Available Interconnect Solutions for FTTH Drop Cables

FTTH, short for fiber to the home, is the installation and use of optical fiber from a central point directly to individual buildings such as residences, apartment buildings and businesses to provide unprecedented high-speed Internet access. In determining the best solution for a particular FTTH deployment, providers must first decide between splices and connectors. Then, they must choose the best splice or connector for the particular circumstances of a deployment. This article explores the available interconnect solutions for FTTH drop cables and discusses their advantages and disadvantages in various deployment circumstances.

Splice vs Connector

Before deploying a FTTH network, providers must first decide whether to use a splice, which is a permanent joint, or a connector, which can be easily mated and un-mated by hand. Both splices and connectors are widely used at the distribution point. At the home's optical network terminal (ONT) or network interface device (NID), either a field-terminated connector or a spliced-on factory-terminated connector can be used.

Splices enable a transition from 250micron drop cable fiber to jacketed cable with high reliability and eliminates the possibility of the interconnection point becoming damaged or dirty. Splices are most appropriate for drop cables dedicated to a particular living unit where no future fiber rearrangement is necessary, such as in a greenfield or new construction application where the service provider can easily install all of the drop cables during the living unit construction.

Connectors are easier to operate and provide greater network flexibility than splices, because they can be mated and unmated repeatedly, allowing them to be reused over and over again. Connectors also provide an access point for network testing. However, connectors cost more than splices although network rearrangement is much cheaper. Therefore, providers must weigh the material cost of connectors along with the potential for contamination and damage against their greater flexibility and lower network management expense.

Choosing the Right Splice

Splicing technology for FTTH deployment falls into two major categories: fusion and mechanical.

Fusion splicing is considered to be a solution for FTTH drop splicing, especially considering it provides a high quality splice with low insertion loss and reflection. However, fusion splicing is expensive and requires trained technicians to operate. It is time-consuming and the slow installation speed hinders its status as the preferred solution. Fusion splicing is best suited for companies that have already invested in fusion splicing equipment and do not need to purchase additional splicing machines.

Mechanical splices can perform well in many environments and have been successfully deployed around the world in FTTH installations. A typical mechanical fiber optic splice includes a small plastic housing with an aluminum alloy element to precisely align and clamp fibers. An index matching gel inside the splices maintains a low-loss optical interface, which results in an average insertion loss of less than 0.1 dB.

Choosing the Right Connector

According to the drop cables used, connectors can be divided into two types: factory-terminated and field-terminated.

Factory-terminated
Factory-terminated drop cables can provide high-performing, reliable connections with low optical loss. Factory termination also keeps labor costs low by reducing installation time. An excellent application is a patch cord that connects a desktop ONT to a wall outlet box inside the living unit. A key failure point in the network is when the end user accidentally breaks the fiber in the cable that connects the desktop ONT. If this occurs, the patch cord can be easily replaced. However, factory-terminated cables can be expensive compared to field-terminated alternatives.

Field-terminated
Many providers prefer field-terminated connectors where the installation can be customized by using a reel of cable and connectors, such as fuse-on connectors and mechanical connectors. For example, fuse-on connectors use the same technology as fusion splicing to provide the highest level of optical performance in a field-terminated connector. By incorporating the fusion splice inside the connector, the need for a separate splice tray has been eliminated. However, fuse-on connectors share many of the same drawbacks as fusion splicing. They require expensive equipment, highly trained technicians, and packing and unpacking time, and a power source, ratcheting up installation costs. However, mechanical connectors can provide alternatives to fuse-on connectors for field installation of drop cables.

Summary

The drop cable interconnect solution comprises a key component of an FTTH network. Reliable broadband service depends upon robust connections at the distribution point and the NID/ONT. Choosing the right connectivity product can result in cost savings and efficient deployment while providing reliable service to customers. Globally, most FTTH drop cable installations have been and continue to be field-terminated on both ends of the cable with mechanical connectivity solutions.

