Fibre Channel Over Ethernet in the Data Center

Ethernet and Fibre Channel are the two typical networks that data center will utilize to present operational and maintenance issues. Traditional Ethernet is a family of frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks (LANs), whereas Fibre Channel is used for storage area networking (SANs). Fiber over Ethernet (FCoE) is a storage networking protocol that supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet. This article will provide an overview of FCoE, describe the importance to data center that make up the new ecosystem, and explains how the technology is developed today.

What Is FCoE?
Today’s network use different protocols to send information between devices, FCoE is a newly proposed standard that encapsulates Fibre Channel frames into an Ethernet frame at the server (Figure 1), allowing them to run alongside traditional Internet Protocol (IP) traffic. The server encapsulates Fibre Channel frames into Ethernet frames before sending them over the LAN and de-encapsulates them when FCoE frames are received. Server I/O consolidation combines the NIC and host bus adapter (HBA) cards into a single converged network adapter (CNA), which reduces server cabling and power/cooling needs. At present, the Ethernet frame is removed at the Ethernet edge switch to access the Fibre Channel frame, which is then transported to the SAN.

FCoE combined with the advent of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GE) fabrics will grant companies the ability to consolidate their I/O, cables, and adapters while at the same time increase the utilization of their servers. Conceptually FCoE can be broken down into three components: encapsulation of a Native Fibre Channel Frame into an Ethernet frame , the extension of Ethernet to become a lossless fabric, the replacing of a Fibre Channel link with MAC addresses in a lossless Ethernet fabric.

Why Is FCoE Important to the Data Center? 
I/O consolidation is simple in concept: the sharing of both Fibre Channel and Ethernet traffic on the same physical cable or in cases that network isolation is desired, the flexibility to use and configure the same hardware for either type of network load. The benefits end-users will realize from this simple idea are significant. Companies that leverage I/O consolidation will be able to realize significant gains in server slot efficiency with the use of multi-function network/storage. These benefits are further detailed below.

I/O consolidation means a customer can use multi-function network/storage adapters in place of single-function network-specific and storage-specific cards, thereby reducing the number of server slots and switch ports, as well as reducing the number of power consumed for I/O and necessary cooling. This also results in fewer points of management administrators will have to control. A reduction in NICs through I/O consolidation has an additional important advantage. The ability to cool a set amount of heat generated per rack is the primary barrier to data-center expansion and inefficiency encountered today. Reducing the amount of NICs in servers can reduce the amount of heat those servers generate.

Looking Ahead 
As enterprise data centers converge Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks, they can improve performance and reduce power consumption, infrastructure complexity, and cost. The Third generation FCoE architecture with the exception that the core switch now forwards the FCoE frame directly to storage where the Fibre Channel frame is accessed. This architecture solution reduces the server interconnect cabling and adapter card number by at least 50 percent, eliminates the Fibre Channel HBA to SAN optical fiber trunk cable and eliminates the core switch to SAN director fiber trunk cable. Optical connectivity shall be in accordance with IEEE 802.3ae (10GBASE-SR) utilizing OM3 optical fiber.

Summary
FCoE offers a data center unified fabric solution that simplifies operational and maintenance of the cabling infrastructure. FCoE facilitates utilization of low-cost Ethernet electronics and OM3 or OM4 optical connectivity to support 10, 40 and 100 Gigabit data rates. Fiberstore has great advantage of 1000BASE-T/SX/LX SFP, BiDi SFP, 10GBASE-SR/LR SFP+, DWDM SFP+, whole series 40G QSFP+ optics and cables, as well as the 100G CFP2 and CFP4, etc. which help you solve the cost issue in fiber project. Especially the 40G QSFP optics, with the passive optic design, they can be compatible with all the equipment of all major brands.

Reference:
http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/solutions/collateral/data-center-virtualization/ieee-802-1-data-center-bridging/white_paper_FCIAFCoE.pdf

Zayo to invest $14 million on FTT network to 78 towers in Indiana

Telecom infrastructure company Zayo Group Holdings will make an investment of $14 million to provide fiber-to-the-tower (FTT) to 78 new towers in Indiana to serve a wireless customer.

