For many years, a density of 144 optical fibers per 1U has remained the de facto industry standard for optical patch panels in data centers. The primary limitation is the physical geometry of LC connectors, which effectively defines the maximum achievable port density.

Over time, multiple attempts have been made to overcome this limitation, including reducing the connector form factor, developing specialized tools for connector body extraction, and optimizing boot designs. However, none of these approaches have resulted in a meaningful increase in port density within the 1U mounting space.

When the front side of a panel or rack is constrained by connector geometry, this leads in practice to two key operational challenges:

• efficient organization and maintenance of patch cords, requiring a well-designed cable management system;
• ease of handling feeder cables on the rear side of the rack or panel.

To address the first challenge, Patchwork offers the Cercis patch panel equipped with pre-terminated Currant cassettes. This solution enables flexible optical channel configurations for various deployment scenarios while simplifying front-side operation and maintenance.

The second challenge is addressed through Patchwork 144-fiber optical assemblies, available with both single-mode and multimode fibers and equipped with MTP(12) and/or dLC connectors. This approach optimizes rear-side cable infrastructure and significantly improves overall serviceability.

Currently, Patchwork provides manufacturing and shipment of custom-length optical assemblies within one week, while Currant cassettes are available in stock.

ore information about these solutions is available in the catalog MYCELIUM.
The number of available configurations is limited.