Everyone knows that a structured cabling system is the foundation of every enterprise network, providing connectivity in the middle of servers, computers, and other network devices and allowing both voice and data to be sent worldwide. When it comes to data cabling, there are separate mediums ready to carry that data, transferring it from point A to point B. Traditionally, twisted pair copper cable has been and is still currently used as the most base form of structured data cabling, transmitting data straight through copper wires. As technology continues to strengthen however, and the interrogate for faster, more developed methods of networking grows, fiber optic cabling is swiftly on its way to becoming the next generation approved in data cabling.
Benefits of fiber optic cabling include:
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o Longer distances - Signals carried straight through fiber optic cable can go up to 50 times longer than those using copper wires due to low attenuation (signal loss) rates, without requiring a signal repeater to mouth the integrity of the signal over long distances as copper wire cables do.
Fiber Optic Cabling For Beginners
o Intrusion prevention - With copper wire cable systems, it is inherent to remotely detect a signal being broadcast over the cable, which can gift unwanted safety loopholes. This is not an issue with fiber optic cable as its dielectric nature makes remote detection impossible, and gaining entrance to the fiber itself would wish a corporal intervention that would be genuinely thwarted by a well located watch system.
o Installation improvements - Longer lengths, smaller diameter, and lighter weight of fiber optic cable make premise and upgrades easy and less precious than with copper cables.
o Higher bandwidth and data replacement rates - With wider bandwidth, more data is able to be transferred at a much faster speed. This allows for shorter download times and increased network efficiency.
o Emi Immunity - Fiber optic cables can be installed in areas with high Electromagnetic Interference (Emi), as the absence of metallic wiring makes the cable completely immune to Emi.
Depending on your specific data cabling requirements, there are two separate types of fiber optic cable ready to meet your needs:
o Multi-Mode fiber - Multi-mode fiber has a large core diameter, where light may be broadcast straight through complicated paths on its way to its destination. This gives multi-mode fiber high transmission capacity, but only retaining reliability over short distances commonly less than 8 miles, diminutive by modal dispersion.
o Single-Mode fiber - Single-mode fiber has a much smaller core diameter than multi-mode, allowing only one path for light to be broadcast through. Single-mode is used for long distance transmission, well exceeding the limits of multi-mode, and is not diminutive by modal dispersion.
Different environments also wish separate types of cabling systems to ensure the fiber stays in good condition. Depending on where you are installing the cable, there are two basic types of fiber cabling systems that can be used:
o Inside plant - Inside plant fiber cabling systems are designed for use inside a building where they commonly have no perceive with environmental variables. In a typical fiber inside plant cable system, individually coated fibers are positioned nearby a dielectric strength member core, and then surrounded by a subunit jacket. Aramid yarn(Kevlar) surrounds the personel subunits within the cable, reinforcing tensile strength. Some inside plant fiber cabling systems have an outer strength member as well, meant to provide safety to the whole cable. For inside plant installation, fiber ribbon-cable systems are also oftentimes used. Ribbon cables have a flat ribbon-like configuration that allows installers to conserve conduit space as they setup more cables in a singular conduit.
o Outside plant - When installing fiber optic cable either exterior or underground, an exterior plant fiber optic cabling system is used. exterior plant fiber cabling systems are composed of personel gel-filled subunit buffer tubes which are located nearby a central core strength member. Within each subunit buffer tube, buffer coated fibers are located nearby a strength member. A binder that contains a water-blocking compound encloses all of the subunit buffer tubes, which is then enclosed by an outer strength member usually composed of aramid yarn. Corrugated steel is used to provide corporal safety and acts as an external strength member, located in the middle of an inner Mdpe jacket and an outer Hdpe jacket.
So now that you have a general understanding of the separate types of fiber optic cable, you can determine which specific devices are approved for your singular installation. For example, say you are having a fiber optic system installed to be run for more than 375 feet straight through a warehouse. This distance is too long for a copper wire cable system to carry data, but multi-mode fiber can deal with it easily. An indoor plant premise would be convenient for this situation, since the cable is being run indoors with no environmental variables to worry about. In order to interface your new fiber optic system with an existing Ethernet system, you will either need to use a dedicated switch or media converter, or a switch with Gbic (gigabit interface converter) modules. This will change galvanic signals to optical signals, and vice versa, allowing the seamless flow of data straight through both of the cable mediums. Next, it is important to determine which method of safety you are going to use for the fiber optic cable. The two ready options are: running the fiber straight through an innerduct to house and protect the fiber, or using armored fiber which has built in protection. Both are good methods of protection.
Pre-Installation Checklist: What you need to know
- Installing fiber straight through innerduct, or is armored fiber a great way to go?
- How far is the fiber cable being run; multi-mode or single-mode?
- Which method of converting the two cable systems will be used so they may communicate?
- Is this an indoor installation, outdoor installation, or both?
With any investment, it is important to know that you are getting the best value for your money. Low system cost, combined with a longer life expectancy than copper cabling makes fiber optic cabling the best value hands down when it comes to structured cabling. Fiber optic cabling offers a structured cabling system that is designed to accommodate future applications and technological advancements, production fiber optic cabling the "cabling of the future". If you plan on installing a data cabling system that you want to last as long as inherent and have unmatched performance, fiber optic cabling is the way to go. California has seen a rapid growth in businesses opting for fiber optic cabling over copper wire cabling. This has proven to be especially true in San Diego fiber optic cabling installations. For more facts on the growth in fiber optic cabling in San Diego, there are complicated resources accessible online.
Fiber Optic Cabling For Beginners