Choose 12-fiber or 24-fiber for 40/100G Migration

There is no doubt that 40 and 100 GbE are just around the corner, or the reality is coming. To keep up with the pace, data center managers are striving to determine which fiber optic links will support 10 GbE today while future proofing the best, most effective migration path to 40 and 100 GbE. Many network designers recommend that the use of 12-fiber multimode trunk cables can provide the best migration path to 40 and 100 GbE. While others confirm that 24-fiber trunk cables with 24-fiber MPOs on both ends is a better standards-based transition path. So which one is the most suitable solution? It all comes down to a brief comparison of these two cables over investment and reduced future operating and capital expense.

24-fiber Solution

The use of 24-fiber trunk cables between switch panels and equipment is a common-sense approach, but people may not be familiar with this optic scenario. In fact, a 24-fiber trunk cable is used to connect from the back of the switch panel to the equipment distribution area. For 10 GbE applications, each of the 24 fibers can be used to transmit 10 Gbps, for a total of 12 links. For 40 GbE applications, which requires 8 fibers (4 transmitting and 4 receiving), a 24-fiber trunk cable provides a total of three 40 GbE links. For 100 GbE, which requires 20 fibers (10 transmitting and 10 receiving), a 24-fiber trunk cable provides a single 100 GbE link as shown in Figure 1.

12-fibers

Maximum Fiber Utilization

As noted before, 40 GbE uses eight fibers of a 12-fiber MPO connector, leaving four fibers unused. When using a 12-fiber trunk cable, three 40 GbE links using three separate 12-fiber trunk cables would result in a total of 12 unused fibers, or four fibers unused for each trunk. But with the use of 24-fiber trunk cables, data center managers actually get to use all the fiber and leverage their complete investment. Running three 40 GbE links over a single 24-fiber trunk cable uses all 24 fibers of the trunk cable. Obviously, 24-fiber is more appropriate for 40/100G migration.

Increased Fiber Density

Because 24-fiber MPO connectors offer a small footprint, they can ultimately provide increased density in fiber panels at the switch location. With today’s large core switches occupying upwards of 1/3 of an entire rack, density in fiber switch panels is critical. Hydra cables feature a single 24-fiber MPO connector on one end and either 12 duplex LC connectors on the other end for 10 GbE applications, 12-fiber MPO connectors for 40 GbE or a 24-fiber MPO connector for 100 GbE. With a single 1RU fiber panel able to provide a total of 32 MPO adaptors, the density for 10 GbE applications is 384 ports in a 1RU (duplex LC connectors) and 96 40 GbE ports in a 1 RU (12-fiber MPOs). Figure 2 shows a 12-fiber MTP trunk cable with MTP/APC connector on both ends largely improves the performance for 40G/100G fiber links.

mtp-jumper-cable

Reduced Cable Congestion

Cable congestion is one of the biggest problems in the data center because it will make cable management more difficult and impede proper airflow needed to maintain efficient cooling and subsequent energy efficiency. In fact, a 24-fiber trunk cable are only appreciably larger than 12-fiber trunk cables in diameter. That means the 24-fiber trunk cables provide twice the amount of fiber in less than 21% more space. For a 40 GbE application, it takes three 12-fiber trunk cables to provide the same number of links as a single 24-fiber trunk cable—or about 1-1/2 times more pathway space.

Cost-effective Migration Path

As 24-fiber trunk cables can effectively support all three applications shown in Figure 3, there is no need to recable the pathways from the back of the switch panel to the equipment distribution area. That means that data center managers can easily migrate to higher speeds with all of that cabling remains permanent and untouched. With 24-fiber trunk cables offer guaranteed performance for 10, 40 and 100 GbE, upgrading the cabling infrastructure is as simple as upgrading the hydra cables or cassettes and patch cords to the equipment.

migration path from 10G to 40&100G

Conclusion

With guaranteed support for all three applications, the ability to use all the fiber deployed, reduced cable congestion and higher port density in fiber panels, and an easy migration scheme, 24-fiber trunk cables offers lower future capital and operating expense. Fiberstore supplies 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 144 fiber core constructions with OM1, OM2, OM3 or OM4 fiber trunk cable, these trunk cable assemblies are composed of high quality LSZH jacketed fiber optic cables, connecting equipment in racks to MTP/MPO backbone cables. 40G QSFP+ optical transceivers like FTL410QE2C and QSFP-40G-LR4-S are also provided. If you are interested in any of our products, please contact us directly.

Fiberstore’s 10 Gigabit Ethernet Transceivers and Cables Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between SFP+ and SFP?

The pinouts of SFP and SFP+ connectors are identical. However, SFP has a maximum data rate of 5Gb/s whereas SFP+ is designed for 10Gb/s. The SFP receptacles and plugs are not as well impedance matched as SFP+ receptacles and plugs. Also SFP+ cable is designed for 10Gb/s whereas SFP cable may not be able to satisfactorily transmit that rate.

What is the distance supported by the SFP+ SR transceiver?

The supported distance is up to 300 meters depending on the quality of the multimode fiber (MMF) you use. Quality of MMF is listed as OM1 (up to 33 meters), OM2 (up to 82 meters), OM3 (up to 300 meters), and OM4 (up to 400 meters). Check with the supplier for the cable distance supported. Take GP-10GSFP-1S as an example, it is Dell Force10 10GBASE-SR SFP+ covering a distance of 300m over OM3 multimode cable.

