Today’s modern data center proposition continues to promote the hot topics around consolidation, reduced operating expense, flexibility, scalability and of course being as ‘Green’ as possible along the way. That sounds simple, but when you start to achieve all of the above, maybe difficult than you imagine. Recently, more and more mission critical enterprise networks are considering the need for multiple fibers in a high density, modular and pre-terminated solution. Why are they become so popular? And do you also consider this solution for your network?

Some Changes Occurred in Panel to Panel Links
We have seen panel to panel links, both copper and fiber being installed for many years. These tend to be mainly in data centres, linking up racks, and therefore providing easy moves and changes within local patching fields. But, the trouble is these fibers are terminated and then fixed permanently in to place. In the past, a fiber installation would have involved a good amount of forward thinking, ensuring that the planned lengths were precise as there would be little movement to rectify any mistakes. This would result in a costly installation. Therefore, it’s clear that high speed enterprise networks are already demanding and installing multiple fibers MTP solution, meaning selecting that right easy and expandable fiber infrastructure choice from the offset is of vital importance.

Pre-Terminated MTP Connection Becomes the Hottest Topic
When it comes down to fiber it has to be the pre-terminated MTP connections, providing new advancing technologies that provide multiple fibers in a very small and modular footprint. MTP type connectors, also referred to as MPO, supplying you with a single trunk cable of either 12 or 24 cores. All in all, not much thicker than a standard fiber patch lead, so greatly reduced in size from previous pre-terminated fiber cable installations. However, already being requested are larger cores of 36, 48, 72, 96 or even 144 – but do keep in mind that these will be thicker in construction and could be made of multiple cores on a number of separate cables.

Where Could Pre-Terminated MTP Solution Be Used?
The MTP to MTP fiber cassettes suit various environments, applications and budgets. Primarily, data centres, DR-Co locations, FCoE SAN’s, links between floors/risers and larger communication rooms. Basically, for anyone that needs to quickly create a 10 Gigabit performance fiber network backbone. All of these demand, and would ultimately benefit, from the uncompromised performance, density and scalability that MTP solutions can provide. Additional to the MTP to MTP cassette links, we are also seeing an increased demand for ‘last metre’ fan out cables. For example, 12x LC connections to a single MTP adapter, being used for direct 40 Gigabit equipment links. With the ever increasing need for more bandwidth and virtualisation of application 40Gbp’s speeds are already being installed in data centers.

How Does It All Stack Up?
Supplied as part of the MTP solution is a 1U rack mountable fiber enclosure, so the installation is extremely easy. Each 1U enclosure will hold 3 cassettes and at the back of each cassette you can then access the MTP trunk cable male socket(s). The more cassettes you purchase the more 1U trays are supplied. You will then find at the front of multimode or single-mode cassettes are the legacy LC fiber connections, in either a 6 or 12 duplex (12 or 24 Core), to link back to the active network hardware or existing patch panels. Minimal time is required for the installation, with no need for onsite fiber termination and better still no out of hours working, allowing you to experience the highest performance from your network.

If you would like any further information around our easy and expandable MTP fiber solution then please do get in touch with us at sales@fs.com or visit our website at www.fs.com. Thanks for reading and I hope this article has been a useful introduction to MTP pre-terminated fiber solution.