The migration to 40G/100G networks will drive a number of changes within the data center and pave the way for the ever-increasing bandwidth needs of cloud computing, web services and virtualized applications, among others. At the top of the list of these changes is the considerable challenge of cabling and cable management in a high-density computing environment.

In the 40G/100Gb world, the cable plant will need to manage devices of varying bandwidths, leading to an overabundance of fan-out cables with different legs and connectors to meet the needs of devices of varying speeds. Without some type of convenient patching solution, the result will be a cluster of cables that make it difficult to install, maintain and upgrade network equipment.

High-Density Fiber Patch Panel

The most effective solution for overcoming cabling congestion associated with 40G/100G network connections is to employ a High-Density Fiber Patch Panel featuring modular plug-and-play cassettes that can be changed as higher bandwidth becomes needed. This solution can manage, allocate and control the connections of network equipment of varying bandwidths. Cable management is simplified because the fiber patch panel can be changed or expanded by easily installing a new cassette instead of running new cables.

Here’s how it works:

There are feed-through and fan-out cassettes which mount into a rack enclosure. When you insert the cassette to a patch panel chassis, it consolidates all the high-bandwidth connections to a single point. Then, for instance, you can simply patch the 40G MTP cables at the back and the standard LC cables to devices in the front of the cassette. Without this solution, the IT staff would have to pull a new fan-out cable each time they needed a new connection. Modular cassettes allow you to expand as you need to accommodate the necessary bandwidth and connectors.

High-Density Fiber Patch Panel Solutions

High-Density Fiber Patch Panel solutions offer the highest level of scalability and highest density in the market. They enable a seamless distribution of bandwidth from 100/120G to 40G to 10G. Since the modular cassettes are plug-and-play, they simplify 40G/100G migration, and will drastically reduce time and labor when a bandwidth change is required.

This family of fiber patch panels supports a wide variety of applications and fiber protocols within the telecom and data center marketplace. It is the ideal solution for consolidating dozens of fiber cable runs into an easy and manageable, high-density, patching system. It’s easy to manage, easy to grow as your needs expand, and most importantly, easy to convert when you add 100G/120G switches, giving you the flexibility to adapt as your technology changes.