Fiber enclosures are junction points for structured cabling systems. They are very beneficial as they allow for rapid changes that happen frequently in the data center.

How do fiber enclosures work?

Typically fiber enclosures, also referred to as “patch panels,” are located at the top of a rack. A large bundle of cables will run under the floor or in overhead conveyance, and plug into the back of the fiber enclosure. Within the fiber enclosure are couplers. These couplers allow cable connectors to “mate,” or meet up. This is the critical component of the fiber enclosure. This allows for the rapid change out with use of a short “jumper” or patch cable to run from the equipment up to the fiber enclosure.

Benefits of fiber enclosures in a structured cabling system

Fiber enclosures are particularly helpful when installing new networking equipment that calls for a connector change. For example: say your data center is hooked up network cables that have SC connectors, but a new switch calls for network cables with an LC coupler. Instead of having to remove cables from underfloor or overhead conveyance and install entirely new cables with LC connectors, only the cable connecting the enclosure to the switch needs to be replaced. This not only vastly decreases installation time, but also reduces the risk of network downtime, as you’re not removing and replacing large amounts of cabling.

As a part of a structure cabling system, fiber enclosures play a critical role in effective cable management that reduces installation, creates easier moves, adds and changes, and decreases the chance for network downtime.

How to create space when there is no space in the data center.

One of the most common problems in today’s data center is real estate. For those that have seen their data center evolve over time, they may see that what was once an expansive open “white” space is now a maze of racks and cabinets that are stuffed to the brim with hardware and cables. Space has become a premium for many organizations. Combine this with a lack of flexibility and time to consolidate hardware and cabling because of the need for maximum uptime, and you now have the current state of affairs for most data centers today. “Space saving” products are needed!

There are many innovative products that address the space issue. Here are a few of them:

 Z-Mount Brackets:

These brackets eliminate the use of rack space for patch panels. They mount to any standard rack spacing with EIX-310D specs (which includes most racks and cabinets on the market today). This simple design allows for a TIA-942 recommended structured cabling system and utilizes no “U” space.

Ladder Rack Enclosure:

This is an enclosure that mounts above a rack or cabinet. It can be affixed to either ladder rack and/or basket tray. This is a good option for those that use overhead conveyance. Much like the Z-Mount brackets, it does not use rack space and allows for a TIA-942 recommended structured cabling system.

I have written at length about the different styles of cable connectors, from old-school ESCON to MPO. We’re strong believers in the MPO connector – in fact, it will be the go-to connector for data centers in the near future. Why? Because if you’re looking to migrate to 40 or 100G Ethernet, the MPO connector is necessary.

When looking at what changes must be made to cabling infrastructure in order to migrate to higher data center speeds, this is possibly the most drastic change data centers will undergo.

What is an MPO connector?

The MPO connector was developed by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT). “MPO” stands for “multi-fiber push-on.” A popular brand of the MPO-style connector, US Conec’s MTP®, is often incorrectly used to refer to all MPO connectors (similar to using “Band-Aid®” for “adhesive bandage”).

An MPO-style connector can house up to 72 fibers in one connector. However, when dealing with such a high number of fibers, it can be difficult to terminate the assemblies while staying within optical loss budgets. This is why twelve remains the standard number of fibers in an MPO-style connector, while leading-edge manufacturers currently offer up to 24-fiber MPO-style connectors.

The Introduction of Multi-Fiber Cables in the Data Center

A long time ago in a data center far away, only a few fiber connections were needed. Over the years, the need for data has increased. And “increased” is an understatement. The need for data ports in the data center has grown exponentially, skyrocketed, blown up, and just got plain out of hand! With this increase, the technology and construction of fiber cabling has also changed just as dramatically.

This brings us to our blog topic of multi-fiber cables in the data center. In plain language, multi-fiber cables are just that: cables with multiple fibers in them. They’re also referred to as fiber optic trunks. In the past, fiber optic “jumpers” or patch cords have been used to connect hardware. The patch cables are essentially single connection points with two fibers inside the outer jacket. That was fine when there were only a few ports, but with the hundreds and thousands of ports data centers now contain, patch cables are an ineffective way to manage your cabling infrastructure. That is where multi-fiber cables come in!

Benefits of Multi-Fiber Cables in the Data Center

Since fiber optic cabling is not affected by cross talk or outside interference, the fibers can be condensed into groups that greatly reduce the overall footprint of the cable. This means a lot in a data center, where space is at a premium. It blocks less air from the CRAC (Computer Room Air Conditioner), thus improving the energy efficiency dramatically. Multi-fiber cables also reduce installation and maintenance time by making cable identification easier. Fiber optic trunks, or multi-fiber assemblies, are also more rugged and can withstand more abuse during installation and maintenance.

To get a better understanding of this product type, have a look at our Skinny-Trunk Multi-fiber assemblies.

Our product team recently released a 12U H-Series Enclosure as part of our Skinny-Trunk fiber optic cabling solution.

Our CABLExpress 12U H-Series Enclosure is designed specifically to replicate 64 port high density SAN director class switches.

This allows users to fully replicate their director class switch in a main distribution area (MDA) as recommended in the TIA-942 Data Center Standard. The 12U H-Series enclosure allows significantly more spacing in between ports which makes working with the patch cables in this enclosure a breeze. 48 and 32 port modules also available to offer full replication for any density.

Features:

• Low loss components offer optimum performance and manageability
• Stable spring couplers minimize vibration
• Molded angled MTP couplers allow for optimum rear cable management
• Rugged design allows fiber to remain secure
• Slide out labeling tray with one to one port mapping

Download the 12U Fiber Optic Enclosure spec sheet.