Can I use SFP+ cables in SFP ports?

Yes, SFP+ cables are compatible to SFP ports and will work fine. SFP cables are not compatible to SFP+ ports. SFP+ receptacles have a mechanical feature to prevent engaging SFP plugs.

Do Fiberstore’s SFP+ direct-attach Twinx passive cables work with Cisco or other third-party switches?

Fiberstore’s direct-attach SFP+ Twinx passive cables are fully compatible with the original brand like Cisco. For example, SFP-H10GB-CU3M is Cisco SFP+ to SFP+ passive copper cable from Fiberstore which is fully compatible with Cisco switch. The following image shows that our professional trained staff tests the compatibility and interoperability of each optics to make sure our customers to receiver the optics with superior quality.

Fiberstore test program

What are the distances supported by cables to use with the 10GBase-T ports? Does Fiberstore offer these cables?

Data centers have a large installed base of Cat 5/6/7 twisted pair cables for the last decades—initially for 1000BASE-T and now for use with 1/10GBase-T infrastructure. Fiberstore does offer these cables since they are industry standard and widely available from us in various lengths and colors. Distances supported at 10 Gbps speed:

CAT 6A and CAT 7 cables supporting 100 meters
CAT 5e and CAT 6 cables supporting 55 meters

Do the SFP+ optical transceivers support 1 GbE operation?

Yes, they support 1GbE and 10 GbE dual rates and can be configured for 1 GbE.

Will the SFP+ optical transceivers auto-negotiate between 1 GbE and 10 GbE?

Auto-negotiation is not supported between the 10 GE and 1 GE speed. The transceiver must be manually configured to operate at 1 GE speed.

How do I use the SFP+ ports for 1000BASE-T?

You need to purchase Fiberstore’s SFP+ to 1000BASE-T Media Converter. (SFP+/Copper RJ45), part number FMC-1SFP/1RJ45-GB.

Is TwinX same as Twinax?

Yes.

Does the Twinx copper cable plug directly into the NIC and the switch?

Yes, the copper cable has an SFP+ or QSFP connector on both ends of the cable that directly plugs into the corresponding ports of the switch and NIC.

Should I use optical transceivers with the SFP+ and QSFP direct-attach Twinx copper cables?

No. These are direct-attach Twinx cables and come with connectors that plug directly into the SFP+ port or the QSFP port of the switch/NIC on either end. Transceiver cannot be used.

What is the advantage of SFP+ Twinx copper cable?

It is a low-cost option for shorter distances up to 5 meters.

Is 10GBase-T same as 10GBASE-T?

Yes. 1GBase-T is shorthand for 1000BASE-T and 10GBase-T is same as 10GBASE-T; they are the twisted pair implementations of 1 GbE and 10 GbE respectively.

What are the SFP+ copper cables provided by Fiberstore?

10G SFP+ copper cable

The above chart lists detailed information about some of the 10G SFP+ cables from Fiberstore. We also offer SFP+ copper cables that are fully compatible with major brand like Cisco, Juniper, Brocade, etc. The supported distance of this cable varies from 0.5m to 7m. Users can connect our SFP+ copper cable with top-of-rack (ToR) switch to realize 10G connectivity. For more information, please contact us directly.

Upcoming 40/100G Technology

The past decades witnessed the tremendous advancement in Ethernet network transmission speeds from 10/100 base systems to 1G then 10G deployments. Today, 10G server uplinks are ubiquitous in the data center, driven by the need for higher bandwidth, 40 100G server uplinks are just around the corner. IEEE ratified 40 100G Ethernet Standard in June 2010. Since then people were hoping to embracing this new Gigabit Ethernet. However, migrating to higher data rates seems not be that easy. This article will pay special attention to those aspects that influence the migration path.

New Transceiver Interface: MPO Connector

When transition to 40 100G, parallel optics are needed to transmit and receive signals. Because for 40G, there are 4-Tx and 4-Rx fibers, each transmitting at 10G for an aggregate signal of 40G. And for 100G, there are 10-Tx and 10-Rx. As parallel optics technology requires data transmission across multiple fibers simultaneously, a multifiber (or array) connector is required. Defined by TIA-604- 5-C, Fiber Optic Connector Intermateability Standard, MPO (FOCIS-5) is an array connector that can support up to 72 optical fiber connections in a single connection and ferrule. Factory-terminated MPO solutions allow connectivity to be achieved through a simple plug and play system. And this MPO-terminated backbone/horizontal cabling is simply installed into pre-terminated modules, panels, or Harnesses.

40G Ethernet Solution

According to IEEE 802.3ba, 40G was designated to support high-performance computing clusters, blade servers, SANs and network-attached storage. When deploying 40G network, QSFP+ transceiver and a 12-fiber MPO will be utilized. Deployment of 40G over multimode fiber will be achieved with 4-Tx and 4-Rx fibers from the 12-fiber MPO. The fibers will be the outer fibers as shown in Figure 3. Each of these four “channels” will transmit 10G for the combined 40G transmission. While single-mode fiber transmission will remain duplex connectivity using course wavelength division multiplexing. Some transmission media for 40G are to be included in the following table.

