White paper

The case for 24 fiber at 40 and 100Gb/s

24 fiber MPO systems deliver future proofing and high density for 10, 40 and
100Gb/s data center applications. More importantly, the lower cable volume
deployed can reduce containment costs, with better return on investment.

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As demand for bandwidth in the data center escalates exponentially, 24 fiber at 40 and 100Gb/s provides an
efficient and cost-effective interconnect solution.
When we start to look at moving data from one functional area of
a data center to another, between servers and SANs for example,
structured cabling has traditionally been used, either copper or fiber.
The use of such interconnects and cross-connects allows the facility
to deploy different types of protocols more flexibly, using a common
infrastructure.
The transport of data on copper cables, such as Cat 5e, 6 and 6a,
has used multiple twisted pairs at speeds of 18Gb/s and above, for
over a decade. This is done by creating multiple lanes of traffic within
a single copper cable, by using multiple pairs simultaneously and
combining the data at the transceiver to create a single data stream.
Fiber optics, to transport data, has traditionally used 1 or 2 fibers to
transmit and receive. Here, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)
has come into play for singlemode transmission, allowing different
wavelengths of light to be used for different data streams, which are
then multiplexed and demultiplexed. In the case of multimode fiber,
the transport has traditionally been achieved through the use of one
fiber to transmit and one to receive, creating a duplex circuit.
The reason copper and fiber (mostly multimode) have been used for
short-to-medium distance interconnects within a facility is their ability
to transport data economically at high speed – over 100 meters in
the case of copper and over distances of up to 300/550m in the
case of fiber. An additional benefit is that these ‘structured cabling’
interconnect and cross-connect systems allow for easy moves, add-
ons and system changes.
The balance between copper and fiber is, however, quickly shifting
to fiber. This is because implementing faster speeds over copper and
fiber greatly reduces their usable length, leaving fiber as the preferred
medium for transport up to 100m and beyond. As the usable length
of copper decreases to 30m, for a 40Gb/s interconnect, the obvious
choice for data center managers is to install fiber instead.
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The 40 & 100Gb/s buzz
So, how is transport over multimode fiber achieved for medium
distances within a data center? Most of the industry is focused on the
use of parallel optics, using multiple 10Gb/s circuits in aggregation.
There’s nothing new here; it’s what the industry has always done
with copper, but now over fiber! The real ‘buzz’ in the industry is
currently around the transition to 40 & 100Gb/s, but let’s remember
it’s not just a question of feeds and speeds. A key cost benefit for
the data center manager is that the installed fiber can be used for
other protocols, with or without parallel optics, designed to run on
multimode fiber.
While other transceivers are becoming commercially available, the
use of the VCSEL (vertical cavity surface-emitting laser) for parallel
optic protocols is relatively economical, despite the
need for multiple VCSELs in a single transceiver. Their use does,
however, create density issues and the coverage that can be
achieved, when compared with a duplex system. At 10Gb/s on
a duplex circuit, OM3 fiber could transport data up to 300m.
This distance is reduced by 2/3, to 100m, when we move to 40
& 100Gb/s on parallel optics. In effect, OM3 fiber becomes the
replacement for legacy 100m transport networks over copper. OM4
helps a bit by increasing this length to 150m, but this is a far cry from
the 550m it could achieve at 10Gb/s.
Consistent fiber infrastructure for the next three generations of
active equipment.
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Hello 24 fiber!
Simply put, traditional systems using 12 fibers have limitations
on the number of parallel optic circuits that can be deployed.
Typically, we see 12 fiber MPO connectors being used for 40 gigabit
Ethernet (GbE) in the data center. Here 4 fibers are used for transmission,
another 4 for signal reception, while the inner four fibers are left unused.
In terms of real-world deployment, what we find is that a 24 fiber
installation results in 50% less volume of cable, compared to a
12 fiber installation. As a result, containment costs are reduced.
In addition, with a 24 fiber installation 50% fewer connectors are
required, reducing installation time. There is 50% less administration
– and that means fewer errors!

At CommScope, we recommend the use of a 24 fiber MPO
connector. All 24 fibers are fully utilized, and three full 40 GbE
connections are enabled.
When it comes to 100 GbE, a 24 fiber MPO connector allows 20
fibers to handle signal transmission and reception, at 10 Gb/s on
each fiber. Four fibers remain unused.
The industry now has an immediate opportunity to make significant
space savings in the data center since a single 24 fiber trunk cable
can save approximately 50% in containment alone, when compared
to a traditional 12 fiber solution.
For more information visit
www.CommScope.com

Let’s take as an example of 800 servers in a new data center

where, initially, bandwidth is 10Gb/s. The plan, however, is to
move to 40 GbE speed in five years. In the case of a 12 fiber
trunk, 134 x 12 core cables will occupy 14% of the available
space, at the initial 10Gb/s speed. When a 24 fiber trunk is used,
67 x 24 core cables operating at 40Gb/s will result in a fill rate
of only 10%. If there are still 800 devices operational at 40Gb/s,
a 12 fiber trunk will need to increase to a fill rate of 83%. A 24
fiber trunk at 40Gb/s, on the other hand, could deliver the same
40Gb/s service with just 267 x 24 core cables, occupying only Cable volume difference in a FiberGuide® raceway system.

40% of available space e.g. taking up less than ½ of the space.

12 and 24 fiber MPOs for use in 40 and 100 GbE networks

For typical 40 GbE applications, the 4 right and 4 left fibers of
For 100 GbE applications,
a 12 fiber MPO connector are used for transmit and receive
the middle 20 fibers are used
while the inner 4 fibers are left unused. For a 24 fiber 40 GbE
for transmitting and receiving
application all fibers are utilised in the MPO plug. 24 fibers,
10Gb/s while the 2 fibers on
divided by the 8 fibers per circuit that are required, yields 3
the right are left unused.
full 40 GbE connectors.

Example:
Based on Based on
Assumption: 800 servers located in a new data centre running 10Gb/s on day 1 12 Fiber 24 Fiber
10Gb/s % 40Gb/s %
Plan to move to 40Gb/s in 5 years time trunk trunk
of fill rate of fill rate
Number of
units based 134 14% 67 10%
on 10Gb/s
Number of
units based 800 83% 267 40%
on 40Gb/s

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 12 fiber 24 fiber
Installation Installation
50% less cable volume
lower containment costs

50% fewer connectors to install

reduced installation time

50% less administration

fewer errors

Everyone communicates. It’s the essence of the human experience. How we communicate is evolving. Technology is
reshaping the way we live, learn and thrive. The epicenter of this transformation is the network—our passion. Our experts
are rethinking the purpose, role and usage of networks to help our customers increase bandwidth, expand capacity,
enhance efficiency, speed deployment and simplify migration. From remote cell sites to massive sports arenas, from busy
airports to state-of-the-art data centers—we provide the essential expertise and vital infrastructure your business needs
to succeed. The world’s most advanced networks rely on CommScope connectivity.

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Visit our website or contact your local CommScope representative for more information.

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All trademarks identified by ® or ™ are registered trademarks or trademarks, respectively, of CommScope, Inc. This document is for planning purposes only and is not intended to modify or
supplement any specifications or warranties relating to CommScope products or services. CommScope is committed to the highest standards of business integrity and environmental sustainability,
with a number of CommScope’s facilities across the globe certified in accordance with international standards, including ISO 9001, TL 9000, and ISO 14001. Further information regarding
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WP-111222-EN (02/17)