Luna's Optical Backscatter Reflectometer (OBR) technology offers unprecedented precision in fibre optic latency measurement, boasting picosecond-level accuracy. This capability is crucial for various critical network applications and fibre optic systems that require precise latency or length verification.

The Importance of Latency Measurement

Latency, the time delay between signal transmission and reception, is a crucial factor in many high-performance networks. Accurate latency measurement is essential for:

High-Frequency Trading: In financial markets, where milliseconds can mean millions, ultra-low latency networks are vital. Luna's OBR systems enable traders to optimize their network performance, gaining a competitive edge.

Data Centers: Network administrators can identify and troubleshoot latency issues, ensuring optimal performance and minimizing downtime.

Interferometers and Radar Systems: These advanced technologies rely on precise fibre length and latency measurements for accurate operation.

Quality Control: Manufacturers of high-precision fibre links can maintain stringent quality standards during production.

 

Luna's Fibre Optic Testing Solutions for High-Frequency Trading Links

The importance of fibre optic latency testing is particularly evident in the realm of high-frequency trading (HFT) environments where algorithms execute trades within microseconds. In time-sensitive optical networks, such as those used in rapid trading environments, latency becomes a pivotal factor in system design. Network latency encompasses not only message processing and networking delays but also the physical transmission delay through optical fibres. The ability to measure and optimize this optical transmission delay is essential for troubleshooting latency issues in data centers and maintaining stringent quality control in the production of high-precision fibre links.

 

Measuring latency and length with OBR

 

Luna's Fibre Optic Testing Solutions for Data Centers

Luna offers a range of fibre optic testing solutions designed to meet the specific needs of data centers, including link length measurement, network diagnostics, troubleshooting, manufacturing test of fibre optic assemblies, and characterization of optical components and modules. These versatile systems provide comprehensive testing capabilities that cater to the diverse needs of data centers.

 

Luna OBR Systems

Let's delve deeper into Luna's OBR systems. These systems employ optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) technology to scan the network and measure reflections with ultra-high sensitivity and spatial resolution. By detecting and quantifying reflective events, such as connectors, bad splices, and macro-bends, Luna's OBRs provide valuable insights into the network's performance.

World-Beating Spatial Resolution

What sets Luna's OBRs apart is their industry-leading spatial resolution, which enables precise measurements of the time or distance between reflection events. For example, the OBR 4600 can scan a 2 km network with a sampling resolution of 1 mm, corresponding to about 5 picoseconds. This level of precision allows network administrators to identify and address potential issues before they escalate, ensuring the smooth operation of data centers.

For those requiring a more portable solution, the rugged OBR 6200 Series provides comparable accuracy, measuring within 4 millimeters for a 100-meter network.

 

Example: Measure and compare transmission latency in two fibre segments (~50m)Example: Measure and compare transmission latency in two fibre segments (~50m)

Exceptional Performance and Reliability

Luna's family of advanced optical test and measurement OBR products are renowned for their exceptional spatial resolution, dynamic range, and speed. These qualities make them the go-to choice for data centers that prioritize accuracy and reliability in their fibre optic testing processes.

Luna's fibre optic testing solutions are specifically tailored to meet the demanding requirements of data centers, particularly those in the financial sector. With their ability to measure latency with picosecond precision, pinpoint faults, and provide comprehensive testing capabilities, Luna's test systems offer unparalleled accuracy and reliability. By leveraging advanced technologies such as OFDR, Luna ensures that data centers can maintain high-performance networks and deliver seamless services to their clients.

The team at AusOptic can provide training and equipment hire for link validation - get in touch with us to find out more.