Zayo said the towers will be located on 234 new network miles south and west of Indianapolis and connect a corridor to Louisville, Kentucky. The sale will also leverage 350 miles of fiber that is already in place to create a diverse ring in the region.

Zayo expects this contract to result in a strong return on the incremental $14 million capital investment to construct the additional 234 route miles of fiber network. Zayo expects to use the network to serve additional wireless tenants. Zayo will also provide fiber-based services to non-wireless customers such as universities, school districts, hospitals and content providers.

There are financial service, insurance, technology and healthcare businesses, in addition to several state and private universities in Indianapolis and the surrounding area.

“Our network will have the capacity to not only provide FTT infrastructure for one of the nation’s leading wireless carriers, but also the fiber capacity to support services to additional mobile operators and other customers in need of high-bandwidth solutions,” said Jacob Fuller, vice president of Zayo’s Mobile Infrastructure segment.

After this expansion, Zayo will have approximately 8,200 towers, including those under construction and those already connected to its fiber network.

Design Consideration for 40G Ethernet Network

With the speed in the data center now increases from 10G to 40G, different optical technology and cabling are required. But at first we should figure out the design of 40G Ethernet network. There are several key factors that may affect the transition to 40G. This article today will pay special attention to those aspects that influence data center design consideration.

General Data Center Design
The principal goals in data center design are flexibility and scalability, which involve site location, building selection, floor layout, electrical system design, mechanical design and modularity. Furthermore the key to a successful data center facility: one that is sustainable in the long term; the other is to consider it as a receptacle for equipment and operations, as well as an integrated system, in which each component must be considered to be flexible and scalable. Figure 1 shows a typical data center infrastructure design utilizing preterminated optical solutions.

What Does MPO Connector Means for 40G Data Center?
While speeds have increased to 40G, optical connectivity has remained in a duplex format, whether SC or LC. With the advent of 40G/100G Ethernet, multi-fiber push-on (MPO) connector technology are now used at the electronics interface and further into the data center infrastructure design. MPO technology has displayed proven value in cassette-based data center physical layer installations.

The MPO is defined by TIA-604-5-C, Fiber Optic Connector Intermateability Standard. Type MPO (FOCIS-5) as an array connector that can support up to 72 optical fiber connections in a single connection and ferrule. While the MPO is versatile in the fiber count supported, the 12-fiber MPO is the version widely deployed. Many data center designs today use cassette-based duplex LC connectivity or MPO to duplex LC harnesses at the electronics interface, while 12-fiber MPO-based connectivity is used to connect the trunk cabling to each cassette or harness.

40G Standard Provision
The Habtoor STFA Soil Group (HSSG) has designated 40G to support high-performance computing clusters, blade servers, SANs and network-attached storage. For 40G deployment, the QSFP transceiver will utilize a 12-fiber MPO. Deployment of 40G over multi-mode fiber will be achieved with 4-Tx and 4-Rx fibers from the 12-fiber MPO (see in Figure 2). Each of these four “channels” will transmit 10G for the combined 40G transmission. Single-mode fiber transmission will remain duplex connectivity using course wavelength division multiplexing. The HSSG has also defined the transmission media for 40G to include:

• 40GBASE-SR4 (parallel optics)

100m on OM3/125m on OM4—10G on four fibers per direction

• 40GBASE-LR4(cWDM)

10km on single-mode fiber—4x10G 1300nm wavelength region

• 40GBASE-CR4

7m over copper—4x10G (twinax copper)

• 40GBASE-FR(Serial)

2km on single-mode—4x10G 1550nm

As noted above, the QSFP+ module is specified for use with different standard. The 40GBASE-SR4 is terminated with the MPO connector. For example, Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver enables high-bandwidth 40G optical links over 12-fiber parallel fiber terminated with MPO/MTP multifiber female connectors.

