[sci.electronics] What can you do with an existing fiber optic network??

mdr@reed.UUCP (01/23/87)

How can you set up a fiber optic LAN so that it will later be easy to use the
installed fiber for other services such as video, voice traffic or whatever?

We have recently installed a fiber optic "Ethernet" throughout the campus using
FiberCom equipment (I'm not sure what type of fiber we're using - I can find
out).

I've heard some thoughts that by going with a fiber based network, we will
later be able to fully exploit the potential bandwidth of the glass.  Has
anyone retrofitted an in-place special purpose fiber network to carry
additional traffic, probably using equipment unrelated to the original?  Even
if the cable is multimode, wouldn't the FiberCom equipment have to specifically
forward those "channels" of the cable it was not using if the whole thing were
to work with independently operating equipment?

I am not a fiber wizard, as you might be able to tell, but would be interested
in people's (informed?) thoughts on what might be possible.

Mike Rutenberg
-- 
	Reed College -- Portland, Oregon -- 503/774-9192

henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (01/25/87)

The best thing to do -- although it's a bit late for Mike's situation --
is to insist that when they're pulling fiber through your basement, they
pull *lots* of it.  Not single fibers, but multi-fiber cables with as many
fibers as you can talk them into.  Whatever the potential for retrofit of
existing fiber, it's still easier to put newer gear on spare fibers.
-- 
Legalize			Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
freedom!			{allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry

devine@vianet.UUCP (01/27/87)

In article Henry Spencer suggests:
> The best thing to do -- although it's a bit late for Mike's situation --
> is to insist that when they're pulling fiber through your basement, they
> pull *lots* of it.  Not single fibers, but multi-fiber cables with as many
> fibers as you can talk them into.  Whatever the potential for retrofit of
> existing fiber, it's still easier to put newer gear on spare fibers.

  Be careful with your selection of FO cable.  What you can buy now
may not be what you want it the future.  The market has not really
selected standard cable -- yet.  To hedge on the selection you could
make a company decision instead of a cable decision.  That is, tell AT&T
or whoever to cable up your site.  Unfortunately, that might lock you
into one vendor but at least the vendor has the monkey on _its_ back.

Bob Devine