Why Plug-and-Play Transceivers Are So Popular

Plug-and-play is a technology that allows the operating system to detect and configure internal and external peripherals as well as most adapters. It has the ability to find and configure hardware components without having to reset DIP (dual in-line package) switches and jumpers. Plug-and-play transceivers refer to hot-swappable or hot-pluggable optical transceivers, such as SFP transceivers or XFP transceivers, which can be quickly plugged into an interface of fiber optical devices. Here are the reasons why plug-and-play transceivers play such an important role in data center communications.

Designed to Handle Mission Critical Applications

Plug-and-play transceivers are the basics of linking and transmitting data in mission critical applications which are the foundation of a company's business, like telecommunications company or networking technical company which depend heavily on data center. Therefore it is essential that these applications run efficiently or the entire company will be stuck in trouble. The faster data can reach, the faster decisions can be made. That's why it's so important to ensure that the applications are up and running 99.99 percent of the time. Even if plug-and-play transceivers fail to work well, there is relatively little downtime because the devices can be replaced without powering down the entire system.

Time-saving and Cost-effective

There's nothing worse than a malfunctioning transceiver that needs repair or replacement. Imagine that if you have to redesign an application every time one component malfunctions. Redesigns are not favorable because they are expensive and time consuming. Using plug-and-play transceivers can avoid redesign, because they are highly compatible and can be easily replaced. This is an important factor why plug-and-play transceivers are more popular than standard transceivers, because you can save time and money with plug-and-play transceivers and avoid redesigns that could ruin the efficiency of your work.

Upgrade When Needed

This will allow you to keep your capital liquid and invest in other aspects of your business. When new devices are introduced on the market, it will be easy to drop them into your existing design. Many of the transceivers are 100% compatible and are backed by a warranty. Thus, designers have nothing to fear by waiting to upgrade. If the upgrade doesn't work, they'll be refunded for the cost of the device.

Increase Productivity and Efficiency

As mentioned above, plug-and-play transceivers allow people to replace transceivers easily without completely shutting down their entire system or redesigning the application. When it's not required to power down the device for replacement or repair, productivity and efficiency improves. This is why so many telecommunications company and networking technical company are choosing plug-and-play devices over standard devices, especially the plug-and-play transceivers. Currently, fiber plug-and-play solutions for data center applications are very necessary to transmit data with a high degree of integrity, reliability and efficiency.

All in all, there are so many reasons that plug-and-play transceivers are preferred over standard transceivers. Using plug-and-play transceivers can expand your options. With your options open, there are more opportunities of saving money, upgrading and increasing productivity. And the fact that plug-and-play transceivers are hot-swappable and do not require designers to power down the device is appealing to most people. That's also why so many designers are considering plug-and-play transceivers to increase their functionality.

Originally published at http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki_list

SFP+ Direct Attach Cable

Nowadays, there is an increasing demand for cables which can provide a lower-power means for operation on short fiber optic links or short copper connections such as the SFP+ direct attach cable that will be described in this article.

What Is SFP+ Direct Attach Cable

SFP+ direct attach cable is a fixed assembly that is purchased at a given length, with the SFP+ connector modules permanently attached to each end of the cable. SFP+ direct attach cable provides high performance in 10 Gigabit Ethernet network applications, using an enhanced SFP+ connector to send 10 Gbps data through one paired transmitters and receivers over a thin twinax cable or fiber optic cable. The 10G SFP+ direct attach cable is designed to use the same port as an optical transceiver, but compared with optical transceivers, the connector modules attached to the cable leave out the expensive optical lasers and other electronic components, thus achieving significant cost savings and power savings in short reach applications.

