Installing and Removing Hot-Pluggable Transceivers

Due to the continuous development of transceiver technologies, most transceivers are now hot-pluggable to be installed or removed from the equipment without shutting down the system. This helps keep the regular operation of system without significant interruption which ensures the working efficiency. However, when it comes to the practical operation, do you know the specific steps for installing and removing hot-pluggable transceivers? Here will take bale clasp SFP and pull tab QSFP+ transceivers as examples. You may regard this article as a reference for your own application.

Installing and Removing SFP Modules

Installing Procedure

• Step 1, attach an ESD (electro-static discharge) wist strap to your wrist and to the ESD ground connector or a bare metal surface on your chassis.
• Step 2, remove the SFP transceiver module from its protective packaging.
• Step 3, check the label on the SFP transceiver to verify that you have the right module for your network.
• Step 4, close the bale clasp before inserting the SFP transceiver.
• Step 5, put the SFP transceiver in front of the socket opening.
• Step 6, hold the SFP transceiver by its sides, and insert the module into the port on the switch.
• Step 7, slide the SFP transceiver into the port until you hear the click.

Removing Procedure

• Step 1, attach an ESD wrist strap to your wrist and and a properly grounded point on the chassis or the rack.
• Step 2, disconnect and remove interface cable from the SFP transceiver.
• Step 3, open the bale clasp on the SFP transceiver with your index finger in a downward direction. If the bale clasp is obstructed, use a small flat-blade screwdriver to open it.
• Step 4, grasp the SFP module between your thumb and index finger and carefully remove it from the port.

Installing and Removing QSFP+ Modules

Installing Procedure

• Step 1, attach an ESD grounding strap to your bare wrist and connect it to the ESD point on the chassis.
• Step 2, remove the QSFP+ transceiver from its antistatic container and remove the dust cover from the modular optical connector.
• Step 3, check the label on the QSFP+ transceiver to verify that you connect the correct transceiver for your network.
• Step 4, for QSFP+ transceivers equipped with a pull-tab, hold the transceiver so that the identifier label is on the top.
• Step 5, align the QSFP+ transceiver in front of the module's transceiver socket opening and carefully slide the QSFP+ transceiver into the socket until the transceiver makes contact with the socket electrical connector.
• Step 6, press firmly on the front of the QSFP+ transceiver with your thumb to fully seat the transceiver in the module's transceiver socket.

Removing Procedure

• Step 1, attach an ESD wrist strap to your wrist and and a properly grounded point on the chassis or the rack.
• Step 2, disconnect the network interface cable from the QSFP+ transceiver connector.
• Step 3, immediately install the dust plug into the transceiver's optical bore.
• Step 4, grasp the tab and gently pull to release the transceiver from the socket.
• Step 5, slide the transceiver out of the socket.
• Step 6, place the QSFP+ transceiver into an antistatic bag.

Ways to Verify Transceiver Installation

You may use the display transceiver interface command to check the installation. The transceiver is proved to be installed correctly if its information is correctly displayed. On the contrary, there will be an error. You may remove the transceiver and reinstall it again. To check the interface status, you need to enter the interface view of the target transceiver module and perform the display command. If the interface has been shut down, perform the undo shutdown command to activate it.

Suggestions for Safety Manipulation

• Point 1, after the installation, do not remove the dust plug if you do not connect a fiber cable to the module.
• Point 2, do not plug the transceiver installed with a fiber into the port.
• Point 3, if the laser optic module is too hot to touch, disengage the laser optic module and allow it to cool before removing it completely.
• Point 4, do not look directly into a fiber port on the switch or ends of a fiber cable when they are powered on.
• Point 5, do not pull out the transceiver by force.

Summary

When installing and removing hot-pluggable transceivers, you should follow the steps and safety cautions to perform a secure installation. The above procedures are for reference only. Different types of transceivers may have slight procedure differences. Please consult professional technicians in case any unnecessary problem occurs.

