| Everyone knows that a structured cabling system | | | | protection to the entire cable. For inside plant |
| is the foundation of every business network, | | | | installation, fiber ribbon-cable systems are also |
| providing connectivity between servers, | | | | frequently used. Ribbon cables have a flat |
| computers, and other network devices and | | | | ribbon-like configuration that allows installers to |
| allowing both voice and data to be sent worldwide. | | | | conserve conduit space as they install more |
| When it comes to data cabling, there are different | | | | cables in a particular conduit.o Outside plant - |
| mediums available to carry that data, transferring | | | | When installing fiber optic cable either outside or |
| it from point A to point B. Traditionally, twisted | | | | underground, an outside plant fiber optic cabling |
| pair copper cable has been and is still currently | | | | system is used. Outside plant fiber cabling |
| used as the most common form of structured | | | | systems are composed of individual gel-filled |
| data cabling, transmitting data through copper | | | | subunit buffer tubes which are placed around a |
| wires. As technology continues to advance | | | | central core strength member. Within each subunit |
| however, and the demand for faster, more | | | | buffer tube, buffer coated fibers are placed |
| advanced methods of networking grows, fiber | | | | around a strength member. A binder that contains |
| optic cabling is quickly on its way to becoming the | | | | a water-blocking compound encloses all of the |
| next generation standard in data cabling. | | | | subunit buffer tubes, which is then enclosed by an |
| Benefits of fiber optic cabling include:o Longer | | | | outer strength member usually composed of |
| distances - Signals carried through fiber optic cable | | | | aramid yarn. Corrugated steel is used to provide |
| can go up to 50 times longer than those using | | | | physical protection and acts as an external |
| copper wires due to low attenuation (signal loss) | | | | strength member, placed between an inner MDPE |
| rates, without requiring a signal repeater to | | | | jacket and an outer HDPE jacket. |
| maintain the integrity of the signal over long | | | | So now that you have a general understanding of |
| distances as copper wire cables do.o Intrusion | | | | the different types of fiber optic cable, you can |
| prevention - With copper wire cable systems, it is | | | | decide which specific devices are appropriate for |
| possible to remotely detect a signal being | | | | your particular installation. For example, say you |
| broadcast over the cable, which can present | | | | are having a fiber optic system installed to be run |
| unwanted security loopholes. This is not an issue | | | | for more than 375 feet through a warehouse. |
| with fiber optic cable as its dielectric nature makes | | | | This length is too long for a copper wire cable |
| remote detection impossible, and gaining access to | | | | system to carry data, but multi-mode fiber can |
| the fiber itself would require a physical intervention | | | | handle it easily. An indoor plant installation would be |
| that would be easily thwarted by a well placed | | | | suitable for this situation, since the cable is being |
| surveillance system.o Installation improvements - | | | | run indoors with no environmental variables to |
| Longer lengths, smaller diameter, and lighter | | | | worry about. In order to interface your new fiber |
| weight of fiber optic cable make installation and | | | | optic system with an existing Ethernet system, |
| upgrades easy and less costly than with copper | | | | you will either need to use a dedicated switch or |
| cables.o Higher bandwidth and data transfer rates | | | | media converter, or a switch with GBIC (gigabit |
| - With wider bandwidth, more data is able to be | | | | interface converter) modules. This will convert |
| transferred at a much faster speed. This allows | | | | electric signals to optical signals, and vice versa, |
| for shorter download times and increased | | | | allowing the seamless flow of data through both |
| network efficiency.o EMI Immunity - Fiber optic | | | | of the cable mediums. Next, it is important to |
| cables can be installed in areas with high | | | | decide which method of protection you are going |
| Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), as the | | | | to use for the fiber optic cable. The two available |
| absence of metallic wiring makes the cable | | | | options are: running the fiber through an innerduct |
| completely immune to EMI. | | | | to house and protect the fiber, or using armored |
| Depending on your specific data cabling | | | | fiber which has built in protection. Both are good |
| requirements, there are two different types of | | | | methods of protection. |
| fiber optic cable available to meet your needs:o | | | | Pre-Installation Checklist: What you need to know |
| Multi-Mode fiber - Multi-mode fiber has a large core | | | | - Installing fiber through innerduct, or is armored |
| diameter, where light may be broadcast through | | | | fiber a better way to go? |
| multiple paths on its way to its destination. This | | | | - How far is the fiber cable being run; multi-mode |
| gives multi-mode fiber high transmission capacity, | | | | or single-mode? |
| but only retaining reliability over short distances | | | | - Which method of converting the two cable |
| generally less than 8 miles, limited by modal | | | | systems will be used so they may communicate? |
| dispersion.o Single-Mode fiber - Single-mode fiber | | | | - Is this an indoor installation, outdoor installation, |
| has a much smaller core diameter than | | | | or both? |
| multi-mode, allowing only one path for light to be | | | | With any investment, it is important to know that |
| broadcast through. Single-mode is used for long | | | | you are getting the best value for your money. |
| distance transmission, well exceeding the limits of | | | | Low system cost, combined with a longer life |
| multi-mode, and is not limited by modal dispersion. | | | | expectancy than copper cabling makes fiber optic |
| Different environments also require different | | | | cabling the best value hands down when it comes |
| types of cabling systems to ensure the fiber | | | | to structured cabling. Fiber optic cabling offers a |
| stays in good condition. Depending on where you | | | | structured cabling system that is designed to |
| are installing the cable, there are two basic types | | | | accommodate future applications and technological |
| of fiber cabling systems that can be used:o Inside | | | | advancements, making fiber optic cabling the |
| plant - Inside plant fiber cabling systems are | | | | "cabling of the future". If you plan on installing a |
| designed for use inside a building where they | | | | data cabling system that you want to last as long |
| generally have no contact with environmental | | | | as possible and have unmatched performance, |
| variables. In a typical fiber inside plant cable | | | | fiber optic cabling is the way to go. California has |
| system, individually coated fibers are positioned | | | | seen a rapid increase in businesses opting for fiber |
| around a dielectric strength member core, and | | | | optic cabling over copper wire cabling. This has |
| then surrounded by a subunit jacket. Aramid | | | | proven to be especially true in San Diego fiber |
| yarn(Kevlar) surrounds the individual subunits | | | | optic cabling installations. For more information on |
| within the cable, reinforcing tensile strength. Some | | | | the increase in fiber optic cabling in San Diego, |
| inside plant fiber cabling systems have an outer | | | | there are multiple resources accessible online. |
| strength member as well, meant to provide | | | | |