Optical Network Tapping

Jan 25, 2024

Optical Network Tapping, also known as packet tapping or network monitoring, is a technique used to verify the performance and integrity of data streams as they flow between different devices on a network. This practice is often employed in data networks for various purposes, including network troubleshooting, security analysis, performance monitoring, and data collection. In this blog post, you will learn about the different types of network tapping, the most common optical split ratios, what  … Read more The post Optical Network Tapping appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

The Benefits of Mixing Copper and Fiber in Data Centers and Intelligent Buildings

Sep 06, 2023

In the world of data centers (DC) and Intelligent Buildings (IB), copper and fiber cabling are widely recognized as the primary media types for network connectivity. The ability to seamlessly integrate these two types of cabling offers a multitude of installation options to address various cabling applications, network topologies, and equipment connectivity requirements. In this blog post, we will delve into the challenges faced by network engineers when dealing with the integration of copper and  … Read more The post The Benefits of Mixing Copper and Fiber in Data Centers and Intelligent Buildings appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

Is Base-16 a Good Solution for the Data Center?

Mar 07, 2023

Base-16 is an MPO plug and play cabling system that utilizes an MPO-16 connector vs. the MPO-12 connector that is used for more commonly in Base-8 or Base-12 cabling systems. The MPO-16 connector has specifications that are defined in TIA-604-18 released in 2018 and IEC 61754-7-1 released in 2014, but the connector has seen limited market adoption. With the recent introduction and promotion of Base-16 systems by some manufacturers, the time is right to share  … Read more The post Is Base-16 a Good Solution for the Data Center? appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

ANSI/TIA-568.3-E Introduces New Polarity Methods

Oct 27, 2022

On September 29, 2022, ANSI released the latest revision of the ANSI/TIA-568.3-E, Optical Fiber Cabling and Components Standard.  A couple primary introductions of interest to most users will be the addition of two new connectivity (polarity) methods for array (MPO)-based duplex applications.  The revision also introduced revised guidance on pinning of connectors to better support future transition to end-to-end array systems. Prior to the release of this revision of the Standard, connectivity methods for array-based  … Read more The post ANSI/TIA-568.3-E Introduces New Polarity Methods appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

Cisco White Paper confirms OM5 offers no reach advantage for most Cisco multimode transceivers

Sep 19, 2022

Designing fiber optic networks and finding the right tools to optimize it is always a challenge. We need to find the right balance between demands of the network, cable performance and cost effectiveness. While fiber cable selection between singlemode and multimode networks is self-selecting, there is an array of options for multimode networks. The latest of which is OM5, which is designated as Wideband Multimode fiber (WBMMF) in the ISO/IEC 11801, 3rd edition Standard. OM5  … Read more The post Cisco White Paper confirms OM5 offers no reach advantage for most Cisco multimode transceivers appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

What To Consider Before Hitting the Road to 400/800G

May 23, 2022

Our own Gary Bernstein makes a lot of sense in his tech brief entitled “The Road to 400/800G is Paved!” As he points out, enterprise data centers are currently running 1G or 10G server speeds and 10G or 40G uplink speeds and are looking at migration paths for 25G or 50G for servers and 100G or 400G for uplinks. Perhaps a step further ahead, cloud data centers currently at 10G to 25G for servers and  … Read more The post What To Consider Before Hitting the Road to 400/800G appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

Why use Plug and Play Fiber Optic Cabling?

Nov 29, 2021

Plug and Play is a term that has been used to describe a product or solution that works seamlessly when the specific components are connected or plugged together. These words were first used as a feature of a computer system by which peripherals were automatically detected and configured by the operating system. The term has been readily adopted by the cabling industry to describe fiber optic structured cabling links used in the data center and  … Read more The post Why use Plug and Play Fiber Optic Cabling? appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

Are Supply Chain Issues and Extended Fiber Cabling Lead Times Delaying Your Network and Data Center Projects?

Nov 15, 2021

Despite the global economy slowly starting to recover, one rather destructive issue left in the wake of the waning Covid-19 pandemic is the major disruption to the global supply chain. Previously existing inefficiencies in the supply chain have been compounded by border restrictions, labor and material shortages, skyrocketing demand following lockdowns, weather events, and geopolitical factors (just to name a few) that have left bottlenecks in every link of the supply chain – all while  … Read more The post Are Supply Chain Issues and Extended Fiber Cabling Lead Times Delaying Your Network and Data Center Projects? appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

Is OM5 Fiber a Good Solution for the Data Center?

Sep 17, 2021

I created a blog on this topic back in April 2017…this content is updated with current standards and applications…but it is still very much true today…4 ½ years later…Make sure you work with people & companies you can trust that have your best interests in mind. Wideband Multimode fiber (WBMMF) was introduced as a new fiber medium in ANSI/TIA-492AAAE, in June 2016. The ISO/IEC 11801, 3rd edition standard is now using OM5 as the designation  … Read more The post Is OM5 Fiber a Good Solution for the Data Center? appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.

The importance of protecting fiber optic cabling infrastructure

Apr 06, 2021

The number of optical fiber links between switches, storage area network (SANs), and equipment continue to rise in data center environments due to increasing data and bandwidth needs. As connections between core, SAN, interconnection, and access switches push to 50, 100, 200 or higher gigabit per second (Gb/s) speeds and require low-latency transmission to effectively manage larger volumes of data, fiber is emerging as the dominant media type for data center infrastructure. As the flexibility,  … Read more The post The importance of protecting fiber optic cabling infrastructure appeared first on Network Infrastructure Blog.