By attending this four-day, hands-on course, you will be able to design standard-compliant, reliable, and cost effective fiber optic networks. In addition, you will learn how to choose products that maximize network life and reduce network cost.

You will learn the essentials of this powerful and cost-effective technology. With these essentials, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of the components of a fiber network, including the product and specification options available. With your comprehensive knowledge of the products and specification options, you will be ready to design any premises or OSP data network.

You will learn to establish the requirements and specifications that result in proper optical performance and reliable network operation. With your understanding of this logical and complete process, you will be able to design almost any premises or OSP data network. In addition, this understanding will enable you to design many types of telephone, CCTV, CATV, process control, and FTTH/PON links. Finally, you will learn how to establish installer acceptance values that result in maximum installed reliability.

You will learn the cost factors for three types of data networks: FTTD, premises, and OSP. With these cost factors, you will be able to estimate network cost and choose the combination of components that results in the lowest total installed cost. In addition, you will be able to determine when to choose an FTTD network because its total initial installed cost will be less than that of a horizontal UTP, vertical fiber network.

You will also apply your extensive knowledge and understanding (gained from Parts 1-3) to one of two design assignments, a fully redundant premises network or a partially redundant OSP network. By developing a full design package, you will learn how to create specifications, to comply with the limitations in the data standards, to ensure installed reliability, and to estimate total installed cost.

This program includes 39 hands-on activities. These practical and useful activities will test and reinforce your understanding of the concepts, process, performance numbers, and product types. Many of these activities use checklists, spreadsheets, and prototype specification forms. You will receive a computer file copy of these lists, spreadsheets, and forms (valued at $495 if purchased separately), either at the program (if you bring a USB drive) or after the program (by email).

Note: Students should bring their own laptops to class.

Who Needs to Attend

Anyone responsible for designing reliable and cost-effective fiber optic networks.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Follow-On Courses

• Professional Fiber Optic Installation

Course Outline

1. The Network as a Box

• Eight Advantages
  • Unlimited Bandwidth
  • Transmission Distance
  • EMI And RFI Immunity
  • Low Cost Per Bit
  • Dielectric Construction
  • Small Size
  • Light Weight
  • Ease Of Installation
• Overview
  • Conversion
• Three Stages in the Box
  • Optical Path
• Design Aspects
• 14 Steps
  • Select Standard
  • Create Map
  • Select Strategy
  • Select wavelength
  • Determine Fiber Specifications
  • Determine Cable Specifications
  • Determine Connector specifications
  • Determine Splice Specifications
  • Select Passive Device Specifications
  • Determine Optoelectronic Specifications
  • Select Hardware
  • Define Testing Requirements
  • Define Acceptance Values
  • Perform Cost Analysis

2. Step 1: Select Standard

• Introduction
• Current Standards
  • CATV
  • FTTH Networks
  • SONET And SDH
• Characteristics
  • Data Standards
  • Links Create Networks
  • Transmission Distances
  • Fiber Specifications
  • Optoelectronics
• Distance Effects
  • Standards
  • Common Standards
  • Other Standards
  • Obsolete standards
• Other Important Standards
  • TIA/EIA-568-C
  • TIA/EIA-606-A
  • ANSI/TIA-942

3. Step 2: Create Map

• Introduction
• Redundancy
• Map The Network
  • Cable Lengths
  • Cable Locations
  • Cable Environmental Conditions
  • Cable Installation Conditions
  • Connection Locations
  • Connection Types
  • Connection Environmental Conditions
  • Connection Installation Conditions
  • Hardware Locations
  • Optoelectronics Locations
  • Optoelectronic Environmental Conditions

4. Step 3: Select Design Strategy

• Introduction
• Strategy 1: Maximum Distance
• Strategy 2: Group Distances
• Strategy 3: Link Calculation
• Strategy Selection

5. Step 4: Choose Wavelength

• Introduction
• Basics
  • Behavior
  • Light Properties
• Wavelength Choice
  • Basic Approach
  • Observations

