Fiber optic information transfer

Generally, an individual link consists of a transmitter and receiver at each device capable of sending and receiving optical data pulses over a duplex fiber transmission cable. A duplex link uses one fiber to transmit data to a device and the other fiber to receive data from a device. Both fibers in the link are simultaneously active.

Typically, a point-to-point link uses a trunk cable, with short sections of duplex jumper cable, either SC Duplex or LC Duplex, at either end of the trunk for routing within the building or machine room (see Figure 1). A point-to-point link is not required to be constructed with this configuration and can have alternate forms. For example, a short link could have only one jumper cable and no trunk cable. Distribution panels provide a central location for attachment of trunk and jumper cables and can be mounted in a rack, wiring closet, or on a wall.

For attachment to a fibre channel link device, the end of the transmission cable is terminated in a duplex connector that mates with a duplex receptacle on the device. When attached, the connector is optically coupled to the transmitter and receiver, and the device can send and receive optical signals over the cable.