When your company experiences a loss in your fiber optic cabling infrastructures, it can lead to a lot of downtime within your company. The overall performance of your fiber optic cables can affect your network in many ways.
Here’s everything that you need to know about dB loss in your fiber cables and how they can impact your company:
What is dB Loss?
In fiber optics, data is transmitted through light pulses sent through strands of glass. Eventually those pulses will be converted into information. This process is measured using decibels (dB), which indicates how much power the light has as it continues to move through the cables.
During this process, the goal is to transmit 100% of the data. If data gets lost in transit, this is known as a dB loss.
To measure a dB loss, one will perform an Insertion loss test, which uses a light source and a power meter to measure how much light is received. If too much light is lost, it will lead to a failure, and therefore you will lose information.
It’s important to catch dB loss and fix it because if you don’t, it can create potential operational issues and lose your company money.
What Causes a dB Loss?
If your company is experiencing a dB loss, it could be because of a few reasons. So, to avoid overall loss, make sure you are taking care of your systems, and protecting them.
Here are the most common factors for a dB loss:
– A Contaminated End Face
– Exceeding the Bend Radius
– A Pinched Jumper
– Cracked Fiber
– Ferrule Misalignment
Why is minimizing dB Loss Important?
A bad fiber optic cabling system can easily devalue your data. Ensure you are taking the necessary time to evaluate and properly install high-quality fiber optic cables to avoid losing valuable data.
If you have any questions about your office cabling, or you’re looking to ensure high performance within your company, make sure you contact ProLink Communications today!