6. Step 5: Specify Fiber

• Function
• Fiber Basics
  • Structure
  • Types And Characteristics
  • Performance
  • Designations
  • Attenuation
• Bend Insensitive Fibers
• Fiber Specification

7. Step 6: Specify Cable

• Introduction
  • Cable Basics
  • Structure
  • Types
  • Alternative Cable Products
  • Installation Characteristics
  • Environmental Characteristics
• Determine Cable Specifications
  • Cable Design
  • Installation Specifications
  • Environmental Specifications
  • Legal Requirements
  • Cable Options
  • Size Requirements
  • Other Characteristics

8. Step 7: Specify Connectors

• Basics
  • Function
  • Structure
  • Performance
  • Types
  • Installation Methods
• Color
• Connector Specification

9. Step 8: Specify Splices

• Basics
  • Functions
  • Steps
  • Types
  • Components
• Splice Specification

10. Step 9: Specify Passive Devices

• Introduction
• Basics
  • Design Concerns
  • Types
• Passive Device Specifications

11. Step 10: Specify Optoelectronics

• Design Concerns
  • Transmitter Types
  • Receiver Types
  • Performance Characteristics
  • Optical Power Budget Available
  • Minimum Required Loss
  • Wavelength
  • Spectral Width
  • Optical Connector Type
  • Electrical Signal Connector Type
  • Optical Power Requirements
  • Power Requirements
  • Environmental Requirements
  • Signal Accuracy
• Determination Of Specifications

12. Step 11: Select Hardware

• Basics
  • Functions
  • Types
  • Enclosures
  • Patch Panels
  • Inner Duct/Sub Duct
  • Cable Trays
  • Storage Loop Holders
  • Cable Hanging Hardware
  • Cable Routing Hardware
• Determination of Hardware Specifications

13. Practical Considerations

• Number Of Fibers
• Future Proofing
• Identify Products
  • Start with Specification Lists
  • All Numbers Need Test Methods
  • Talk to at Least Four Vendors/Component
  • Talk with Representatives More Knowledgeable than Yourself
  • Resolve Conflicting Facts
  • The '5-Year' Rule
  • The 'High Serial Number' Rule
  • Know the Cost Impact Decisions
  • No Premium Price for Premium Performance
• Choose Products

14. Step 12: Define Testing

• Basics
• Insertion Loss Test
  • Three Testing Types
  • Principles
  • Equipment
  • Three Insertion Loss Test Methods
  • Directional Differences
  • Range
  • Advantages
• OTDR Test
  • OTDR Principles
  • Block Diagram
  • Trace Features
  • Three Basic Traces
  • Using the OTDR
  • Measurements
• Reflectance Testing
  • Principles
  • Equipment
  • Procedure
  • Set Up
  • Verify Low Reflectance
  • Test Reflectance
  • Standards
• ORL Testing
  • Procedure
  • Interpretation
• Dispersion Testing
  • Reason For Test
  • Test Methods
  • Test Results
  • PMD
• Define Testing
  • Insertion Loss
  • OTDR
  • Reflectance
  • ORL
  • Dispersion
• Standards
• Reference

15. Step 13: Calculate Certification Values

• Introduction
• Required Information
• Insertion Loss Calculations
  • Power Loss Calculation
• Develop A Strategy
• Certification
  • Insertion Loss Certification
  • OTDR Certification
• Alternative Strategy

16. Step 14: Perform Cost Analysis

• Introduction
  • Potential Calculations
  • Three Scenarios
• FTTD
  • Introduction
  • Two Topologies
  • The Basic Concept
  • Main TR Cost Factors
  • Main Fiber Cost Factors
  • Simple Decision Criterion
  • Precise Cost Comparison
  • FTTE-The Lowest Cost Network Topology
• Riser Backbone
  • Introduction
  • Network Description
  • Cost Calculation
• Campus Backbone
  • Network Description

17. Campus Backbone Design Study

• Introduction

18. Building Backbone Design Study

• Introduction
• Network Description
• Hints