Mount Splice Panel
18,432F Splice
Cabinet
ease-of-installation, and its configurability makes today’s
flexible ribbon solutions a critical foundational piece
to the high-speed highways that comprise the floor
of a modern data center.
Inside the data center, managing this level of fiber
can be a daunting challenge; it starts at the entry point
and the transition from the outside fiber plant. Multiple
cables, each with thousands of fibers, need to be patched
or spliced. Pre-terminated cables allow for a faster overall
installation, but they are not always an option. Often, the
duct work leading up to the facility does not support the
ability to pull through pre-terminated cabling. Therefore,
another solution is needed. One approach is through
high-density splice enclosures and cabinets (Figure 4).
High-Density Connectivity
and Saving Data Center Space
Achieving a high level of density in connectivity is not
trivial and manufacturers, who specialize in this space,
10 I ICT TODAY
spend significant engineering investments focused on
innovating how best to support not only routing and
containment of thousands of fibers, but also in easing
the dressing and preparation of the fiber in the splice
trays. When both the fiber technology advancements
referenced earlier are brought together with companion
high-density fiber management platforms, a true end-
to-end solution emerges. These connectivity solutions,
which are typically MPO or duplex-LC depending on
the client’s architecture and preference, provide a bridge
from the outside fiber plant to the inside trunks. This is
often done through patching frames. If not working with
pre-terminated cabling, then field-installable splice-on/
fuse-on connectors can provide a fast and convenient way
to achieve factory-level connectivity (Figure 5).
The primary currency inside the data center is floor
space. A lead network engineer with one of the largest
hyperscalers said “All I care about is floor space and how
I can extract the maximum amount of business per-square-
FIGURE 4: High-density splice patch cabinets and panels.
Dedicated Patch
and Splice
Terminated Panels –
Splice at Entry Point
FIGURE 5: The field installable
splice-on connectors have prepolished
ferrules that eliminate
the need for polishing, adhesives,
and crimping in the field, which
minimizes the potential for
operator error and expensive
connector scrap, while providing
fast and convenient factory-
level connectivity.