A fiber monitoring system is a set of devices and software that are used to continuously monitor the health of a fiber optic network. The system typically includes optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR), which are used to measure the attenuation and backscatter of light along a fiber optic cable. It can be used to identify and locate faults in the fiber optic cable, as well as to measure the overall health of the network.

Attenuation: Attenuation is the loss of optical power as light travels through a fiber optic cable. This loss is due to a number of factors, including scattering, absorption, and bending.

Backscatter: Backscatter is the reflection of light back along the fiber optic cable. This light is caused by microscopic imperfections in the fiber optic cable.

Fiber monitoring is done by using a variety of techniques, including optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR), distributed fiber sensing (DFS), and active fiber monitoring (AFM).

OTDR is the most common technique used for fiber monitoring. It works by sending a short pulse of light into the fiber optic cable and then measuring the time it takes for the light to reflect back to the OTDR. The information can be used to create a graphical representation of the fiber optic cable, showing the attenuation and backscatter of light along the cable. Then the faults in the fiber optic cable can be identified and located.

DFS systems use sensors that are embedded in the fiber optic cable to monitor the health of the cable. These sensors can detect faults and performance degradation, and they can also provide information about the temperature and strain of the cable.

AFM systems use active light sources to monitor the health of a fiber optic network. These systems can detect small changes in light transmission across active fiber lines, which can be used to identify security breaches and other problems.

Types of Fiber Monitoring Systems
Stand-alone OTDRs: These are simple, portable devices that can be used to measure the attenuation and backscatter of light along a fiber optic cable.

Networked OTDRs: These are more sophisticated devices that are connected to a network. They can be used to monitor multiple fibers simultaneously, and they can generate reports that track the performance of the network over time.

Distributed fiber sensing (DFS) systems: These systems use sensors that are embedded in the fiber optic cable to monitor the health of the cable. They can detect faults and performance degradation, and they can also provide information about the temperature and strain of the cable.

Features

As the bandwidth of fiber optic cabling continues to progress, the needs for accurate and comprehensive fiber monitoring systems will expand as well. Innovative P2MP network architecture including passive optical networks (PON) will enable more FTTH with lower power consumption and less potential for electrical interference. The increases in optical network complexity will make fiber monitoring more important than ever. 

Improved uptime: By detecting and locating faults early, fiber optical monitoring can help to prevent outages and improve the uptime of a fiber optic network.

Reduced costs: By identifying and troubleshooting performance degradation early, fiber optical monitoring can help to reduce the cost of network maintenance and repairs.

Increased security: Fiber optical monitoring can help to detect and prevent security breaches, such as fiber tapping.

Improved compliance: Fiber optical monitoring can help organizations to comply with regulatory requirements, such as those for telecommunications networks.

Applications
Detect and locate fiber optic faults
Measure the performance of a fiber optic network
Identify and troubleshoot performance degradation
Plan and optimize network capacity

Fiber optical monitoring is an essential tool for the management of fiber optic networks. By monitoring the health of your network on a continuous basis, you can help to ensure that your network is always up and running, and that you are meeting your compliance requirements.