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.

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.

We wanted to give you a sneak peak and the kind of resources you’ll find in our white paper, “Taking Your Network to 40/100G Ethernet.”

The chart above shows the evolution of Ethernet speeds and the IEEE standards that correspond with them. This chart also clearly demonstrates that as data center speeds increase, loss budgets decrease – from 12.5dB at 10 Mbps to 1.9dB for 100,000 Mbps (100G Ethernet).

This is a good resource to use when planning your migration to 40/100G Ethernet – without considering loss budget, the performance of your data center can suffer.

With the ratification of new industry standards and increased demands on data center throughput, 40/100G Ethernet will be an integral component of the next generation data center. How fast is this moving? We’re even starting to see manufacturers play with 400G!

In fact, it is already an emerging influence on how organizations plan, build and operate their existing data center architecture. The market proves this: manufacturers are already responding to the increased demand for Ethernet hardware, including cabling products, switches and transceivers.

How can you be ready for this change? Download our free white paper, “Taking Your Network to 40/100G Ethernet,” to learn how you can be ready for 40/100G Ethernet.

We cover:

• Why this shift is happening
• The factors you need to consider when planning your cabling infrastructure
• Best practices for migration
• Next steps for data centers

Click the image below to get started on the path to 40/100G Ethernet today!

Why do we need cabling standards in the data center?

Thirty years ago, when large mainframe computers roamed data centers with plenty of floor space and relatively few ports, the person responsible for the cabling had very few options and very little guidance. These were the pioneers that laid bus and tag cabling underneath the raised floor that we may see to this very day.

Since then, port counts and computing needs have skyrocketed. Cabling, once viewed as somewhat of a hobby, is now “the plumbing” of the data center. And until recently, there have been very few standards for professionals to follow when building, adding and/or maintaining their data center cabling.

In today’s world, we look to standards bodies such as:

• The Telecommunications Industry (TIA) with its TIA-942 standard
• The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) with its standard regulating 40/100gb Ethernet in the 802.3ba
• The Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) with its very current and in-depth standards for design and cabling best practices

For more information on TIA, IEEE and BICSI, check out our Cable Standards page.