FEATURE : DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Kevin Lengle , Ph . D , Product Line Manager AROONA , Cailabs , discusses why a disruptive technology approach to multimode fibre is of great benefit for campuses as it now enables the gradual and flexible evolution of the local network ’ s optical infrastructure without the operational and cost constraints of cable deployment . large volumes of data and streaming of audio and video files . In addition to the various business applications specific to each campus , the increasing use of mobile terminals and smart devices has contributed to the growth in bandwidth requirements , in particular with the latest Wi-Fi 6 and 5G standards .
Bandwidth-intensive applications and latencysensitive traffic can be found everywhere in local area networks . Network managers need to be able to transmit these data streams reliably and with a highquality of service .
It should be noted that the majority of inter-building cable networks within campuses is made up of multimode fibre . However , multi-mode fibre inherently has limited bandwidth and cannot support throughputs of 10 Gb / s or more currently required by campus-wide links ( due to modal dispersion limitation ).
Digital communication has exploded in
recent years and now plays a major role in campuses . This change in communication method has a direct impact on the underlying cabling infrastructure . In order to facilitate this expansion and avoid congestion problems , local networks need to constantly improve their performance .
This especially applies to first-generation OM1 and OM2 multi-mode fibres , on which a 10 Gb / s throughput can only travel up to 33m and 80m respectively .
Next-generation single-mode fibres do not have this capacity limitation problem . So , is it possible to magically transform old multi-mode fibres into single-mode fibres to meet the growing demand for bandwidth in local networks ? You may be surprised to know that the answer is yes !
In this article , we dispel some myths about the capacity limitations of multi-mode fibre which makes up most campus backbones . We will present a disruptive technology approach to increase the bandwidth of existing multi-mode networks , allowing them to be upgraded in a practical , cost-effective and environmentally friendly way while meeting the current and future needs of LANs . Let ’ s take a closer look at this new trend .
A growing demand for increased bandwidth in local networks
Within local networks , a growing number of applications require considerable bandwidth to ensure the transfer of
The conventional solution has been to replace the old cabling with next-generation fibre . However , redeploying fibre cable is often a difficult task that has significant impact on business activities . In some cases , micro-trenches or more invasive work in general , may be required to install the new cables throughout the campus .
Replacing cables can therefore require tedious installation work with complex project management and exorbitant costs , which has a significant impact on business operations . However , rip and replace is not necessarily the only solution . Optical technologies have evolved and there is now a disruptive alternative to complex fibre network deployments .
Future-proofing legacy cabling infrastructure of LANs –
A godsend for CIOs
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