Important Components for 40/100G Ethernet Migration

With the growth of bandwidth-intensive applications such as high-performance computing and business continuity, there emerge higher-speed networks of 40/100G Ethernet. And as products become less expensive and more available over time, 40/100G Ethernet will inevitably be commonplace in our daily life. Therefore, it is necessary to create a migration path by installing a structured cabling system that can support the future 40/100G networking needs. In this system, such fiber optic products as MTP/MPO connectors, 40/100G transceivers and 40/100G direct attach cables (DACs) are important components. This article will discuss their roles in 40/100G Ethernet migration respectively.

MTP/MPO Connectors

Since 40/100G Ethernet uses parallel optics technology which requires data transmission across multiple fibers simultaneously, the multi-fiber connectors are needed. MTP/MPO is the designated interface for multi-mode 40/100G Ethernet, and its backward is compatible with legacy 1G/10G applications as well. 40G Ethernet uses a 12 position MTP/MPO connector interface that aligns 12 fibers in a single row. And the 4 leftmost fibers are used to transmit data, the middle 4 fibers are left unused, while the 4 rightmost fibers are used to receive data. 100G Ethernet uses a 24 position MTP/MPO connector with two rows of 12 fibers. And the outermost fibers on either end of the rows are vacant, while 10 fibers in the upper row for transmitting data and the remaining 10 fibers in the lower row for receiving data.

40/100G Transceivers

Together with MTP/MPO connectors, 40/100G transceivers are often used (as shown in the above figure). Through the use of plug-and-play, hot-swap transceiver miniaturization, fiber connectivity in higher-speed active equipment is being condensed and simplified. Transceivers used in 40/100G Ethernet migration include 40G QSFP+ transceivers, 100G CFP transceivers and so on. 40G QSFP+ transceivers can support 4x10G modes, which allow new parallel optics active equipment being compatible with existing 10G transceivers. And the electrical connection of a 100G CFP transceiver uses 10x10G lanes in RX (receive) and TX (transmit) direction, supporting both 10x10G and 4x25G variants of 100G interconnects.

40/100G DACs

To save cost, 40/100G DACs are often used in 40/100G Ethernet instead of optical transceivers. Applied to short reach applications, it is a fixed assembly supporting high speed data that uses a small form-factor connector module as an optical transceiver on each end of a length of cable. The modules on each end meet small form-factor standards and have some function of the optical transceivers, meaning that DAC inherits some advantages of the small form-factor module. Thus, sometime there is no need to upgrade the equipment by using a DAC.

To meet the future 40/100G networking needs, the cabling system shall include components that not only support future high-bandwidth applications but also be compliant to 1G and 10G applications and all current and anticipated industry standards. Meeting all these requirements, the above mentioned MTP/MPO connectors, 40/100G transceivers and 40/100G DACs play important roles in migration to 40/100G Ethernet. As a professional supplier of fiber connectivity network solutions, Fiberstore supplies all these fiber optic products and other kinds of products for 40/100G Ethernet migration.

Originally published at www.fiber-optical-networking.com.

Optical Fiber Access Modes

Optical fiber broadband is a technology that converts electrical signals carrying data to optical signals and sends the optical signals through transparent glass fibers. The signal conversion process is completed through the optical modems installed on both ends of the optical fiber. Among various transmission media for the broadband network, optical fiber is an ideal one, which features in large transmission capacity, high transmission quality, long repeater spacing and low loss.

Optical fiber access technology provides users with high-speed bandwidth of 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps that can be directly connected with the main crunodes of the internet. With high speed access to local area network (LAN) and high speed interconnection with internet, optical fiber access technology is applied mainly to LANs for business groups and intelligent residences. This article will introduce five common access modes of optical fiber.

Optical fiber + Ethernet Access

Ethernet is a kind of technology for LANs and metropolitan area networks (MANs). When the optical fiber is connected with Ethernet, it is necessary to use switch, photoelectric converter and Cat5e.

Applications: residential areas and commercial buildings where generic cabling and system integration for optical fiber access are completed or easy to be implemented.

Optical Fiber + HomePNA Access

HomePNA is an industry standard for home networking over the existing coaxial cables and telephone wiring within homes. To connected optical fiber with the HomePNA, HomePNA switch (Hub) and HomePNA termination equipment (Modem) are important to connect optical fiber to the HomePNA.

Applications: residential areas and hotel buildings where generic cabling and system integration are undone or inconvenient to be done.

Optical Fiber + VDSL Access

Very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber loop (VDSL) is a technology providing data transmission over a single flat untwisted or twisted pair of copper wires and on coaxial cable. VDSL switch and VDSL termination equipment are essential to connect optical fiber with VDSL.

Applications: residential areas and hotel buildings where generic cabling and system integration are undone or inconvenient to be done.

FTTx + LAN Access

FTTx stands for fiber to the x, where x stands for home, curb, neighborhood, business, etc (as shown in the following figure). LAN refers to local area network. FTTx+LAN access aims at Gigabit Ethernet for the community, fast Ethernet for the building and 10 Mpbs Ethernet for the user.

Applications: it is mainly applied to concentrated residential areas, enterprises and public institutions and universities and colleges. In FTTx+LAN, generic cabling is done in residential areas, high-class offices and student dormitories and teacher dormitories in universities and colleges.

Optical Fiber Access

Optical fiber access with transmission bandwidth from 2 Mbps to 155 Mbps is designed for enterprises and public institutions or groups who need the independent optical fiber-optic high-speed Internet. Since the bandwidth for upload and download is high, optical fiber access is suitable for such activities as remote instruction, tele-medicine and video conference.

Applications: it is applied to concentrated residential areas, communities and offices where generic cabling is done or easy to be implemented. Furthermore, it also applied to enterprises and public institutions or groups who need the independent optical fiber-optic high-speed Internet.

Optical fiber access is expanding due to the demand for broadband in consumer environment. Thus, products such as switches, photoelectric converters and transceivers used in optical fiber access are various in the market. As a professional supplier of optical communication products, Fiberstore supplies many kinds of products used in optical fiber access. Customers may choose the proper optical fiber optic access mode and optical fiber products according to their needs.

Originally published at www.fiber-optical-networking.com/.