Cim 20070801 aug_2007

Contents Zoom In Zoom Out For navigation instructions please click here Search Issue Next Page

____________________

Contents Zoom In Zoom Out For navigation instructions please click here Search Issue Next Page

C Previous Page
A

Installation 7Maintenance
Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue B
Next Page EMaGS F

Exceptional optical performance comes naturally.
Nothing is more treasured in field termination than exceptional optical performance. The secret to UniCam® Pretium™-
Performance Connectors is inside – a laser-cleaved, factory-polished fiber stub that ensures outstanding connectivity in
a no-epoxy/no-polish (NENP) connector. UniCam Pretium-Performance Multimode Connectors offer 0.1 dB insertion loss.
And UniCam Pretium-Performance Single-Mode Connectors enable 0.2 dB insertion loss. That’s exceptional optical
performance in less than a minute per fiber, from the most widely deployed NENP connector on the market. Naturally ...
Customer-focused innovation is second nature at Corning.
www.corning.com/cablesystems/cimls

© 2007 Corning Cable Systems LLC / LS-02413

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

C Previous Page
A

Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page EMaGS
B F

Turn your cable tester into an OTDR
and watch the transformation begin.

See how the DTX Compact OTDR Module
can turn your cable tester into an OTDR
and your staff into fiber experts – to
completely transform your fiber business.
Imagine. A cable tester that becomes a
compact, easy-to-use, full-featured OTDR.
Better yet, imagine what that means for your
business. A single tool to test copper and
fiber. An OTDR your current technicians can
easily use. Fiber jobs you couldn’t do before.
Just snap the DTX Compact OTDR module onto
a DTX mainframe – the industry’s benchmark
for cable certification. Now you’re ready
to test like a fiber expert. Perform Basic
(Tier 1) and Extended (Tier 2) fiber certifica-
tion. Perform powerful single-ended trouble-
shooting. Deliver professional documentation.
Win jobs that require OTDR
testing and watch your
revenue and profits
increase. Look to
the new DTX Compact
OTDR and watch the
transformation begin.

Go to www.flukenetworks.com/seehow
to enter to win a DTX Compact OTDR
and see a live demo.

N E T W O R K S U P E R V I S I O N ©2007 Fluke Corporation. All rights reserved. 02152

C Previous Page
A

B F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

Our U.S. delivery area.

No matter where you’re located, our fiber optic cable products are there. Optical Cable Corporation
has built a network of reliable stocking distributors and a dedicated sales team committed to
getting you the best fiber optic cables for your requirements when you need them...where you
need them. For over 20 years, we have been manufacturing the broadest range of top-performing
tight-buffered fiber optic cables for most applications in the government, military, and commercial
markets. Your order is our top priority. Contact Optical Cable Corporation for a stocking
distributor nearest you. We are where you are.

1-800-622-7711
5290 Concourse Drive • Roanoke, Virginia 24019
Phone 540-265-0690 • www.occfiber.com

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

C Previous Page
A

B F

COVER CONCEPT BY DAN RODD

AUGUST 2007 VOL. 15, NO. 8

ABOUT THE COVER
While there’s widespread
industry approval for
developing specifications for
features
100-Gbit/sec Ethernet links,
a proposal to incorporate
9 On the road to 100-Gbits/sec transmission
Development of the next generation of Ethernet
40-Gbit/sec as a server- is well underway. ANDREW OLIVIERO
centric definition had been
teetering due to concerns
over separate development
costs and compatibility. But
17 IEEE Ethernet Higher Speed
closes in on initial approval
as this issue was going to But a big question remains for the Higher Speed
press, the IEEE gave 40-Gbit Study Group: Should 40-Gig accompany 100-Gig
the go-ahead.
down the path to standardization? ED CADY
TO LEARN MORE,
SEE PAGES 6 AND 17.

