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Can you remember a time before WiFi, the Internet, mobile phones and when computers would just about fit in your car (if you had a car), let alone your pocket?

Anthony Clarkson of ProLabs can, and he would like to take you back… back in time….

It all started in the early 1980s for me. I recall playing ‘Pong’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong) or more likely a cheap knock off on the TV but it was the arrival in our home of a Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K (affectionately known as a Speccy or Rubber Keys) that started a journey into computing for me. The Spectrum had, as the name suggests, 48 kilobytes of memory at its disposal. It was setup (with convenient shortcuts printed on the keys) for programming in BASIC – who can recall simple programmes such as:

10 PRINT “Hello World”

20 GOTO 10

You could also load games like Manic Miner and Horace Goes Skiing into the computer’s whopping 48K memory from an audio cassette tape. Eventually with add-ons (Kempston Joystick Adapter - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kempston_Interface) you could play proper arcade games like Commando. One thing to note about data transfer in the early 80s was that the programmes were loaded into the memory by playing a cassette tape into the machine using audio signals. It could take minutes to load a simple game in to the machine. Transferring data to a friend, involved packing up the tape and walking to their house with it.

Fast-forward to the late 1980s and it was all about BBC Micro & Master at school. I remember staying late after school for Computer Club just to play Stock Car Racer and Chuckie Egg which I had on a 5 ¼ inch floppy disk, which could hold 360kB of data. At home we had, courtesy of a pools (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_pools) win, an Amiga A600 which took 3 ½ inch disks and we upgraded to have an external 20MB hard drive, so that we could load multiple disk games and no disk changing was required.

And then, in the 1990s came the IBM PC compatible running DOS and later Windows. Ours was made by Olivetti came with a 80486 processor running at 25MHz with a gigantic 120MB hard drive. It was bought on the never-never through Radio Rentals for the princely sum of £1000. With these PCs came expansion options like 8-bit sound cards, CD-ROM readers and most excitingly a dial-up modem which meant that we could connect to something called a BBS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system). At the time this was ground-breaking stuff to a teenager but in reality it was a text based system where you could read something called the Jolly Roger’s Anarchist’s Cookbook (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anarchist_Cookbook).

Dial-up internet - at 2400 baud (9600 bits per second using QAM) – only worked if you had a long phone cable running to your computer and no-one was making a phone call at the same time. Throughout the 1990s technology improved and speeds increased through 14.4 and 33.3kbps to an eventually whopping 56kbps. I remember at the time dreaming of one day being able to afford a 128kbps ISDN BRI line. (I was later reliably informed that ISDN stands for It Still Does Nothing!)

University introduced me to Local Area Networks (LAN) running on 10Mbps Ethernet, but then it was back home to the reality of 56k dial-up until something called broadband arrived. Promising 256kbps and quickly 512kbps (or 10x the speed of dial-up in marketing speak!) it was the game-changer of home internet because:

1. It was always on
2. You could use the phone at the same time

Remembering that 1999 was the year that mobile adoption really started in the UK and that most voice calls we to/from landlines (a new term since they were previously the only phones). Broadband meant that you could now transfer data to your friends without getting up from your seat.

Technology moved very quickly and Local Loop Unbundling (basically BT opening up their copper wires to other providers) drove prices down and speeds up. ADSL2 brought 2Mbps and then 8Mbps and then ADSL2+ offered up to 24Mbps!

Now we have ‘superfast’ VDSL2 with speeds approaching 100Mbps and cable offering over 300Mbps connections to our homes. There are Fibre to The Home providers offering residential users speeds of 1Gbps+ - a far cry from the days of 9600bps.

So, what does all this mean? Well, we are now used to always on, all the time, fast internet everywhere we go. My current mobile phone has way more computing power than a relatively recent modest PC and with 4G mobile networks the connection speed is around 20Mbps. My 6 & 7 year old children have tablets, laptops and smart TV and understand the concept of wifi and complain when there is no internet. A bit different to a monochrome tennis game…

​

Save to your favourites or ask Alexa for part 2 in this series where we will look to the future of where the internet and computing is going next..