For 12-fiber MPO cassette-based optical systems already installed, 40G migration is as simple as removing the existing cassette from the patch panel housings at the equipment and cross connects and replacing the cassette with an MPO adapter panel. Next, an appropriate 12-fiber MPO jumper would be used to cross-connect the trunk cabling as well as interconnect into the QSFP. Though not widely available currently, future preterminated system trunks may utilize 24-fiber MPO connections, both on the trunks and on the cassette. In this case, 40G deployment would require an interconnect harness terminated with two 12-fiber MPO connectors at the QSFP end, and one 24-fiber MPO at the trunk end. This would provide the needed interface with the 24-fiber MPO-based trunk and the 40G QSFP. A 24-fiber MPO jumper would be needed at the system cross connects to ensure polarity was maintained and that skew was within requirements.

Conclusion
The data center infrastructure must be reliable, manageable, flexible and scalable no matter who you are asking for requirements of data center design. It is the responsibility of the network designers to insure best compatibility of data center. As migrating to 40G, we have 40G QSFP and cables within MPO connectivity. Fiberstore supplies a variety of 40G QSFP modules and cables for you to choose from. Besides QSFP-40G-SR4, QSFP-40G-SR4-S and Cisco QSFP-40G-CSR4 are also available. If you are interested in our products, please contact us directly.

To Push or to Pull, That Is the Question?

Push and pull usually come as the opposite side, but in the case of telecommunication field, they definitely come hand in hand. Push-Pull or Pull-Pull cables are used for greater freedom in routing allowing for smaller bend radii in some installations. Their typical applications include vent air controls and mechanical starters in aircraft. This article today will address these two cables in detail.

Mechanical Control Cables
The basic design of mechanical control cables features a moveable core, either a solid-wire or a wire-rope cable that's free to travel axially inside an outer casing or conduit. Actuation of a lever at one end of the cable assembly will produce an output force and motion at the other end. The mechanical cable is designed under two criteria, Push-Pull or Pull-Pull cables. Mechanical control cables are widely utilized in furniture, vehicles, lawn mowers, and medical devices, as well as seats in cars and planes, which have a great impact on our every day life.

Push-Pull Cables and Pull-Pull Cables Overview
Push-Pull cables are called because of the use of actuation force in both the push and the pull modes. Solid core inners or solid core cables (stiffer cable) would best suit this application however the bend radius would be larger. Push-Pull cables have a greater capacity in the tension (Pull) mode than in the compression (Push) mode. Reducing the push load minimizes a core's tendency to displace the conduit and, reduces the potential for the unsupported core outside the conduit to kink, bend, or distort. The following image shows a LCUPC-HD Duplex Singlemode Pull Tab Fiber Patch Cable.

While Pull-Pull cables in most cases are more flexible and are used in the tension (Pull) mode. The design has an integral return spring maintaining the load on the cable returning it to the standby position. This spring allows the use of flexible cables allowing tighter radius. Maximum working loads should be minimum breaking load of the core plus a built in safety factor.

The Operation of Mechanical Control Cables
The function of the mechanical control cables being controlled and the routing of the cable need to be analysed. All the external variables such as load, friction, routing, stretch, length, bends, temperature, environment and contaminants, need to be addressed. Every one of the aforementioned could affect the operation of the cable. As noted above, mechanical control cable is composed of three main components, that is filaments, strands and the core. The filaments are wound together into strands, and in turn these strands are wrapped around the core, making a stable and efficient rope. These systems work by compression moving the cable in one direction while tension is able to pull it in the opposite direction. In this way the mechanical motion is possible.

For example, Push pull cable assemblies are used to provide the mechanical motion in various systems performing a dual function that are subject to “lost Motion” between the input and the output ends when operating the cable. This loss is caused from a combination of backlash and deflection. This tolerance is evident in every cable made. Backlash is directly proportional to the total degrees of the bends in the installed cable, the clearance between the outer diameter of the core cable and the internal diameter of the conduit or casing. This will reduce the lost motion and any bending or damage to the exposed cable. The issue with many assemblies is that they are what is referred to as pull pull assemblies, and are only able to go in one direction, while these models offer multidirectional motion.

