Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fiber-optic links may also use patch panels and patch cords in the wiring closet. The
very nature of fiber-optic interconnection makes almost every fiber connection an
optical patch, because the light path must be preserved. Optical cables from work-
stations or from other wiring closets typically terminate in termination boxes that
allow excess fiber to be protected from accidental damage. The termination boxes
may serve as the patch point for a small number of connections, but larger installa-
tions will have a separate patching location that serves all of the incoming and out-
going fiber cables.
Optical patch panels that are designed for TIA-568-C compatibility may use
the very same passive duplex SC adapter that may be used at the work area outlet.
Alternatively, any of the SFF connectors described in Chapters 7 and 12 may be
used. An example of a typical fiber-optic patch panel is shown in Fig. 8.10. The
fibers of optical cables are terminated directly into fiber connectors instead of pass-
ing through some intermediate device, such as the connecting block used with cop-
per wiring. The fiber terminations and connector types are described in detail in
Chapters 7 and 8. We will concentrate on the physical arrangement of the patch
panels and the characteristics of fiber patch cords in this section.
A fiber-optic patch panel consists of an array of duplex SC adapters, hybrid
adapters, or SFF jacks. If the entire installation, including the fiber-optic hubs,
repeaters, or network adapters, uses the same type of fiber connector, then the array
can be made up of compatible adapters or jacks. However, it may be necessary to
convert fiber connections between other connector types. There are hundreds of
types of LAN equipment with fiber-optic interfaces that use one of the other con-
nector types. For the foreseeable future, there will be a need to provide a conversion
FIGURE 8.10
SC fiber-optic patch panel module. (Courtesy The Siemon Company.)
