Fiber Patch Panels

Author: the photonics expert Dr. Rüdiger Paschotta

Fundamentally, a fiber patch panel is a device with multiple ports for fiber-optic connectors. Patch panels are used in different circumstances with somewhat different functions (often including cable management) in different application areas, and can accordingly have various additional features. Some typical types of fiber patch panels are described in the following sections.

Formats of Fiber Patch Panels

Fiber patch panels are available in various format to meet different installation needs. The typical formats:

• Wall-mount patch panels are typically installed on interior walls and are generally suitable for indoor applications. They provide a compact and flexible solution for fiber cable management. Specially sealed enclosures are available for outdoor applications to protect against harsh environmental conditions.
• Rack-mount patch panels are mounted into standard 19-inch or 23-inch racks. A slim 1U panel typically has 24 adaptors in one horizontal row. By providing multiple stacked adapter rows (2U and larger formats, i.e., with increased height), they can accommodate hundreds of fiber cables. Such panels are used in high-density environments like data centers.
• DIN-rail patch panels are mounted on DIN rails, commonly found in electrical control panels. They are used in industrial environments where relatively few connectors are needed.
• Patch panels can also be integrated into fiber-optic devices, becoming part of the user interface.

Different types of fiber connectors can be accommodated — both for single fibers (e.g., FC, LC, SC) and multiple fibers (e.g., MPO/MTP or MMC).

Typical additional features can be the following:

• Internal splice trays are used to position fiber splices in an orderly and protected manner (see Fig. 2).
• Cable management accessories like rings and clips help keep the fibers organized to avoid an entangled mess.
• Sliding patch panels have a front panel (with the fiber adapters) which can opened to some extent to give access to the interior.
• Removable adapter plates allow changing the type or configuration of adapters for the fiber cables. High-density panels for large numbers of connectors and configurable layouts are available.
• Splice modules are dedicated sections or trays within a patch panel designed to hold and protect fiber splices. They provide an organized and secure environment for splices.
• Lockable doors provide additional security, preventing unauthorized access. They also reduce dust ingress.
• Specially sealed enclosures are available for use in harsh environments. They provide improved protection against dust, moisture, and temperature changes.
• Integrated testing and monitoring features can be helpful for network management and troubleshooting. However, patch panels are fundamentally passive devices, not providing functions like signal processing.

Some fiber patch panels have a modular design, allowing the later scaling to higher port numbers.

Patch Panels for Incoming Fibers

A telecom or data center typically has a substantial number of incoming fiber cables, each containing many individual fibers (normally telecom fibers). Usually, the incoming fibers are not rigidly connected to devices where signals are processed. Instead, they are routed to large fiber patch panels, where individual fibers or groups of fibers are connected to fiber connectors.

As the distance of many devices in a data center from the central patch panels may be substantial, additional smaller sets of patch panels are often distributed throughout the facility.

In smaller industrial settings, there might be only one central fiber patch panel at the location of the incoming fiber cable, with long fiber cables extending to various locations in the building. At these locations, signals are often converted to electronic formats (usually Ethernet) and then sent to routers and switches.

Patch Panels for Devices

Patch panels can also be part of the user interfaces of devices offering some number of fiber-optic connections. Such a panel may be integrated into a larger system that also contains electrical connections, controls, displays, etc. The fiber connectors on these panels may be used to connect to fiber amplifiers or signal processing and routing equipment.

More to Learn

Encyclopedia articles:

• fiber connectors
• fiber shuffles
• fiber optics