Providing Flexibility and Simplicity for Your Cable Management in Networking Cabling Systems
A patch panel is an effective and flexible networking device to keep your data center or server room organized as well as make it much easier to move, add or change the cabling infrastructure in the future. The definition, type, function, application and frequently asked questions of a patch panel will be demonstrated in this article.
Patch Panel Types: Fiber Optic Patch Panel and Ethernet RJ45 Patch Panel
Generally, there are two kinds of patch panels in the typical data center infrastructure on the basis of the cables they are working with: fiber optic patch panels and Ethernet patch panels. Both of them are available in different designs, configurations or port counts, and can be customized to fit various network cabling requirements.
Fiber Optic Panels
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Standard Fiber Optic Patch Panel: the standard fiber optic patch panel can be loaded with LC/SC/MTP adapters, which are commonly used as the intermediate connection between the backbone and patch cables. Opticswave FHD fiber patch panels come with single mode and multimode fiber types with different adapter options and port counts.
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Breakout Patch Panel: breakout patch panels are specifically designed for high-density 40G-10G and 100G-25G breakout cabling. As an agile and scalable solution to mitigate cable clusters and improve airflow, breakout patch panels deliver aesthetic appeal and make the data center a more inviting place. The breakout patch panels in Opticswave come with both single mode and multimode options.
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Modular Patch Panel: rack mount modular fiber enclosure panel and multimedia adapter panel are the two common types of modular panels. The former can hold up to 4 FHD MTP cassettes or fiber adapter panels, fitting for both front and rear mounting in horizontal cable management. The latter can allow users to customize their own adapter panel in a high density cabling system.
Ethernet Patch Panels
Ethernet patch cables can be classified into different types: Cat5e/Cat6/Cat6a Ethernet patch panel, blank keystone patch panel, 110 punch down Ethernet patch panel, etc.
The most popular Ethernet patch panel nowadays is the Cat6 feedthrough patch panel, which is welcomed by its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. When you are not sure to decide in advance which type of cables will be used to connect your hardware, you can use a blank keystone patch panel to make a mixed connection based on your actual demands.
