Following the continuous increase in data transmission rate and expansion of data centres, it is imminent that the conventional traditional cables made from copper get pushed to their limits.
However, with the advent of Active Optical Cable (AOC), data centres and HPCs (High Performance Computing) have been revolutionised. Thanks to the intricate design of Active Optical Cables, which allows for flexibility and gives an extra advantage of unmatched stability.
Alt Text: A Group of AOC Cables with Different Connectors
In the following paragraphs, you will be broadly enlightened about every aspect of the cutting-edge technology known as AOC, in a simple manner that appeals to both novices and experts
What is Active Optical Cable?
Active optical cable (AOC) is a fibre optic cabling technology that enables devices to communicate with each other directly. This is made possible with optical receivers or connectors that are attached to both ends of the cable, and are then inserted into two different devices.
Used in the interconnection of applications, acceleration of storage data, short range multi-line data transfers, and high performance computing, the Active Optic Cable (AOC) is designed to provide very high transfer rates of data reaching between 1-300m.
Alt Text: A Curled Orange Active Optical Cable with Connectors
AOC is quite popular due to the fact that it optimises power and improves transfer speed using electrical-to-optical conversion on the ends of the cable. It converts data signals into speedy light pulses, which are transported through an optical fibre that has been integrated with the AOC module. This converts the light back into data on the other end of the cable.
AOC is able to achieve all of these without sacrificing the compatibility of the cable with the electrical interfaces for which they are needed. In a sharp contrast to what the regular direct copper cables is capable of, AOC can cover a much greater distance of cable communication.
For its various applications, quite a wide array of Active Optic Cables have been made available on the market. They range from the 56G QSFP+ AOC, 100G QSFP28 AOC, 120G CXP AO, 40G QSFP+ to 8x LC breakout AOC, 10G SFP+ AOC, 100G QSFP28 to 4x SFP28 breakout AOC, 40G QSFP+ to 4x SFP+ breakout AOC, etc.
Optical Cables vs Regular Cables
In the not too distant past, before the evolution of higher techs such as video call apps like Skype, Google Meet, and Zoom; before 4K and HD mobile streaming, before the development of smart homes and IoT devices, the required cable network speed was expected to come between 10 and 500 megabytes per second, and the speed of upload could reach 5 to 50 megabytes per second. These speed rates were more than what was required for smooth operation.
With the development of the aforementioned technologies, data speed and transfer rates requirements have skyrocketed and as such, it is quite difficult to keep up with using the regular cables. This is where optical cables come in.
Alt Text: Optical Cable vs Regular Copper Cable
- In comparison to regular cables, optical cables can transfer data at a faster speed. This advantage of transfer speed is one of the most significant reasons that make companies and professionals pick optical cables ahead of regular cables.
Optical cables have a high transfer speed that fluctuates between 250 and 1,000 megabytes per second, and can reach as high as 100 gigabytes per second. This is more than 2000 times the speed regular cables are capable of handling. The transfer and transmission speed of the slowest optical cable is 5 times more than the speed of the fastest regular cables.
- More than regular cables, an optical cable connection is easier to install. Not just that, optical cables are easily maintained. Why is this so?
Special skills or equipment are not a requirement for the proper installation of optical cables. Also, after installation, optical cables are less likely to experience technical faults such as interference or signal loss. Reverse is usually the case for regular cables.
- Optical cables last longer and rarely damage unlike regular wire. This is because they are produced with raw materials such as glass and plastic, both of which are very rugged materials. As a result, cases of damaged optical cables caused by weather conditions or other phenomena are less likely to be heard of.
- Also, optical cables can be used in areas that house various electronic devices without having to bother about transferred data getting jammed or other negative effects. Optical cables are resistant to EMI (electromagnetic interference).
- One aspect where regular cable comes ahead of optical cable is in cost of procurement. No matter how much you try to beat the pricing, optical cables can not get as cheap as regular cables on the market. Considering the many advantages optical cables have over its regular counterpart, this fact need not come as a surprise.
However, in the long run, optical cables prove to be more cost-effective than regular wires. This is because less money will be spent on the maintenance.
