TIA STANDARD ANSI/TIA-568-B.1-7-2006 Approved: January 13, 2006 Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard Part 1 - General Requirements Addendum 7 – Guidelines for Maintaining Polarity Using Array Connectors TIA-568-B.1-7 (Addendum No.7 to TIA-568-B.1) January 2006 TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION Representing the telecommunications industry in association with the Electronic Industries Alliance NOTICE TIA Engineering Standards and Publications are designed to serve the public interest through eliminating misunderstandings between manufacturers and purchasers, facilitating interchangeability and improvement of products, and assisting the purchaser in selecting and obtaining with minimum delay the proper product for their particular need. The existence of such Standards and Publications shall not in any respect preclude any member or non-member of TIA from manufacturing or selling products not conforming to such Standards and Publications. 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TIA-568-B.1-7 ii Guidelines for Maintaining Polarity Using Array Connectors, Addendum 7 to ANSI/TIA/EIA/568B.1 Table of Contents FOREWORD .iv 1 INTRODUCTION . 1 2 SCOPE 2 3 CONNECTIVITY METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING POLARITY 2 3.1 General 2 3.1.1 Descriptions . 2 3.2 Connectivity Method A . 3 3.2.1 Connectivity Method A for Duplex Signals 3 3.2.2 Connectivity Method A for Parallel Signals 5 3.3 Connectivity Method B . 7 3.3.1 Connectivity Method B for Duplex Signals 7 3.3.2 Connectivity Method B for Parallel Signals 9 3.4 Connectivity Method C 11 3.4.1 Connectivity Method C for Duplex Signals 11 4 GUIDELINES FOR CONNECTIVITY COMPONENTS . 13 4.1 General 13 4.2 Components for Connectivity Method A 14 4.2.1 Type-A Array Connector Cables and Patch Cords 14 4.2.2 Type-A Array Adapters 14 4.2.3 Transitions . 15 4.2.4 A-to-B patch cords . 16 4.2.5 A-to-A Patch cords . 16 4.3 Components for Connectivity Method B 17 4.3.1 Type-B Array Connector Cables and Patch Cords 17 4.3.2 Type-B Array Adapters 17 4.3.3 Transitions . 17 4.3.4 A-to-B patch cords . 17 4.4 Components for Connectivity Method C 18 4.4.1 Type-C Array Connector Cables . 18 4.4.2 Type-A Array Adapters 18 4.4.3 Transitions . 18 4.4.4 A-to-B patch cords . 18 ANNEX A (INFORMATIVE) References . 19 TIA-568-B.1-7 iii List of Figures Figure 1: Connectivity Method A for Duplex Signals .4 Figure 2: Connectivity Method A for Parallel Signals 6 Figure 3: Connectivity Method B for Duplex Signals .8 Figure 4: Connectivity Method B for Parallel Signals 10 Figure 5: Connectivity Method C for Duplex Signals .12 Figure 6: Type-A Array Connector Cable or Patch Cord (key-up to key-down) 14 Figure 7: Transition .15 Figure 8: A-to-B Duplex Patch Cord 16 Figure 9: A-to-A Duplex Patch Cord 16 Figure 10: Type-B Array Connector Cable or Patch Cord (key-up to key-up) .17 Figure 11: Type C Array Connector Cable (pair-wise flipped, key-up to key-down) .18 List of tables Table 1: Summary of Components Used for Duplex Signals 13 Table 2: Summary of Components Used for Parallel Signals .13 TIA-568-B.1-7 iv FOREWORD (This foreword is not part of this Standard) After ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1 was approved for publication, it was realized that there was a need to explain and illustrate the concept of maintaining optical fiber polarity using array connectors. The TIA TR-42 Engineering Committee on Premises Telecommunications Cabling Infrastructure accepted the task and assigned it to the TR- 42.8 Subcommittee, Telecommunications Optical Fiber Cabling Systems. The TR-42.8 Subcommittee cooperated with the TR-42.1 Subcommittee on Commercial Building Cabling, which is related to this activity, in preparing this document. TIA standards are developed within the Technical Engineering Committees of the TIA and the standards coordinating committees of the TIA standards board. Members of the committees serve voluntarily and without commission. The companies that they represent are not necessarily members of the TIA. The standards developed within the TIA represent a consensus of the broad expertise on the subject. This expertise comes from within the TIA as well as those outside of the TIA that have an expressed interest. The viewpoint expressed at the time that this Telecommunication Systems Bulletin was approved was from the contributors’ experience and the state of the art at that time. Users are encouraged to verify that they have the latest revision of the standard. TIA-568-B.1-7 1 1 INTRODUCTION To support bi-directional communication systems that use separate optical fibers in each direction, the cabling system must provide correct signal polarity so that the transmitter on one end