Fibreoptic cables connect the two separate remote plant network
cabinets. Each is directly connected back to the main network
cabinet in the Computer Room. Backup copper link lines connect the two
remote plant cabinets to each other.
The two top network devices here have fibre modules inserted in
the rear of the units. They communicate with fibre modules in two separate remote
units. One is located above the Shipping offices, and the other within the Process
Engineering offices.
The fibre run
through a protective plastic "innerduct" tube. Both are coloured bright
orange for easy identification of the critical link lines. The thin flexible fibre
strands are visible here, as they enter the rear of the two top units (the reflective
metal components).
Here the innerduct exits the firewall between the office and plant areas.
The innerduct is securely fastened an angle in the steel truss, 27 feet above
the plant floor.
This fibre run is short enough to allow a copper UTP link line to
be run in parallel. If anything should fail in the fibreoptic system,
network traffic is automatically switched to the copper line.
Here two fibre trunk lines from the shipping office split off into different
directions.
