Future-Ready FS Cabling Solutions for Data Center Interconnects
Feb 18, 20251 min read
Digitalization drives traffic to flow through networks toward data centers and the cloud. Traffic must be transmitted quickly and securely across campuses to the cloud to maintain good service quality. As a result, Data Center Interconnect (DCI) has become critical, as data centers are no longer isolated islands but part of a highly interconnected ecosystem. Driven by these applications, the DCI market is expected to grow by over 16% between 2023 and 2028. This article will focus on cabling technologies and solutions related to data center interconnection.
What Is Data Center Interconnect?
Data Center Interconnect (DCI) is a network architecture that connects two or more geographically or physically separate data centers, enabling seamless and high-speed data exchange between them. It plays a critical role in supporting a wide range of functions, including disaster recovery, data replication, workload balancing, and resource sharing. By ensuring secure, low-latency, and high-bandwidth communication, DCI allows data centers to operate as an integrated ecosystem. This interconnectivity is essential for modern enterprises to maintain service quality, scalability, and business continuity in an era of increasing data traffic and digitalization.
Factors Affecting Cabling Design for Data Center Interconnect
Network Architecture
The explosive growth of data has driven the construction of hyperscale data centers. To meet the data transmission requirements within campuses and address future challenges, the demand for high bandwidth has increased significantly. The growth in East-West traffic is primarily driven by machine-to-machine communication, while the adoption of flatter network architectures, such as spine-leaf or Clos networks, is another key factor. Compared to traditional three-tier network architectures, spine-leaf architectures divide the network into spine layers (responsible for aggregating and routing data packets) and leaf layers (connecting end-hosts and balancing load distribution), offering greater connectivity, lower latency, and higher scalability to meet the demands of efficient, modular networks in hyperscale data centers. East-West traffic and spine-leaf architecture are factors that need to be considered when planning data center interconnect cabling.
New Designs Driving Higher Fiber-count
The expansion of East-West data traffic and the shift to low-latency spine-leaf architectures have driven the rapid development of data center campuses, especially in terms of data transmission between multiple buildings. Inside the data center, cables are connected and distributed to their next destination through an Optical Distribution Frame (ODF) located in the Meet-Me Room (MMR) or Main Distribution Area (MDA). To ensure this zone can support future growth and is manageable, fiber cable hygiene should be mandatory.
As the throughput demands of DCI networks increase, fiber density continues to grow, requiring the effective management of thousands of fibers. To accommodate future expansion, ODFs must provide efficient fiber cable routing and slack management to ensure the scalability and manageability of MDA and MMR.
DCI Connectivity Approaches
In data center campuses, the most cost-effective way to provide high bandwidth is typically through multiple fibers transmitting at lower rates. However, achieving transmission rates above 200 Tbps may require over 3,000 fibers for each data center interconnect, with the total fiber demand across the campus exceeding 10,000 fibers.
To address this, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology can be used to increase the throughput of a single fiber rather than simply expanding capacity by adding more fibers. Currently, interconnects within 10 kilometers often utilize 1310 nm transceivers instead of the 1550 nm wavelength compatible with DWDM systems, making large-scale interconnects still reliant on high-fiber-count cables. For the foreseeable future, fiber-rich 1310 nm architectures are expected to remain more cost-efficient, particularly for applications under 2 kilometers, where PSM4 (8-fiber) solutions have proven to be a more economical choice.
FS Data Center Interconnect Cabling Solution
FS DCI cabling solution is designed to provide robust and reliable connectivity for interconnection between data centers. This data center interconnect solution enhances overall network performance by ensuring seamless data transmission, scalability, and ease of maintenance. Starting from external devices to structured cabling within the data center, it helps meet the growing bandwidth demands in the most challenging environments. Additionally, compared to other wiring products, our DCI solutions can reduce installation time by up to 30%! Below is an overview of the recommended components in the solution and their respective functions.
DCI Cabling Solution | |||
Outside Plant (OSP) Cable and Closure |  | Operate in extreme temperature ranges, from -40°c~+85°c Field deployment in harsh environments | |
 | With Built-in Fusion Splice Tray, up to 144 Cores Solid Structure, Perfect Outline, Thunder, Erosion and Adding Resistance Ideal for Hanging and Underground Applications No special tools required, only a standard torque wrench | ||
Preterminated Assemblies |  | Available in LC/SC/ST/FC and MTP®/MMC connector types 1,152 fibers in 1RU using 16F MMC connectors Factory-terminated and tested cable assemblies Color-coded connector boots for easy identification | |
 | Up to 144 fibers (LC) or 1,152 fibers (MTP®-24) Simplified installation processes for time savings Sliding drawer for full front access in all installation situations Multiple points at the rear and side allow for a variety of cable entry directions | ||
 | 6 cassettes fit into 1u, up to 216 fibers 0.35db ultra low-loss MTP® connectors allow for longer link distances The release/pulling system simplifies removal and allows for rapid deployment | ||
Cable Management Software |  | Reduce the time and cost of patch cord documentation by up to 60% Automated systems reduce human error by eliminating the need for manual data entry | |
In addition to cabling management, FS offers a comprehensive DCI network solution, including an efficient and user-friendly 100G DWDM PAM4 solution for data center interconnect (DCI), metro aggregation, and distributed access over distances of up to 80 km. The DCP series, which includes EDFA, MUX/DEMUX, and 100G DWDM PAM4 modules, ensures quick deployment and reliable long-range optical links, reducing both costs and operational complexity. With the AmpCon™-T Management Platform, it streamlines operations and simplifies maintenance, making it an ideal solution for boosting enterprise productivity and efficiency.
To the Future
The deployment and expansion of DCI networks across campuses and into the cloud will continue to grow steadily. As network architectures evolve to support machine learning and artificial intelligence, the volume of data being generated and exchanged is increasing rapidly. Consequently, data loads and DCI network requirements continue to increase, presenting physical challenges for campus network designers. To ensure seamless data transmission across these areas, the capacity of fiber optic cables must be enhanced. This can be achieved by either adding more fibers within each cable, using reduced-size cladding, or by introducing cost-effective alternative glass technologies.