Pre-terminated Fiber Patch Cable Assemblies for Backbone Cabling

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Pre-terminated Fiber Patch Cable Assemblies for Backbone Cabling

Owing to higher bandwidth and transmission speed, fiber optic cables are replacing traditional copper cables in more and more backbone cabling across the world.

Generally, our fiber cable assemblies are distinguished into two categories – field-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies and pre-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies based on their method of termination.

Of these, the pre-terminated fiber patch cables have gained huge popularity and acceptance in recent years. They are a suitable choice for backbone cabling in enterprises, data centers with pre-defined routes, and where deployment times may be of paramount importance.

Field-terminated & Pre-terminated Fiber Patch Cable Assemblies

Field-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies and pre-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies are having similar connector termination processes; the main difference lies in their termination location and time before or after installation.

  • Field Terminated Fiber Optic Patch Cable Assemblies: Field termination describes the termination of the fiber optic patch cable in the field or after the cable installation. Before these cables are terminated, we need to pull fiber optic cables between two points, then add fiber optic connectors to each individual strand and connect them to a patch panel. During this process, a variety of termination tools will be needed.
  • Pre-terminated Fiber Optic Assemblies: The cable assemblies are pre-terminated in the factory before shipping to customers, which immensely saves field termination time, and labor cost.

Why Pre-terminated Fiber Optic Patch Cables?

There are many advantages, which make pre-terminated fiber optic Patch cables the best choice for quick deployment in data centers and most industrial networks.

  • Total Cost Saving: As the cables are pre-terminated in the factory before delivering to customers, so no expensive consumables, connectors, or termination equipment are required during installation. The cables help eliminate rework, transmission testing, and so on. Thus, these cables help reduce your total cost of ownership, as many studies suggest that these cables help reduce the overall installation time by at least 50%.
  • Short Turnaround Times: Quick turn manufacturing differentiates these cables from field-terminated fiber optic cables. Experienced manufacturers can deliver these cables to you within 2-4 working days, once you share your requirements.
  • Quick Deployments: With these pre-terminated fiber optic patch cables, our customers can cut deployment time by at least 70% to 80%. As these cables come in plug-and-play designs they can be easily deployed.
  • Stable Long-Time Performance: Compare to sometimes harsh operation environments for field fiber connector terminations, factory pre-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies have highly controlled air quality, better connector polishing, more strict end-face cleaning, and optical testing. They could fully meet applications that demand the highest level of accuracy.
  • Minimizes Downtimes: Data center managers can easily minimize their downtimes using these fiber optic cables. These cables feature a plug-and-play design and make a great choice for disaster recovery situations. They can be used to make temporary data communication setups, and are often used by business owners to minimize their business downtimes. The fiber optic cables can be easily disassembled once the situation eases. The components from the cable can be reused for other applications.
  • Reduces Carbon Footprint: Pre-terminated fiber optic cables enable a quick clean-up after installation. As these cables are pre-terminated there are no leftover materials after installation. These pre-terminated solutions enable business owners to meet material reuse, green design, and waste reduction goals, as well as reduce their carbon footprint.

What To Do Before Choosing Pre-terminated Fiber Cables

Like field-terminated fiber optic cable assemblies, choosing pre-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies can be challenging due to the choices offered. The pointers offered here will help you make the right decision.

  • Cable Construction:

    Cable structure is a primary consideration to make when we choose pre-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies for our fiber cabling system.

    • Indoor Fiber Cables: This cable type is the most popular cable for indoor applications. For different installation environments, such as horizontal or vertical applications, the cable jacket could be PVC riser, plenum, or LSZH-rated.
    • Indoor/Outdoor Fiber Cable: These cables are mainly used for applications from outdoors to indoors. They can be used harsh environment, for example, in conditions where the possibility of water infiltration exists. Compare to indoor cable, these cables could be outdoor used as feeder cables, features UV resisistance, waterproof, etc. The cable sheath could be LSZH, TPU, etc.
    • Outdoor Fiber Cables: These cables are rated for outdoor applications, and are filled with a gel that has a water-blocking capacity. Outdoor cables cannot be buried directly in the ground. This cable is ideal for underground installations in conduit. When installed underground, it is connected to a guy wire overhead. It may be secured to an outdoor structure or a building. The downside of this cable is that it is suited for a 50-feet run when used indoors as it doesn’t meet fire-code regulations.
    • Interlock Armor Indoor Plenum: This cable possesses all the capabilities of an indoor plenum cable, and also has armor. The armor protects the cable from getting cut accidentally.
    • Interlock Armor Indoor/Outdoor Plenum: This cable type combines the best indoor plenum as well as indoor/outdoor cables. It features an armor that makes it an ideal choice for direct burying in the ground.
    • Outdoor Aerial with Messenger: As the name suggests, these cables possess a steel messenger, which can be used across buildings and poles. Like regular outdoor cables, these cables also feature water-blocking gel, which limits their use indoors to only 50 meters.