40 100g

40 GBASE-SR4 (parallel optics)

—100m on OM3/125m on OM4, 10G on four fibers per direction

40 GBASE-LR4 course wavelength division multiplexing (cWDM)

—10km on single-mode fiber, 4x 10G 1300 nm wavelength region like QSFP-40GE-LR4

40 GBASE-CR4

—7 m over copper, 4 x 10G (twinax copper)

100G Ethernet Solution

40G is to support increasing bandwidth demand for server computing, while 100G was designated to support switching, routing and aggregation in the core network. For 100G deployments, the CXP will be the electronics interface for OM3/OM4 multimode fiber, while CFP will be the interface for single-mode fiber. For 100G transmission over multimode fiber, the optical connector interface will be the 24-fiber MPO connector that will support 10-Tx and 10-Rx channels, each transmitting at 10G. Transmission over single-mode will be achieved via wavelength division multiplexing with duplex connectivity.

40 100G

100 GBASE-SR10 (parallel optics)

—100m on OM3 or 125m on OM4, 10G on 10 fibers per direction

100 GBASE-LR4 (dWDM)

—10km on single-mode, 4 x 25G 1300 nm

100 GBASE-ER4 (dWDM)

—40km on single-mode, 4 x 25G 1300 nm

100 GBASE-CR10

—7 m over copper, 10 x 10G (twinax copper)

Cabling Migration From 10G to 40G to 100G in an MPO-based System

Starting with 10G, a 12-fiber MPO cable is deployed between the two 10G switches. Modules are used at the end to transition from the 12-fiber MPO to LC duplex. This enables connectivity into the switch (Figure 3).

10G over 12-Fiber MPO Cabling

For 12-fiber MPO cassette-based optical systems already installed, 40G migration is as simple as replacing the existing cassette from the patch panel housings at the equipment and cross connects with an MPO adapter panel. The use of a 12-fiber MPO cable is needed to establish connectivity between the switches (Figure 4).

40G over 12-Fiber MPO Cabling

Future 100G networks will require a 24-fiber MPO cable to establish a link. Systems that use 12-fiber MPO backbone cabling will need a 24-fiber to two 12-fiber MPO cable (Figure 5).

100G over 12-Fiber MPO Cabling

Future Proofing

As we transition to 40 100G, 40g 100g multimode jumper can be installed, which will provide an easy migration path to future higher-speed technology. This article has mentioned some optical devices and cabling solutions to support 40 100G Ethernet. 100g transceivers factory such as Fiberstore provides a large amount of 40 100G equipment like 40G QSFP+ (JG661A), 40G DAC and AOC, etc. QSFP28 and 40g 100g multimode jumper price are also very competitive. To best meet the needs of the future, future proofing is crucial. So if you have any requirement of our products, please send your inquiry to us.

The Basics of 1000BASE-SX and 1000BASE-LX SFP

Gigabit Ethernet has been regarded as a huge breakthrough of telecom industry by offering speeds of up to 100Mbps. Gigabit Ethernet is a standard for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a gigabit per second. There are five physical layer standards for Gigabit Ethernet using optical fiber (1000BASE-X), twisted pair cable (1000BASE-T), or shielded balanced copper cable (1000BASE-CX). 1000BASE-LX SFP and 1000BASE-SX SFP are two common types of optical transceiver modules in the market. Today’s topic will be a brief introduction to 1000BASE-LX and 1000BASE-SX SFP transceivers.

1000BASE in these terms refers to a Gigabit Ethernet connection that uses the unfiltered cable for transmission. “X” means 4B/5B block coding for Fast Ethernet or 8B/10B block coding for Gigabit Ethernet. “L” means long-range single- or multi-mode optical cable (100 m to 10 km). “S” means short-range multi-mode optical cable (less than 100 m).

1000BASE-SX
1000BASE-SX is a fiber optic Gigabit Ethernet standard for operation over multi-mode fiber using a 770 to 860 nanometer, near infrared (NIR) light wavelength. The standard specifies a distance capability between 220 meters and 550 meters. In practice, with good quality fiber, optics, and terminations, 1000BASE-SX will usually work over significantly longer distances. This standard is highly popular for intra-building links in large office buildings, co-location facilities and carrier neutral internet exchanges. 1000BASE-SX SFP transceiver works at 850nm wavelength and used only for the purposed of the multimode optical fiber with an LC connector. 1000BASE-SX SFP traditional 50 microns of multimode optical fiber link is 550 meters high and 62.5 micron fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) multimode optical fiber is up to 220 meters. Take EX-SFP-1GE-SX as an example, this SX fiber transceiver supports DOM function and the maximum distance of the SX SFP is 550 m. The 1000Base-SX standard supports the multimode fiber distances shown in table 1.