23 Ubiquitous media converters
go the distance, and then some
Today’s media converters deliver the benefits of fiber and
extend the lifecycle of legacy equipment. BETSY ZIOBRON

31 Fibre Channel standard:
More copper in the SAN?
The INCITS is on the verge of approving a standard for transmission
over twisted-pair cabling systems. PATRICK McLAUGHLIN

35 Analytics add intelligence
to IP surveillance systems
The relatively new technology is one of several factors users must
consider when choosing a system. PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
departments
39 INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
■ CommScope enters wireless arena
6 Editorial
40-Gig is a go, and other
late-breaking standards activities
with acquisition of Andrew Corp.
■ A high-definition touchdown for 45 New Products
Michigan State stadium project
54 Product Focus:
■ Connector technology tackles Shielded Twisted-pair Cabling
data center power consumption
■ PHY device extends Ethernet over Category 5 cabling

CABLING INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE (ISSN 1073-3108), a trademark, is published 12 times a year, monthly, by PennWell Corporation, 1421 South Sheridan Road,
Tulsa, OK 74112; telephone (918) 835-3161; fax (918) 831-9497; Web address www.pennwell.com. Editorial offices: 98 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, NH 03062-5737;
telephone (603) 891-0123. © 2007 CABLING INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE. All rights reserved. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the
internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by CABLING INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE (ISSN 1073-3108), provided that the appropriate fee is paid directly to
Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 USA; (978) 750-8400. Prior to photocopying items for educational classroom use, please contact
Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 USA; (978) 750-8400. For further information, check CCC Online at the following address:
http://www.copyright.com/. All rights reserved. No material may be reprinted. Bulk reprints can be ordered from Diane Troyer, telephone (603) 891-9135. Corporate
officers: Frank T. Lauinger, Chairman; Robert F. Biolchini, President and CEO.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: CABLING INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE, Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 3280, Northbrook, Il 60065-3280.
Return undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: P.O. Box 1632, Windsor, ON N9A 7C9. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK 74101 and other additional
offices. Subscriptions: In the U.S.: one year $74; Canada/Int’l surface : one year $84; International via air: one year $100. If available, back issues can be purchased
for $16 in the U.S. and $21 elsewhere. We make portions of our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that
may be important for your work. If you do not want to receive those offers and/or information, please let us know by contacting us at List Services, CABLING
INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE, 98 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, NH 03062-5737-“Canada return address: PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S4”.

www.cable-install.com
_____________ Cabling Installation & Maintenance ■ August 2007 ■ 3

C Previous Page
A

B F

C Previous Page
A

B F

Chief Editor / Patrick McLaughlin
(603) 891-9222 • patrick@pennwell.com

Executive Editor / Steve Smith
(603) 891-9139 • stevesm@pennwell.com

Senior Editor / Matt Vincent
(603) 891-9262 • mattv@pennwell.com

Circulation Manager / Michelle Blake
(603) 891-9360 • michellb@pennwell.com

Art Director / Kelli Mylchreest

Lead Illustrator / Dan Rodd

Senior Vice President/Group Publishing Director
Mark Finkelstein
(603) 891-9133 • mark@pennwell.com

Associate Publisher/National Sales Manager
Ed Murphy
(603) 891-9260 • edm@pennwell.com

CABLING INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE
EXECUTIVE AND EDITORIAL OFFICES
PennWell ATD
98 Spit Brook Road
Nashua, NH 03062-5737
Tel: (603) 891-0123, fax: (603) 891-9245
Internet: www.cable-install.com

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES:
For subscriptions or to change your format to print or digital,
please go to: www.cim-subscribe.com. Subscriptions outside
the USA are available in digital format only.

CORPORATE OFFICERS
Chairman / Frank T. Lauinger

President and Chief Executive Officer / Robert F. Biolchini

Chief Financial Officer / Mark C. Wilmoth

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DIVISION
Senior Executive Assistant
Carol Woodward
Tel: (603) 891-9112, fax: (603) 891-9287
carolw@pennwell.com

VP Audience Development / Gloria S. Adams

ATD PUBLISHING SERVICES DEPARTMENTS
Art Director / Meg Fuschetti

Production Director / Mari Rodriguez
(603) 891-9193 • marir@pennwell.com

Marketing Communication Manager / Kristen Jones
(603) 891-9425 • kristenj@pennwell.com

Ad Traffic Manager / Jackie Linker
(918) 832-9314 • jackiel@pennwell.com

_________________ PRINTED IN THE USA GST NO. 126813153

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40052420

4 ■ August 2007 ■ Cabling Installation & Maintenance www.cable-install.com

C Previous Page
A

B F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

ICC’s CAT 6 connector!

