In its first test of fiber optics, the Anixter Levels Lab found that enhanced 50 and 62.5/125-micron multimode fiber were able to support Gigabit Ethernet signals without error for distances of roughly 150-200% of the expectations, even with a large number of mated connectors.
"With 12 MTRJ connector pairs, 62.5-micron multimode fiber could, ostensibly, provide the backbone riser in a building taller than the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, the world's tallest," states Pete Lockhart, Anixter's Vice President of Technology.
During the past 10 years, companies have installed millions of feet of 62.5-micron fiber, and many network mangers are installing 50-micron fiber when additional cabling is needed. The Anixter Levels Lab devised a live data testing procedure using difficult waveforms in a real-world environment to find and compare the transmission limits of these two varieties of multimode fiber.
"Our preliminary results showed that 50-micron and 62.5-micron fiber from Corning Cable Systems are both capable of handling gigabit Ethernet traffic error-free over much longer distances than the minimum distance that the standards require," reports Lockhart.
The Anixter Levels Lab is used primarily to verify that cabling in Anixter's inventory meets or exceeds all industry standards and can supply today's ever-increasing bandwidth-intensive applications.
"In discussions with Corning Cable Systems, we determined the need for tests on fiber optics to provide network managers with guidance on issues that are beginning to surface," states Lockhart. "Our first study was to investigate the limits of multimode fiber to address the perception that multimode fiber might not be adequate for transporting data over long lengths on Gigabit Ethernet links."
Lockhart believes that a testing program for fiber optics cabling and components at the Anixter Levels Lab will help assure the industry that cabling solutions meet the requirements for high quality and the ever-growing demand for increased performance and bandwidth.
About Anixter Inc.:
Anixter Inc. is a distributor of data communications products and electrical wire and cable.