In optical fibers, data is transmitted through light pulses sent through a thin glass beam, with the purpose of converting these pulses into useful information. The unit of measurement of performance is the decibel (dB)1, which is similar to how sound is measured. This represents the power when light passes through the cable.
Since the real goal is to transmit 100% of the data, the most useful indicator is how much data is lost during transmission. This is called dB loss.
In order to measure the dB loss, an “insertion loss test” needs to be performed. This test uses a light source and a power meter to measure how much light is received. The excessive optical loss will cause failure, indicating that the cable does not meet industry standards.
Considering that the light transmitted directly is valuable data, losing light is equal to losing information. This has caused potential operational problems and financial losses.
1. How does the dB loss happen
The time to consider dB loss is before installation, when purchasing equipment, and connecting cables. Although price is often the main deciding factor in evaluating equipment, it should not be the only deciding factor. The cable providing the lowest possible dB loss will help ensure the best data transmission. Therefore, your best value should be the combination of affordability and quality.
However, even after purchasing, it is easy to mistakenly reduce the performance of the optical fiber. One problem is end-point contamination.
Touching the end of the connector will stain the glass end with oil and dirt, which will seriously pollute the transmission of light. It’s like printing your fingerprint on the camera lens. (The picture on the right shows the end face contaminated by a human finger.
Other contamination such as dust, dust, and moisture may be introduced before the cable is inserted. Therefore, it is important to use a range to inspect the cable end surface and use a special cleaning agent to ensure that the surface is clean before connection.
Unfortunately, when the fiber optic cable only needs cleaning, people often think it is useless or defective. They mistakenly discarded and replaced instead of inspected and cleaned.
2. Why is it important to minimize dB loss
Remember, the power of your fiber optic cable lies in its ability to transmit an important asset—information cleanly. A mediocre cable or a good cable can easily devalue your data. In order to prevent data loss and network failure, fiber optic cables must be evaluated and correctly installed.
High-quality, low-data-loss cables will help you meet your loss budget when designing a structured cabling environment. Since each connection is a point of loss, a close connection of a healthy, high-quality cable will ensure that you maximize your return on investment without exceeding budget standards. Outside of budgetary standards, data movement may become unreliable or even crash.
Many organizations believe that their data is the most valuable asset, and the fastest way to lose data is through poor data transmission. Take steps in your next data center design to ensure that transmission remains smooth and timely.
1 decibel: A standard unit that represents the gain or loss of optical power. The standard logarithmic unit of the ratio of two powers, voltages, or currents. In an optical fiber, this ratio is power.