Source:http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki/a/111/Installing-and-Removing-Hot-Pluggable-Transceivers

How to Choose Pre-terminated Copper Trunk Cables?

For data center and enterprise deployments, pre-terminated copper trunk cables are wonderful solutions to achieve simple and quick installation. Compared to field terminations, copper trunk cables with factory terminations save time and labor cost. This article will take you to know the fundamentals of copper trunks and ways to select the right one for your project.

Features of Pre-terminated Copper Trunks

Copper trunks are designed for copper networks. It reduces labor costs with fast and easy installation. This type of trunk cables can fit most patch panel port densities. Using the pre-terminated copper trunks also improves better airflow and cable management. Assemblies are terminated and usually tested by reliable vendors to ensure efficient and problem-free installations.

Things to Consider for Choosing Pre-terminated Copper Trunks

Choosing a right cable may not be as simple as you think. As for pre-terminated copper trunk cables, here are some aspects that you can consider for your selection.

Termination Types

From different layouts of data centers or telecommunication rooms, termination types are varied. Design philosophy is another factor that will impact the termination of cables. It’s also necessary to take the accessibility of active equipment (i.e. servers and switches) and proper patching into consideration.

• Jack to jack is the termination type using empty patch panels on each end. It is perfect for fast installation of the cabinet to cabinet permanent link and panel to panel application. Patch cables are used between active equipment and physical layer.

Jack to Jack Copper Trunks

• Jack to plug termination snaps the jack end into an empty panel and eliminates one cross-connect point by plugging the other end directly into the switch. The jack termination would then be patched to other necessary equipment or work area ports.

Jack to Plug Copper Trunks

• Plug to plug type is used to complete a direct connection between active equipment. Thus the capability of cross connection is eliminated. It can also be used in an open-space work area as a bundled patch cord group.

Plug to Plug Copper Trunks

• Jack or plug to open end termination has similar construction as the jack to jack or plug to plug type. But one end is open to be cut to length, and field-terminated to a target termination place (i.e. 110-style panel or wall plate). After the cable termination, field testing of the drops are required.

• Cassette to plug termination is typically used for in-cabinet or cabinet to cabinet equipment connectivity. One end is terminated with cassette and the other end is terminated with plug. The assembly eliminates one cross-connect point by using the direct plug connection into the active equipment.

Cassette to Plug Copper Trunks

• Cassette to cassette type can be installed into patch panels on both ends for common interconnection and cross connection enabling a fast installation.

Cassette to Cassette Copper Trunks

Material Fire Ratings

Cable materials are important for deciding the fire ratings of the assemblies. Choosing the right material can reduce the danger of fire. In today’s data centers, most of them employ the riser environment which enables enough airflow. But plenum spaces like drop ceilings or raised floor usually need plenum-rated cables for air circulation to prevent fire. You’d better seek advice from professionals for your application.

Breakthrough Length

As part of the overall length, breakthrough length is the distance from the end of the braided sleeve to connectors at the end of cables. When deciding the breakthrough length, you should consider whether the length has the flexibility to route the cables as needed instead of causing troubles for cable management. Most of the time, a 36-inch breakthrough length is adequate for applications. However, rack or cabinet application may need a longer breakthrough length to spread out connectors farther apart.

Alignment Types

Staggered alignment and even alignment are two types for trunk end. Generally, the former is for jack terminations and the latter is for plug terminations. Since jack terminations are inserted into patch panels, using staggered alignment can help dressing out cables neatly to the side of the rack or cabinet. However, a wide range of locations and density of the connection ports will lead to the use of different active equipment. Adopting the even alignment for plugs ensures a uniform reach for multiple cables in a trunk.

Conclusion

Employing pre-terminated copper trunk cables is a cost-effective solution for large infrastructures with high-density cross-connection and patching systems. It is significant to choose the right cable type to maximize the working efficiency. Hope this article gives you some clues for the cable selection.