1000Base-SX standard

1000BASE-LX
Specified in IEEE 802.3 Clause 38, 1000BASE-LX is a type of standard for implementing Gigabit Ethernet networks. The “LX” in 1000BASE-LX stands for long wavelength, indicating that this version of Gigabit Ethernet is intended for use with long-wavelength transmissions (1270–1355 nm) over long cable runs of fiber optic cabling. 1000BASE-LX can run over both single mode fiber and multimode fiber with a distance of up to 5 km and 550 m, respectively. For link distances greater than 300 m, the use of a special launch conditioning patch cord may be required. 1000BASE-LX SFP is intended mainly for connecting high-speed hubs, Ethernet switches, and routers together in different wiring closets or buildings using long cabling runs, and developed to support longer-length multimode building fiber backbones and single-mode campus backbones. E1MG-LX-OM is Brocade 1000BASE-LX SFP, this LX single-mode transceiver operates over a wavelength of 1310nm for 10 km.

1000BASE-LX-SFP

Difference Between LX, LH and LX/LH
Many vendors use both LH and LX/LH for certain SFP modules, this SFP type is similar with the other SFPs in basic working principle and size. However, LH and LX/LH aren’t a Gigabit Ethernet standard and are compatible with 1000BASE-LX standard. 1000BASE-LH SFP operates a distance up to 70km over single-mode fiber. For example, Cisco MGBLH1 1000BASE-LH SFP covers a link length of 40km that make itself perfect for long-reach application. 1000BASE-LX/LH SFP can operate on standard single-mode fiber-optic link spans of up to 10 km and up to 550 m on any multimode fibers. In addition, when used over legacy multimode fiber type, the transmitter should be coupled through a mode conditioning patch cable.

Conclusion
1000BASE-LX SFP and 1000BASE-SX SFP are the most commonly used components for Gigabit Ethernet application. With so many types available in the market, careful notice should be given to the range of differences, both in distance and price of multimode and single-mode fiber optics. FS.COM offers a large amount of in-stock 1000BASE SFP transceivers which are compatible for Cisco, Juniper, Dell, Finisar, Brocade, or Netgear in various options. If you have any requirement of our products, please send your request to us.

The Evolution Path of BASE-T

With the requirements laid on data center increasing rapidly, the ability to flexibly adapt to future demands is tremendously crucial for data center managers. Often this can be achieved by deploying higher bandwidth solutions in a part of the data center, provided that these systems are backwards compatible with existing infrastructure or it may be a cost-consuming method. BASE-T technology featured by its low cost, availability and flexibility is largely favored by data center designers. This article illustrates the migration of BASE-T technology so that people can future proof their data center tomorrow.

Why BASE-T Is so Popular?
To be short, three main advantages will be concluded in the following part.
1. Least cost access layer alternative when compared to other interconnect technologies

Optical (e.g. SR, LR)
Direct-Attached

2.Structured topology

Common physical interface (RJ45)
Flexibility and longevity
Optimized for small to medium-sized data centers (< 20K square feet)

3. Supports auto-negotiation and Power-Over-Ethernet

Simple plug and play installation
Ubiquitous RJ45 interface simplifies 10GBASE-T to 40GBASE-T upgrade path

1000BASE-T—Gigabit Ethernet Over 4-pair Cat 5 Cabling
1000BASE-T (ratified in 1999) is a Gigabit Ethernet standard over copper wiring at the speed of 1000 Mbps. Each 1000BASE-T network segment can support a maximum length of 100 meters, and uses Category 5 cable or better (including Cat 5e and Cat 6). 1000BASE-T also uses a symbol rate of 125 Mbaud and all four pairs for the link and a more sophisticated five-level coding scheme. The 1000BASE-T SFP operates on standard Category 5 unshielded twisted-pair copper cabling of link lengths up to 100 m.

Realizing 10BASE-T
Upgraded from 1000BASE-T, 10GBASE-T (certificated in 2006) offers the most flexibility, the lowest cost media, and is backward-compatible with existing 1 GbE networks. 10GBASE-T connected with Cat 6 and Cat 6A (or above) cabling supports a length up to 100 meters that gives IT managers a far greater level of flexibility in connecting devices in the data center. 10GBASE-T and Category 6A cabling costs less than using either optical fiber or SFP+ direct attach copper (DAC) options that have been widely deployed to date center for 10 Gb/s. For example, EX-SFP-10GE-DAC-1M can only support a link length of 1m that largely limits its application. Figure 1 presents a comparison between 1000GBASE-T and 10GBASE-T.

comparison between two BASE-T technology

Road to 40GBASE-T in Data Center Networks
If there is a 10GBASE-T for switch-to-server and switch-to-switch connectivity, there will be a 40GBASE-T over twisted pair cabling for the 40G data center deployment according to the IEEE. Twisted pair cabling with the RJ-45 connector has always been the first choice for IT professionals, based on its low cost and ease of use. Unlike fiber or twinax solutions, twisted pair cabling can automatically switch to different data rates, such as from 100MbE to 10GbE. Therefore migration to 40GBASE-T does not require a upgrade of all the equipment of the data center, which will reduce of the overall expenditure of the data center.

The advantages of 40GBASE-T are clear, but the path from initial ratification to commercial availability is not always smooth. There still a few months off for 40GBASE-T standardization, here comes some good news, as well as some considerations.