Summary
Mechanical control cables provide a simple, lightweight, economical, and reliable way to actuate throttles, latches and a thousand other mechanisms. Push-Pull cables would be recommended for light and medium duty applications with a maximum travel (recommended) of 200mm. While Pull-Pull control cables permit the use of most standard fittings allowing for a very wide range of mounting and retaining options. Fiberstore supplies a variety of push-pull cables terminated with LC or MPO connectors like Push-Pull LC patch cable and Push-Pull MPO patch cord. For more detailed information, please send your inquiry to us.

Reference:
http://www.drallim.com/drallim-share/pdf/DCB0010_Cable_brochure.pdf?pdf=DCB0010_Cable_brochure.pdf

Things You Won’t Miss About Juniper QSFP+ Options

In 2010, the IEEE ratified the 802.3ba standard for 40/100GbE. Similar to how transportation highways are scaled to support increased traffic with multiple lanes, the 40GbE standards use parallel optics, or multiple lanes of fiber transmitting at the same speed. This cost effective 40GbE solutions are a key enabler for delivering support for higher bandwidth flows, lower latency and deterministic load sharing, which promote 40G QSFP+ taking off in 2013. 40G QSFP+ modules have gained much popularity among users. This article will provide some detailed information about QSFP+ modules, especially Juniper QSFP options.

At a Glance of the Juniper QSFP Options
Juniper 40G QSFP+ options are introduced in 5 different flavors:

• The Juniper JNP-QSFP-40G-LX4 module for SMF/MMF links in 2km/150m, respectively.
• The Juniper QFX-QSFP-40G-SR4 module for MMF links for a distance of 150m.
• The Juniper JNP-QSFP-40G-LR4 modules for SMF for a distance of 10km.
• The Juniper 40G QSFP+ to 4 10G SFP+ direct-attach copper breakout cables in lengths of 1 and 3m.
• The Juniper QSFP+ to QSFP+ direct attach copper cables enable a very short length of 1, 3 and 5m.

40G Ethernet: Highest Density in Data Center
40G QSFP+ pluggable transceiver modules are high-density interfaces addressing deployment of high-performance computing in data center clouds. A variety of short-reach copper and longer reach fiber options are made available to enable connectivity between server access, top-of-rack, and end-of-row switches. Juniper 40G QSFP+ modules and QSFP+ copper cables are of no exception.

Juniper 40G QSFP+ Module Overview
The 40G QSFP+ module is a compact, hot-pluggable transceiver used for data communications applications. It supports Serial Attached SCSI, 40G Ethernet, QDR (40G) and FDR (56G) Infiniband and other communications standards. Compared with SFP+ modules, QSFP+ transceiver increases the port-density of 3-4 times. Juniper QSFP+ transceivers offer a very cost-effective way to establish a 40-gigabit link between switches within racks and across adjacent racks. Take JNP-QSFP-40G-LX4 (see in Figure 1)  as an example, it is compatible Juniper 40GBASE-LX4 QSFP+ Transceiver. This pluggable QSFP module can reach 2km over single-mode fiber, 100m over OM3, and 150m over OM4 multi-mode fiber.

Main Features of Juniper 40G QSFP+ Modules

• Support for 40GBASE Ethernet
• Hot-swappable input/output device that plugs into a 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ Juniper switch port
• Flexibility of interface choice
• Interoperable with other IEEE-compliant 40GBASE interfaces available in various form factors
• Support for "pay-as-you-populate" model
• Support for the Cisco quality identification (ID) feature which enables a Juniper switch to identify whether the module is certified and tested.

Take a Look at Juniper QSFP+ Copper Cables
QSFP+ copper cables were developed for high-density applications, offering a cost-effective, and low-power option for high speed data center interconnects up to 10 meters. 40GbE passive copper cables provide robust connections for leading edge 40G systems and have extremely low power consumption which improves data center power consumption and thermal efficiency which are ideal for 40G LAN, HPC and SAN applications. QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cable and QSFP+ to 4SFP+ passive breakout copper cable are the two common types of QSFP+ cables. Fiberstore provides compatible Juniper direct-attach cables in lengths of 0.5, 1 and 3 meters: EX-QSFP-40GE-DAC-50CM, QFX-QSFP-DAC-1M and QFX-QSFP-DAC-3M. For example, EX-QSFP-40GE-DAC-50CM(see in Figure 2) is compatible Juniper QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cable that is suitable for very short distances of 0.5m and offer a very cost-effective way to establish a 40-gigabit link between QSFP ports of Juniper switches.

