User Guide for FS MTP®/MPO Type-B Fiber Cables
MTP®/MPO fiber cables have multi-core connectors that provide more consistent and reliable performance when used in high-density, low-loss cabling, thus becoming an integral part of 40G/100G data transmission in large data centers. Hence, TIA standards define three types of MTP®/MPO fiber polarity: Type A, Type B, and Type C. MTP®/MPO cables with different types of fiber polarity may have different cabling applications. In this tutorial, we will mainly introduce MTP®/MPO type-B fiber cables and their applications. For a complete polarity guide of FS MTP®/MPO cables, you can refer to the white paper Understanding Fiber Polarity.
Table of Contents
MTP®/MPO Type-B Fiber Cable Overview
MTP®/MPO Type-B Fiber Cable Categories
MTP®/MPO Type-B Fiber Cable Applications
MTP®/MPO Type-B Fiber Cable Overview
MTP®/MPO type-B cable meaning is to use a key-up connector on both ends of the cable. Often referred to as a 40G MTP® cable, the type-B MTP® cable is extremely versatile. This cable assembly can be used to plug directly between your 40G QSFP+ optic transceivers. As you can see in the diagram, type-B cable has a "flipped" polarity and will result in a Pin 1 to Pin 12 relationship. This is extremely practical because 40G optics utilize parallel optics, meaning instead of alternating Tx and Rx in a duplex pattern, the port will look like the following diagram.
Figure 1: Type-B polarity MTP® cable
MTP®/MPO Type-B Fiber Cable Categories
Based on its different functions, MTP®/MPO type-B fiber optic cable can be divided into two main categories: MTP®/MPO trunk cables and MTP®/MPO-LC breakout cables. Depending on the nature of the connector, MTP®/MPO trunk cables are further divided into female-female, female-male, and male-male. When connecting two 40G SR4 QSFP+ transceivers in parallel optics, only female-female type B MTP®/MPO cables should be used. For MTP®/MPO-LC breakout cables, female MTP®/MPO-LC breakout cables and male MTP®/MPO-LC breakout cables are available.
Note: From the perspective of gender, MTP®/MPO connectors can be divided into female connector and male connector. Female connector does not have guide pins, while male connector has two guide pins. The connections between the fiber connectors are precisely aligned with the pin, and the two MTP® connectors connected to each other must be male and female. For more information about MTP®/MPO connector, please read the tutorial "A Comprehensive Guide to MTP® Connector".
| Category | Fiber Mode | Gender | Fiber Count | Polish Type | 40G Ethernet Distance | 100G Ethernet Distance | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type-B MTP®/MPO Trunk Cables | OS2,OM4,OM5 | Female-Female,Male-Male | 12-Fibers,8-Fibers | UPC to UPC | 150m at 850nm,440m at 850nm | 150m at 850nm | 850/1300nm,1310/1550nm |
| Type-B MTP®/MPO-LC Cables | OM4,OS2 SMF | Female-4 LC,16 APC(Female)-8 LC UPC | 8-Fibers | LC UPC | 150m at 850nm | 400m at 850nm | 850/1300nm,1310/1550nm |
Figure 2: Type-B polarity MTP® cable types
MTP®/MPO Type-B Fiber Cable Applications
Due to the special construction of MTP®/MPO type-B cable, a female connector MTP®/MPO fiber optic cable is usually needed to match the male connector MTP®/MPO cable. The male guide pin fits into the female bore to ensure precise fiber alignment. Attempting to mate two female or male connectors can result in light loss or damage to the fiber splice. The following examples focus on the application of female MTP® type-B fiber cables.
40G-40G Direct Connection: Female to Female MTP®/MPO Type-B Polarity Trunk Cable
Except for the parallel 40G optical transmission mentioned above, female to female type-B trunk cable can also be used directly for switch to switch connectivity with no fiber patch panels. The following figure shows two Cisco 40G switches connected by a 12-fiber MTP® female cable directly.
Figure 3: Female to female 12-fiber type-B MTP cable in 40G connection
| Products | Gender | Max Data Rate | Cable Type | Connector | 40/100G Ethernet Distance | Fiber Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4 Compatible QSFP+ 850nm 150m DOM Transceiver Module | / | 42Gbps (4×10.5Gbps) | MMF | MTP/MPO-12 Male | / | / |
| MTP®/MPO Type-B Cable | Female to Female | / | / | US Conec MTP® Female | 150m at 850nm | OM4 50/125μm |
With an MTP® adapter, a type-B fiber polarity MTP® trunk cable can be used for connecting a fiber patch panel and a QSFP+ SR4 transceiver.
40G-4x10G Direct Connection: Female MTP® to LC Type-B Polarity MTP® Breakout Cables
How to establish a connection between a 40G switch and a 10G switch? The issue can be easily resolved byemploying a female MTP®-4xLC type-B breakout cable. The following figure shows that four 10GBASE-SR transceivers interconnect with one 40GBASE-SR4 transceiver with one female MTP®-4xLC breakout cable directly.
Figure 4: 8-fiber type-B MTP®-LC breakout cable in 40G connection
| Products | Wavelength | Max Data Rate | Cable Type | Connector | Fiber Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco QSFP-40GMTP®/MPO MMF Optical Transceiver | 850nm | 42Gbps (4×10.5Gbps) | MMF | MTP/MPO-12 Male | / |
| Cisco SFP-10G-SR SFP+MMF Transceiver | 850nm | 10.3125Gbps | VCSEL | LC Duplex | / |
| Female to 4 LC UPC Duplex 8 Fibers Type B Plenum Breakout Cable | 1310/1550nm | / | / | LC UPC Duplex | OS2 SMF 9/125μm |
40G-40G Interconnections: Type-B MTP® Trunk Cables and Type-B MTP® Breakout Cables
Type-B MTP® trunk cable and breakout cable can be used together to achieve high performance fiber networking. Figure 5 shows the interconnection of 10GBASE-LR SFP+ transceivers, which are connected by a type-B MTP® trunk cable and two type-B MTP® breakout cables. It is an ideal solution for connecting two 40G Cisco switches in a data center by completing the direct connection of MTP® fiber optic cables through MTP®/MPO fiber optic panels, because the solution has been playing a significant role in simplifying cabling and performing high-speed fiber optic transmission.
Figure 5: type-B MTP® trunk cable and breakout cable in 10G interconnection
| Products | Wavelength | Max Data Rate | Cable Type | Connector | Fiber Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female to 4xLC UPC Duplex 8 Fibers Type B Plenum Breakout Cable | 1310/1550nm | / | / | LC UPC Duplex | OS2 SMF 9/125μm |
| Male to Male OM4 Multimode Elite Trunk Cable | 850/1300nm | / | / | US Conec MTP® PRO Male | OM4 50/125μm |
Summary
MTP®/MPO Type-B fiber cable has facilitated high-speed data transmission with its unique multi-core interface. You can choose the right cable interface and proper connection method according to your different fiber cable application needs. FS.com offers MTP®/MPO-8 and MTP®/MPO-12 Type-B fiber cables in 10/40G direct connection and interconnection, which has made great contribution to fiber utilization improvement, cabling simplification and efficient migration to 40/100G or higher speed optical transmission in data center application.