Top-of-Rack

Top-of-Rack (ToR) data center designs are credited for simplifying data center deployments. Reduced cabling costs and easy integration of modular rack-and-stack cabinets are key drivers for the adoption of ToR data center designs. ToR “direct connects” network elements within a rack to a 1U or 2U switch installed at the top of the rack. ToR typically uses lower-cost copper Direct Attached Cables (DACs) to offer cost effective in-cabinet cabling in comparison to designs that run bundles of cables from one cabinet to the next.

Direct connects

Direct connecting switches, servers and other appliances pose the challenge of interoperability. Interoperability in a ToR environment refers directly to the compatibility of DAC cables connecting devices from different OEMs. Top of Row deployments that mix switches servers, load balancers, or storage appliances from multiple OEMs must address the challenge of interoperability.

Compatibility across OEM vendors

Many OEM switches and servers require proprietary cables to ensure compatibility. When plugging an OEM (let’s call this OEM “C”) DAC into a switch, the user expects a plug and play experience, that the switch will see the cable and not present any alarms. No additional work around commands or special action should be taken.

However, if the user were to take the other end of the cable and plug it into a server from OEM “H,” the server may not see the cable or may present messages or errors that may be picked up by network monitoring tools. Dominant OEM network equipment vendors are in the business to sell their exclusive ecosystem. They do not offer a solution to ensure interoperability across multiple OEM hardware elements in a direct connect scenario.

Multi-vendor connections

Luckily third-party solutions are available to solve this interoperability challenge. DACs and AOCs can be programmed in the factory for compatibility to each OEM, additionally, each end can be programmed for a different OEM.

The hybrid or multi-code DAC solution offers assurance that multi-vendor connections are plug and play.

Even 40G/100G breakout connections for multiple OEMs can be supported by hybrid cables coded for multiple OEMs. Each end on these breakout cables can be programmed for a different OEM if the application warrants!

Third party suppliers have experience in programming pluggable cables and transceivers to work seamlessly with OEM switches and servers. Third party pluggable DAC cables programmed for multiple suppliers give data center operators a robust set of tools to ensure interoperability in Top-of-Rack environments.

Raymond Hagen, Global Product Line Manager

If you have followed ProLabs social media feeds over the past year, you know that we’ve been present at many service provider conferences around the world. We’ve attended and contributed to SCTE Cable-Tec EXPO, NGON, FTTH Connect, and FTTH Europe to name a few. We’ve witnessed first hand that the fiber optic world is in the midst of exciting times.

Wireline, Telco, Multiple System Operators, and Wireless service provider networks are each touting next-generation technology rollouts, with great promise to deliver next-generation services. MSOs/CATV providers are rolling out Distributed Access Architectures, pushing digital optics closer to the subscriber. Telco/Wireline providers are looking at next-generation PON as the next step in their network evolution. Meanwhile 5G wireless is hovering over the entire industry as the catalyst for a broader network convergence. In 2018, the promise of widespread deployments and subsequent convergence of any one of these technologies may look more like hype than promise. But the question will persist if your network is ready for the hype?

Distributed Access Architectures (DAA) – ProLabs has led the conversation about the demands deploying SFP-type transceivers deeper into the network to support DAA’s such as RemotePHY, RemoteMAC and digital return path. The most recent trends in this space point towards 10G DWDM SFP+ transceivers deployed in traditional CATV nodes and in outside plant cabinets to support RemotePHY and RemoteMAC. New OEM RemotePHY nodes are requiring these 10G transceivers to be rated for industrial temperatures or even more extreme over 90°C!

Next-Generation PON Architecture

Next-Generation PON – Unlike the upgrade from BPON to GPON, the migration from GPON or EPON to 10G variants will not be a forklift upgrade. Rather, these technologies can coexist on the same network with current next-generation PON variants (XG-PON, XGS-PON, 10GEPON), the near-future generation NG-PON2, and even point-to-point Ethernet services!

