3M has unveiled a portfolio of passive optical LAN (POL) equipment for the enterprise local area network (LAN). The fiber-to-the-desktop LAN technology is gaining traction within the industry as an alternative to traditional copper-based Layer 2 Ethernet switch-based architecture, the company says.
POL is similar in equipment and philosophy to the passive optical network (PON) architectures used in fiber to the home (FTTH) networks (see "Technology and business drivers for passive optical LANs").
POL is being adopted at a fast pace by government and enterprise LAN customers attracted to the promise of significant cost savings, including up to 70% reduction in the cost of equipment and infrastructure, up to 80% lower power consumption because there is no active component required on every floor in the telecom room, and up to 90% less space and material requirements, 3M asserts.
Delivering converged high-bandwidth services with no need for active electronics between the main equipment room and the work area over one singlemode fiber means POL provides a better way of networking with the added benefit of future-proofing cabling infrastructure assets. Overall, POL requires less equipment and uses less energy than traditional enterprise Ethernet LAN switches deployed with 100-Ohm copper twisted-pair media, which translates to lower deployment and operating expenses, 3M says.
3M’s POL portfolio includes high-performance fiber-optic cable; one-pass fiber pathways for below-the-ceiling installation; field-terminated fiber-optic connectors; wall- and rack-mount fiber distribution systems; optimized splitter modules and shelves; multi-fiber backbone trunks and MPO modules; various types of pre-terminated fiber cable assemblies; faceplates and wall outlets; and copper patch panels and jacks.
The portfolio is on display at the BICSI Winter Conference and Exhibition, Booth #233.
For more information on fiber cable and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.