- When compared to regular cable, fibre cable is more reliable and consistent. Using regular cables to make connections will result in 5 times the number of faults in optical cables along the cause of usage.
The reason for this is that regular cables use electric signals for the transfer of data, while optic cables use light beams, making it more resistant to the effects caused during poor weather conditions like rain, thunderstorms, powerful winds, and flooding.
AOC Applications
Active optical cables work in several powerful applications. This highly functional cable was developed as an upgrade and better option to the conventional DAC (Direct Attach Copper cables).
Generally, they are deployed in high performance computing and data centres, making them useful in applications that require a mix of quality and length. A lot of companies use high performance equipment to carry out important work and AOC has the full capacity to ensure these equipment function and communicate efficiently.
Alt Text: MTP Continuity Tester Integrated with Active Optical Cable
In some specific applications, AOC is recommended for the wiring of data centre rack to rack connections with a 5-30 metre length. AOC cables have become interestingly more popular amongst many big scale data centre operators in the planning of 40G/100G for switching fabrics and 10G/25G at the server-side. Active optical cables offer consumers an affordable means of connecting top-of-row (ToR) and end-of-row switches to each other.
Active optical cables are also applied in the connection of top-of-row (ToR) switches to storage subsystems with DAC limits higher than 3-7m. Basically, AOC cable is used to connect different switches to one another, or switches to servers. A 40G QSFP+ to 4*SFP+ AOC for example is used for the connection of two switches.
Use cases of active optical cables can commonly be found in PCs, High Definition TV, Electronics, High Performance Computing Systems (supercomputers or mainframes), etc.
Active Optical Cable vs Passive Optical Cable
Discussed below are the notable differences between Active Optical Cable and Passive Optical Cable.
Alt Text: A Passive Optical Cable
- Making use of a passive optical cable allows the connection between two corresponding ends of cables to be direct, especially when this connection is a short distance communication. It achieves this without the aid of active components like a transceiver.
For electrical-to-optical conversion, Active Optical Cable (AOC) makes use of active components, whereas Passive Optical Cable (POC) does not require this.
- AOCs are most popular for their long range ability. These fibre optics can carry data faster than other cabling systems through a much greater distance, usually in kilometres without reducing the signal quality.
Passive optical cables, on the other hand, are best recommended for short distance applications that typically range between 5 metres to about 300 metres. That is why POCs are most commonly used within a close space, to network equipment with server racks, data centres, or storage area networks. POCs can not be employed for the purposes in which an AOC will best serve.
- Due to the additional active components and technology that AOC is required to work with, they are normally costlier to purchase than the POCs. However, as we have earlier noted at the start of this article, the advantages of AOC are so outstanding that the cost is not so much when put in comparison with what they offer to the user.
- When the requirement for an application is high transmission speed, AOCs are better equipped for the task than POCs. Active optical cables help provide high-speed transmission of data to data centres, high performance computing systems, and wide reach networking applications.
Active Optical Cable vs DAC
Discussed below are the notable differences between Active Optical Cable (AOC) and Direct Attach Copper Cables (DAC)
Alt Text: DAC vs AOC
- Electromagnetic interference is a common phenomenon in data centres because of the number of routers, computers, and switches involved. This poses a huge difficulty for Direct Attach Copper Cables (DAC) because they use electric signals to transfer data to and from both ends. The activity of devices running in the same area as the DAC usually results in a failure in the data links.
Active optical cables (AOC) are not victims of these difficulties. AOCs are capable of running efficiently for over 100 metres without any defect. Employing the use of AOCs in a data centre means there will be lesser cases of electromagnetic interference and also reduction in operation noise.
- Active optical cables are much lighter than DACs. The AOC is made up of a fibre optic patch cable and 2 transceivers, which do not weigh more than one quarter of what the entire DAC weighs. The Direct Attach Copper Cables are heavier, have more mass, and will take up more space.
- A common ground for both Active optical cables and Direct Attach Copper Cables is in the aspect of speed. AOCs and DACs are usually both ideal for high speed data transmission and reliable networking but AOC has a slight edge.
