Fluke Networks has introduced the MultiFiber Pro Optical Power Meter and Light Source, which the company asserts is the first Multi-Fiber Push On (MPO) fiber trunk tester that can validate the performance of all 12 trunk fibers simultaneously. The ability to validate all the fibers in a single test reduces MPO test time by nearly 95%, the company asserts.
Few MPO fiber trunks are tested in the field, Fluke Networks asserts, because it takes an average of 6.5 minutes to set up and test each of the 12 fibers in an MPO trunk. The MultiFiber Pro can shrink MPO test time to approximately 20 seconds (14 seconds for set up, 6 seconds for testing), Fluke says. If a typical data center has 1,600 MPO trunks, Fluke estimates the MultiFiber Pro tester would save more than 155 hours of labor and $17,000 in costs, assuming an average burdened labor rate of $55.
Features of the MultiFiber Pro include:
- a single “Scan All” test function that automatically tests all 12 fibers in an MPO connector
- built-in polarity verification for end-to-end connectivity of MPO trunk cables
- a user interface to display all 12 fiber test results
- an onboard MPO connector that eliminates the need, cost, and complexity associated with a fan out cord
- a “Select Individual Fiber” function that enables the user to troubleshoot a single fiber with more precision
- a shuttered fiber connector that eliminates the need for dust caps and increases reliability by reducing contamination
- integration with LinkWare 7 for results management and reporting.
“With growth rates of 40 Gbps in data centers expected to grow by more than 175 percent by 2016, it’s critical that we provide our customers with a solution that makes the MPO testing process both easy and cost efficient,” said Jason Wilbur, vice president of datacom cabling and installation tools at Fluke Networks. “That need is compounded by the fact that pre-terminated MPO cables can be damaged or contaminated during transport and installation, and industry best practices dictate that validating performance is a critical step in ensuring data center performance.”
For more information on test instruments and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.