Characteristics of SFP+ Direct Attach Cable

SFP+ direct attach cable is a low cost alternative to traditional fiber and twisted-pair copper cabling in data center deployments. SFP+ direct attached cable provides better cable management for high-density deployments and enhanced electrical characteristics for the most reliable signal transmission. The outstanding advantages are listed as follows:
High speed—support 10 Gbps data rates with backwards compatibility to 1 Gbps
MSA compliant—direct attached compliant and fully conform to the SFP+ MSA specifications
Reliability—RoHS compliant with excellent EMI performance and high reliability
Space saving—offer the smallest 10 gigabit form factor and a small overall cable diameter for higher density and optimized rack space in 10G Ethernet uplinks and Fibre Channel
Cost saving—cost up to three times less than fiber optic solutions, while offering lower latency and consuming up to 50% less power per port than current copper twisted-pair cabling systems
Scalability and flexibility—provide enhanced scalability and flexibility as well as higher density for today's data centers and storage area networks

Types of SFP+ Direct Attach Cable

Generally speaking, SFP+ direct attach cable can be divided into active and passive versions. Active SFP+ direct attached cable is used in active optical system which includes electrically powered switching equipment, such as a router or a switch aggregator, to manage signal distribution and direct signals to specific customers. While passive SFP+ direct attached cable is used in passive optical network which does not include electrically powered switching equipment, but uses optical splitters instead, to separate and collect optical signals as they move through the network. Powered equipment is required only at the source and receiving ends of the signal. Passive cables are cheaper than active cables but have shorter range than active cables, which means that the subscribers must be geographically closer to the central source of the data.

Fiberstore SFP+ DAC Solution

Nowadays, SFP+ direct attach cable is tremendously popular in the market. Fiberstore provides three types of 10G SFP+ cable assemblies: 10G SFP+ passive copper twinax cable (PCC), 10G SFP+ active copper twinax cable (ACC), and 10G SFP+ active optical cable (AOC). Various lengths can be customized according to customers' requirements.

Originally published at http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki_list

XENPAK Transceiver Overview

On March 12, 2001, the module multi-source agreement (MSA) association announced that the XENPAK specification is available for first public review. XENPAK is the first MSA for 10 Gigabit Ethernet. The XENPAK MSA defines a fiber optic or wired transceiver module which conforms to the 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard of the IEEE 802.3 working group. XENPAK transceiver module is a hot-swappable, highly integrated and serial optical transceiver module for 10Gbit/s data transmission applications. It is designed to transmit and receive optical data of link length of 300m, 10km, 20km, 40km and up to 80km. 10G XENPAK solution includes dual fiber XENPAK, CWDM XENPAK and DWDM XENPAK transceivers which enable high port densities for 10 Gigabit Ethernet systems. A 70 pin electrical connector and a duplex SC connector optical interface assure that connectivity is compliant to the XENPAK MSA. CWDM XENPAK transceiver and DWDM XENPAK transceiver are two commonly used XENPAK transceivers in the market.

CWDM XENPAK Transceiver

CWDM XENPAK transceivers are SC duplex receptacle modules and are designed for 10Gb/s Ethernet transmission systems. Wavelengths are selectable from ITU-T standards covering CWDM grid wavelengths: 1470nm, 1490nm, 1510nm, 1530nm, 1550nm, 1570nm, 1590nm and 1610nm. All CWDM XENPAK transceiver modules are MAS compliant, RoHS6 compliant and lead free. Transmitting distance of CWDM XENPAK achieves 40km (ER) and 80km (ZR) with digital diagnostic monitoring. Fiberstore's 10G CWDM XENPAK transceivers are designed for single mode fiber and applied in 10 Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel.

DWDM XENPAK Transceiver

DWDM XENPAK transceivers are SC duplex receptacle modules and are designed for backbone Ethernet transmission systems. For 10G DWDM XENPAK transceivers, wavelengths are selectable from ITU-T channel C-band standards covering 45 DWDM grid wavelengths: 1528.77 nm to 1563.86 nm as specified by the ITU-T. All DWDM XENPAK transceivers are MAS compliant, RoHS6 compliant and lead free. Transmitting distance of DWDM XENPAK achieves 40km (ER) and 80km (ZR) with digital diagnostic monitoring. Fiberstore's DWDM XENPAK transceivers are designed to deploy in the DWDM networking equipment in metropolitan access and core networks.

