PRODUCT NEWS
Fluke launches CertiFiber Max for multi-fibre testing in data centres
Amphenol launches new Optical Distribution Frame for data centres
Network cable tester Fluke Networks announced a new optical loss test set that enables technicians to certify up to 24 fibres in under one second to meet the growing demands of high-density data centre environments. As fibre density increases and performance margins tighten, driven by AI, cloud, and next- generation digital infrastructure, contractors face mounting pressure to test and certify complex fibre systems quickly and accurately. Many existing tools struggle to keep pace, either limiting fibre counts or relying on fan-out cables and adapters that add time, complexity, and risk of error. Fluke Networks’s new product, CertiFiber Max, addresses these
Amphenol Network Solutions launched a new a hyperscale Optical Distribution Frame to help solve some of the most difficult challenges in data centres. The new product, FiberVault, aims to tackle soaring fibre counts, limited space, complex maintenance workflows, and rising pressure to protect uptime while deploying capacity faster than ever. AI and GPU clusters require dense mesh topologies, driving fibre counts into the hundreds of thousands per site. With 5,760 splices per frame (11,520 back-to- back), tracing and validating fibres manually becomes unrealistic at scale, says Amphenol. FiberVault introduces a new tracer fibre system that enables
challenges with delivering faster testing, greater accuracy, and long-term flexibility through field- replaceable UniPort™ adapters. These offer native support for 12, 16, and 24 multi-fibre push- ons (MPO) as well as 16 and 24 MMCs (very small form factor multi-fibre connectors), including both pinned and unpinned configurations as data centre architectures continue to evolve. Designed for high-efficiency
light-guided circuit identification in high-density, splice-only environments, which is something traditional connector-based labelling cannot support at scale. Instead of relying on cable labels, FiberVault uses a three- fibre jumper: two fibres carry live traffic, and a third tracer fibre routes to an accessible window on the front of each shelf. Technicians connect a standard VFL to one end, and the light appears at the corresponding window on the far side, instantly confirming the correct circuit. This allows teams to validate live connections without interruption, perform Day-2 moves, adds, and changes with confidence, and replace time-consuming manual tracing with a fast, repeatable process.
workflows in dense fibre environments, the solution
measures loss, length, and polarity across multiple fibres in under a second while ensuring greater accuracy through the standards- recommended and manufacturer- preferred one-jumper reference method.
Finchetto to develop optical switch using 20x less power
Ekinops releases new hybrid optical system to connect data centres and central offices
Optical transport equipment provider Ekinops has released its new C700HC chassis, which combines features of traditional WDM transport systems with DCI- specific platforms making it capable of operating in both service provider central offices and data centres. The new system allows service providers to use one transport platform across both central offices and data centres, making it easy to extend network capacity directly into and between data centres to serve Cloud and AI connected customers. Its hybrid capability enables service providers to deliver high-capacity bandwidth services directly to the emerging neo- scaler market. The C700HC provides a common platform for
both environments with the same hardware, software, operating system and management tools delivering a unified transport solution that erases the boundaries between disparate applications. As the newest member of the company’s Ekinops360 optical transport platform, the C700HC provides an upgraded design with greater capacity, improved scalability and more efficient cooling, enabling an overall reduction in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the platform. Its 20-slot design and upgraded power envelope accommodates a full-fill of ten PM_ 800FR04 800G line modules for up to 8 Tbps of total shelf capacity. At less than 0.2 watts of power consumed per Gbps at full capacity, it is highly power efficient to meet modern data centre requirements.
Optical switch vendor Finchetto has been awarded funding to develop the ‘world’s first’ fully optical passive network switch for greater energy efficiency in AI and telecommunications. The company claims its optical switch achieves up to a 20x reduction in power requirements, compared to the current industry-leading electronic switches. Finchetto has been awarded a ‘Contract for Innovation’ through UK Research and Innovation. The project will see Finchetto further develop its photonic integrated circuits and see its technology deployed in a commercial pilot programme, marking a key milestone in bringing optical
networking from the lab into real-world applications. Finchetto is addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing AI and telecommunications today: the growing energy consumption of data centres and hyperscalers, which already account for more than 1.5% of global electricity use. To unlock the full potential of AI, data centre infrastructure must become dramatically more energy efficient. Its fully optical, passive architecture removes the need for electronics within the switch, enabling ultra-low-latency networking and supporting advanced topologies such as Intel’s PolarFly for massively distributed compute.
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| ISSUE 43 | Q1 2026
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