Source:http://www.fiber-optical-networking.com/choose-pre-terminated-copper-trunk-cables.html

Punch Down Tools User Guide

The term “punch down” is used for the physical force needed to pierce or take away the cable insulation while the connection is being made. Punch down tools or krone tools (named after the Krone LSA-Plus connector) are widely used for copper network built by Ethernet cables including cat 5, cat 5e, cat 6, etc. As we know, these copper cables can be connected with keystone jacks, cross-connect blocks, patch panels and surface mount boxes. Therefore, the function of punch down tools is to insert the wires into the IDC (insulation-displacement connectors) on these terminations. This post is going to introduce some basic knowledge about punch down tools and the proper way to use them.

Operation Principle of Punch Down Tools

Many punch down tools are composed of a handle, an internal spring mechanism and a removable slotted blade. After positioning the wire into a slotted post on a punch down tool, just pressing down the tool on top of the wire over the post. Then the internal spring will be triggered by the required pressure and the blade pushes the wire into the slot. At the same time, the blade cuts the insulation and secures the wire.

Instructions for Using Punch Down Tools

Step one, make preparations before punching down a wire. When gripping the punch down tool in one hand, you should ensure that the cutting blade is facing down. Then coil the wire through the connection block terminal by another hand.

Step two, punch down the wire. You should firmly hold the wire’s end in hand and set the tool’s blade on the selected connection terminal. Then pressing the tool forward with a straight move until reaching the bottom of terminal. If you are doing it right, any excess wire would be cleanly cut off and the remaining wire would be easily connected to the terminal.

Step three, check the wire connection. Make sure the connection is secure and no broken or loose wire is left in the connection block. You can test to see if the wire is indeed fastened securely to the right terminal by tugging on it.

Helpful Tips

Tip one, always wear safety goggles or glasses when using the punch down tools. Because small pieces of wire will fly in all directions during the punch down process, which is a potential risk to your eyes.

Tip two, if the wire slips out of the connection block, you can use a flat head screwdriver to slightly increase the pressure applied by the punch down tool.

Tip three, if using the highest pressure setting, the tool still cannot cut through the cable. Then the cutting edge must become dull. This means that you need to replace the blade with a new one.

Tip four, do not use a punch down tool to tighten up flat head screws as this can break or shatter the blade.

Tip five, though most models are made of plastic, punch down tools can still conduct current. Keep this in mind when working with electrical circuits.

Tip six, you should always carry at least one extra blade for each type of termination that you are doing. Blades don’t break often, but they do break occasionally.

Tip seven, a 4” square of carpet padding or mouse pad makes a good palm protector when punching down cable on modular jacks.

Conclusion

Punch down tools are usually applied to data or telecom network wiring in computers, phones and audio devices. Of course, many types of punch down tools are available to meet different requirements. Good tools even have replaceable blades. Employing punch down tools greatly accelerates the working efficiency and reduces the task difficulty. It is important for technicians to use them in daily applications.

Source:http://www.fiber-optic-cable-sale.com/punch-down-tools-user-guide.html

Guide to Fiber Optic Transceiver Testing

Fiber optic transceiver is an important component of optical network converting electrical signals to optical signals or the same thing in reverse. The performance of a transceiver is vital to the function of whole system. If its compatibility and interoperability are assured, there will be less problems for practical applications. A reliable vendor will first verify the performance of transceivers before putting them into the market. But how much do you know about the testing process of fiber optic transceiver?

As we know, fiber optic transceiver is a single, packaged device composed of a transmitter and a receiver. Poor quality transceivers will affect the operation of entire network. Therefore, the testing of transmitter optical power and receiver sensitivity are absolutely necessary. This post will guide you to know the basics of transmitter and receiver testing for fiber optic transceivers. From the following figure, you may have an overview of the main measurement process.

Transmitter Testing

The transmitter port of an optical transceiver consists of a light source and relevant electronic circuitry. Measurement for the transmitter is a typical production test performed to ensure that the transmitter performs at a specified level. Here are two steps to test a transmitter:

• Step one, the input signal must be good enough when testing a transmitter. Measurements of jitter and an eye mask test must be performed to confirm the quality. An eye mask test is the common method to view the transmitter waveform and provides a wealth of information about overall transmitter performance.
• Step two, the optical output of the transmitter must be tested using several optical quality metrics such as a mask test, OMA (optical modulation amplitude), and extinction ratio.