120
Up to14dB Headroom!
100

80

60
NEXT dB

40
0
Frequency 1 10 100 1000
High Density (HD)
Easy (EZ) For High Performance
For Fast Termination

Competitor’s CAT 6 connector.
Category 6c
Modular
Connectors!
Fastest to terminate

CAT 6 Performance Certified

Exceeds TIA-568-B component
standard

50 micro-inch gold plating

120
Up to 4dB Headroom. EZ for no split pairs

HD for high density applications
100
Use with the widest selection
of faceplates available
80
Save 40% or more...
60
NEXT dB

40
0
Frequency 1 10 100 1000

The difference? High performance, still 40% less... Toll Free: 888.ASK.4.ICC
E-mail: csr@icc.com
Want to know how to save up to $8000.00? ......................... Web: www.icc.com/savemore

PremiumProducts • ProvenPerformance • CompetitivePrices...ICC

A

C Previous Page
Next Page EMaGS F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

40-Gig is a go, and other
late-breaking standards activities
T
wo of the articles in this Coincidentally, over the past of the TIA-606 standard for the ad-
month’s issue, beginning on month, I have become aware of ministration of telecommunications
pages 9 and 17, discuss the activities in two other standards- infrastructures. Currently in its first
progress on the Institute of Electri- making bodies that I think merit revision, 606-A, the specification
cal and Electronics Engineers (IEEE; some discussion. You can read more set is commonly referred to as the
www.ieee.org) 802.3 group’s efforts about one of them beginning on “labeling standard.” Earlier this year,
to specify a 100-Gbit/sec Ethernet page 31 of this issue, so here, I’ll just I believed the TIA TR-42.6 group
protocol. Both articles also discuss briefly tell you that the InterNation- simply would affirm the 606-A
(and Ed Cady’s article goes into par- al Committee for Information Tech- standard, which is one of three op-
ticular detail about) nology Standards (INCITS; www. tions (revising and rescinding being
____

the possibility of a incits.org) is about to release a set the others) available to them once a
40-Gbit/sec stan- of specifications for the transmis- standard is five years old. Now, how-
dard being pro- sion of Fibre Channel signals over ever, it looks like the group will re-
duced alongside the Category 5e, 6, and 6A twisted-pair vise the standard in a process that
100-Gig spec. copper cabling, in a project called ultimately will produce TIA-606-B.
As this issue of the FC-BaseT. At least part of the impetus for
magazine was going Claudio DeSanti, who chairs the revising is a current project by the
to press, word came INCITS T11 Technical Committee, group to produce an addendum to
from the IEEE’s late- explained to me, “Most Fibre Chan- 606-A dealing with data centers.
July meeting that, in fact, the 40-Gig nel physical layer modules are packed The addendum is meant to recon-
standard got the go ahead and will in the SFP form factor. The FC-BaseT cile 606-A with the TIA’s 942 data
follow the same path to standardiza- project started with an investigation center standard; 606-A did not con-
tion as the 100-Gig standard. aimed at verifying if a 1000Base-T sider data centers and 942 did not
As you read the articles that PHY could be used to carry Fibre consider administration. The two
address 100 and 40 Gig, please Channel at 1-Gbit/sec speed, and concepts will get together in Adden-
remember they were written—and, was triggered by the appearance of dum 1 to 606-A. Furthermore, the
in fact, were produced and headed 1000Base-T SFP modules.” TR-42.6 group will move ahead with
off to print—well before the IEEE’s After discovering some network on 606-B. As the group’s recent
late July meeting. They were done work-level limitations that prohib- meeting minutes state, “The changes
and gone when we got word about it a 1000Base-T PHY from carrying will include, but will not be limited
the thumbs-up vote for 40 Gig. So, Fibre Channel, “A new protocol defi- to, extending the concepts provided
the “potential” 40 Gig specifications nition was needed,” DeSanti contin- in TIA-606-A Addendum 1 into
you’ll read about in those articles ued. “The guiding principle of the spaces other than computer rooms
will come to fruition. standard development was to re-use and equipment rooms.”
My thanks go to the two au- as much as possible the 1000Base-T We’ll keep you posted.
thors, Andrew Oliviero of OFS and designs, extending them to run up
Ed Cady of Meritec, for their thor- to the 4-Gbit/sec speed, in order to
ough reporting on the matter. And make possible new implementa-
in particular, I express my grati- tions to be based on existing designs.
tude to Oliviero for giving me the Therefore, there has been a strong
late word about the 40-Gig standard, collaboration with IEEE 802.3, and PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
Mc
so that I could, at the very least, get some liaison also with TR-42.” Chief Editor
the news to you on this page. Finally, there will be a new version patrick@pennwell.com