of the channel will connect to the receiver on the other end. Maintaining the correct transmit-to-receive polarity throughout the cabling system is critical for system operation. Following certain cable polarity guidelines when installing the cabling system will simplify channel connectivity. Correct polarity is administered according to the requirements of the depicted methods. Intermixing the components of these methods may result in incorrect polarity. The increasing use of optical connectivity in data communications networks (particularly in areas of highly concentrated equipment, such as data centers) is driving the need for more compact forms of connectivity. Array connectors are one way of meeting this need. Since the polarity requirements for array connectors extend beyond the commonly deployed duplex (A-B) polarity, additional guidance is provided in this addendum for maintaining polarity of networks utilizing array connectors. For illustrative purposes, the figures throughout this document depict the MPO array connector and 568SC duplex connector. Other connector types are permitted, provided the fiber ordering arrangement is maintained relative to the plug’s keying features, as shown in the figures. The figures in this document show connectors labeled with fiber position numbers. This is done for reference only; it is not a requirement of this standard that connectors be labeled with a fiber number. TIA-568-B.1-7 2 2 SCOPE This Standard provides guidelines for establishing transmit-to-receive polarity using array connectors. The methods presented in this document provide different options for implementing polarity. Once a method is selected the details in that method shall be followed. 3 CONNECTIVITY METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING POLARITY 3.1 General All connectivity methods have the same goal: to create an optical path from the transmit port of one device to the receive port of another device. Different methods to accomplish this goal may be implemented; however these different methods may not be interoperable. It is recommended that a method be selected in advance and maintained consistently throughout an installation. While many methods are available to establish polarity, this Standard outlines sample methods that may be employed. For convenience, these sample methods are referred to as Methods A, B, and C. No preference or priority is implied by this notation. When mating connectors that use alignment pins (such as the MPO and MT-RJ) it is critical that one plug is pinned and the other plug is unpinned. The pinned connector is typically located inside the panel. That is, the connector that stays in place is pinned; the connector that is frequently removed & handled is unpinned. As MT-RJ or MPO transceivers typically have pins, this convention leads to the following implementation on initial build out: • Patch cords from transceiver to panel are typically unpinned on both ends. • Transitions (mounted behind the panel) are typically pinned. • Cables from rack to rack are typically unpinned on both ends. Array connectors can be flat or angle polished. Flat-polished connectors do not optically mate with angle-polished connectors. 3.1.1 Descriptions A-to-B patch cord: A duplex patch cord that connects position A on one end of the patch cord to position B on the other end of the patch cord. See section 4.2.4. A-to-A patch cord: A duplex patch cord that connects position A on one end of the patch cord to position A on the other end of the patch cord. See section 4.2.5. Array Connector: An optical fiber connector containing a single ferrule with multiple terminated fibers arranged in a line or a series of lines. Transition: An assembly of optical fibers and connectors, with an array connector on one end and simplex or duplex connectors on other end. TIA-568-B.1-7 3 3.2 Connectivity Method A 3.2.1 Connectivity Method A for Duplex Signals Implementation of Connectivity Method A for duplex signals is shown in Figure 1. When connecting multiple duplex optical transceiver ports, the Type-A backbone (composed of one or many Type-A array connector cables mated in Type-A adapters) is connected on each end to a transition. On one end of the optical link, A-to-B patch cords are used to connect ports on the transition to their respective duplex transceiver ports. On the other end of the optical link, A-to-A patch cords are used to connect ports on the transition to their respective duplex transceiver ports. In each optical path there shall be one and only one A-to-A patch cord. Guidelines for the construction of the cabling components used to implement Method A are given in Section 4.2. [...]