MRV Products
Cross-Connect Systems
Cross-connects
are physical layer switches that create connections from any port to any other
port on the device. These devices are used in a variety of applications. A
cross-connect is used primarily as an intelligent patch panel. Whereas with a
typical patch panel, wires must be physically disconnected, moved, and
reconnected to change the network configuration, with a cross-connect, the
network administrator can make any desired configuration changes without
touching the physical wires. This is accomplished by providing a fully
programmable path between all the ports on the cross-connect.
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Applications
Wherever large numbers of fiber strands come
together in a junction place, cross-connects can be used to connect all the
fibers together, allowing completely programmable connections. In many cases,
these fiber strands are using CWDM to multiplex many streams or customers onto
each fiber. In this case, cross-connects can be used together with passive
Mux/Demuxes and 'colored' SFP optical interfaces to provide a completely
configurable wavelength and fiber switch, allowing total control over which
wavelength from each fiber is connected to which other fiber and
wavelength.
In many Enterprise wiring closets, the state
of change is the normal state of affairs. Here, cross-connects can be used to
replace the optical or copper patch panels so that any change in fundamental
topology (for example, if a router or switch is added or removed, or simply
needs a different connection) can be achieved by simply reprogramming the
cross-connect, without the administrator having to physically touch any of the
cables.
Test labs administrators face several challenges that
are eased with cross-connects. First, test operators need to use expensive test
equipment efficiently. Cross-connects allow operators to share interfaces on a
piece of test equipment that is located centrally. Additionally, someone
constantly has to rewire or move cables around from place to place, which is
cumbersome, and can interfere with test results. A programmable cross-connect
allows total control over the entire test lab infrastructure, and enables the
test operators quickly and easily to change the test setup.
Cross-connects dramatically simplify network
simulation setup and reconfiguration by simply allowing a software programmable
connection between the various devices on simulated network. Each device is
attached to the cross-connect via as many connections as necessary, and the
cross-connect is programmed and reprogrammed to create the desired network
topology. A cross-connect can easily be used to simulate network outages or
cable breaks as well. Ports on the cross-connect can also act as network
analysis (or mirror) ports, allowing a single network analysis device to be used
for any given protocol (Gigabit Ethernet or ATM, for example).
- Video distribution via physical layer multicasting:
Cross-connects
can be used in a digital video distribution environment, such as an educational
video network on a campus. The cross-connect broadcasts the video from a single
source to all the other ports, using the port-to-multiport physical layer
multicasting feature. In doing this, the digital signal is regenerated which
allows a better quality signal than the traditional 'vampire-tap' approach.
Additionally, using optical SFPs, fiber optic cabling can be used to reach long
distances between devices, allowing a Metro-wide deployment of a single digital
video source.
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