Fiber optic cable is the primary media for outside plants, campuses, and LAN backbone infrastructure because it can transmit more data farther. It also comprises the majority of data center switch-to-switch and switch-to-server links that transmit high volumes of data at faster speeds. It’s even increasingly making its way into horizontal infrastructure for connecting d …
read more

Even if your project specification or customer doesn’t require you to test a newly installed fiber cable plant, you could be putting yourself and your customer at risk if you don’t. Certification testing to industry standards ensures that a cable plant will support your customers’ applications and prevent costly callbacks. Test results for every fiber link are invalua …
read more

Premise innerduct is a flexible, non-metallic, corrugated raceway that has long been an essential conduit system for protecting fiber optic cables installed throughout telecommunications spaces and pathways. It can help isolate fiber to prevent damage from other cables or trades working in those spaces. Premise innerduct is available in a variety of sizes. Selecting a s …
read more

With emerging technologies like high-definition 4K video streaming, online gaming, IoT, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, 5G, and others requiring the transmission of more data at faster speeds, fiber optic cabling infrastructure has become the de facto standard for backbone switch-to-switch links in data center, LAN, campus, and outside plant environments. The ba …
read more

Fiber optic cable is a vital component of every network—whether it’s an outside plant (OSP) service provider network, data center, or LAN. Knowing how much fiber optic cable costs, which factors can impact cost, and key cost considerations can help you avoid unnecessary expense and get the most out of your budget.Fiber type, construction, and application matters Several …
read more

The Trade Agreements Act (TAA) requires procurement of products manufactured or “substantially transformed” in the United States or from TAA-designated countries that include free-trade agreement and underdeveloped countries and excludes several countries, including China, Russia, Brazil, India, Iran, and Iraq. Let’s take a closer look at why, how, and where to buy T …
read more

Copper category cables feature four twisted pairs of insulated conductors that range from 22 to 30 AWG. They can be shielded or unshielded construction. Shielding protects against noise that can disturb signals, such as crosstalk and external electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radiofrequency interference (RFI) caused by magnetic and electric fields from a variety of sources …
read more

If you’re familiar with passive optical networking, whether in the LAN or in the outside plant FTTX world, you likely know what an optical splitter (or beam splitter) does. In basic terms, optical splitters are simple passive devices that split incoming light signals into multiple signals. But did you know that there are two distinct types of splitters—planar …
read more

Whether it’s outside plant (OSP) infrastructure, links between equipment in the data center, or the backbone in a LAN, a light source and power meter (LSPM) test set is the most vital of all tools for testing an installed fiber plant. Most specifications require Tier 1 testing per TIA and ISO standards using an LSPM to calculate total insertion loss and length. And even if …
read more

Which Fiber Termination Method is Right for You? Fiber optic cabling can be pre-terminated to connectors by your cabling supplier, or they can be terminated in the field using fusion splicing with pigtails or splice-on connectors or using mechanical splice or traditional epoxy/polish connectors. With an increasing number of fiber links in LANs and data centers, designers …
read more

When deploying fiber links in data centers, LANs, or even in outside plant networks, fiber is pulled between equipment and spaces through pathways, cable managers, cable tray, risers, or conduit. While it may seem like a routine task, failure to pull properly can damage the cable in a way that prevents data transmission or impacts network performance over time. …
read more

Power distribution units, or PDUs, are a necessity for distributing power to active network equipment in racks and cabinets located in the data center or telecom room. They come in a variety of sizes and flavors to ensure the right input and output voltages, amount of power, and type of receptacles required by your critical network equipment. PDUs can also protect you …
read more

In our last blog, we discussed PDUs and how to select the right one for powering your data center equipment like servers and switches. Throughout the network, PCs and peripherals like monitors and printers also need power to connect to outlets. When it comes to providing secure and reliable power connections for all your networking equipment, you need the right po …
read more