Through the use of passive WDM networking, service providers have the tools to leverage existing fiber and PON infrastructure for multiple service offerings, including residential, commercial, and wireless backhaul. Among the many challenges faces by service providers will be finding the right passive elements for their network. Each service provider has unique needs and next-generation PON will be little more than a reference architecture.

5G wireless is the driver for not only network convergence, but the deployment of DAA and next-gen PON. 5G wireless promises data rates up to 10x current LTE services. 5G will rely upon fiber-fed small cells located closer to the subscriber. Much like next-generation PON, 5G will coexist with LTE wireless and existing broadband services. Like DAA, the economics of deploying 5G will deploy digital SFP-type transceiver deeper in the network. DAA and next-gen PON networks are ideal for providing the fiber access and data rates required for 5G fronthaul and backhaul.

Technology cycles are a large reason why we find this industry exciting! Yet the promise of new technologies always come with the caveat of hype. In reality, we are one, two, maybe three years away from large scale RemotePHY, NGPON2 or 5G wireless deployments. With that said, it is not too early ask if you are ready for the hype.

Raymond Hagen

Americas Product Manager

The sheer volume of data being transmitted, processed, and stored is leading to the inevitable migration to 100G. Data centers and enterprise networks have the critical task to effectively migrate existing infrastructures to higher network speeds.

With network upgrades and high-density installations come cost and space challenges. The QSFP28 Compatible Optical Transceiver is a low-power, high-density device used to reduce 100G deployment costs and complexities. The smaller form factor saves space and reduces networking equipment costs, allowing organizations to optimize their existing fiber cable infrastructure.

Selecting the correct QSFP28 transceiver can be as easy as evaluating the existing fiber cabling and application. Here’s a Quick Selection Guide to help you configure your fiber connection applications to the correct 100G transceiver type.

For example,

• If your fiber connection is Multi-mode 12F MPO and you’re running the connection over OM3 Multi-mode Fibers, then you would use a QSFP28-SR4 Transceiver.
• If your fiber connection is Single-mode Duplex LC under 2km, then you would use a QSFP28-CWDM4 Transceiver, and so on…

ProLabs offers a complete portfolio of 100G Compatible Optical Transceivers, including CFP, CFP2, CFP4, and QSFP28 transceiver options, including extending distances with 100G Long Reach in an efficient QSFP28 package and a green solution which consumers 30% less power. Contact us to learn more about how our solutions can help you simplify and optimize your migration to 100G.

Ray Hagen

Americas Product Manager

Anyone who has been stuck in congested traffic has felt the pain of too many cars condensed into a finite number of lanes. Adding more lanes to highways can alleviate traffic congestion and ease bottlenecks, but it comes with a hefty price in terms of both dollars spent and commuter headaches. Luckily, solving your network bottlenecks doesn’t need to be this difficult.

Transceiver-based solutions can ‘add more lanes’ to your network while avoiding the cost of expensive switch and network upgrades. Single-Fiber Bidirectional, CWDM, and DWDM transceivers are all compatible with existing network switches and, when used with passive networking, they truly can fix your network bottlenecks – without the headaches.

Single-Fiber Bidirectional Transceivers (commonly known as BiDis') are the most simple and cost-effective solution. BiDis essentially add another lane of capacity onto an existing single-mode fiber pair. BiDi's send and receive signals over one single fiber strand as opposed to using both fibers of a traditional transceiver pair. This solution provides welcome relief in all network segments, particularly lending itself well to providing relief in campus environments and access networks.

Traditional Transceiver Alignment

Single Fiber BiDirectional Alignment

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) offers cost-effective scalability in maximizing existing fiber infrastructure. WDM uses passive multiplexers and transceivers to quickly scale the capacity of existing optical fiber infrastructure. WDM technology segments the fiber cable by transmitting the data on different wavelengths for each connection.

