ICE 61754-7 standard) and also the U.S. (TIA-604-5 standard). MTP (multi-fiber termination push on) connectors are fully compatible with all MPO connectors standards, regulations, and requirements; however, they also have a number of other features that most generic MPO connectors do not possess. For example, MTP connectors have a removable housing allowing users to rework, re-polish, and scan the ferrule, as well as change the gender, even after assembly or in the field. Here shows a picture of MPO/MTP connectors.

High Density MPO/MTP Fiber Cable

Unlike standard fiber optic patch cords (SC patch cable with maximum rate of 10Gbps) a patch cable terminated with the customers’ choice of 12-fiber or 24-fiber MPO connectors can be applied for 40G, or even 100G Ethernet network. Available in a male-to-male version (with guide pins) and a female-to-female version (without pins), MPO/MTP fiber cables can be used for a wide variety of applications, such as backbones, warehouse, disaster recovery, building fiber optic distribution, and so on. The following part will introduce two commonly used high density MPO/MTP fiber cables respectively—MPO/MTP trunk cable and MPO/MTP harness cable.

MPO/MTP Trunk Cable—MPO/MTP trunk cables, terminated with MPO/MTP connectors at both ends, are typically 12 to 144 fibers and create the permanent fiber links between panels in a structured environment. For example, a 72-fiber trunk cable can be terminated with 6 MPO/MTP connectors (shown in the following picture) and the connectors are manufactured specifically for multi-fiber loose tube or ribbon cable. The MTP/MPO trunk cables, which are constructed from loose tube and gel-filled indoor/outdoor rated cables, are applied to interconnect cassettes, panels or ruggedized MPO/MTP fan-outs, spanning MDA, HAD and EDA zones, or other high fiber environments reducing network installation and reconfiguration. Besides, they offer the flexibility which means that if we need change the connector style in the patch panels, new cassettes might be installed with the new connector style on the cross-connect side of the patch panel, but the connector style on the trunk cable won’t have to be changed. What’s more, MTP/MPO trunk cables greatly reduce the installation and maintenance costs with their efficient plug and play architecture.

MPO/MTP Harness Cable—MPO/MTP harness cable, also named MPO/MTP fan-out cable or MTP/MPO break cable, is terminated with a male/female MTP connector on one side and several duplex LC/SC connectors on the other side, providing a transmission from multi-fiber cables to individual fibers or duplex connectors. There are three commonly used MPO/MTP fiber cables types—MPO/MTP to MPO/MTP harness cable, MPO/MTP to secure keyed LC harness cable and MPO/MTP to standard LC harness cable. Compared to normal LC fiber optic cable, these cables are designed for high density applications which require high performance and fast installation. MTP/MPO harness cables are ideal for interconnecting MTP cassettes, panels or backbone MTP assemblies with the active equipment, saving costly data center rack space and easing fiber management. An image of MPO/MTP harness cable is listed below.

Conclusion

MPO/MTP cables are generally used for 40G or 100G network environment, and they play a significant part in structured cabling. It is predicated that MPO/MTP cables will eventually replace the standard for fiber optics. Whether this prediction will come true or not, no one can deny that MPO/MTP assemblies are absolutely best solutions for high-density deployment.