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!henrydevine@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