Videos

Stay up-to-date on data center trends and technologies! These quick videos include tutorials on structured cabling and data center design, best practices on virtualization, lessons on fiber optic cabling, information on CABLExpress^® products and more.

CABLExpress offers some simple tips for cable management with copper cabling.

We take a look back at what was happening in data center infrastructure cabling and a look at the future of cabling in the data center.

How to tell the difference between a male and female MPO (or MTP®) connector.

JT reminisces about the good old days, after a customer sent an old bus & tag cable tester to the team. This bus & tag cable ran a speed of 4.5Mbps. Currently OM4 fiber is running 100G Ethernet with higher speeds just around the corner. Also, a sneak peek into the future!

Reduced diameter 28AWG CAT6 copper patch cables can reduce congestion and improve cable management challenges.

JT has some fun getting pulled by a snowmobile machine by Rick Dallmann to demonstrate the importance of having a fiber optic cable assembly that can withstand the rigors of installation. It is critical for a fiber assembly to perform well after installation.

In this episode, JT reviews the top 5 most impactful cabling technologies that have affected the industry over the past 7 years.

See how the fiber optic structured cabling system is set up at a large data center with thousands of Ethernet and SAN ports.

How is pizza like a layer one structured cabling system? Watch and find out!

In this episode JT takes a quick look at a WiFi streaming optical end face inspection tool made by Senko.

Is it possible to achieve a scalable layer one cabling infrastructure that can grow with you as your business needs dictate? Especially when space and budget are the primary considerations?

In this episode, Josh Taylor and Brittany Szulis discuss the key considerations for cabling when contemplating the use of 40G LC duplex transceivers that transmit over multi-mode fiber.

In this episode, Josh Taylor discusses what environmental testing is and why it's important for fiber optic assemblies in the data center. Without this testing being done, your infrastructure has a higher potential for downtime.

Understanding fiber types, OM1, OM2, OM3, and OM4 and the supported distances are critical when migrating from 1G to 10G Ethernet speeds.

Learn about a new development in copper network cabling that reduces 50% of the cabling bulk in a data center. This technology advancement can help solve a myriad of cable management issues in high density switching applications, standard switch applications and other areas in the data center. Reduce congestion, decrease cooling costs, reduce downtime! The CABLExpress mini CAT6 product family can make this easy for you!

In this episode, JT and Britt discuss why fiber cabling density is increasing in the data center and what you can do about it. Follow the TIA-942 standard for structured cabling and using products that work for your specific environment.

Re-using fiber assemblies can be done, but certain aspects need to be looked at including; end face contamination, fiber breakage, manufacturing quality. Potential pitfalls are many when re-deploying fiber cabling and it may not be worth it.

In this episode, Josh and Brittany explain what port replication is, why it is so important in the data center, how it relates to TIA-942 and show products that fully replicate specific hardware types. Port replication can help manage SAN fibre channel systems as well as Ethernet networks.

In this episode, Josh discusses what needs to happen with fiber cabling when connecting transceivers in the data center. Also, why it is important to be careful when designing a structured cabling system due to the complexities and multiple options that manufacturers can use. CABLExpress can help you design and/or add to a fiber cabling infrastructure to ensure you do not run into issues with polarity.

n this episode, Josh talks about fiber cabling for QSFP and SFP+. These are used for 10G and 40G networking speeds. Important considerations and potential savings when utilizing fiber optic cabling for these conversions.

Product Manager Josh Taylor gives some helpful (and fun) tips on how to measure for pre-terminated data center cabling. You don't want to be too short, you don't want to be too long.

In this short video, JT reviews common end face polishes of fiber optic connectors popular in data centers. PC, UPC and APC are covered in what the acronyms stand for and why they exist.

In this episode, Josh Taylor explains some of the physical and application differences between multi-mode and single-mode fiber optic cables. Multi-mode is typically used in data centers. At this time it should be OM3 or OM4. Single-mode is used in "long haul" applications due to the higher cost of the active electronics.

Bend insensitive fiber is very helpful when installation spaces get smaller. However best practices still need to be followed! Data centers can utilize this product to ensure they do not violate insertion loss budgets.

Utilizing fiber optics, data center design, data center standards, power, cooling, POE, cable management, maximizing uptime, eliminating downtime and managing a team with contractors and sub-contractors are several factors in effective cabling.

Why it is important in data center structured cabling systems to view cabling as an investment versus a cost? Because viewing it as a cost can lead to downtime. Maximize your uptime by leveraging proper data center design and educating your team on product performance, the TIA-942 and other industry standards.