Installing XENPAK Transceiver

To install XENPAK transceiver, you are supposed to follow these steps:
Step1: Remove the XENPAK transceiver module from its protective packing. (Do not remove the optical bore dust plug until you are directed to do so later in the procedure)
Step2: Check the label on the XENPAK transceiver module body to verify that you have the correct model for the network. (Make sure that the product number matches the desired band and channel)
Step3: Verify that the bale clasp on the front of the XENPAK transceiver module is closed before inserting the XENPAK transceiver module.
Step4: Align the XENPAK transceiver with the opening in the module faceplate, and slide the XENPAK transceiver into the opening until the XENPAK transceiver faceplate is in contact with the module faceplate. (This step ensures that the XENPAK transceiver is fully seated in the module socket)
Step5: Tighten the two captive installation screws to secure the XENPAK transceiver in the socket. Avoid cross-threading or over-tightening the captive screws.
Step6: Remove the dust plugs from the network interface and save the dust plugs for future use. Then remove the dust plugs from the XENPAK transceiver optical bores and save the dust plugs for future use.
Step7: Immediately attach the network interface to the XENPAK transceiver.

Fiberstore manufactures and supplies a complete range of XENPAK transceiver modules which can be customized. In addition, Fiberstore also provides compatible XENPAK transceivers as alternatives to those branded by Cisco, HP, Juniper Networks. The aim is to offer customers high-performance and cost-effective products to fulfill their requirements, contributing this way to the customer's success and satisfaction.

Originally published at www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki_list

Juniper SFP Transceiver vs Third-Party Compatible SFP Transceiver

When setting up your network, the right choice of devices is very fundamental because these devices, such as SFP transceivers, have great effect on the performance of your system. In order to cut down the costs on the expensive SFP transceiver modules, many companies are seeking for a compatible SFP to use. For example, if your network contains Juniper routers, firewalls, and switches, you might think that only Juniper SFP branded transceivers will ensure that all of your equipment is compatible and functions optimally. However, that seemingly reasonable assumption could cost your company thousands of dollars. Compared to the compatible SFP transceiver produced by third-party companies, Juniper SFP transceiver comes with dramatically inflated price tags while a third-party compatible one is roughly 80 percent less expensive than Juniper branded SFP transceiver. Although price isn't everything, it's important to know that you're getting your money's worth. That calls for a comparison of what Juniper SFP transceiver has to offer next to a third-party compatible one.

Performance

Many people worry that the performance of a third-party compatible SFP is not as good as Juniper SFP. Their intuitive conclusion when looking for SFP transceivers to work with Juniper branded devices is that they need SFP transceivers of the same brand to ensure flawless functioning. They want to avoid errors in networks that could interfere with service or security. In fact, Juniper's own branded SFP transceivers aren't the only ones that work well with their other devices. Compatible third-party SFP transceivers are designed with the specifications of Juniper technology and function smoothly but have no problem with Juniper devices such as switches, firewalls, and routers. Just remember that Juniper SFP transceiver and a third-party compatible one have the same performance, so you needn’t necessarily buy Juniper branded SFP transceiver to run your system without glitches or snags.

Failure Rates

Price implies reliability, is it always true? When you pay more for a product, you must expect that higher cost has some added benefits attached. But it is not always the case. Sometimes you're just paying for the brand name. Third-party compatible SFP transceivers often have lower rates of failure than branded Juniper SFP transceivers, which makes them more reliable but with less money.

Warranty

Juniper offers a one-year warranty on their branded optical products, plus whatever coverage may be offered under your service contract, for which you must pay separately and these service contracts don't come cheap. But if you have a lot of experience in shopping around, you'll find that many third-party manufacturers of compatible SFP transceivers and resellers even offer significantly better guarantees. It's not hard to find a lifetime warranty for your compatible optical products.