40GBASE-T is specified with transmission performance up to 2 GHz (four times the bandwidth of Category 6A) with a lot more stringent alien crosstalk requirements. Since initial 40GBASE-T applications would be limited to data centers, the traditional twisted pair Ethernet 100m link length is not essential. Additionally, Industry players helping in the development of an industry standard for 40GBASE-T have to ensure that it could be supported and rolled out cost-effectively. The new standard will minimize the time it will take to develop new electronics for switches and servers that can support 40GBASE-T connectivity, by building on the work already completed to support 10GbE connections. The standard will also support the ubiquitous RJ-45 connector. Sooner or later, 40GBASE-T will be upon us. Nowadays 40GBASE-LR4, 40GBASE-SR and 40G QSFP+ cables are there to help with the deployment of 40G connectivity. Take JG330A as an example, it is QSFP+ to 4SFP+ Passive Copper Cable available for short reach application. Figure 2 shows a data center twisted-pair migration roadmap.

Data Center Twisted-Pair Migration Roadmap

Summary
BASE-T technology (1000BASE-T, 10GBASE-T or 40GBASE-T) always retains the traditional advantages—low cost, easy to deploy and auto-negotiation for plug and play and backwards compatibility. 1000BASE-T and 10GBASE-T have already brought benefits to people. But no one can foresee that 40GBASE-T will be used in the future but future-proof planning of the cabling is important, given the long life of the cabling systems. Fiberstore provides a full range of BASE-T products including 1000BASE-T SFP, 1000BASE-T media converter, 1000BASE-T GBIC transceiver, etc. And 40GBASE-T devices will be coming soon. If you have any request of our products, please send your inquiry to us.

Introduction to 10G SFP+ Twinax Cabling

Driven by the never-ending requirement for faster data-rate transmission, Ethernet technology has continually evolved from 1GbE to 10GbE and eventually to 100GbE. This demand for faster application speed has also spurred technological evolution on data carrying techniques. Consequently, fiber and copper transmission standards has been progressed, providing greater bandwidth for transporting data over Ethernet architectures with reduced cost and complexity. In today’s article, some detailed information will be provided on 10G SFP+ twinax cabling.

Why Implementing 10G SFP+ Twinax Cabling?
Many research companies forecast that 2016 will be the year of 100G. So why implementing 10G twinax cabling here? There are several reasons which will help you sort this out. Regardless of cost, most LAN infrastructures employ a mixture of copper and fiber premises wiring. 10GbE bandwidth are generally sufficient to support the transfer and streaming of large data, video and audio files. Thus there are no demands for greater network performance or application bandwidth. What’s more, costs associated with re-cabling a network can be exorbitant and organizations should take precautions to ensure their cabling systems can last well into the future. 10GbE twinax cabling provides the best assurance for being able to support forthcoming technologies and delivers utmost investment protection.

What Is 10G SFP+ Direct Attach Twinax Cable?
SFP+ Direct Attach Cable (DAC) is a copper 10G Ethernet cable which comes in either an active or passive twinax cable. The difference between them is that an active twinax cable has active electronic components in the SFP+ housing to improve the signal quality while a passive twinax cable is just a straight “wire” and contains few components. As such, they support different transmission distance. SFP+ DAC cables use SFP+ MSA and copper “twinaxial” cable with SFP+ connectors on both sides providing 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity between devices with SFP+ interfaces, which is expected to be the optimum solution for 10G Ethernet reaches up to 10 m.

Passive SFP+ Twinax Cable Assemblies
The passive SFP+ twinax cable is designed to support connections for 10 Gigabit Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet switches with 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplink. Passive SFP+ cables, as noted before, have no electrical components and typical cover a distance of 1m, 3m, and 5m. For example, compatible Cisco SFP+ cables from Fiberstore like SFP-H10GB-CU3M, SFP-H10GB-CU1M, and MA-CBL-TA-1M, are programmed specifically to work with Cisco equipment. When these cables are plugged into Cisco equipment, they will not trigger the warning message that a non-Cisco transceiver has been detected. Figure 1 shows compatible Cisco SFP-H10GB-CU3M SFP+ to SFP+ passive copper cable with SFP+ connectors.

SFP+ Passive Copper Cable with SFP+ connectors

Active SFP+ Cable Assemblies
Active SFP+ twinax cables, compared with passive SFP+ cables can support longer transmission distance of 7m and 10m or up to 15m (distance may vary from vendors to vendors). For designs that only support SR and LR applications, active direct attach copper cable assemblies provide functions such as transmit disable and receiver loss of signal in addition to signal amplification, which makes it ideal for highly cost-effective networking connectivity between switches and servers. Figure 2 shows an active copper SFP+ DAC cable with SFP+ connectors.

SFP+ Active Copper Cable with SFP+ connectors

From these two pictures, we can see that there is no visual difference between active and passive SFP+ twinax cables. So, people should read the product specifications carefully before purchasing twinax cables.

Summary
SFP+ twinax cables offer a cost-effective way to interconnect 10G Ethernet devices within racks and across adjacent racks. These cables are usually accommodated into the SFP+ transceiver housing of a switch or server. Fiberstore SFP+ twinax DAC cables provide robust connections for leading edge 10GbE systems. We provide a full range of SFP+ DAC cables including SFP-H10GB-CU3M, SFP-H10GB-CU1M, EX-SFP-10GE-DAC-1M, JD097C, JD095C, etc. These SFP+ twinax cables are fully compatible with major brand. For more detailed information, please visit www.fs.com or contact us over sales@fs.com.

