The growth of data center processing demands has led to both physical and technological challenges. Many facilities house hundreds or thousands of servers, leading to a vast number of network connections. To keep up with 40G, 100G, and 400G data transfer rates, IT teams need to run a high volume of cables between nodes. In this environment, MTP and MPO connector technology is a critical solution.
What Are MTP and MPO Connectors?
MPO stands for Multi-Fiber Push-On, and MTP is a proprietary version made by US Conec. Both MPO and MTP fiber-optic cables house dozens of individual fibers in a single cable. Most MPT/MPO cables these days have 8 or 16 fibers per row and multiple rows per connector.
MPO connectors are specialized plug-in optics with polarity. This allows for rapid connectivity between network equipment. There are some differences between MPO vs. MTP connectors, but both offer excellent performance.
Why Use MTP and MPO Connectors in Dense Cabling Environments?
Having a high volume of individual cables is quickly becoming a major problem for data center performance. Dense cabling environments contribute to:
- Poor airflow and overheating
- Network connection errors
- More time required for troubleshooting and maintenance
- Complicated and confusing cabling layouts
MTP/MPO connectors and cables directly solve many of these issues. By choosing optical connections with 16 or 32 fibers, it’s possible to replace several patch cables with just one. This can have a positive domino effect throughout a data center.
Reduction in Cabling
Switching to MPO cables with 8 or 16 fibers per row and 24, 36, or even 72 fibers per core can lead to astounding infrastructure improvements. Considering that AI clusters can have a thousand multi-fiber connections or more, reducing the total fiber count to one-third or one-half can mean trimming 500 to 700 cables or more.
Faster Setup and Reduced Errors
MTP and MPO connectors clearly indicate their polarity with a “key.” This allows IT technicians to see at a glance which direction parallel connections are flowing. By using an array adapter, teams can effortlessly manage straight, cross, and cross-pair polarity connections.
Simplified Cable Management
Eliminating issues with cable density doesn’t mean losing flexibility. In fact, the opposite is true. With the right MTP/MPO data center cabling, it’s easy to direct breakouts exactly where they need to go while keeping server and switch connections clean. Ultimately, MTP and MPO connectors boost productivity, efficiency, organization, and accuracy for enterprise IT teams.
What Cable Types Are Available With MTP/MPO Connectors?
MTP/MPO cables and connectors are widely used in the IT industry, so finding the right combination of terminations isn’t difficult. Common styles include:
- Trunk cables (heavy-duty sheathing)
- Jumper cables (male and female ends)
- Harness cables/breakouts (e.g., 100G to 4x25G)
- MPO conversion cables (24-fiber MPO to 3×8-fiber MPO, etc.)
The wide variety of fiber count options makes MPO and MTP connectors easily compatible with 40G QSFP+, 100G QSFP28, OSFP, and 400G QSFP-DD standards. You can select multimode and single-mode fibers.
High-Quality and Cost-Effective MTP/MPO Connectors
Next-gen improvements for enterprise networking and data centers can still be cost-effective. At Equal Optics, we provide a wide range of high-performance MPO/MTP-compatible connectors and other optical solutions for IT teams. Request a quote for MPO connectors today.