Summary
Juniper 40G QSFP modules offers best optical solution for those who want to migrate from 10G to 40G in data center networking. Fiberstore is in the business of network innovation. We offer a large variety of compatible Juniper 40G QSFP options. With Fiberstore compatible 40G products, upgrading to 40 and 100GbE seems to be a simple and painless process. For more detailed information about compatible Juniper products, please contact us freely.

ZTE announces record 2015 revenues on LTE and optical networks

Chinese networking vendor ZTE maintained its strong profit growth in 2015, but this time it was fuelled by a healthy jump in revenues as much as cutting overheads.

In its guidance for full-year 2015 ZTE said it expects revenue to top RMB 100 billion, with improved sales of LTE and optical networks driving the growth as well as smart city, enterprise ICT solutions and routers.

This will mark a 24% increase in revenues from 2014, which saw ZTE almost double its profits in spite of modest revenue growth thanks to a fairly extensive streamlining exercise. 2015 profits didn’t increase by such a large ratio this time but by a similar number in absolute terms – jumping by 44% to RMB 3.78 billion.

ZTE recorded higher sales of 4G long-term evolution (LTE) network solutions internationally, in addition to China,” said the ZTE announcement. “The company also posted increased sales of optical network solutions as the demand for broadband networks strengthens.

The growth in annual revenue was also driven by increased sales of high-end routers in overseas markets, while ZTE posted higher revenue from sales of enterprise information and communications technology (ICT) solutions including smart city and data centre solutions to companies and government departments. In addition, ZTE also boosted sales of 4G smartphones outside China, as well as terminal products for homes.

Mellanox Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus (QSFP+) Interconnect Solutions

From 3Mbps to the IEEE 802.3ba standard now supporting 40/100G speed, telecommunication field has gone through a huge migration. Let us ignore what has happened in this process, and take a look at the sudden emergence of 40G network, which has far-reaching significance to the user. From the equipment point of view, high-density 40GbE core switch board is the general trend, especially in the field of data center switches. 40G products have currently been mass produced. Many major vendors like Cisco, HP, Juniper and Mellanox have released a large variety of 40G devices including 40G transceiver and 40G cables. Of which Mellanox QSFP+ will be introduced in this article in detail.

Mellanox QSFP+
The Mellanox QSFP+ are part of the end-to-end solution that Mellanox offers, allowing you to create the optimal system using the Mellanox Silicon IC device and building the best planned data centers with Mellanox Cables and Modules and Mellanox systems and Adapters. The QSFP interfaces networking hardware to a fiber optic cable or active or passive electrical copper connection, allowing data rates from 4×10 Gbit/s. In addition to meeting or exceeding InfiniBand Trade Association (IBTA) and IEEE standards, Mellanox certified modules are well tested on Mellanox equipment to ensure optimal signal integrity and the best end-to-end performance. The following part will describe three types of Mellanox QSFP+ modules.

• Mellanox QSFP SR4 module uses MTP/MPO connector type to connect an OM3/OM4 fiber cable.
• Mellanox QSFP SR4E module uses MPO connector type to connect OM3 and OM4 fiber cables.
• Mellanox QSFP LR4 module uses LC-LC connector type to connect a fiber cable.

MC2210411-SR4
MC2210411-SR4 (see in Figure 1) is Compatible Mellanox 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver over multi-mode fiber (OM3/OM4) with monitoring (DDM/DOM). It can support up to 100 m operating at 850 nm. It is the standard MSA multi-mode transceiver for 10Gigabit Ethernet and 40Gigabit Ethernet with MPO connector.