WDM comes in two kinds: CWDM and DWDM. Standard Course Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) is the most cost-effect technology, offering 18 connections over a fiber pair (that is 18 lanes in each direction). New single-fiber, single wavelength CWDM transceivers work with existing fiber and WDM infrastructure to push CWDM’s density up to 18 connections over a single fiber! Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) are ideal for longer distances and raise the bar for fiber density. With DWDM, transceivers and passive multiplexers can push over 80 connections on a fiber pair.

Comparing Technologies

Raymond Hagen

Americas Product Manager

Contact our global sales team for further information

info@prolabs.com

Whilst there is a lot of fibre in the ground, much of it is in use and any spare unused fibre (also known as Dark Fibre) can be expensive to rent. For owner/operators, maximising the use of fibre is key to make the most of this ‘sunk asset.

Following on from my ramblings about WDM (Getting More Out of Your Fibres, a Guide for Musicians) I’d like to introduce you to an extension concept for High Density CDWM or HD CWDM. Before we get right into it, let’s first look at the concept of bi-direction transmission over fibre, or bi-di for short.

Generally, fibre connections use 2 fibres – one for transmitting (Tx) and one for receiving (Rx) data:

Both transmit and receive use the same single wavelength e.g. 850, 1310, 1550nm which are the typical ‘colours’ used for multimode and singlemode transmission over fibre. These are also known as ‘grey’ optics as they are not coloured.

With bi-di, we use 2 different colours to transmit and receive on the same single fibre core:

Typically we use 1490/1310nm or 1550/1310nm. In the former case this means that at end A we transmit at 1490 and receive at 1310, whilst at the other end, end B, we transmit at 1310 and receive at 1490. You have to be careful to provision transceivers in pairs so this works correctly – it’s a bit like using a crossover cable.

So now if you combine the concepts of bi-di and CWDM, you can optimise CWDM for transmission over a single fibre, by using slightly offset colours for transmit and receive. This way you can transmit and receive on all standard 18 CWDM wavelengths on the same single fibre. We call this High-Density CWDM (HD CWDM)

This gives two advantages:

• Using a standard fibre-pair, you can now double the capacity of CWDM from 18 to 36 lines of simultaneous data.
• Where only a single fibre core is available, it is now possible to use multiple colours for parallel transmission.

Both of these mean that there is no longer the need to install additional fibres between endpoints which can be very costly.

Anthony Clarkson

Technologist

Contact ProLabs for more information about HD CWDM and other bi-di technologies.

info@prolabs.com

Direct Attach Cables (DAC) and Active Optical Cables (AOC) are the up and coming contenders, growing in usage in the data center and enterprise networks. DACs and AOCs are plug and play, allowing existing cabling resources to turn up new connections without calling out specialized fiber optic or network engineering resources. DACs and AOCs are simply standard length cable assemblies with factory terminated transceivers on each end.

​DACs and AOCs come in a variety of configurations to meet network requirements. Each is available in 10G (SFP+), 25G (SFP28), 40G (QSFP+), and 100G (QSFP28) data rates with additional options for breakouts from 40G to 4x10G or 100G to 4x25G variants.

Transceivers with structured cabling are still commonly used, offering the most flexibility in deployment, however at dramatically higher costs. The ability to custom tailor a transceiver and structured cabling solution to the application is only limited by the budget and time to deploy.

With that said, real-world applications are limited by both time and budget. Factors to consider when choosing network cabling options include:

• What is the Application? – Top of Rack, Middle of Row, End of row
• Media Availability - Do I have to run new cabling? Do I have patch cables on hand?
• Power Consumption – Is power consumption a consideration?
• Cable Management – How much space is available in rack and cable pathways for cabling?
• Distance – How long are the connections between ports?
• Budget – What is your budget for time and materials? What is your timeline?