How to Select the Basic Materials of the LAN

Installing or designing network may pose a challenge as there are multiple optical solutions that meet the same specification or requirement. But by understanding the basic optical components and the specific performance requirements, you will be able to generate a cost-efficient bill of materials for your project. Thus before picking any products for your infrastructure, you must read this article.

Fiber Type
There are two basic fiber types: single-mode and multi-mode. Multi-mode fiber is graded by OM (optical multi-mode), the higher the OM grade, the better bandwidth performance you can expect. And it comes in both 50μm and 62.5μm core sizes with 50 μm multi-mode available in both standard (OM2) as well as a laser-optimized version (OM3/OM4). Single-mode are graded by OS (optical single-mode) and can run at OS1 and OS2, as described in TIA-568 C.3. Keep the consistency within your network is critical for long-term performance, therefore you shouldn’t mix new fiber type or performance with your old plant.

single-mode vs.multi-mode fiber transceiver

In addition, the cost of the components should be considered. The transceiver associated with single-mode fiber are more expensive than those for multi-mode. For example, the price of JG661A (compatible HP 40GBASE-LR4/OTU-3 QSFP+ transceiver) is much higher than JG325B (compatible HP 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver). The decision must be made to balance the performance and the cost. Single-mode system will provide for future expansion, yet multi-mode fiber is only for today and the near future. To sum up, single-mode fiber operate better at long reach while multi-mode fiber is ideal for short reach, choosing single-mode or multi-mode depends on your networks needs.

Termination Method
Deciding on a termination methods is typical affected by many factors. If your biggest concern is time, no epoxy/no polish connectors are probably your best choice. The fiber end faces are factory polished and easily installed with a tool kit. This types of termination method allows you to perform terminations quickly, but the cost is usually higher than that of epoxy and polish connector.

If your biggest concern is cost. epoxy and polish connectors might be a good fit because of their low initial price. This type of termination need considerable time to learn how to properly hand-polish connectors that meet specification, and it requires a large workspace to lay out the polishing papers, polishing pucks, epoxy, etc. If your work environment or network condition is not allowed, it is advisable not to select this method.

Fusion Splicer or Optical Connector
Keep in mind that whether to choose fusion splicing or a connector for your network will always need an experienced installer under adequate training. Fusion splicer, as we all know, is very expensive. If your company do not own one, it can be a large investment to make and you need to order the correct splice tray for your hardware and heart-shrinks to keep your splices intact. But if you already have a fusion splicer, fusion-spliced pigtails might be the right choice for you that can provide high quality results and easy to use in areas. The following picture shows a Fujikura FSM-80S Core Alignment Fusion Splicer.

Fujikura FSM-80S Core Alignment Fusion Splicer

Specifications, density, electronics interfaces and existing plant often drive connector choices. LC connector is favored for its maximum density and room-saving. It is also available in duplex from, which allows you to manage polarity by simply reversing the connector via a duplex clip. SC connectors feature an easy push/pull locking mechanism and are available in simplex and duplex forms. ST compatible connectors have a spring-loaded bayonet locking system that helps them stay in place but are only available in simplex versions.

Hardware
To determine the type of hardware you need, take into consideration the space that will be utilized for the network. If you are installing inside of a closet or other cramped quarters and need low density, wall mountable hardware is the best selection as it does not take up a lot of room. If racks are already in place, or if there is enough room to install them, rack-mount hardware is the best selection because it is sturdy and easy to access.

Rack-mount housing

Additional Information
Designing a network may be a big project as you should take a lot of things into consideration. To make sure the high performance of you network, please think about all the aspects that I have written in this text. What’s more, there are three basic categories for cable: indoor, outdoor and indoor/outdoor. The types of cables you have to choose for your infrastructure depend on where the cables will be run. Fiberstore supplies a whole variety of optical equipment including fiber optical cables, optical transceivers, fusion splicer and optical connectors. Come to us to help your data transmission initiatives for future proof.

Design Consideration for 40G Ethernet Network

With the speed in the data center now increases from 10G to 40G, different optical technology and cabling are required. But at first we should figure out the design of 40G Ethernet network. There are several key factors that may affect the transition to 40G. This article today will pay special attention to those aspects that influence data center design consideration.

General Data Center Design
The principal goals in data center design are flexibility and scalability, which involve site location, building selection, floor layout, electrical system design, mechanical design and modularity. Furthermore the key to a successful data center facility: one that is sustainable in the long term; the other is to consider it as a receptacle for equipment and operations, as well as an integrated system, in which each component must be considered to be flexible and scalable. Figure 1 shows a typical data center infrastructure design utilizing preterminated optical solutions.

data center design

What Does MPO Connector Means for 40G Data Center?
While speeds have increased to 40G, optical connectivity has remained in a duplex format, whether SC or LC. With the advent of 40G/100G Ethernet, multi-fiber push-on (MPO) connector technology are now used at the electronics interface and further into the data center infrastructure design. MPO technology has displayed proven value in cassette-based data center physical layer installations.

