EXFO has unveiled new addition to its network fault testing product family. The new FTTH product includes a specialized OTDR, FG-750 Node iOLM, under the umbrella of Fiber Guardian, is designed for in-service testing, troubleshooting and monitoring point-to-multipoint fibers.
Downstream tests can be performed from the central office or the node to the line type of any passive optical network. This provides operators an automated and operation-oriented process for evaluating how effective their FTTH networks are.
Optical demarcation is required in FTTH networks and presents some challenges. The Node intelligent Optical Link Mapper (iOLM) is based on EXFO's patented Link-Aware technology. It allows users from a centralized location, to validate and monitor end-to-end fiber quality throughout the lifecycle. Designed to increase operational efficiency, this product has the ability to control the quality of contractual work online. Further, it allows for continuous use of the same equipment for detecting optical-layer impairments in an automated way, which translates into a significant increase in operational efficiency.
Embedded with carrier-class hardware, OTDR, FG-750 Node iOLM is useful as it meets FTTx network requirements in terms of multiple optical test port connection, deployment of multifiber cables (MFCs), decreased power consumption, low volume and scalability. EXFO is also introducing a 576-port and 720-port optical switch along with and test access modules that allow out-of-band OTDR signals to be added from the node to the line under test. The software used for connectivity and access to the fault testing platform is a set of representational state transfer (REST) services (APIs). This allows easy integration in any system integrator, tier-1 operator or network equipment manufacturer.