Receiver Testing

The receiver port of an optical transceiver is composed of a photodiode that performs the optical-to-electrical conversion and electronic circuitry to correctly interpret the bits received. Receiver is tested within reasonable gating time at higher BER (bit error ratio). Here are two steps for receiver testing:

• Step one, the receiver testing involves sending in a signal that has poor quality. To do this, a stressed eye representing the worst case signal shall be created. This is an optical signal, and must be calibrated using jitter and optical power measurements.
• Step two, testing the electrical output of the receiver should be processed. Three basic categories of tests are included. First is the mask test. It ensures a large enough eye opening accompanied by a BER depth. Second is the jitter budget test which tests for the amount of certain types of jitter. Third is the jitter tracking and tolerance. This is performed to measure the ability of the internal clock recovery circuit to jitter within its loop bandwidth.

Summary

All in all, fiber optic transceiver testing is essential to the performance of network system. Today, most produced transceivers are tested based on the above parameters to make sure that they are fully complied with the required specifications. The widely used eye-mask test is an effective way to test a transmitter. But testing a receiver may seem much more complicated because of the requirements for multiple testing methods. Our website provides full series of fiber optic transceivers. Each transceiver is tested to be 100% compatible to your network. Please search at our site for more information.

Source:http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki/a/110/Guide-to-Fiber-Optic-Transceiver-Testing

Applications for Outside Plant Fiber Optic Cables

Inside plant refers to the cabling running inside a building. Similarly, outside plant is the cabling running outdoors. Outside plant cables are thicker because of more durable insulation jackets. As for fiber optic communication, there are many types of outside plant fiber optic cables. Some have extra protections to prevent corrosion and other elemental interference. Outside plant fiber optics are widely used in telephone networks, CATV, metropolitan networks, utilities and so on. If you want to choose the right outside plant fiber optic cable, its applicable environment is an important factor for consideration. This post will introduce some common outside plant fiber optic cables and typical outdoor application environments.

Several Types of Outside Plant Fiber Optic Cables

Outdoor Breakout Cable

Outdoor breakout cable is perfect for rugged applications and installations that require increased performance. It is usually made of several bundled simplex cables wrapped in a common cable jacket. The fungus, water and UV protections and temperature durability are beneficial to its outside applications. Its design of individual fiber reinforcement enables the quick termination to connectors and omits the use of patch panels or boxes. With much less termination work, outdoor breakout cable is more cost-effective when small fiber counts and short distances are required.

Outdoor Loose Tube Cable

Outdoor loose tube cable has the gel-filled design protecting the cable from moisture environment. The gel within the loose-tube construction stops the penetration of water and keeps it away from the fiber. Also, it keeps water from freezing near the fiber at low temperatures which reduces the chance of stress fractures. Fibers are bundled inside a small plastic tube that can protect fibers from outside stresses. Outdoor loose tube cable is often used in conduits, strung overhead or buried directly into the ground.

Outdoor Ribbon Cable

Outdoor ribbon cable has high fiber counts and small cable diameter. It contains the most fibers in the smallest cable. These fibers are laid out in rows as ribbons, and ribbons are laid on top of each other. Likewise, it also has gel-filled protection to block outside water. Ribbon cable makes installation much faster and easier since mass fusion splicers can join a ribbon at once.

Outdoor Armored Cable

Outdoor armored cable is a direct buried type that prevents itself from animal bite. The metal armoring between two jackets effectively prohibits rodent penetration. Outdoor armored cable can be divided into light armored and heavy armored types. The former has the protective plastic jacket with the same durability and longevity of a stainless steel cable with a lighter weight. The latter is wrapped in a wire circle to be applied for underwater regions that near shores and shoals.

