Electronic Fiber Optic Patch Panel Provides New Phase of Management Capabilities. Gigabit Ethernet Technology. White Paper

Transcription

1 Electronic Fiber Optic Provides New Phase of Management Capabilities Gigabit Ethernet Technology White Paper Marie L. Benedetti Product Marketing Manager 7/29/2000 1

2 1.0 Gigabit Ethernet Network Environment Modern organizations depend on their local-area networks (LANs) to provide connectivity for a growing number of complex, mission-critical desktop computing applications. As the volume of network traffic increases, the bandwidth offered by a typical 10 Mbps Ethernet LAN quickly is no longer adequate to maintain acceptable performance for a growing number of desktop/server computing environments. This increasing bandwidth requirement is driving the need for higher-speed networks. Among the high-speed LAN technologies available today, Fast Ethernet, or 100BASE-T, has become the leading choice. Building on the near-universal acceptance of 10BASE-T Ethernet, Fast Ethernet technology provides a smooth, non-disruptive evolution to 100 Mbps performance. The growing use of 100BASE-T connections to network servers and desktops has created the requirement for an even higher-speed network technology at the backbone and server level. Ideally, this technology should also provide a smooth upgrade path, be cost effective and not require retraining. The most appropriate solution is Gigabit Ethernet. The Gigabit Ethernet network (see Figure 1) provides 1 Gbps bandwidth for campus networks with the simplicity of Ethernet while maintaining lower costs than other technologies offering comparable speeds. In addition, Gigabit Ethernet offers a natural upgrade path for current Ethernet installations, leveraging existing stations, management tools and training. Marketing Server CD Library Engineering Server SAN HUB Disk array Disk array Engineering Server Giga-bit Ethernet LAN High Resolution Scsnner High Speed Printer Payroll Server NAS Workstation Workstation NAS Figure 1 -Gigabit Ethernet Network 2

3 2.0 Manual Fiber Optic s Manual patch panel products are similar to the manual telephone switchboards that were used before automatic telephone switches were invented. Currently, almost all fiber-optic networks use these panels (see Figure 2). While manual panels are inexpensive, they cannot be controlled remotely. The three major areas of concern with manual patch panels are: 1) the time required for reconfiguration (network down time is the most important issue in network management), 2) personnel time and expense (the highest actual cost factor in network management budgets), and 3) errors in patching. The degree of downtime depends largely on the availability and skills of a technician. With manual patch panels, optical connectors often break, and repairing them requires a skilled technician and expensive splicing equipment. Once patching is accomplished, records must then be updated to insure adequate facilities are available to network users. These requirements create a significant issue in environments that contain many fibers and require frequent changes in the network. Manual Gigabit Hub Gigabit Switch Server Room 1 First Floor Bldg.A Server Room 2 Third Floor Bldg.A Gigabit Switch Gigabi Hub Manual Server Room 3 Second Floor Bldg.B Server Room 4 Third Floor Bldg.B Figure 2 - Ethernet Gigabit Network With Manual 3

4 3.0 APCON s Electronic Fiber Optic : the Simple and Cost-effective Fiber Connection Management Solution Fortunately, a new technology is being introduced to the Ethernet Gigabit environment - the APCON Electronic Fiber Optic. The Electronic delivers point-to-point connectivity without the requirement to physically track the fiber connection and manually pull and switch the fiber cable as is the case with manual patch panels (see Figure 3). The Electronic Fiber Optic is designed to allow the fiber optic connection to remain intact, and enable the network administrator the ability to remotely direct and redistribute point-to-point connections between network segments as needed. The Electronic provides simple electronic control of dynamic fiber communication networks. The manages direct termination and switching of fiber optic connections. This protocol-independent, wire-once solution offers flexibility for administrators to add, move, and change fiber optic systems and peripherals. Manual Fiber Optic Manualy Controled Entensive Time Required for Reconfiguration Optic Connectors are subject to Repetive Handling, Therefore Break Personal Time and Expense is Excessive High Network Down Time Electronic Fiber Optic Remote Operation Reconfige in Minutes Reconfigure Without Handling Connectors Minimize Network Down Time Increase Communication Distance Increase Performance and Reliability Figure 3 - Provides Alternative to Manual 4