Understanding the how DACs, AOCs or Structured Cabling address each of these needs will guide you towards the right cabling decision for your network. Here’s a quick reference guide to help you choose the best options based on your needs:

The ProLabs Promise

• Availability
• Interoperability
• Support
• Quality
• Warranty
• Value

Contact our global sales team for further information

info@prolabs.com

In addition to the above list, let’s not forget the Echo Dot in my car (which could also be counted as an additional smart device as it has it’s own SIM cards to connect to the internet for diagnostics, accident management and of course Google Maps).

To cater for all these devices I have cable internet providing 330Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream connectivity and it doesn’t end there. Companies like Ring and Nuki.io offer smart video doorbells and door locks, and my previous dream of the ultimate connected device – a connected fridge – is now a reality. Innovators like Google and Amazon are really invading our homes!

As I’ve mentioned cars, we are seeing a big increase in connected cars in the past few months with innovators like Tesla driving (no pun intended) this space. Driverless cars are already being tested on the open road.

In order to be able to connect more devices, wherever we are, we need a fast and always-on connection. In our homes and workplaces that means fibre (and by this I mean real fibre, not the ASA accepted definition of a hybrid fibre-copper rollout). Fibre to the Home or Fibre to the Premises (FTTH & FTTP) is already delivering speeds of 1Gbps, and with technologies like XGSPON and NGPON2 this will increase towards 10Gbps in the medium term (3-5 years) and beyond. Bidirectional fibre technologies and WDM will provide true 10Gbps speeds to businesses and in the longer term (5-10yrs+) we will see fixed access speeds of 100Gbps.

When we are ‘out and about’ we currently have 4G LTE speeds of 20-30Mbps. The fifth generation of mobile networks (5G) is coming and will bring speeds of up to 1Gbps to your phone/wireless devices. This will of course eventually increase to 10Gbps and beyond.

On the computing side, devices will get smaller and more powerful to the extent that everything will contain a chip and be connected. The technology is already there (look at Amazon physical stores) for retail/goods tracking. Expect to hear ‘smart’ in front of more things in the years to come – Smart Sofa, Smart Toothbrush, Smart Hairbrush.

I want to leave you with something to think about. In 1969 the most powerful computers in the world launched men into space and on to the moon. Today there is more computing power in your TV than there was onboard Apollo 11 and in the future there will be even more computing power than this in your sofa.

Maybe flying cars will be a reality sooner than we think. Where we are going, we don’t need roads…

OM3 and OM4 duplex multi-mode fiber is ubiquitous in data center and enterprise networks as the building blocks to support 10G Ethernet. Dual LC patch cables are easy for technicians to clean and install, making them the preferred connectivity option for many networks.

Networks migrating to 40G and 100G initially found that their upgrade costs went far beyond just the switch and transceivers. Short reach (SR4) 40G and 100G QSFP transceivers use parallel optics that accept MPO/MTP connectors. QSFP parallel optics transmit and receive over four fiber pairs. Each pair transmits and receives one 10G or 25G signal that is processed by the transceiver into a 40G or 100G Ethernet connection.

Many networks felt the financial sting of not only upgrading their switch environment, but also their structured cabling. Introducing MPO/MTP connections may also require new patch cables, patch panels, and even an increase in the number of network fibers.

The SWDM4 standard was developed to meet the market need to use existing multi-mode fiber cable infrastructure. SWDM4 transceivers deliver 40G and 100G connections in the same way a standard SFP+ transceiver connects, using duplex LC OM3 or OM4 cabling. SWDM4 differs from the 40G QSFP+ bi-directional (“BiDi”) deployed by a dominant OEM in that it is standards-based. Any SWDM4 from any manufacturer will be interoperable with one another. The 40G QSFP+ “BiDi” is a proprietary protocol that is not interoperable with other manufacturers or suppliers.

SWDM4 transceivers are a smart choice for data center and enterprise networks faced with potential cable upgrades. Contact us to learn more about how ProLabs SWDM4 QSFP28 transceivers can eliminate the need for costly cable upgrades.

Raymond Hagen

Product Manager Americas