Outside Cable Plant Applications

Outside cable plant deployment can be implemented in many environments. Above-ground, underground, buried and underwater are the typical applications.

Above-ground Cable Plant

Above-ground cable plant can be exposed to extreme temperatures, and to humidity that varies with the seasons and with daily temperature changes. Cables under such circumstances should be durable to adapt to extreme weathers and water penetration.

Underground Cable Plant

Underground cable plant usually applies cables in underground structures including the utility holes, controlled environmental vaults, ducts and so on. The condition in utility holes and ducts sometimes can be corrosive because of man-made chemicals. Cables with corrosion-proof materials are perfect for this environment.

Buried Cable Plant

Buried cable plant applies cables directly into the soil. Cables can also be exposed to the same corrosive environment as underground plant. But animal bite is an additional problem. Cables for this application should be very tough to endure both chemical corrosion and animal attack.

Underwater Cable Plant

Underwater cable plant are located beneath the surface of water. The water can range from relatively pure to brackish, or to badly contaminated with industrial effluent. Cables for underwater plant are extremely rugged, with fibers in the middle of the cable inside stainless steel tubes and the outside coated with many layers of steel strength members and conductors for powering repeaters.

Conclusion

Unlike indoor cables, outside plant fiber optic cables must be wrapped in different layers to withstand the severe installation conditions. Choosing the right kind of outdoor cable can save you a great deal for long-term maintenance. And your project application is an important aspect that will affect the selection of fiber optic cables.

Source:http://www.fiber-optical-networking.com/applications-outside-plant-fiber-optic-cables.html

Different Kinds of Cable Tie Solutions – Which Do You Prefer?

When you first saw a cable tie, you might feel nothing special about it. It’s just a tie for holding cables together, what more could it be? But the fact is that if you want to completely get rid of messy cables, cable ties are of great importance. They are generally inexpensive, and can be ordered in various colors and sizes. There are many types of cable ties on the market. Different types are made for various applications. Using the right cable tie can speed up your working efficiency. This article will introduce some common cable tie solutions. Maybe one of them is perfect for your project.

Self-locking Cable Tie

Self-locking cable tie has the classical oval lock structure for easy installation. It is the most common cable tie consisting of a flexible nylon tape with an integrated gear rack, and on one end a ratchet within a small open case. With a good locking design, cable tie can provide firm locking for the cables. This kind of cable tie is shorter and thinner for small spaces and light wire management. Its curved tip is easy to pick up from flat surfaces and allows faster initial threading to speed installation.

Stainless Steel Cable Tie

Stainless steel cable tie is used when there is liquid involved and when extreme temperatures are involved. This cable tie can withstand temperature ranging from -100 to +1000 degrees Fahrenheit. The stainless steel cable tie has a tensile strength of 100 lbs. And it has the capability to endure most chemicals that will cause corrosion. It can be used for the most extreme environment or where additional strength, security and fire resistance are required.

ID Marker Cable Tie

ID marker cable tie or identification cable tie features a large marker area for the imprinting or handwriting of cable assembly numbers and other vital information, making cable and wire identification in an extensive range of applications a fast and easy task. Whenever cable colors are not enough for cable identification, ID marker cable tie plays a part.

Mount Head Cable Tie

Mount head cable tie combines the zip tie and mounting eyelet together. It allows you to bundle cables and then mount them to a surface using screws, nails, clamps or clips. Surfaces including walls, ceilings, server racks, trailers, vehicle chassis, and other areas are able to handle the cables easily with mount head cable tie.

Releasable/Reusable Cable Tie

Releasable cable tie is actually reusable nylon self-locking cable tie. The common nylon cable tie can only be used once. If you need to re-bundle or rearrange the cables, then releasable cable tie is your best choice. By pressing the latch on the tough of cable tie, it can be easily released from the cables.