... assembly 15 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 4.2.4 A-to-B patch cords As shown in Figure 8, A-to-B patch cords shall be built as specified in ANSI /TIA/ EIA -5 6 8- B.1 clause 10.3.3 and ANSI /TIA/ EIA -5 6 8- B.3 clause 6 Figure 8: A-to-B Duplex Patch Cord NOTE 1 SC connectors are shown, but this assembly may be built using any duplexed singlefiber connectors or connectors with two fixed fibers 4.2.5 A-to-A Patch cords For Method-A connectivity,.. .TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 Type-A Array Connector Cable A-to-B Patch Cord A-to-A Patch Cord Example Optical Path Figure 1: Connectivity Method A for Duplex Signals NOTE 1 For ease of illustration the Type-A cable is shown with a twist This is the same cable construction shown in Figure 6 4 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 3.2.2 Connectivity Method A for Parallel Signals Implementation... and patch cords 4.2.2 Type-A Array Adapters Type-A adapters shall be built such that they mate two array connectors with the connector keys opposed (i.e key-up to key-down) For example, the complete designation for a Type-A MPO adapter is FOCIS 5 A - 1 - 0, as defined in ANSI /TIA/ EIA-60 4-5 C 14 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 4.2.3 Transitions As shown in Figure 7, transitions have a sequential number assigned to each... Patch Cord Type One A-to-B and one A-to-A per duplex channel A-to-B A-to-B Table 1: Summary of Components Used for Duplex Signals Connectivity Method A B Array Connector Cable Type A B Array Adapter Type A B Array Patch Cord Type One Type-A and one Type-B Type-B Table 2: Summary of Components Used for Parallel Signals 13 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 4.2 Components for Connectivity Method A 4.2.1 Type-A Array Connector... used in Connectivity Method B they must be flat polished 9 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 Type-B Array Connector Patch Cord Type-B Array Connector Cable Type-B Array Connector Patch Cord Figure 4: Connectivity Method B for Parallel Signals NOTE 1 This Connectivity Method will also work with other parallel optics devices 10 Example Optical Path TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 3.4 3.4.1 Connectivity Method C Connectivity Method C for... interconnection, one duplex patch cord shall be an A-to-B patch cord and one duplex patch cord shall be an A-to-A patch cord As shown in Figure 9, A-to-A duplex patch cords shall be built as specified in ANSI /TIA/ EIA-56 8B.1 clause 10.3.3 and ANSI /TIA/ EIA -5 6 8- B.3 clause 6 except position A shall be routed to position A and position B routed to position B A-to-A patch cords do not reverse the fiber positions,... 4.4.4 A-to-B patch cords Method C uses A-to-B patch cords, which shall be built as specified in section 4.2.4 18 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 ANNEX A (INFORMATIVE) References This annex is informative only and is not part of this Standard This annex contains information on the documents that are related to or have been referenced in this document • ANSI /TIA/ EIA-60 4-5 C, Fiber Optic Connector Intermateability Standard, ... adapters 4.3.3 Transitions Transitions are described in Section 4.2.3 4.3.4 A-to-B patch cords Method B uses A-to-B patch cords, which shall be built as specified in section 4.2.4 17 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 4.4 Components for Connectivity Method C 4.4.1 Type-C Array Connector Cables As shown in Figure 11, Type-C cables have a sequential number assigned to each fiber as follows: 1) On one end of the cable, the... with keys to the right A-to-B patch cords are then used to connect ports on the transition to their respective duplex transceiver ports Guidelines for the construction of the cabling components used to implement Method B are given in Section 4.3 When MPO connectors are used in Connectivity Method B they must be flat polished 7 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 Type-B Array Connector Cable A-to-B Patch Cords Example Optical... transceiver ports, one and only one Type-C array connector cable is connected on each end to a transition A-to-B patch cords are then used to connect ports on the transition to their respective duplex transceiver ports Guidelines for the construction of the cabling components used to implement Method C are given in Section 4.4 11 TIA- 56 8- B. 1 -7 Type-C Array Connector Cable A-to-B Patch Cords Example Optical . TIA STANDARD ANSI /TIA- 56 8- B. 1- 7 -2 006 Approved: January 13 , 2006 Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard Part 1 - General Requirements Addendum. Path Type -B Array Connector Cable Type -B Array Connector Patch Cord Type -B Array Connector Patch Cord TIA- 56 8- B. 1- 7 11 3.4 Connectivity Method C 3.4 .1 Connectivity