C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

THE
PRESENTATION.
THE SIGN-OFF. THE LAST HURDLE
TO THE FINAL APPROVAL OF WHAT YOU
BELIEVED WAS ALREADY OVER.

There comes a moment in every project when each decision
you’ve made is put to the test. Success and failure hang in
the balance, as closing one deal takes longer than pitching
the next. At moments like these, your most crucial decision
was actually one of your ﬁrst: your distributor. If it’s Graybar,
you’re not on your own. Our nationwide supply chain, local
support network and trusted suppliers stand ready for any
‘moment of truth’ you encounter. So keep pushing forward;
we’ll be right there.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT GRAYBAR.COM/CORNING OR CALL 1-800-GRAYBAR (472-9227).
___________

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

Innovations begin with great ideas and end with great achievements, like the
building of the Arch in St. Louis. Mohawk’s commitment to copper and fiber
constructions for all environments makes them the leader in cable evolution.
Whether it’s cable for runs through indoor plenum or harsh outdoor spaces,
each Mohawk cable is engineered with unique jacketing properties to withstand
the true tests of time. They’re engineered with the best available materials, like
ArmorLite™ for reduced installation costs with added protection and VersaLite ™
Indoor/Outdoor Plenum with its
dry waterblocking technology.
For more information visit
www.mohawk-cable.com or
call 800-422-9961.

MOHAWK
Cabling Excellence for Open Architecture

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

C Previous Page
A

B F

www.cable-install.com design

On the road to
100-Gbits/sec transmission
A s anyone who is carefully watching
can tell, the data communications industry
is moving to 100-Gbits/sec transmission
Development of the next generation
of Ethernet is well underway.
speeds. The questions become:
• What are the applications and key network points could only be envisioned in the past, are now a reality.
driving the need for 100-Gbits/sec in public networks In short, we are seeing a push by content/service pro-
and private enterprises? viders and a pull by the consumer. The lesson: Increase
• Who are the most likely early adopters of this next- the size of the access pipelines and demand will come.
generation technology? Parallel duplex link (12 f × 10 Gbits/sec)
This article presents answers
to these questions, and explains Wavelength: 850 nm
Fiber per direction: 12 fibers
why temporary solutions (such Total fiber per link: 24 fibers
as link aggregation) are not ideal Speed per fiber: 10 Gbits/sec
to fully address these overloaded Connectors: MPO
networks. Send Return
We’ll also discuss the current
status of the standards process,
and what still needs to hap-
pen before a standard is writ-
ten. The fi nal section addresses
the transceiver technologies
and options being considered
to meet 100-Gbits/sec speeds Source: OFS
for OM3 multimode and single- Among transceiver options being explored is OM3 fiber using low-cost 850-nm parallel optics
mode fiber, and provides some arrays. As a full-duplex link, with 12 fibers running each direction, this solution would use a
assumptions on likely cost dif- total of 24 fibers for the complete link.
ferences between the two.
These events have led to continuous and rapid growth
Drivers for 100-Gbit transmission of the network and Internet traffic, which has placed
As high-speed broadband services offered by an incredibly high demand on the existing infrastruc-
fiber-to-the-x (FTTx)-focused telecommunications ture. Network carriers, service providers, and Internet
carriers and cable television companies are becom- exchanges are feeling this load on their networks and are
ing more available, consumers are taking advantage seeking higher-speed solutions in a hurry.
of the many novel applications offered to them. Con- In the private sector, there is also a drive for higher
tent providers are pushing the bandwidth requirements network speeds for LANs and storage area networks
by developing more new applications and services, so (SANs). This demand comes from high-bandwidth appli-
that video-on-demand, HDTV, IPTV, Internet gaming, cations, such as video-based streaming and downloading,
MySpace, YouTube, and digital-photo transfers, which videoconferencing, and Voice over IP.
ANDREW OLIVIERO is senior product manager with OFS (www. Data-center servers, too, will continue to experience
ofsoptics.com).
_______ a rise in traffic and bandwidth demand, as more ➤

