Optimizing your TAP network: Design tips that help
simplify performance management
With the complexity of today’s data center increasing, network
security is critical and well understood. Monitoring your network in
real-time is a necessity; the reliability of your network depends on it.
The solution
Incorporating a traffic access point (TAP) into the fiber cabling
infrastructure offers robust security benefits, including real-time
monitoring as well as enhanced performance management.
The results? Full monitoring capabilities in conjunction with a
performance monitoring system, with minimized insertion loss.
The challenge
With that in mind, we offer tips for designing a TAP fiber
monitoring system using InstaPATCH® 360 TAP modules.
1 TAP types
Not all TAPs are created equal; select a type that is compatible with
your network and data rate. A TAP for a 10G network is not the same
as one for a 40G network. Consult your supplier to determine what’s
right for your setup.
In order for a fiber TAP to monitor the network in real-time without
impacting network or application performance, traffic must be
replicated—with one copy going to its intended destination and the
other to a monitoring system.
The fiber TAP can be an auxiliary element integrated into the
existing fiber infrastructure. But using an auxiliary TAP can introduce
an additional connection point, unnecessarily increasing the channel’s
insertion loss while potentially limiting channel length.
It can also prove problematic when managing optical polarity, particularly
in parallel applications that utilize the MPO multifiber connectors.
2 TAP ratios
Plugging in a TAP will introduce extra loss, so it’s imperative to
ensure the main traffic meets industry standards. InstaPATCH
360 splits a fraction of the signal power towards a monitoring
device—currently either a 70/30 or 50/50 ratio. This references
the signal split ratio between the main (through) output and TAP
(monitor) output.
To be effective, TAP must be incorporated into the network in a manner
that allows for real-time performance monitoring and the continuous
assessment of the optical signal without disturbing normal operations.
3 TAP location
When selecting a TAP location, evaluate both the main and TAP
channel traffic to minimize loss.
4 Measure, measure, measure
Use the performance specifications to plan the network based on
application and distances. Evaluate the measured link loss against
the figures obtained from the link loss calculator.
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CO-108248.1-EN (03/17)