The MPO is defined by TIA-604-5-C, Fiber Optic Connector Intermateability Standard. Type MPO (FOCIS-5) as an array connector that can support up to 72 optical fiber connections in a single connection and ferrule. While the MPO is versatile in the fiber count supported, the 12-fiber MPO is the version widely deployed. Many data center designs today use cassette-based duplex LC connectivity or MPO to duplex LC harnesses at the electronics interface, while 12-fiber MPO-based connectivity is used to connect the trunk cabling to each cassette or harness.

40G Standard Provision
The Habtoor STFA Soil Group (HSSG) has designated 40G to support high-performance computing clusters, blade servers, SANs and network-attached storage. For 40G deployment, the QSFP transceiver will utilize a 12-fiber MPO. Deployment of 40G over multi-mode fiber will be achieved with 4-Tx and 4-Rx fibers from the 12-fiber MPO (see in Figure 2). Each of these four “channels” will transmit 10G for the combined 40G transmission. Single-mode fiber transmission will remain duplex connectivity using course wavelength division multiplexing. The HSSG has also defined the transmission media for 40G to include:

MPO connector

40GBASE-SR4 (parallel optics)

100m on OM3/125m on OM4—10G on four fibers per direction

40GBASE-LR4(cWDM)

10km on single-mode fiber—4x10G 1300nm wavelength region

40GBASE-CR4

7m over copper—4x10G (twinax copper)

40GBASE-FR(Serial)

2km on single-mode—4x10G 1550nm

As noted above, the QSFP+ module is specified for use with different standard. The 40GBASE-SR4 is terminated with the MPO connector. For example, Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver enables high-bandwidth 40G optical links over 12-fiber parallel fiber terminated with MPO/MTP multifiber female connectors.

For 12-fiber MPO cassette-based optical systems already installed, 40G migration is as simple as removing the existing cassette from the patch panel housings at the equipment and cross connects and replacing the cassette with an MPO adapter panel. Next, an appropriate 12-fiber MPO jumper would be used to cross-connect the trunk cabling as well as interconnect into the QSFP. Though not widely available currently, future preterminated system trunks may utilize 24-fiber MPO connections, both on the trunks and on the cassette. In this case, 40G deployment would require an interconnect harness terminated with two 12-fiber MPO connectors at the QSFP end, and one 24-fiber MPO at the trunk end. This would provide the needed interface with the 24-fiber MPO-based trunk and the 40G QSFP. A 24-fiber MPO jumper would be needed at the system cross connects to ensure polarity was maintained and that skew was within requirements.

Conclusion
The data center infrastructure must be reliable, manageable, flexible and scalable no matter who you are asking for requirements of data center design. It is the responsibility of the network designers to insure best compatibility of data center. As migrating to 40G, we have 40G QSFP and cables within MPO connectivity. Fiberstore supplies a variety of 40G QSFP modules and cables for you to choose from. Besides QSFP-40G-SR4, QSFP-40G-SR4-S and Cisco QSFP-40G-CSR4 are also available. If you are interested in our products, please contact us directly.

Make Your Network Ready for 40GbE to the Server

In today’s server networks, 40GbE has become commonplace and has gradually taken over multiple 10GbE links to each server. Installation of 40GbE devices in the field will be a requirement for customer service and reduced operating costs. So are you ready for embracing 40GbE era? But how should the network prepare for delivering 40GbE to servers?

The core of the 40GbE networking, just like the 1GbE or 10GbE networks, is a pair of transceiver modules connected by optical patch cables. Thus the issue here is to pick the right 40GbE optical devices for your network server. 40G optical transceiver modules has several form factors—CFP (C form-factor pluggable) transceiver, CXP transceiver form factor and QSFP/QSFP+ (quad small-form-factor pluggable) transceiver. 40G QSFP modules recently gain more popularity on the market as a result of its small size and high performance. Thus selecting 40G QSFP modules is a cost-effective solution for your 40GbE network server.

A Quick Overview of QSFP Transceiver Modules
QSFP is a compact, hot-pluggable transceiver used to plug into network servers, interface cards or switches. It provides four transmit and four receive lanes to support 40GbE applications for multi-mode and single-mode fiber and copper today. A variety of QSFP transceivers are available on the market, such as QSFP-40G-CSR4, QSFP-40G-PLR4, 40GBASE-PLRL4, QSFP-40G-SR4, QSFP-40G-LR4, etc. Take QSFP-40G-ER4 (see in Figure 1) as an example, it is the compatible Cisco QSFP-40G-ER4 QSFP modules that extend the reach of the IEEE 40GBASE-ER4 interface to 40km on single-mode fiber.

QSFP-40G-ER4

DAC and AOC Cabling
The standards for 40GbE have been around for more than 2 years, and a number of routers, switches, and network cards have already operated at this speed. 40GbE cabling is also an important segment of upgrading your network. As we know that the most cost-effective cabling for both 10GbE and 40GbE is the direct attached cable (DAC) type based on twinaxial cabling. Such cables are based on copper and have transceivers directly connected to each end of the cable. 40GbE uses the slightly larger QSFP transceivers, which internally are made up of four 10Gbit/s lanes. DAC cables exist in lengths up to 10 meters, but the price increases substantially when the cables get longer than 3 to 5 meters. When longer runs of 10GbE or 40GbE than 10 meters are needed, fiber cabling and separate transceivers are the only option. Active optical cables can achieve high data center over long reaches. In addition to achieving longer reach, the lower weight and tighter bend radius of AOCs enable simpler cable management and the thinner cables allows better airflow for cooling. But the cost of each transceiver is usually several times that of one DAC cable. Constraints like that are important to take into account when designing a data center network. Figure 2 shows a compatible Cisco QSFP-4SFP10G-CU3M QSFP+ to 4SFP+ Passive Breakout Copper Cable.