MC2210511-LR4
This 40 Gigabit LR4 QSFP+ transceiver (see in Figure 2) is compatible to Mellanox MC2210511-LR4. It operates on single-mode fiber with a link length of up to 10km with monitoring (DDM/DOM), which is standard MSA single-mode transceiver for 10Gigabit Ethernet and 40Gigabit Ethernet with LC connector.

QSFP+ transceivers are designed to carry Serial Attached SCSI, 40G Ethernet, QDR (40G) and FDR (56G) Infiniband, and other communications standards. QSFP modules increase the port-density by 3x-4x compared to SFP+ modules. Mellanox’s QSFP+ optical transceiver is designed to provide outstanding performance in high bandwidth applications such as FDR InfiniBand and Ethernet, at speeds up to 56Gb/s and reaches up to 30 meters. Each of Mellanox’s 56Gb/s QSFP modules contain four fiber optic transceivers, each operating at data rates of up to 14.0625Gb/s. Rigorous production testing ensures the best out-of-the-box installation experience, performance and durability.

Why Choose Compatible Mellanox QSFP+?
In Fiberstore, innovation never stops. And in order to ensure the compatibility and interoperability of each optics from Fiberstore, a test center has been built with professionally trained staff, advanced test facilities and comprehensive original-brand switches. Our mature, field-proven products enable users to benefit from a far more scalable, lower latency, and virtualized fabric with lower overall fabric costs and power consumption, greater efficiencies, and simplified management providing the best return-oninvestment.

Summary
40G products will become the dominant devices of telecom field in the near future. With Fiberstore you have discovered the most trusted source for purchasing new and refurbished equipment. We are committed to provide wide compatible, cost-effective solutions to users. All equipment including Compatible Mellanox QSFP+ modules is guaranteed quality, ready to deploy and backed by warranty. For more detailed information, please contact us directly.

Difference Between Passive and Active Twinax Cable Assembly

Optical fiber cabling had gone through rapid development over recent years and maintained its leading role in telecom field. While twinax cable still remained a good way to access the networking industry trends over the last three decades and presented the highest longevity among all media. Twinax cable (see in following Figure) is a type of cable similar to coaxial cable that has two inner conductors instead of one. And owing to its cost efficiency, it is commonly used in short-range high-speed differential signaling applications. Currently there is a twinax cable which comes in either passive or active copper cable. So what is the difference between them? Today’s passage will provide a satisfying solution to you.

Describing Passive and Active Twinax Cable
A passive twinax cable carries a signal over short lengths (5m or under) of copper with no additional components to boost signal. While an active copper cable contains electrical components in the connectors that boost signal levels. This makes active copper cables a little more expensive than passive copper cables; however, they can connect the Converged Network Adapter (CNA) to a top-of-the-rack switch over longer distances than passive copper cables.

Why Implement Active Over Passive and Vice Versa?
Length and signal strength are always two important factors you should look into when requiring a cable for an application. Typically, we can see passive twinax cables being used between the server and the Top of Rack (ToR) switch. The upside in this configuration is that the passive twinax cabling connection is much cheaper than the cost of an optical link. The downside is that you are limited in distance and there’s also some cable interoperability issue you’ll need to deal with. Passive twinax cables are rated for ranges up to 5m and provide a good working solutions at a great cost.

When the distance between connection points exceeds 5m, it is highly recommended to use active cables to ensure signal is transferred all the way through. The downside is that they are more expensive and use more power. The upside is that you don't have to worry about distance (up to 300 meters) and, perhaps more importantly, you don't have to worry about which vendor’s cable you use and the signal is improved and gives peace of mind by creating a trustworthy connection. In regards to active versus passive twinax cables, it depends on what you are connecting together.

QSFP+ Copper Cables—A Cost-effective Application of Twinax Cable
QSFP+ direct attach copper cable assemblies offer a highly cost-effective way to establish a 40 Gigabit link between QSFP+ ports of QSFP+ switches within racks and across adjacent racks. QSFP+ Copper Cable is an extension of the established interface system SFP+ that is mainly used in short distance. 40G QSFP+ to 4SFP+ copper breakout cable and QSFP to QSFP copper direct attach cable are the two common types of 40G QSFP+ Copper cables.