www.cable-install.com Cabling Installation & Maintenance ■ August 2007 ■ 9

C Previous Page
A

B F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

information is being generated and stored today than ever • Interconnects for high-performance supercomputing net-
before. With recent government data warehousing legislation works in medical and R&D enterprises.
and recommendations for the medical and fi nancial indus- Deployment within LAN riser backbones (interconnecting
tries, along with redundancy to protect against catastrophic LAN workgroup switches to core switches or campus LAN
loss, data centers and SANs are expected to see further up- backbones) is not expected for quite some time. Most impor-
grading to higher networking speeds. In fact, storage stan- tantly, these next-generation speeds are not intended for inter-
dards, such as Fibre Channel and
Infi niband, have already devel-
Despite singlemode ﬁber’s exceptionally high bandwidth,
oped roadmaps for speeds up to
100 Gbits/sec and beyond.
Another key driver for higher
achieving higher speeds on singlemode ﬁber will require
networking speeds is the high-per-
formance computing (HPC)
optics using multiple lasers to drive multiple wavelengths.
market. Supercomputers and HPC
networks now under development will require a minimum of connecting desktop computers to LAN workgroup switches,
100-Gbits/sec transmission speeds for short links ranging which have historically been the main driver for network
from only a few inches to hundreds of meters. In some cases, equipment and switch port demand.
these will be used to link major supercomputer clusters be- As a result, unlike the high volumes of 10/100/
tween research-and-development departments of universities 1000-Mbits/sec Ethernet port sales over the years, initial vol-
and medical facilities. umes for 100-Gbits/sec Ethernet ports are anticipated to be
Link aggregation (LAG), an IEEE 802.3ad standard, is more modest. But this does not imply a reduction in the need
being deployed to address this increased demand with or value of 100-Gbit Ethernet to address the applications pre-
current 10-Gbits/sec server and networking equipment; viously discussed, because 100-Gbits/sec transmission pro-
however, many believe that LAG is just a temporary fi x. It can vides a solution for applications that have been demonstrated
be complex to use, making traffic engineering and manage- to need bandwidth beyond existing capabilities.
ment much more challenging. What’s more, capacity expan-
sions and troubleshooting of multiple physical links become High Speed Study Group takes action
much more difficult. IEEE 802.3 formed the High Speed Study Group (HSSG) in
LAG’s limitations create inefficient distribution of large flows late 2006 to investigate the need for a next Ethernet speed,
and, ultimately, uneven distribution of traffi c. All in all, many and to offer objectives as part of a project authorization
within IEEE feel that better solutions are required to address request (PAR) should it decide to recommend the creation of a
this demand directly. task force to write a standard. The HSSG is an internationally
represented group of component, switch, and cabling manu-
Where will we see 100-Gig? facturers, as well as end users representing private and public
Before discussing the standards under development with an networks. Two ad-hoc committees, the Fiber Optic Ad Hoc
eye toward 100 Gbits/sec, let’s review more closely the early and Reach Ad Hoc, support the group’s efforts.
adopters and key network points that will use these next-gen- In their evaluation of next Ethernet speed proposals, the
eration speeds. HSSG followed the five-criteria validation process established
Not surprisingly, the early adopters will be carrier net- by the IEEE:
works (e.g., Verizon, AT&T), triple-play service providers 1. Broad market potential;
(e.g., network carriers and cable TV companies), Internet 2. Compatibility;
exchange carriers (e.g., Yahoo!) and specific enterprise users 3. Distinct identity;
with extremely high throughput speeds. 4. Technical feasibility;
Early deployment of next-generation high speeds will 5. Economic feasibility.
occur in key high-bandwidth switching, routing, and aggre- A considerable number of presentations have been made
gation interconnect points for: within the HSSG and the ad-hoc committees to validate
• Service-provider backbones supporting the metro, core, the five criteria. During the November 2006 IEEE 802.3
and access parts of their networks; plenary, the HSSG voted to support 100 Gbits/sec as the
• Internet exchanges; next Ethernet speed.
• Interconnection links in data center and storage servers of The following specific objectives have been accepted since
corporate enterprise networks; and that meeting: ➤