Velcro Cable Tie

Velcro cable tie or hook and loop cable tie is made of a self-attaching hook and loop material. It is reusable and adjustable to support frequent moves, adds, and changes of cables. Usually sold in rolls, velcro cable tie can be easily cut down to any length you want. No matter for factory devices or household appliance, velcro cable tie is very convenient to be used for cable management. It also has many other types with different shapes such as the T type velcro cable tie, the voltage type velcro cable tie and the buckle velcro cable tie.

Conclusion

Cable management is especially essential for device installations where large amount of cables are needed. As a cost-effective tool, cable tie can be simply mounted to arrange the cable mess which enables higher performance of devices. The above options are some common types in the market. You should choose the right cable tie according to your actual application.

Source:http://www.fiber-optic-cable-sale.com/different-kinds-of-cable-tie-solutions-which-do-you-prefer.html

Application of 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP Transceiver

In short distance data transmission, 40GBASE-SR4 and 40GBASE-CSR4 fiber optic transceivers are usually used for the 40G network. Unlike the traditional 10G network connections, the 40G connections require 12-fiber MTP/MPO connectors and 12 fibers to accomplish the transmission. However, cable routing is definitely a big challenge for the migration from 10G to 40G network over short distance. If the transmission of 40G over duplex multimode fiber optic cable is feasible, we don’t have to change the cabling infrastructure which greatly saves our time and money.

Realizing 40G Over Duplex MMF By 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP

Is it possible to transmission 40G over duplex multimode fiber optic cables? With 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP transceivers, the answer is yes. The following will introduce the details of this optics. Compare with the traditional 40G QSFP+ transceivers like 40GBASE-SR4 and 40GBASE-CSR4, 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP optics use a much more straightforward transmission mode.

The traditional 40G QSFP+ transceivers like 40GBASE-SR4 and 40GBASE-CSR4 use 4*10G transmission mode occupying 4 fibers for sending and 4 fibers for receiving as shown in the following picture. Usually a 12-fiber MPO connector is used with 4 fibers unused.

For 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP optics only a duplex LC patch cord can finish 40G transmission over MMF and can perfectly achieve the migration from 10G to 40G. 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP take advantages of fiber optic multiplexing.

Operations of 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP

There are mainly three steps for 4*10G signals transmitting via 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP module. The first step is electrical. The four 10G signals are electrically combined together into 20G and 20G. The second step is an optical combining using two different wavelengths going on the same fiber strand. In the third step, the two 20G signals are sent to the other 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP module on the target device via the single optical fiber. The 40G signals are receiveds from the other 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP module on the other end of the optical fiber. The process for receiving is reverse. This is how a pair of BiDi QSFP transmit 40G signals over a duplex fiber optic patch cable. The following picture shows the basic working principle of this 40G BiDi QSFP module.

The most commonly used two wavelengths for 40G BiDi QSFP module are 850 nm and 900 nm. The two wavelengths support reliable transmission over multimode fiber optic cables up to 150 meters over OM4 and 100 meters over OM3, which can perfectly fit the 40G short distance transmission in data center. To help you better understand this module. The following picture shows the internal structure of the 40G BiDi QSFP module and how a pair of BiDi QSFP modules working with each other.

High Density Cabling Solution for 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP Modules

With 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP module, cabling in data center or server room would be much easier. As above mentioned, you do not have to change your cabling infrastructure for 40G BiDi QSFP. A pair of duplex LC-LC multimode fiber optic patch cable is enough. OM3 and OM4 are suggested. For high density cabling, a new version of LC patch cord—LC-HD duplex multimode fiber optic cable is suggested. This type of patch cable has a tab attached on the connector, which offers easier finger reach for telecom engineers. With 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP modules, you can scale your 40G network easily and cost-effectively.

Conclusion

As for 40G short range data propagation, the application of 40GBASE-SR BiDi QSFP transceiver is a good solution that reduces the difficulty of cable routing. With an easier connection, it is much more time-saving and cost-effective to adopt this type of transceiver in your network. Why not give it a try?

Source:http://www.sfp-transceiver-modules.com/wiki/a/109/Application-of-40GBASE-SR-BiDi-QSFP-Transceiver