SJVM Glossary
Fiber Optic Cable - Fiber-optic communications is based on the principle that light in a glass medium (cable) can carry more information over longer distances than electrical signals can carry in a copper or coaxial medium. With few transmission losses, low interference, and high bandwidth potential, optical fiber is an almost ideal transmission medium.
Optical fiber can be used as a medium for telecommunication and networking because it is flexible and can be bundled as cables. Multimode Fiber supports propagation of multiple modes of light and is used in short distance campus-networks. Single mode fiber allows only one mode of light signal transmission and used in long distance (beyond 2 miles) network transmission. Metronet uses single mode fiber.
Dark fiber - Dark fiber refers to unused fiber optic cable. The dark strands can be leased to establish optical connections between locations. The entities leasing the fiber provide the necessary components to make it functional.
Conduit - The term Conduit means a structure placed in the ground in the duct bank in which cable or wires may be installed.
Hand-holes - A Hand-hole is an enclosure, below ground level lying adjacent to and abutting with the conduit, used for the purposes of installing, accessing, operating, maintaining, repairing and restoring any and all Facilities in the conduits.
Backbone - The part of the network used as the primary path between network segments and lateral connections.
Lateral - The "last mile" fiber path that connects a user to the backbone.
Long-Haul Trunk line - Transcontinental cable infrastructure for transmission between distant points that connects central offices and carrier hotels. This network is then typically interconnected to local Metronet infrastructure for connections to communications entities.
Central Office (CO) and/or Point-of-Presence (POP) - An access point to telephone and cable companies, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other businesses requiring telecommunications services, data transport, etc. A point of presence is a physical location, either part of the facilities of a telecom provider that an ISP rents or a separate location from the provider that houses servers, routers and other equipment. A CO/POP provides local users with access to the long haul trunk lines.
Gigabit Per Second (GBPS) - Gigabits per second is a measure of bandwidth in a digital transmission system equal to one billion bits of data per second.
Chicago National Network POP - Chicago is a key International Connection Point for intercontinental long-haul fiber networks. Other locations include New York, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle and Los Angeles.
DWDM - Dense Wave Division Multiplexing is an optical technique used to increase the carrying capacity of a fiber network beyond what can currently be accomplished via dark fiber pairs. Different wavelengths of light are used to transmit multiple streams of information along a fiber pair.
Metronet Backbone loops - The Metronet fiber network is comprised of several single-mode fiber optic backbone rings (Downtown, Blackthorn, Mishawaka, etc.) that facilitate interconnection and redundancy. The fiber is housed in conduits throughout St. Joseph County and is connected to several carrier locations. The fiber is accessed via lateral fibers at hand-holes along the paths.
Bandwidth - The throughput, or ability to move information through or from a device or system, usually measured in quantities of data per second. It is used to measure the information-carrying capacity of a communications channel. A rate of data transfer, measured in bits per second. It's a network's ability to carry information or data. Common circuits are 10Megabit, 100Megabit, 1000Megabit (Gigabit) for campus/office networking and 10Gigabit for long-haul, inter-campus/city connectivity. More and more, 10Gigabit is being deployed on the Metronet network by customers for data center backup and business continuity.
Carrier-neutral facilities - A fiber network (including access points) that is open to all. The provider makes the network available to all entities on an equal basis.
T-1 - A common telecommunication connection service for transmitting signals over a telephone line at 1.5Megabits. Service providers utilize T1s for telephone, Internet, and point to point connections.
Ringed Network - A ringed network is configured in a loop or ring to provide redundant service to any users connected to the ring. In the event of a cut cable, the signal can be transmitted on the other side of the loop while the cut is repaired.
AUP - Acceptable Use Policy. To read the St. Joe Valey Metronet Acceptable Use Policy click here