Availability

Time is money. Everyone prefers to get products earlier rather than later. The last thing you concern when trying to construct or upgrade your network is to find out that the SFP transceivers you have paid are on backorder. That kind of situation often happens when you rely on a single brand for the products you need. Expanding your search to a third-party compatible one can make it easier to get your network up and running faster without having to wait for the parts to be restocked.

If you're still hesitant about trying a compatible SFP transceiver from a third party manufacturer, the best way to ensure that you're getting a reliable product at a good deal is to choose a vendor you trust, one with a proven track record of quality products and great customer service. Fiberstore is a professional manufacturer and supplier for optical fiber products including many compatible SFP optical transceivers. All these fiber transceivers are 100% compatible with major brands like Cisco, HP, Juniper, Nortel, Force10, D-link, 3Com,etc.

Originally published at http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki_list

Compatible 1000Base SFP Transceivers

With an increasing demand for higher rate of network transmission in various applications, such as data warehouse, video conference, and three-dimensional image animation, Gigabit Ethernet technology has developed rapidly in the past decades. In computer networking, Gigabit Ethernet (1 GigE), namely 1000Base is a term describing various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a gigabit per second (1,000,000,000 bits per second), as defined by the IEEE 802.3-2008 standard. It came into use in 1999, gradually supplanted Fast Ethernet in wired local networks. Similar to Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet retains all the features of 10M Ethernet (the same data frame structure, media access control method, and networking techniques), but achieves a higher data transfer rate. At the same time, a series of SFP transceivers applied for Gigabit Ethernet emerged and widely used in the market. 1000Base SFP transceiver is a hot-swappable input/output device that plugs into a Gigabit Ethernet port/slot, linking the port with the fiber optic network. It can be intermixed in combinations of IEEE 802.3z- compliant 1000Base-SX, 1000Base-LX/LH, or 1000Base-ZX interfaces on a port-by-port basis. Here are the most common types of 1000Base SFP transceiver modules.

1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver

SX stands for short wavelength. 1000BASE-SX is a physical layer specification for Gigabit Ethernet over fiber optic cabling as defined in 802.3z. SFP-1G85-5M-xx 1000BASE-SX SFP transceiver is a cost effective transceiver module with a wavelength of 850 nm which supports dual data-rate of 1.25 Gbps/1.0625 Gbps. It is compatible with the IEEE 802.3z 1000BASE-SX standard and operates multi-mode fibers link up to 550 m. This transceiver module consists of three sections: a VCSEL laser transmitter, a PIN photodiode integrated with a trans-impedance preamplifier (TIA) and MCU control unit. It is often applied for Fibre Channel links, Gigabit Ethernet links, Fast Ethernet links, etc.

1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver

LX stands for long wavelength. 1000BASE-LX is also a physical layer specification for Gigabit Ethernet over fiber optic cabling as defined in 802.3z. 1000BASE-LX SFP transceiver uses long wavelength laser (1310 nm) over multi-mode and single mode fiber. It is compatible with the IEEE 802.3z 1000BASE-LX standard and also supports dual data-rate of 1.25 Gbps/1.0625 Gbps with a transmission distance of 10/15/20 km. The 1000BASE-LX SFP transceiver works together with duplex LC/PC connector. The transceiver consists of three sections: a Fabry-Perot laser transmitter, a PIN photodiode integrated with a trans-impedance preamplifier (TIA) and MCU control unit. It is commonly applied for Gigabit Ethernet links, Fibre Channel Switch Infrastructure and other optical transmission systems.

1000Base-ZX SFP Transceiver

1000BASE-ZX is a non-standard but multi-vendor term to refer to Gigabit Ethernet transmission. 1000Base-ZX SFP transceivers are high performance, cost effective modules supporting dual data-rate of 1.25Gbps and 70km transmission distance with single mode fiber. They operate with a wavelength of 1550 nm to achieve distances of at least 70 km. Fiberstore's 1000Base-ZX SFP transceivers have three types of part numbers: SFP-1G85-5M, SFP-1G31-10 and SFP-1G55-70.

