Dark fiber ?

[Insu Kim]

Does anyone know what "Dark fiber" is ?
I've been reading Brocade features which are remote switch and extended fabric.
These features mention dark fiber without any descriptions.
Any information would be appereciated.

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

Dark fibre is new to me, so it got me researching again :-)

Here is an article I found regarding the subject:

http://www.canarie.ca/advnet/canet3/fibre.html

If I find a better one I'll post it as well.

HTH,
Vince

[harry d brown jr]

It's fibre you own between or within your sites (buildings). It the fibre that isn't owned by a TELCO or some other company.

It's a dumb-ass term - I mean why can't they simply say "fibre you own" ?? Some brillant low-IQ marketing genius with a helmet and knee pads came up with the term.


live free or die
harry

[Joaquin Gil de Vergara]

It's a type of fiber that is used in DWDM technology (you can multiplex some lights in the same cable)

TELECOMS offers this services. They put two multiplexers int the sites ended in a SC/LC connector that you connect to your XP arrays or Brocade switches (Port shows as L-Port). Very long distances, and very high speed are supported.... It works fine!

[Mark van Silfhout]

Hi,

There's a good introduction about DWDM (aka 'Dark fibre') at http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/mels/cm1500/dwdm/dwdm.pdf

Regards,
Mark

[Quin Hammes · Accepted solution]

When fibre outside of a building first started being used it was very expensive because to install it had to include digging. Everytime cable needed to be laid, trench crews had to be hired to bury the cable.

Many companies such as gas, electric, cable etc... saw a opportunity. Why not invest for the future when the next time they had to dig, they include fibre cables which could be used later by another organization through leasing. Since it was not being used, it was called dark.

So if you have a company in Milwaukee and want to have a fibre connection to Chicago, you might just rent cable from Amtrack which they laid years ago. Much cheaper than having to dig a trench from Milwaukee to Chicago.

Dark fibre is other words has nothing to do with technology really rather it is a term explaining how the cable got laid into the ground.


Quin