About Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Our mission: Bringing practical business and technical intelligence to today's structured cabling professionals

For more than 30 years, Cabling Installation & Maintenance has provided useful, practical information to professionals responsible for the specification, design, installation and management of structured cabling systems serving enterprise, data center and other environments. These professionals are challenged to stay informed of constantly evolving standards, system-design and installation approaches, product and system capabilities, technologies, as well as applications that rely on high-performance structured cabling systems. Our editors synthesize these complex issues into multiple information products. This portfolio of information products provides concrete detail that improves the efficiency of day-to-day operations, and equips cabling professionals with the perspective that enables strategic planning for networks’ optimum long-term performance.

Throughout our annual magazine, weekly email newsletters and 24/7/365 website, Cabling Installation & Maintenance digs into the essential topics our audience focuses on.

  • Design, Installation and Testing: We explain the bottom-up design of cabling systems, from case histories of actual projects to solutions for specific problems or aspects of the design process. We also look at specific installations using a case-history approach to highlight challenging problems, solutions and unique features. Additionally, we examine evolving test-and-measurement technologies and techniques designed to address the standards-governed and practical-use performance requirements of cabling systems.
  • Technology: We evaluate product innovations and technology trends as they impact a particular product class through interviews with manufacturers, installers and users, as well as contributed articles from subject-matter experts.
  • Data Center: Cabling Installation & Maintenance takes an in-depth look at design and installation workmanship issues as well as the unique technology being deployed specifically for data centers.
  • Physical Security: Focusing on the areas in which security and IT—and the infrastructure for both—interlock and overlap, we pay specific attention to Internet Protocol’s influence over the development of security applications.
  • Standards: Tracking the activities of North American and international standards-making organizations, we provide updates on specifications that are in-progress, looking forward to how they will affect cabling-system design and installation. We also produce articles explaining the practical aspects of designing and installing cabling systems in accordance with the specifications of established standards.

Cabling Installation & Maintenance is published by Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

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Lumentum Optical Circuit Switch to Improve Next-Generation AI Data Center Scalability

  • Proven MEMS-based technology optimized for high reliability, performance, and increased AI data center scalability
  • Lumentum R300 OCS 300x300 port product currently being sampled by multiple customers
  • General availability expected in second half of 2025

Lumentum Holdings Inc. ("Lumentum"), a global leader in optical and photonic solutions for the cloud and networking markets, announced today that its R300 optical circuit switch (OCS) 300x300 port product is currently sampling with multiple hyperscale customers and is slated for general availability in the second half of 2025. The R300 is a breakthrough solution designed to enhance the scalability, performance, and efficiency of artificial intelligence (AI) clusters and intra-data-center networks. Lumentum will showcase the new product at the 2025 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition (OFC) at Booth #2119 in San Francisco CA, from April 1-3rd.

“Lumentum has a long-standing track record of optical innovation and deep expertise in MEMS optical switching technology that provides a distinct advantage in delivering a high-quality OCS product for AI infrastructure,” said Wupen Yuen, Lumentum president of Cloud and Networking. “Feedback from customers has been very positive, due to its ability to improve network reliability and performance, including substantial reductions in data center network power consumption. This product adds to our broad portfolio of innovative photonic solutions that increase AI data center scalability.”

The Lumentum OCS leverages decades of engineering expertise in developing and deploying high-performance, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology in demanding telecom applications. Based on over 1 trillion field mirror operating hours and a proven portfolio with hundreds of patents, the OCS is designed to provide high reliability and performance.

As hyperscalers scale AI infrastructure to meet surging demand, optical switching offers a power-efficient, cost-effective, and reliable alternative to traditional Ethernet-based architectures. Lumentum estimates that adopting its OCS can reduce overall AI data center network power consumption by 65% or more in 100K-scale GPU deployments compared to InfiniBand or Ethernet solutions. Market research firm Cignal AI projects that the OCS market will surpass $1B by 2028, driven by AI and cloud network advancements.

"As multiple hyperscale operators and AI hardware vendors now dedicate significant resources to improving the scaling of AI systems, OCS components are becoming a critical technology for success," said Scott Wilkinson, lead analyst at Cignal AI. "These operators and vendors will adopt the technology on different timelines, and they will ultimately drive the widespread adoption of OCS as a superior alternative to electrical switching in certain parts of the network."

Key Benefits of the Lumentum OCS

Major advantages include:

  • Significant power savings. Reduces power consumption, compared to traditional Ethernet-based infrastructures.
  • Ultra-low latency. Eliminates OEO conversion, reducing latency by 5X to 10X versus Ethernet switching.
  • Ultra-wideband capability. Unlike liquid crystal-based switches, MEMS technology operates seamlessly across the O, C, or L optical bands, making it a future-proof solution for next-generation transmission technologies.
  • Superior signal integrity. Low insertion and return loss, along with minimal polarization-dependent loss (PDL) and polarization mode dispersion (PMD), ensure exceptional optical performance.
  • Exceptional stability. Lumentum’s proprietary MEMS technology eliminates the need for closed loop control, reducing system complexity, while preventing dither noise – unwanted oscillations that can degrade signal performance.
  • Enhanced reliability and availability. A modular design with redundant power supplies, fans and easily replaceable control electronics minimizes potential downtime.

About Lumentum

Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE) is a market-leading designer and manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products enabling optical networking and laser applications worldwide. Lumentum optical components and subsystems are part of virtually every type of telecom, enterprise, and data center network. Lumentum lasers enable advanced manufacturing techniques and diverse applications, including next-generation 3D sensing capabilities. Lumentum is headquartered in San Jose, California, with R&D, manufacturing, and sales offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.lumentum.com and follow Lumentum on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

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