Different Tools to Manage Fiber Optical Cables

Fiber optical cables are cables that contain optical fibers which are individually coated with plastic layers and contained in an eco-friendly tube for protection. Fiber optical cables are used in numerous industries for different purposes. For example, the medical industry uses fiber optical cables as light and imaging tools as well as lasers which are extremely useful during surgeries. Additionally, the industrial and commercial industry also uses fiber optical cables for imaging, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Therefore, managing fiber optical cables is very important in protecting these cables from damage and allowing ease of use. There are different products to manage fiber optical cables, often available for indoor and outdoor uses. Here are some of them:

Fiber patch panels – Used indoors, fiber patch panels can either be racked or wall mounted. Fiber optical cables are safe inside the box and are fixed in place for proper cable management. Fiber patch panels are available in 12, 24, and 48-port varieties.
Fiber splice closures – Often for outdoor use, fiber splice closures protect fiber optical cables by organizing the fiber connections using the optic trays. With the fiber tray and fiber splice closure, both the fibers and cables are protected. While waterproof splice closures are available, these types of fiber optical cable management products are commonly sold in dome and horizontal types.

Fiber optic boxes – These are shaped like boxes and protect and distribute the optical fiber links. Fiber optic boxes are similar to patch panels except they are smaller in size and are often called terminal boxes. They are also available in 12 and 24-port varieties.
Optical distribution frames – Also used to manage fiber optical cables, ODFs are often used indoors and come in both big and small sizes. While other fiber optical cable management products come in 12, 24, and 48-port varieties, ODFs allow for bigger ports as they are also sold in 72- and 98-port types.

As with any other type of cable, fiber optical cables need proper care, storage, and management to prolong their shelter lives. With the hundreds or even thousands of fiber optical cables linking different networks and equipment, it is important to protect these for future use.