5 4.0 Integrating the Electronic in the Gigabit Ethernet Environment Based on the existing configuration of the Ethernet network the can be easily integrated into the infrastructure to allow control and management of fiber optic connections (see Figure 4). By controlling these point-to-point fiber optic connections, network administrators can control and isolate which network segment environment has access to other segments. These connections are controlled remotely, eliminating the physical handling of sensitive fiber optic connectors. The Electronic will also reduce the time required to trace the cables and make the switch. Electronic Gigabit Hub Gigabit Switch Server Room 1 First Floor Bldg.A Server Room 2 Third Floor Bldg.A Gigibit Switch Gigabit Hub Electronic Server Room 3 Second Floor Bldg.B Server Room 4 Third Floor Bldg.B Figure 4 - Ethernet Gigabit Network With Electronic patch panel 5

6 5.0 Software Control Features Dedicated control software provides edit and active modes that enable users to save different panel configurations. The control software application enables the system administrator to remotely operate and control the s port configuration, gather performance statistics, and set internal temperature points for alarm notification. Panel activity can be monitored on each port. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) enables the system administrator to remotely operate and control up to 32 s over a single RS-232 serial interface via internal addressing. This configuration enables the user to control 512 fiber optic ports. In order to communicate remotely, each panel is numbered and set through the front panel of the unit. When multiple panels are used in a configuration, each panel is individually numbered to communicate with the software. Standard command-line or modem software can also be used to control the panel using simple ASCII control commands. 6.0 Benefits of the Electronic Cost Effective! Decrease Network Down Time: The Electronic eliminates incorrect manual patching, decreases re-configuration time and stops the chance of breaking optic connectors due to manual handling.! Decrease Personnel Time: Reduces administrative time and expense due to the remote operation capability Distance & Performance! Increase Fiber Communications Distance: The Electronic Fiber Optic increases the distance capability by regenerating the optical signal through the Panel.! Increase Fiber Communication Performance and Reliability: Performance and system reliability is improved due to reduced cable and interconnection loss. Remote Operation! LAN Port Connection: The Electronic Fiber Optic includes a standard 10Base-T Ethernet LAN Port connection for remote control and monitoring through the use of the TCP/IP protocol.! Dual Serial Ports: Control the Electronic Fiber Optic from two independent computers via the serial connection or daisy chain up to 32 independent Fiber Optic s via RS-232 serial interface and control 512 fiber optic ports. Lower Cost of Ownership! Easy Installation: Gigabit Ethernet fiber optic cables can be connected to any port of the patch panel. The front panel can be used to redirect and patch the fiber to other locations. 6

7 ! LCD Display: The Electronic Fiber Optic features an easy-to-use, menu driven LCD display with soft touch Menu, Enter and direction keys. The LCD is lighted, which allows easy viewing and operation of the panel.! Windows-Based Graphical User Interface: Allows the administrator to remotely operate and control up to 32 s. The program provides edit and active modes to enable different configurations to be saved. Electronic Fiber Optic activity can be monitored in addition to setting alarm parameters from a single computer. 7.0 Summary Gigabit Ethernet provides the scalability and flexibility to support large-scale networks operating in corporate campuses and buildings today. It is the strategic choice for high-speed high-bandwidth operations that support the transmission of large files over networks and for applications, which, require high-bandwidth support. APCON s Electronic Fiber Optic manages connections between Gigabit Ethernet Networks to provide easy-to-use point-to-point connectivity, allowing remote configuration of fiber optic connections without handling the fiber optic connectors. The Electronic Fiber Optic will add a new dimension of manageability to any existing Gigabit Ethernet Network. Administrators can easily incorporate this solution within a network running Gigabit Ethernet technology. The provides organizations using networked computers a comprehensive solution that is integrated, easy-to-use and scales to highvolume environments. APCON network solutions provide the protection of servers against hardware failures, peripherals switching that expands the usability of RAID and tape backup devices, and high-speed fiber optic extenders that provide remote connectivity, security, and disaster recovery solutions for network peripherals. For More Information Additional information on the APCON Electronic Fiber Optic is available from APCON, Inc. at 7