February 4, 2025
Every installation brings its own challenges
Or rather a unique blend of the predictable challenges inherent in network installations and upgrades: density, scalability, time, and cost.
Last month, Josh Seawell, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s Director of Product Management, met for a Tech Showcase with Paul Lipscombe at Datacenter Dynamics to explore the product solutions that network managers have in their tool kit when comparing deployment options for their projects in 2025 and beyond.
You can watch a recording of the session on DCD’s website and read on for key takeaways.
AI and machine learning require lots of connection points – and precision.
The business case for pre-terminated fiber is well established, and all the more so when addressing ultra-high-density environments and AI clusters, where node-to-node connectivity generally demands 2x the number of fiber connections compared to traditional data centers, and Gen AI needs 10x as many. Making sure these connections are done correctly requires skill and investment in high-quality equipment … or pre-terminated products with the assurance of factory-quality connections.
Pre-terminated fiber takes the labor and skill requirements out of the field and results in significant time savings. With a pre-terminated 288-fiber panel, installers can fusion splice 24 12-fiber ribbons to the back of a bulkhead factory-preloaded with ribbon-to-connector fanouts in one hour instead of spending 14 hours (or longer) on-site installing connectors to single fibers.
There is tangible value in the bells and whistles.
Pre-terminated ribbon-to-connector fanouts deliver the value of time savings and quality assurance, and on top of those benefits, there is the extra benefit of the features that Sumitomo Electric Lightwave has thoughtfully included in our PrecisionFlex® pre-terminated patch panels.
Among these high-value features are slide-out and tilt-down trays which give installers full access to the front and back of panels for easier, faster splicing.
The installer experience is further improved with roomy splice trays providing ample space for slack routing and storage, and color-coded break-out features for secure in-panel mounting and subunit organization.
Duct banks can handle more fiber capacity than you might expect.
Network operators in 2025 have the option to use their existing duct banks for high-fiber cable, which was impossible five years ago, thanks to pliable ribbon. Sumitomo Electric Lightwave strategically inserts gaps in the Freeform Ribbon™ matrix for pliability, enabling the ribbon to roll and collapse on itself.
Whereas legacy flat ribbon is more susceptible to bending, stress points, and breakage, pliable ribbon is built more like loose tube cable and makes better use of available space. With the same outside diameter as an 864-fiber traditional ribbon cable, operators can install 1728-fiber pliable ribbon cable without investing in more duct banks to achieve the fiber capacity their networks need.
Every project is an opportunity.
Whether it is for your future self or the next person who will wear your hat, the decisions you make on the next project will impact your network’s readiness for the “AI Boom” and whatever wonders are yet to emerge.
FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber® Solutions are well positioned to help operators take care of current demands and be ready for future technologies’ additional demands on their network. As the answer to the question “how can I use this project to prepare for the future?” air-blown fiber is being deployed more widely for scalability and easier future deployment vs. direct burying.
Beyond the outside plant, jettable cabling enables indoor and indoor/outdoor installations of the exact fiber counts needed for today – no need to install dark fiber unless you plan to lease strands. When additional fibers are needed in the future, or if needed to upgrade from multimode to single-mode fiber types, the new fiber can be blown in right over, under, or around operations while they continue without interruption.
Every component requires careful consideration.
Given that each data center has its own unique requirements, every component, from cables to cabinets, requires careful consideration. The “right” bill of materials for any project is often a blend of standard and custom products.
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s custom entrance frames come into play when operators are balancing the dual needs of addressing network scalability and maximizing limited real estate. Operators also have the option to expand their network capacity with MMC connectors, an evolution of MPO connectors, which increase density by up to 3x, achieving 5184-fiber interconnects in one rack space (1RU).
To learn more about the modular, reliable solutions available for your next network, visit us online, or reach out to Josh Seawell at jseawell@sumitomoelectric.com.