QSFP to 4SFP+ copper breakout cables are suitable for very short distances and offer a very cost-effective way to connect within racks and across adjacent racks. Take QSFP-4SFP10G-CU1M as an example, this breakout cable connects a 40G QSFP port and four 10G SFP+ ports of Cisco switches and operates at a link length of 1m. While a QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cable consists of a cable assembly that connects directly into two QSFP+ modules, one at each end of the cable. This cable use integrated duplex serial data links for bidirectional communication and is designed for data rates up to 40Gbps. There are various QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cables branded by famous brands, like Cisco, HP, Juniper, Brocade, etc. The following picture shows a Cisco QSFP-H40G-CU3M Compatible QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cable.

Summary
There isn't a truly visual way to tell the difference between active and passive twinax cables. Therefore when you are requiring a twinax cables, please follow the instructions that I have listed above or you should ask your vendors for expertise suggestion. Fiberstore offers a large variety of SFP+ Twinax cables and QSFP+ cables that are well tested and compatible with major brand. If you have any inquiry of our products, please feel free to contact us.

Copper Cabling for 40G Data Center

A heated debate over whether fiber will take place of copper in the near future has caught people’s attention lately. Five to seven years ago, fiber was considerably more expensive than copper and, as such, was used sparingly. As fiber price has dropped dramatically and our bandwidth needs have grown, data centers have started to use more fibers all the way to their infrastructure. Under this circumstance, people wonder that copper cabling may soon be out of the stage of telecom industry. But the truth is that there is a still a place for copper cabling in the data center, even in 40G data center.

Deploying Copper Cabling in 40G Data Center
The biggest market for 40G Ethernet (40GbE) is in data center for interconnection links with servers and storage area networks. There are lots of 40GbE devices that can be used in 40G data centers. 40G direct attach copper cable (DAC), especially passive copper cables (PCC) is one of those devices that can support 40GbE networking. PCC is the preferred alternative for short-reaches in the data center and as such, that won’t necessarily change as speeds increase. Copper cable assemblies are significantly more affordable than fiber, and many twinaxial cables available on the market today can support 40G for reaches of seven meters or less.

40G QSFP+ Passive Copper Cable
QSFP+ (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable Plus) copper cable assemblies were developed for high-density applications, offering a cost-effective, and low-power option for high speed data center interconnects up to 10 meters. 40GbE passive copper cables provide robust connections for leading edge 40G systems and have extremely low power consumption which improves data center power consumption and thermal efficiency which are ideal for 40G LAN, HPC and SAN applications. QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cable and QSFP+ to 4SFP+ passive breakout copper cable are the two common types of QSFP+ cables that will be introduced in the following picture. Let’s take QSFP-H40G-CU1M as an example, it is compatible Cisco QSFP+ to QSFP+ passive copper cable that is suitable for very short distances of 1m and offer a very cost-effective way to establish a 40-gigabit link between QSFP ports of Cisco switches.

Copper Cabling in 40G Data Center—Pros and Cons
One important thing to note is why the feasibility of using twisted-pair-copper cabling (with RJ-45 connectors) to support 40G Ethernet is so critical to the overall market. RJ-45 connector is with no double one of the most common connector types used in data networks. As the market continues to grow from 1G to 10G, the backward compatibility of this technology will continue to be of extreme importance as work continues towards 40G. This will allow data center operators to evolve their networks based on changing requirements and do so with the least amount of disruption and cost to their networks. In addition, twisted-pair-copper cabling has proven to be an extremely cost-effective solution and designers, installers, and customers have a lot of experience and confidence in copper-based networks. While the eventual deployment of 40G-based copper solutions is still a few years out, this technology will allow organizations to think about how they are deploying copper based solutions today with an eye to the future. Doing so correctly will help ensure infrastructure costs are well managed from both a product and support standpoint.