- Overall, AOC is ultimately more reliable than DAC, faster, functions more efficiently, and covers a wider distance.
How To Care For Active Optical Cable
To ensure Active Optical Cables (AOC) have a prolonged lifespan and remain at optimal performance, proper care and maintenance measures are essential. Below is a detailed and explanatory guide towards achieving this:
Alt Text: A Technician Carrying Out Maintenance on Cables
- Clean AOCs periodically: To clean AOCs, use non-abrasive cleaning instruments that are lint-free. For example, cleaning pens and cleaning wipes made for optical cables, as well as approved connector cleaners for optical cable.
Make sure the connectors of the AOC are always clean, so that signal quality will not be compromised at any time.
- Handling and storing it efficiently: AOCs must be handled properly to avoid damage. When carrying them, hold them by the connectors and not the cable. The cables should not be bent more than the minimum radius allocated. Exceeding this might cause the cable to break, thereby leading to losses in signal.
- Store Active Optical Cables in a dry environment: Avoid storing them in damp surfaces or wet areas. Ensure where it is kept is neat and not in direct sunlight.
- Keep out of damage length: When not in use, ensure that AOC connectors are covered. Doing this shields the AOC from contamination. Also, AOCs must be installed outside the areas where there is heavy foot traffic or places where they might experience physical constraint.
Popular AOC Products
Discussed below are the most popular AOC products:
- USB-C Active Optical Cable:
USB-C Active Optical Cable is a kind of cable that makes use of AOC for the transmission of data over distances that the regular USB-C cables won’t reach. This cable is made of high-performance fibre optics, along with the special features of USB-C connectivity.
Since the cable is made from active optical cable, it is ideal for USB-C cables designed to reach long distances. Despite its length, the USB-C AOC cable maintains its optimal speed and signal; it can also carry its maximum bandwidth well throughout the entire cable length.
Alt text: USB-C AOC cable
Another main reason why USB-C cables are best made from active optical cables, is that the ports of the USB offer more functionalities than the regular USB port. A single USB-C cable is capable of transmitting files, data, image, video, and audio. The same USB-C AOC cables can still be used to charge phones.
- HDMI Active Optical Cable
The HDMI Active Optical (AOC) lets you experience a lossless signal transfer, even over a more distant range. It helps to curb the limitations borne from the use of ordinary copper in making regular HDMI, especially when it is over a long period of time. Keeping in mind that regular copper HDMI reduces in performance at only 10 metres.
Alt Text: a 4k 8k HDMI AOC cable
With the advent of 4K technology, data transfer rates have tripled, but with HDMI-AOC, the signal strength problem can be solved.
- DisplayPort Active Optical Cable
The DisplayPort (DP) is a digital interference connector that joins one computer to another. People usually compare HDMI to DisplayPort due to their similarity in features even though they use different connectors
As AOCs provide high bandwidth capabilities to the DisplayPort, this means that the cable is able to transmit data, videos, and audio in bulk without experiencing network glitch.
Alt Text: a black DisplayPort Active Optical Cable (AOC)
With the fibre optics AOCs property of both connectors on DisplayPort and in real life, electrical inputs are converted to a pulse of light transmitted at high peace. They can cover a long distance like this.
The use case scenarios of DisplayPort Active Optical Cable are not so scheduled narrowly but wide. And more numerous use case applications will potentially arise out of this.
Full Features of AOC
If you followed along through this article till this moment, you must have picked some major things on the full features of Active Optical labels. In case you missed them, this is a refresher.
- Active Optical cables are very light and less bulky than other types of cable.
- AOCs are the best option when looking for very high-speed data transmission.
- To make things even more interesting, the design of AOCs are made in a way that consumers will just plug in and play. This also makes the installation process more simple.
Conclusion
Active Optical Cable (AOC) is easily the manufacturer and consumer’s ideal choice for data transmission over both short and long distances. It delivers several advantages that cannot be traded off.
When compared to regular cables, AOC is far better in terms of transfer speed, network quality, reliability, and resistance to EMI interference. It is therefore not surprising that the application of AOC is spreading across different specialised products like HDMi AOC and USB-C AOC.
