Fiber optic cable type evolution

To help administrators troubleshoot linking issues, the latest optical equipment employs the Digital Diagnostic Monitoring (DDM) feature, also known as digital optical monitoring, to provide information about optics to already connected platforms. Most switches have the ability to investigate information and report this information to the administrator, but DDM provides key information such as light reception level, real-time transmit power and transceiver temperature. All optical devices have a fixed range in which they can receive light, usually expressed in decibels. Use the information provided by DDM to troubleshoot fiber link problems and ensure transceivers and fiber optic cables work as expected. Low-priced optical devices often do not have DDM capabilities, so evaluate transceiver capabilities before purchasing.
With the growing popularity of fiber optics, data center network administrators have become less and less dependent on copper wires for connections. As bandwidth requirements increase, so does the need for improved fiber optic cable types. Keeping up with this round of reform and understanding the possible options can often save a lot of time and money.