The Development and Application of MPO/MTP Multi Core Fiber Connector

MPO / MTP high-density fiber optic connection system is currently used mainly for three pre areas: Application of high-density data center environments, application of fiber to the building, application of internal connections in the splitter, 40G, 100G SFP, SFP + optical transceiver equipment, etc. This article highlights why the data center uses an MPO / MTP high-density fiber optic cable connection system and how to choose this high-density fiber optic connection system.

In the communications, and data transmission field, the development of fiber optic connectors is more prolific than copper connectors. According to incomplete statistics, so far, fiber optic connectors developed hundreds of different kinds, but only a dozen can be widely used. Fiber optic connector has two distinct stages of development. In the first stage, to save space, and develop miniaturization, the fiber optic connector is from traditional FC, ST, and SC connectors to LC, and MTRJ.

sc fiber patch

SC fiber patch cables

The second stage is not only to save space but also to meet the requirements for the use of multi-core, fiber optic connectors evolved from LC, MTRJ, E2000 to MU, MTP/MPO, now an MTP / MPO connectors can meet the 2 core, 4 core, 8 cores, 12 cores, 24 cores, up to 72 core requirements.

Fiber optic  patch cord

Fiber optic patch cord

It has been the last few years that the MPO MTP Fiber pre-connected system used in the data center. Why not the MPO / MTP pre-connected systems widely used? First, data center space is never enough. To solve the shortage space can increase the space or improve the utilization of space. It is unrealistic in a designed data center, Improvement of space utilization is to increase density. The two major data center cabling systems: are copper and fiber optic cable. Copper systems can use high density, but this high density is limited to space-saving. It is not only to satisfy the high frequency but also to find a balance between the larger line through. So in the same space to get more bandwidth, using optical transmission is an inevitable choice, but this does not necessarily require a high-density fiber optic connection system.

Secondly, the result of network speed and improvement, in terms of fiber optic, core fiber can support the application of 100MB, 1000MB, and 10000MB. More than 200 experts FS working group launched an application to support this standard. In the following chart, we can see a single channel or 4-core 10-core optical fiber, normal 40G and 100G fiber optic network communications are 8-core and 20-core optical fiber. This challenges traditional dual-core optical fiber transmission, it requires to use of a high-density multi-core optical fiber.

Fiber optic cabling

Fiber optic cabling

How do guarantee the performance of pre-connected high-density MTP/MPO fiber optic system products in the factory? What is different from common fiber optic cables?

First, the company must meet the ISO9000 series of quality management system certification, and production process and product performance also meet certification standards of the most comprehensive and the most stringent of fiber optic connector assembly production. Now many factories can produce fiber optic cables.

For another, understanding the MPO MTP Fiber system products, whether polarity module or truck fiber cable, whether fiber optic harness or MPO Fiber cable is more complex than SC and LC fiber.

Lastly, this article discusses the reason for using an MPO / MTP high-density fiber optic connection system and gives some advice for this new system, FS hopes it is helpful to the users of data centers and the same occupation.