C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

Are you ready to feel the speed?
Super fast testing with the WireScope Pro LAN Cabling Tester

Agilent’s WireScope Pro tester sweeps a full 1GHz in a few
seconds, boosting your test speed to new industry leading
Cat 6A and Cat 7 autotest times of 9 seconds. It also
accelerates your copper and fiber testing with dual-
wavelength fiber probes, the elimination of field calibration,
and a new auto-increment capability.

The WireScope Pro tester is the only handheld to provide
Alien Crosstalk (AXT) measurements simultaneously on
multiple ‘exciter’ cables, as well as produce final results on
the spot, so you can quickly handle any future AXT field
testing requirements. Alternative approaches could take hours
to complete and require PC post processing to see the results.

With simple software upgrades and a robust hardware
platform operating at 1 GHz frequency, you’ll save on the cost
of test because you’ll stay state-of-the-art for many years,
eliminating the need to buy new testers every year or two.

u.s. 1-800-829-4444, ext. 5465 Experience the speed of the WireScope Pro tester now at
canada 1-877-894-4414, ext. 5465 www.agilent.com/find/wirescope or by talking to one of our
_____________________

www.agilent.com/find/wirescope
__________________________ engineers by calling our 800 #s.

© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2006

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

• Support full-duplex operation only; supported at 100-Gbits/sec, OM1 and OM2 are no longer
• Preserve the 802.3/Ethernet frame format at the MAC recommended for new data center and storage area instal-
client service interface; lations, or HPC environments, where futureproofi ng to
• Preserve minimum and maximum frame size of current higher speeds is important.
802.3 standard;
• Support a speed of 100 Gbits/sec at the MAC/PLS service Transceiver and optical-fiber options
interface; The Fiber Optic Ad Hoc committee is also evaluating the trans-
• Support at least 10 kilometers on singlemode fiber (metro- ceiver options. It is proposing the use of existing transceiver
politan and enterprise networks); technologies, such as parallel optical interfaces (sometimes
• Support at least 40 kilometers on singlemode fiber (long referred to as space-division multiplexing) and coarse wave-
haul); length division multiplexing (CWDM), using transceivers with
• Support at least 100 meters on OM3 multimode fiber; speeds of 10 to 50 Gbits/sec. The soon-to-be-published TIA
• Support at least 10 meters on copper; TSB-172 serves as an excellent tutorial on the details of these
• Support a bit error rate better than or equal to 10 to 12 at transmission technologies.
the MAC/PLS service interface. For OM3 multimode fiber, the HSSG and Fiber Ad Hoc
The HSSG’s next step is to finalize support, document, and are evaluating the use of low-cost 850-nm parallel optics
submit the PAR to IEEE to initiate writing the standard. When transceiver arrays, or a combination of parallel optic arrays
accepted by the IEEE 802.3 committee, the HSSG will be con- and CWDM. The former is the leading candidate. With this
cluded and all efforts will move to specifying the technical approach, twelve 10-Gbit/sec 850-nm optical transmitters
details of exactly how to meet the objectives. and receivers are packaged in an array and attached to OM3
fibers using 12-fiber MPO array connectors. The data is
The 40-Gbits/sec debate divided equally among the available channels.
But this has not occurred yet. During the process, there For example, 12 OM3 fibers, each operating at 10 Gbits/sec
have been many proponents of a 40-Gbit/sec speed at 850 nm, can be aggregated into a 100-Gbits/sec system
requirement to be included in the PAR (in
addition to the 100-Gbits/sec objective) to CWDM duplex link (Example: 4 × 25 Gbits/sec)
support the server and data center/SAN Fiber: Singlemode
markets. There have been many debates Wavelength: 4 around the 1310 nm range
Fiber per direction: 1 fiber
over the last year as to the economic feasi-
Total fiber per link: 2 fibers
bility and broad market potential for this Speed per fiber: 25 Gbits/sec
intermediate speed, and whether this would
slow down the development of the much- Combiner Splitter