  • Types of Fiber:

    The pre-terminated fiber patch cable assemblies can be availed with various fiber types. The following are a few popular ones.

    • OS2 Single-mode 9/125 µm Cable:Single Mode fiber is usually 9/125 in construction and has a small diametral core that allows only one mode of light to propagate. Because of this, the number of light reflections created as the light passes through the core decreases, lowering attenuation and creating the ability for the signal to travel further. This application is typically used for long-distance.
    • OM1 62.5/125 µm Cable: It is one of the most popular multimode fiber types used. It possesses shorter distance limitations when compared to other multimode fibers. This cable has the lowest capacity for data transmission. This is why this cable type is now getting obsolete. The cable is known as OM1 cable.
    • OM2 50/125 µm Cable: These cables are suited for high-speed applications. They are ideal for those who want to upgrade to 10 GB speeds. OM2 cables can help run 1 GB Ethernet up to 220 meters. The OM2 cable is usually distinguished by its orange jacket.
    • OM3 50/125 µm Laser-optimized Cable: These cables are ideal for those who wish to upgrade to 10 GB speeds now or in the near future. OM3 cables are the most popular choice for data centers and are distinguished by their aqua-colored jackets. These cables can be used to run 1 GB Ethernet up to 550 meters. However, mode-conditioning patch cords are recommended over 300 meters. Additionally, these cables also support 40 GB Ethernet up to 100 meters, and 100 GB Ethernet up to 100 meters.
    • OM4 50/125 µm Laser-optimized Cable: The cable is quite a popular choice for most modern-day data centers as it can run at 100 GB up to 150 meters and beyond. Like OM3, these cables also have an aqua-colored jacket.
Note: If you are currently using OM1 cable in your office, campus, or building, you must continue using the same. However, OM1 is being replaced by OM2 cables in many applications. It is recommended to avoid mating OM1 and OM2 cables because that may lead to high losses. If you are replacing OM1 with OM2, you must replace it completely.

  • Cable Connector Types:

    There are different types of cable connectors available; however, not all may be suited for your application. Most pre-terminated fiber optic cable suppliers allow people to choose from the following connector types:

    • SC: It is one of the most popular types of connectors used today. These connectors feature a simple design and are quite inexpensive, too. SC connectors use a locking tab in place of a latch to secure a cable. The design of these cables makes them an ideal choice for applications where fiber optic cables are used more frequently than others. In short, they are an integral part of datacom and telecom applications.
    • LC: These connectors are considered as a replacement for SC connectors. LC connectors are push-pull connectors that use a latch for locking. The LC connectors feature a small ferrule and is also known as small form factor connector. LC connectors are quite popular in datacoms, as well as high-density patch applications where there is little room to support a fiber optic connection.
    • ST: This design has lost its popularity over the years. It has a locking mechanism similar to BNC coax connectors and is less favored over SC and LC.
    • MPO/MTP Connectors: As one best solution for high-density fiber cabling systems, factory pre-terminated fiber trunks with MPO or MPO connectors are becoming more popular in recent years. The connectors could be a standard type or elite type with lower insertion loss.
You may be required to choose these connectors for two ends. You can choose one or different connectors at both ends.

  • Number of Strands:

    Fiber Cables with multi-strands are popularly used for pre-termination fiber patch cable assemblies. 2-strand, 4-strand, 6-strand, 8-strand, 12-strand, and 24-strand cable configurations are available to meet most applications.

Conclusion

Pre-terminated fiber cable assemblies act as a plug-and-play solution where they are used to connect servers, switches, and patch panels in data centers.

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