1000BASE-T SFP Transceiver

1000BASE-T (also known as IEEE 802.3ab) is a standard for Gigabit Ethernet over copper wiring. 1000BASE-T SFP transceiver module is based on the SFP Multi Source Agreement (MSA). It is compliant with the Gigabit Ethernet and 1000BASE-T standards as specified in IEEE STD 802.3 and 802.3ab. It supports data rates of 1000 Mbps, fully accommodating 1000BASE-T applications such as LAN 1000Base-T Fibre Channel links, Gigabit Ethernet over Cat5 cable, switch to switch interface, router/server interface, etc.

Fiberstore is a professional manufacturer and supplier for optical fiber products and provides various kinds of 1000Base SFP transceivers branded by many famous companies. For example, Cisco SFP transceivers offered by Fiberstore are the most cost-effective standards-based SFP modules fully compatible with Cisco switches & routers. They are 100% compatible with major brands and backed by a lifetime warranty.  

Originally published at http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki_list

XFP Transceiver Overview

On January 16th, 2003, the 10 Gigabit Small Form-factor Pluggable (XFP) Module Group, a module multi-source agreement (MSA) association, announced that the XFP specification is available for final public review. Since then, MSA form factors for 10 Gbit/s optical transceivers have evolved along two separate paths that are now converging on XFP as a universal long-term solution. XFP transceiver is an ultra-small, hot-pluggable, 10 Gbit/s optical transceiver designed to help drive cost and power consumption out of 10 Gbit/s optical networking applications, and enables rapid advances in port density after the previous X2 and XPAK transceiver as well.

Types of XFP Transceiver

XFP are available with a variety of transmitter and receiver types, allowing users to select the appropriate transceiver for each link to provide the required optical reach over the available optical fiber type (e.g. multi-mode fiber or single-mode fiber). XFP transceiver modules are commonly available in several different categories:
SR - 850 nm, for a maximum of 300 m
LR - 1310 nm, for distances up to 10 km
ER - 1550 nm, for distances up to 40 km
ZR - 1550 nm, for distances up to 80 km
The XFP packaging is smaller than the XENPAK form-factor which is published earlier.

Advantages of XFP Transceiver

XFP transceiver modules have many outstanding advantages as follows:
• Hot pluggability
• Available for various transmission distance ranging from 300 m to 80 km
• Operate over a single wavelength or use dense wavelength-division multiplexing techniques
• Compliance with XFP Multi-Source Agreement (MSA)
• Digital diagnostic monitoring
• Use LC fiber connector type to achieve high density
• A 1310nm directly modulated laser with PIN for 10 km
• A 1550nm cooled EML with PIN for 40 or 80 km
Besides, XFP transceiver costs approximately 30% to 40% less than earlier MSA form factors, and is far more compact, giving two to three times the density. As it is multiprotocol and hot-pluggable, it's not surprising that the industries are lining up behind it. Its versatility, low cost, and small footprint are making XFP transceiver the choice for an ever-growing set of 10 Gbit/s communications applications.

Applications of XFP Transceiver

XFP transceiver supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gbit/s Fibre Channel, synchronous optical networking (SONET) at OC-192 rates, synchronous optical networking STM-64, 10 Gbit/s Optical Transport Network(OTN) OTU-2, and parallel optics links. The XFP transceiver can be applied in longer reach applications for the metro-WDM market, which requires a cost-optimized, managed platform supporting different services and suitable for applications in diversified network topologies. And the CWDM/DWDM XFP transceivers are designed to be compatible with existing technologies already deployed in the field, interworking with SDH/SONET. With DWDM XFP transceivers, the system can support both C-band and L-band applications.

Fiberstore manufactures and supplies a complete range of XFP transceiver modules which can be customized. In addition, Fiberstore also provides compatible XFP transceivers as alternatives to those branded by Cisco, HP, Juniper Networks. The aim is to offer customers high-performance and cost-effective products to fulfill their requirements, contributing this way to the customer's success and satisfaction.

Originally published at http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki_list