needed 100-Gbits/sec standard.
4 lasers 4 detectors
Strong cases, however, have been made in
support of 40-Gbits/sec and the HSSG is now Send
working on a method of satisfying both the
40- and 100-Gbits/sec advocates in a way that 4 detectors 4 lasers
does not hinder progress toward a final PAR.
(See “IEEE Ethernet High Speed closes in on Return
Source: OFS
initial approval,” page 17.)
The group’s next step is to submit the The High Speed Study Group and Fiber Ad Hoc committee are evaluating support of single-
PAR and obtain approval. After the PAR is mode fiber using CWDM optics in a two-fiber duplex link, where multiple wavelengths would
accepted, the IEEE will begin writing the operate over a single fiber in each direction.
next-generation Ethernet standard. The
current target is to initiate work this year and publish it (12 fiber x 10 Gbits/sec parallel array). The type of encod-
in 2010. ing being proposed would limit the channel to 100 Gbits/sec
Based on the fiber-cabling objectives agreed upon in the instead of 120 Gbits/sec. Because this is a full-duplex link with
HSSG, transceivers will be developed to support singlemode 12 fibers running in each direction, a total of 24 fibers would
fiber and OM3 multimode fiber (also known as 850-nm be used for a complete link.
laser-optimized 50-µm multimode fiber). Since standard This strategy can also be used to support 40-Gbits/sec speeds
62.5-µm (OM1) and 50-µm fiber (OM2) will not be over OM3 fiber. In this case, four or six OM3 fibers, each ➤


C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

Starting with an advantage.

From day one, the new Tyco Electronics brings many advantages to our customers,
investors, employees and communities. As a $12.8 billion company, with a 60-year head
start, we’ve been at the forefront of the explosive growth in electronics worldwide. With
nearly 100,000 employees in more than 45 countries, and a peerless reputation in
engineering, our approximately 500,000 products include electronic components, network
solutions and wireless systems. Tyco Electronics is committed to the technologies that
bring advantages to everyone’s life every day.

tycoelectronics.com
TE Logo and Tyco Electronics are trademarks.