The problem of standard twinaxial cables is not their performance as much as their tendency to be stiff and bulky, thus consuming precious rack space and blocking critical airflow. The current copper solution for 40G Ethernet limits the architectures one can deploy. 40G Ethernet QSFP+ DAC cable assemblies have a reach of 5 to 7 meters. Thus QSFP+ DAC cable (or QSFP+ breakout cable) assemblies cannot be used for most end-of-row (EoR) implementations or other architectures. What’s worse, DAC cable assemblies are a point-to-point solution and therefore cannot support a structured cabling design. Designers must be careful not to bend the cables too much because the cable’s shielding and overwrap materials can distort the precise cable geometry needed to maintain impedance control, which can degrade signal performance. Moreover, the wrapped shield, with repeated breaks in the shield along the cable length, can produce an unwanted resonance effect, evident at certain frequencies.

Summary
Will copper be completely replaced by fiber in the near future? The answer is yes or no, we have no clue. But one thing is for sure that copper cabling continues to strive to achieve the quality and speeds that fiber can handily provides, while fiber will develop itself to be more competitive among designers. It is the good news for subscribers. Fiberstore is committed to provide first-class services and high quality products for users. If you have any question about today’s topic, please leave your messages to us.

Ford plans commuter app, Ford car not required

SAN FRANCISCO – Ford is making a big push to get intimately involved with the daily mobility needs of all motorists, regardless of whether they own a Ford automobile.

In April, the automaker will launch a smartphone app called FordPass that helps users with parking and other services, provides live assistants via chat or voice, and offers reward-based programs with partner companies. Although FordPass can be used by anyone, it offers the most benefits to Ford vehicle owners.

Ford also will roll out four new FordHubs that, much like interactive kiosks at events such as the North American International Motor Show, opening Monday in Detroit, are designed to showcase the company’s various Ford Smart Mobility initiatives. They won't be points of sale.

“We don’t just want to be in the vehicle business, we want to be in the connected relationship business,” Ford CEO Mark Fields told USA TODAY. “Anyone can make an app. This is more than that. It’s about a platform that has a digital as well as physical presence in the lives of anyone who uses transportation.”

FordPass is a bold and logical step from Fields. Since taking the reins in 2014, he's been maneuvering his company to to source new revenue streams in a transportation future powered by Millennials who typically see more value in car sharing than ownership. Fields has been particularly aggressive in pushing forward into autonomous cars — fleets of which may form the next great urban transportation network — and driver-assist systems, both of which he discussed at last week's auto-tech-filled 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Ford executives say that the 18-month project leveraged deep dives into a range of digital branding successes including Amazon’s Mayday button (which summons a live consultant to a Kindle Fire screen), Burberry’s in-store digital runaway experiences (bringing apparel to life for shoppers) and Nespresso’s customer-centric strategy (which includes a mix of retail outlets and phone consultants).

When FordPass launches, users can book and pay for off-street parking in advance. Partner companies will include ParkWhiz and Parkopedia. Using the app, another partner, FlightCar, offers the opportunity to rent out your vehicle for pay while you’re away on a trip. FordPass will be available first in the U.S. and Canada, followed by specific European markets as well as China and Brazil.

Tapping into even the smallest percentage of mobility-related transactions of commuters would result in significant sales. Similarly, FordPass app fans who might be in the market for a vehicle could translate to new customers.

Fields says FordPass may well be used by people “who may never buy a Ford, but we still want to be part of making their lives easier.”

Also part of the FordPass roll out is a user loyalty program with two initial partners, McDonald’s and 7-Eleven. While details are still coming into focus, the idea is that FordPass users who shop at those businesses can accrue points while in turn the retailers can offer shopping incentives to users through the app. At launch, the partnership roster seems thin. But Fields says the company is carefully evaluating who to sync up to FordPass. . "There has to be a meeting of minds," he said.

Not surprisingly, the full suite of FordPass options are available only to Ford car owners, specifically those with vehicles equipped with Sync Connect infotainment systems. The FordPass app will provide access to features such as remote start, lock and unlock, vehicle location assistance, updates on fluid levels, and the opportunity to schedule dealership appointments.