QSFP-4SFP10G-CU3M

Prospect

40 GbE will arrive for Top of Rack solutions in 2016.
Switches in the campus backbone and aggregation layers should be ready for replacement/upgrading in 2016 to support 40GbE.
Do not install any cabling in your data center or campus backbone. 40GbE uses 8 fiber cores for multi-mode and 1 pair for single mode. The cable will be OM4 although OM3 will have shorter distances. Provision the least amount of cable until new cabling solutions arrive.
Spending money on expensive 10GbE switches will be wasted as they are likely to be replaced in 2016 with 40GbE. Most server people are already deploying/asking for 4x10GbE per chassis and it probably be cheaper to use a 40GbE QSPF than four 10G SFP modules in two to three years time.

Summary
Believe it or not, the 40 Gigabit Ethernet era is already upon us. Therefore it is essential to make yourself well prepared for the incoming big data age. Over these years, Fiberstore has built a good reputation for uncompromising product quality, reliability and technical innovation. We offer a broadest portfolio of optical devices on the market today. For more detailed information, please contact us directly.

Difference Between Passive and Active Twinax Cable Assembly

Optical fiber cabling had gone through rapid development over recent years and maintained its leading role in telecom field. While twinax cable still remained a good way to access the networking industry trends over the last three decades and presented the highest longevity among all media. Twinax cable (see in following Figure) is a type of cable similar to coaxial cable that has two inner conductors instead of one. And owing to its cost efficiency, it is commonly used in short-range high-speed differential signaling applications. Currently there is a twinax cable which comes in either passive or active copper cable. So what is the difference between them? Today’s passage will provide a satisfying solution to you.

Describing Passive and Active Twinax Cable
A passive cable carries a signal over short lengths (5m or under) of copper with no additional components to boost signal. While an active copper twinax cable contains electrical components in the connectors that boost signal levels. This makes active twinax cables a little more expensive than passive copper twinax cables; however, they can connect the Converged Network Adapter (CNA) to a top-of-the-rack switch over longer distances than passive twinax cables.

Twinax Active vs. Passive: How to Choose the Right Twinax Cable?
Length and signal strength are always two important factors you should look into when requiring a cable for an application. Typically, we can see passive twinax cables being used between the server and the Top of Rack (ToR) switch. The upside in this configuration is that the passive twinax cabling connection is much cheaper than the cost of an optical link. The downside is that you are limited in distance and there’s also some cable interoperability issue you’ll need to deal with. Passive twinax cables are rated for ranges up to 5m and provide a good working solutions at a great cost.

When the distance between connection points exceeds 5m, it is highly recommended to use active twinax cables to ensure signal is transferred all the way through. The downside is that they are more expensive and use more power. The upside is that you don’t have to worry about distance (up to 300 meters) and, perhaps more importantly, you don’t have to worry about which vendor’s cable you use and the signal is improved and gives peace of mind by creating a trustworthy connection. In regards to active versus passive twinax cables, it depends on what you are connecting together.

QSFP+ Copper Cables—A Cost-effective Application of Twinax Cable
QSFP+ direct attach copper cable assemblies offer a highly cost-effective way to establish a 40 Gigabit link between QSFP+ ports of QSFP+ switches within racks and across adjacent racks. QSFP+ cable is an extension of the established interface system SFP+ that is mainly used in short distance. 40G QSFP+ to 4SFP+ copper breakout cable and QSFP to QSFP copper direct attach cable are the two common types of 40G QSFP+ copper twinax cables.

QSFP to 4SFP+ twinax breakout cables are suitable for very short distances and offer a very cost-effective way to connect within racks and across adjacent racks. Take QSFP-4SFP10G-CU1M as an example, this breakout cable connects a 40G QSFP port and four 10G SFP+ ports of Cisco switches and operates at a link length of 1m. While a QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper twinax cable consists of a cable assembly that connects directly into two QSFP+ modules, one at each end of the cable. This cable use integrated duplex serial data links for bidirectional communication and is designed for data rates up to 40Gbps. There are various QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive twinax cables branded by famous brands, like Cisco, HP, Juniper, Brocade, etc. The following picture shows a Cisco QSFP-H40G-CU3M Compatible QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cable.

Cisco QSFP-H40G-CU3M

Summary
There isn’t a truly visual way to tell the difference between active and passive twinax cables. Therefore when you are requiring a twinax cables, please follow the instructions that I have listed above or you should ask your vendors for expertise suggestion. FS.COM offers a large variety of SFP+ cables and QSFP+ twinax cables that are well tested and compatible with major brand. If you have any inquiry of our products, please feel free to contact us.

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