Tele/Datacom Articles

What are MTP/MPO Cables?

Meet the Cable: MTP/MPO Cables MTP and MPO cables are critical components in telecommunication networks and high-speed computing environments such as data centers. These optical cables deliver the higher transmission speeds and larger capacity requirements of cloud computing in the era of big data. MTP and MPO cables have similar appearances, but there are severalRead More

Heat in Data Centers: The Conundrum of Thermal Management 

Heat has a direct effect on device reliability. As the internal temperature of a chip exceeds its maximum rating, reliability begins to drop off. This results in a shortened life or complete chip failure. Advancing the limits of computing performance has been a constant defining objective of system designers since the first commercial computers wereRead More

How to Read an Eye Diagram: Eye Diagrams in Digital Communications

Eye diagrams are an indispensable tool for optimizing digital communications systems and components. They enable engineers to diagnose issues, fine-tune performance, and ensure compliance with industry standards. Eye diagrams are a test used to analyze the fidelity of high-speed digital transmissions. By overlaying multiple instances of a signal’s waveform, the test provides a visual representationRead More

Top 10 in World Sales: Selecting a Connector Vendor

A new series of articles from Bishop & Associates will explore the global connector industry to identify the top 10 companies in world connector sales, by geographic region, manufactured products, and by markets served. In this first article in the series, learn about the leading companies by total world connector sales. Note: This article showsRead More

What is VITA 57.4 FMC+? 

Meet the Connector: VITA 57.4 FMC+ 57.4 FMC+, the VITA 57.4 standard, provides specifications describing an I/O mezzanine module with connection to an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or other device with reconfigurable I/O capability. 57.4 is the latest extension of the FMC (VITA 57.1) standard and defines the FMC+ (FPGA Mezzanine Card) specification, whichRead More

AI Demands a Fresh Look at System Architecture

Engineers are rethinking system architecture to accommodate increasing data rates and performance demands. Emerging technologies like co-packaged optics and OSFP-XD pluggables promise higher bandwidth and improved efficiency. Unless you have spent the last two years living in a remote cave in the Himalayas, the emergence of artificial intelligence has likely caught your attention. There isRead More

New Connectivity Solutions for the AI Data Center

Advanced connectivity solutions are emerging to support new AI data center architectures. High-speed board-to-board connectors, next-generation cables, backplanes, and near-ASIC connector-to-cable solutions operating at speeds up to 224 Gb/s-PAM4 will accelerate the future of computing. By Wai Kiong Poon, Senior Global Product Manager for Mirror Mezz, Molex Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applicationsRead More

A Standardized Approach to AI Safety and Innovation 

The U.S. Commerce Department has released its strategic vision for the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute to advance AI with safety and responsible innovation. Hardware development is an important part of the conversation.  The rapid development and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into various aspects of society necessitate the development of standards and guidelines toRead More

What are Loopback Cables?

Meet the Connector: Loopback Cables A loopback cable is a diagnostic tool for testing the functionality of a physical port in networking systems. They are used to assess and resolve any issues with a network interface or network interface card (NIC) without linking to an external device. The loopback cable simulates a network connection. ItRead More

Optics Outpace Copper at OFC 2024

Bob Hult shares the phenomenal advances in high-speed optical communications showcased at OFC 2024, including interconnects for 200G per lane optical transmission, liquid cooling, co-packaged optics, PAM6, and other technologies that take us far beyond the reach of copper. The 2024 Optical Networking and Communication Conference and Exposition March 24-April 3 in San Diego nearlyRead More

Maintaining Connections in Compact Board-to-Board Applications

A system cannot sustainably operate if all components are constantly at maximum stress capacity. The ticket to longevity lies in designing a component system that can tolerate electrical fluctuations as well as physical movement of the hardware. Data centers, data storage, data display on screens – managing the amount of data and the many venuesRead More

State of the Industry: 2022-2023 Connector Sales

Bishop & Associates’ new report details global connector sales by region, market, and product category for 2022-2023, with insights into 2023 and beyond. In brief: Sales were down in 2022 — except where they were up. Bishop & Associates has been tracking the activities of the global connector industry for more than 40 years, includingRead More

2026 World Connector Market Handbook 2025-2031F
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