In this episode, JT cables up a Brocade 48000 using Skinny-Trunk harnesses. This solution makes cable management possible in this high density fiber optic switch. It also offers the highest performance ratings available. Learn how to cable up a Brocade 48000 like a professional. It will look great and work great.

In this tutorial we explore the basic handling techniques and procedures for handling fiber optic assemblies. Using cables, patch cords, trunks and multi-fiber assemblies. End face contamination, pinching, breaking, storage, installation methods included.

The Skinny-Trunk harness reduces cabling bulk by 60% for a clean, neat, professional cabling installation job on switches like Cisco Nexus Brocade 48000 and DCX and other high-density data center director class switches.

Considerations on cabling up high density switches with copper and or fiber like the Cisco Nexus, Cisco Catalyst and Brocade DCX 48000. Using real-life examples to show you how to do a professional job.

Breaking down the facts vs. the hype on multi-mode fiber optic cable assemblies commonly used in the data center.

JT explains what an optical loss budget is and why you should know about it. Optical loss can bring down Cisco and Brocade switches. This could mean downtime in your data center.

A continuation of Respect Layer One® #4, JT discusses what types and how end face contamination can cause network downtime in the data center. What types of contamination and how easily it can happen.

JT talks about bandwidth, what it is and why it is important in fiber optic cabling in the data center.

What should you think about when re-cabling your data center?

JT and Brittany fix a cable mess and explore some best practices of cable management.

Light path, fiber cross, duplex patch cords, LC connectors, MPO modules and fiber optic trunking design all come into play when discussing the three TIA approved fiber polarity methods when using the MPO style (MTP®) connector in the data center.

JT discusses the virtualization of the server platform and what that means to a fiber infrastructure in the data center.

JT dives into parallel optics. With the recent ratification of the IEEE 802.3ba standard for 40/100 G Ethernet, parallel optics will be utilized for short reach data center applications.

Take a look at the differences between OM3 and OM4 fiber. Typically used in data center structured cabling environments running high speeds of 10G or even 40 or 100 Gigabit Ethernet, SAN, Fiber Channel, and FCoE with such manufacturers as Cisco, Brocade, EMC and others.

A quick tutorial on how to buy cabling products, not paying too much for quality cabling that meets and/or exceeds the industry standards such as EIA/TIA, BICSI, ETL, UL and much more.

Product Manager Josh Taylor shows us why we should Respect Layer One copper. A quick tutorial on the what it is, what it does, why it is important and why we should respect it.

JT explains the importance of core alignment and what happens if cores are not matched. Ceramic zirconia sleeves and ferrules in the Skinny-Trunk® Solution, minimize insertion loss.

Using Skinny-Trunk® harnesses and Z-Mount® brackets to cable up three 48-port 10G blades on the Cisco 7000.

Going over the Skinny-Trunk® Harness and Z-Mount® bracket's features and benefits in cabling up large Cisco and Brocade switches with high-performance fiber in a structured cabling data center.

A tutorial on how and where loss occurs in a data center's structured cabling system. Learn where the loss happens, how it happens and what it can lead to.

Josh and Brittany share some great tips and explain the upside of using a copper trunk cabling solution to help with your data center cabling.

Learn about the CABLExpress H-Series fiber optic enclosures. Features, benefits and explanations of uses. 10G aqua, data center, fiber optic cable, fiber patch panels, multi-fiber trunk, and rack mount enclosures.

A quick tutorial explaining and showing the different core measurements and fiber types.

A quick tutorial which shows and describes the benefits of factory-terminated fiber. Covers benefits of different assembly processes.

A quick tutorial which shows and describes the CABLExpress RSD Series Fiber enclosures.

A quick tutorial which shows and describes the different types of LC fiber optic assemblies. Covers: features and benefits of different design types, fiber light paths, cable management, fiber patching, fiber patch cords, LC connectors, fiber cable infrastructure.

A quick tutorial which shows and describes fiber optic end face inspection and cleaning. Covers: how to clean a fiber cable, how to inspect a fiber cable, how does fiber get dirty, what happens when fiber gets dirty

A quick tutorial which shows and describes a structured cabling system vs. a point-to-point system. Covers: how to design a data center, how to choose structured cabling, how to choose fiber trunks.

A quick tutorial which shows and describes the most popular network fiber optic patch cable connectors - ESCON, FC, ST, SC, MT-RJ, MTP®, MPO, LC, Skinny-Trunk® 24.

A quick tutorial on the features of CABLExpress cable management products for copper and fiber patch cords.

Tips for Determining Transceiver and Fiber Cable Selection

TIA TR-42 Telecommunications Cabling Systems Committee Meeting Recap

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