MPO-MTP Breakout connections

[DCIM_Support]

This question was originally posted on DCIM Support by Andrew Stoakes on 2019-01-27

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We are installing new backbone infrastructure and are using MPO breakout cables for our NEXUS equipment and splitting the 40G to 4x10G 

Has anyone managed to map this in DCO?

(CID:138810202)

[DCIM_Support]

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Ed Tarento on 2019-01-28

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Andrew, there's been several discussions on this topic including some I've posted to.  It's doable in DCO.  Did you try a search for MPO or MTP or Hydra or similar?  Submitting a feature request for how you'd like to see it work is also probably a wise move.

Cheers

Ed

(CID:138810220)

[DCIM_Support]

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Eric Clark on 2019-01-28

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"Doable"  - "Submitting a feature request for how we'd like to see it work"

Those sound like the feature doesn't exist.  

I looked under the search terms you recommended - there looks to have been one thread - in September of last year.

Could you please provide a concrete answer ?

Does DCO support patch panels and/or patch cords with multi-pair breakouts as used in MPO/MTP connectors?

I see from the 1 example that you could configure a server to have multiple interfaces - but the server is not generally where a breakout exists - its at a patch panel - or a switch.

I've drawn an example of a 48 port modular patch panel - where the top 24 ports are standard - and the bottom 24 are different types of breakouts - 4 x LC, 6 x LC and 12xLC - that results in differnt port numbering than you'd normally have... and so on.

(CID:138810538)

[DCIM_Support]

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Ed Tarento on 2019-01-28

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I hear your frustration.  Many of us have asked for this feature to be fully available.  In the meantime you may be able to meet your business need as follows.

In your diagram, the part that isn't supported is the ability to model a cable with a single connection at the patch panel, eg #40 which breaks into 12 connections at the other end.  As you intend to connect the individual ports on a single “Hydra” cable to different devices, the only way I know to do this is to model every port at the patch panel. 

Whilst the patch panel appears to have vastly more ports than it actually physically has when you look at it, you are able to name them in such a way that it can make sense to your DCO users as well as maintain connectivity and port numbering. 

In my example screenshot, "H25" means "the port in the patch panel numbered 25, that is actually supports 4 ports when used with a hydra cable (hence the H). "  I've only shown ports 1-24, 25, 31 and 37 to illustrate my approach

I'm afraid thats all i can help you with.  Perhaps someone else has a better solution?

Kind regards

Ed 

(CID:138810623)

[DCIM_Support]

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Greg Sterling on 2019-01-29

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Hello Eric. Ed is correct in that DCO does not support fan-out cables. I have seen customers use a workaround like the one Ed is describing above where on the source side of the connection the port connections are built-out such that the source side (where there would normally be a single connection) has a port representing each of the fanout cables and they customer uses a port naming convention to account for this.

Ed is also correct in that we have received feedback from a few customers who have requested this capability. This information is evaluate as each release is planned. As of today dev is focused on features in next DCO release. If there is an urgent need for a specific feature like fan-out cables customers may also engage the CSP team to have a capability delivered as a service.

Regards

Greg Sterling

(CID:138810692)

[DCIM_Support]

This answer was originally posted on DCIM Support by Andrew Stoakes on 2019-01-29

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Going to have to configure each connection as a separate connection. On the MPO patch panel, I have created 6 MPO connectors each with 6 x 10G connections. Will have to map the physical connections from the source to the destination as if they are individual cables. 

Not a great way of doing this but until DCO catches up this will have to do. 

(CID:138810724)

[DCIM_Support]

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Eric Clark on 2019-01-29

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The point I think your customers are making is that this sort of cabling has been available for quite some time. I, myself, have deployed it more than 5 years ago. 

But support hasn't been added.

That's all.

(CID:138811064)

[DCIM_Support]

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Andrew Stoakes on 2019-01-29

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Correct, and its common in the Data center space. For the amount we pay each year fro "Support" i would have expected this to have been included in a release some time ago. 

Lets see if we get any traction 

(CID:138811160)

[DCIM_Support]

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Greg Sterling on 2019-01-30

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There is much more planning used in regards to the features picked for inclusion in upcoming product releases. We rely heavily on feedback and requests from our customers including information we receive in a posting like this one.

Your interest in MPO/MTP cabling will trigger us to add your names to the list of customers who have already inquired about this feature.

The items which are prioritized for a release of DCO usually fall into bug/defect, security/vulnerabilities, and features. The list of new features added to DCO is almost always driven by feedback of some kind. So if our customers or the market are not asking for a feature we will not likely spend any development resources on it.

It is important for customers like yourselves who have a need for support of MPO-MTP cabling to use this forum or other Schneider contacts (like tech support or your sales rep) to provide your feedback so we know there is a growing interest in this capability. Then we can prioritize the capability accordingly and assign it to a release. 

The support cost paid by our customers entitles them to this forum as well as product support and product updates.

Regards

Greg Sterling

(CID:138811227)

[DCIM_Support]

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