The supreme goal of data center infrastructure products is to be able to combine complexity in functionality with simplicity in installation and operation.

The myth that all data is flying through the clouds is more prevalent than ever thanks to the omnipresent term of cloud computing. Yet, data center deployers and operators know the world is more hard-wired than ever and being able to connect these cables in a sophisticated and simple fashion is the design engineer’s Holy Grail. 

When The Who released their hit from the ‘60s, “I Can See For Miles”, they probably had no idea it could be a theme song for installers today who have to deal with the extraordinary length of fiber strands in a typical data center fit-up.  

Mark Twain was once credited with saying, “I would have written you a shorter letter, but I didn’t have enough time.”

Developing data center connectivity products that are intuitive and easy to use while delivering on impossibly expanding specifications takes time to develop and requires a genius mindset.

Corning’s EDGE™ Rapid Connect is one of those brilliantly designed suite of optical fiber products. It offers a rugged, high-density cabling solution optimized to complete data center interconnects faster than ever.

It boasts a design that should eventually be a standardized approach for data center deployments large and small, but initially it’s being embraced mostly by the biggest players in the industry. 

“We’d like to say this solution is for everyone,” said Brian Rhoney, Corning Director of Marketing Development. “However, currently these applications are focused primarily on the large hyperscale customers who have a data center campus and want to interconnect the buildings within the campus with high fiber count connectivity.”

In outside plant environments, the product’s smaller two-inch diameter pulling grip allows EDGE™ Rapid Connect Solutions to be easily pulled through existing conduits – streamlining installation and giving data center operators a new path to extreme density.

The grip is waterproof, capable of handling up to 600 pounds of pulling tension, and compatible with MaxCell innerduct. Best of all, installation is straightforward – no special processes or equipment are required.

“We want to eliminate the splicing step which is typically a large percentage of the time required in an install, and which also needs a high skill level to perform,” said Rhoney.

One recent case study conducted by Corning resulted in trunk cables being installed in data centers 70% faster than using more traditional methods.

This kind of game-changing time savings and reduction of skilled labor requirements are just what data center operators are craving in today’s deadline-pressed environment.

Installers who are getting to employ this technology are raving about it as well as the reduction in time to deployment is so significant.

“You’re cutting off days and even weeks of installation,” said Rhoney. “This is a plug and play process where the pre-connect arrives from the factory pre-tested.”

“Now, without all of those incidences of reworks, bad splices, and cost overruns, contractors are able to get their crews off the site and onto their next project.”

This level of technological innovation, product excellence, and customer focus is why Corning has proven to be such an excellent partner with Instor.

Instor works in step with Corning with the implementation of products from design to deployment. If you have any questions and want to learn more about these Corning offerings and more, make sure to contact us today.