Dark Fiber is an increasingly popular solution for businesses looking to increase their network bandwidth and reduce latency. It provides a dedicated, secure connection between two or more points on the same physical fiber-optic cable. Unlike traditional broadband connections, dark fiber may require additional hardware or software in addition to the existing infrastructure of the local telecommunications provider. This makes it an ideal choice for organizations that need high-speed data transmission without sacrificing security or reliability. Dark Fiber also offers scalability, allowing businesses to easily add capacity as needed without requiring costly equipment or personnel resources upgrades.
There are several types of dark fiber, including:
- Lit dark fiber: This type of dark fiber has been installed and is available for use but is not currently being used by a tenant.
- Unlit dark fiber: This type of dark fiber has been installed but is not currently in use and has not yet been connected to a network.
- Private dark fiber: This type of dark fiber is owned and operated by a single organization, usually a company or government agency, for its use.
- Shared dark fiber: This type of dark fiber is owned and operated by a single organization and is shared among multiple tenants or organizations.
- Leased dark fiber: This type of dark fiber is owned and operated by a single organization and is leased to other organizations for their use.
- Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU): This is a long-term contract where a customer buys the right to use a fiber-optic cable for a specific period.
- Long-haul dark fiber: This type of dark fiber spans long distances, typically hundreds or thousands of miles, and is often used for inter-city or trans-continental connectivity.
- Metro dark fiber: This type of dark fiber is used to connect networks within a metropolitan area and is typically shorter in distance than long-haul dark fiber.
- Point-to-point dark fiber: This type of dark fiber connects two specific points or locations rather than being part of a more extensive network.
- Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) dark fiber: This type of dark fiber allows multiple data channels to be transmitted over a single fiber by using different wavelengths of light for each channel.
- Dense Wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) dark fiber: This type of dark fiber is similar to WDM dark fiber but allows for even more channels to be multiplexed over a single fiber by using very closely spaced wavelengths of light.
- Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) dark fiber: This type of dark fiber uses MPLS technology to create virtual private networks (VPNs) over the public internet or other shared network infrastructure.
- SONET/SDH dark fiber: This type of dark fiber uses Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) or Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) technology to transmit data over optical fiber.
- Gigabit Ethernet dark fiber: This type of dark fiber is used to transmit data over optical fiber using Gigabit Ethernet technology.
- Passive Optical Network (PON) dark fiber: This type of dark fiber uses PON technology to provide high-speed internet access to multiple users over a single fiber.
- Elastic dark fiber: This type of dark fiber allows the capacity to change dynamically based on the need of the customer.
- Hybrid dark fiber: This type of dark fiber combines different technologies and fibers to provide a more flexible and customizable solution for the customer.
- Dark fiber ring: This type of dark fiber is a network of fibers laid out in a ring topology, providing redundancy and allowing data to be transmitted in different directions.
- Dark fiber mesh: This type of dark fiber is a network of fibers laid out in a mesh topology, providing multiple paths for data to be transmitted and increasing the overall reliability and resiliency of the network.
- Dark fiber overbuild: This type of dark fiber refers to installing new fiber-optic cables on existing infrastructure, such as underground utility corridors or along existing rights of way.
* Please note that some of the types I listed may be used in combination with others, and the terminology may vary depending on the context and the company.
Dark fiber is simply a term used to describe optical fiber that has been installed but is not currently in use. The different types of dark fiber I listed earlier refer to variations in how the fiber is owned, operated, or used. The technologies and topologies used to transmit data over dark fiber were also listed. However, it is worth noting that the terminology and specific types of dark fiber can vary depending on the context and the company.