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS
F

C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

operating at 10 Gbits/sec at 850 nm, can be aggregated to on singlemode will require optics using multiple lasers to drive
40 Gbits/sec. A total of 12 fibers would be used in this multiple wavelengths.
link, as opposed to 24 fibers in a 100-Gbits/sec link. In Several presentations have been made in the HSSG estimat-
general, the parallel solution is relatively simple and ing the cost differences between future multimode and single-
mode 100-Gbits/sec systems.
OM3 multimode ﬁber is poised to support short-reach
Cost factors considered
solutions cost-effectively, whereas singlemode ﬁbers will The advantage for OM3
mutimode fiber systems involves
continue their place in outside plant, long-reach solutions. the readily available, even low-
er-cost 850-nm vertical-cav-
low-cost, since it uses the same circuits multiple times. ity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) transceiver. 850-nm
To reduce the cost of the electronics and for the OM3 transceivers have continued to favor multimode systems
option, transceiver manufacturers are proposing to loosen for 1- and 10-Gbits/sec systems. The existing manufactur-
the encircled flux and/or spectral width specifications of ing platform and market volumes for 10GBase-SR ports
existing 10GBase-SR transceivers. As a result, the trans- provide economically favorable conditions for the devel-
mittable distance over OM3 fiber would be reduced from opment of 12-VCSEL arrays.
300 meters to as low as 100 meters, depending on the degree But because multiple OM3 fibers must be used in the par-
of change, despite OM3 fiber’s very high bandwidth. In this allel technique, these systems will be more sensitive to the
case, OM3 fiber’s bandwidth is not the limitation; instead, length of the cabling in the channel than CWDM transmis-
the desire to reduce the cost of these 12 transceiver arrays is sion over singlemode. That means the relative cost benefit
becoming the driver. of parallel systems has diminishing benefits as the channel
length increases.
Balancing act The singlemode CWDM systems take advantage of low-cost
Because these future speeds are intended for data center singlemode cable, but at the expense of higher complexity in
environments, however, 100 to 150 meters should be suffi- the transmitter and receiver than with the parallel optical tech-
cient. During the standards-development efforts, transceiver nique. In other words, the same transceiver- and connector-
and fiber manufacturers will establish the proper balance of alignment challenges that can drive up the cost of 1310-nm
specifications to minimize cost and maximize transmitta- components when used with singlemode fiber are magnified
ble distance. even further as the number of wavelengths is increased. Plus,
The HSSG and Fiber Ad Hoc are evaluating the support of these transceivers are not available, and extra R&D will be
singlemode fiber using CWDM optics in a two-fiber duplex required to bring these to market.
link. In this case, multiple wavelengths would be operating Since optical port costs typically make up the largest per-
over a single fiber in each direction. An example of this tech- centage of total system cost, the cost advantages held by
nique is the 10GBase-LX4 transceiver. For 100-Gbits/sec sys- 850-nm-based systems are projected to hold true at these
tems, the following are being considered in a 20-nm spacing higher speeds. In general, OM3 multimode fiber will
range around 1310 nm: continue to be the most cost-effective choice for short-reach
• 10 wavelengths x 10 Gbits/sec; applications at higher speeds. Zero-water-peak
• 5 wavelengths x 20 Gbits/sec; singlemode fiber is best used for long distances.
• 4 wavelengths x 25 Gbits/sec; and
• 2 wavelengths x 50 Gbits/sec. Next generation on the horizon
At this point, the 4 x 25-Gbits/sec transceiver is a leading There is very strong industry support for 100-Gbits/sec and
candidate. Installing low- or zero-water-peak singlemode possibly 40-Gbits/sec transmission speeds in public and
fiber (ITU G.652D-compliant) provides the most flexibility to private networks to support triple-play services, significant
deploy any of the proposed singlemode fiber solutions. amounts of video-based applications, data-center storage
Why not use singlemode fiber with a single laser (serial increases, and high-performance computing. Th e IEEE
transmission) operating at 100-Gbits/sec? Such a laser sim- group is addressing these needs and will soon commence
ply is not commercially available today, and probably will not writing the next-generation Ethernet standard.
be for a long time. It will be challenging to develop and pro- OM3 multimode fiber is poised to support short-reach solu-
duce such a laser cost-effectively. Therefore, despite singlemode tions cost-effectively, whereas singlemode fibers will continue
fiber’s exceptionally high bandwidth, achieving higher speeds their place in outside plant, long-reach solutions.


C Previous Page
A

Next Page EMaGS F

Cim 20070801 aug_2007

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Cim 20070801 aug_2007

Similar to Cim 20070801 aug_2007 (20)

More from Carlos Alberto Bonatto

More from Carlos Alberto Bonatto (20)

Cim 20070801 aug_2007