Obsolete fiber technology? Not in my data center!

An October 2011 white paper authored by James Young, technical director of CommScope's Asia Pacific business, is entitled Obsolete Fiber Technology? Not in my Data Center!

The document's premise is stated as follows, "Do you remember when people used to say 'fiber-optics [technology is] future proof'? Well, it is and it isn’t. Pay close attention to the capability of the fiber-optic technologies and vendors you invest in. You should combine modern application warrantees to get the most from your investments in this critical part of the data center. Industry design standards need to evolve to match high performance fiber-optic systems. As work continues eventually the ISO/EIA standards will catch up but, in the meantime, buyer beware."

The paper further contends that "the design of fiber systems for the data center requires a new approach [which] must include optical system specifications that are directly linked to application based support for modern high-speed applications." A design approach that enables a clear understanding of design options is possible when manufacturers provide applications design guidelines for end-users, concludes the document.

Download the white paper here.

See also:The top 6 data center physical layer best practices