Clearfield Launches New Fiber Management Panel

MINNEAPOLIS --  Clearfield announced its latest innovation in small-count fiber management, the FieldSmart Small Count Delivery (SCD) rack mount panel. Marketed without fiber, the FieldSmart SCD allows service providers to choose from either the Clearview xPAK or the Clearview Cassette for their fiber connectivity needs.

“Some of today’s latest fiber applications call for landing only a few fibers at a time. Utilizing a fixed panel or wall-mount enclosure designed for a typical telco installation is cost prohibitive in these environments – yet the integrity of these fibers is just as important,” explains Cheri Beranek, president and CEO of Clearfield. “The FieldSmart SCD series is designed to provide optimal fiber protection when only a small number of fiber ports are initially required.”

“The Clearview xPAK was designed for flexibility in application allowing for user-defined applications requiring small-count landed fiber,” says Johnny Hill, chief operating officer for Clearfield. “The FieldSmart SCD panel is an immediate response to our customers’ request to use the Clearview xPAK in traditional relay rack or data cabinet environments for the provider or the end user.”

With the FieldSmart SCD panel, service providers can scale from 2 to 24 ports of fiber connectivity in a 1RU footprint – and can upgrade from an xPAK device to a traditional Clearview Cassette when take rates or density demands dictate.

With a mounting plate that can be used in either a 19” or 23” environment, service providers could standardize on the FieldSmart SCD for all panel requirements -- using the same panel for a 23” frame-mount as well as 19” data cabinet applications.

Suggested Application Environments
The FieldSmart SCD rack mount panel allows the service provider to deploy one or two integrated Clearview devices – the Clearview xPAK as well as the original Clearview Cassette. Early deployments have included cellular backhaul, co-lo offices and small business networks.

Small-count delivery of fiber doesn’t mean that density isn’t important. “In speaking with members of the MSO community, we discovered an unmet need within the industry for a high level of fiber protection within a footprint that could be housed in a 19” data cabinet or hut,” says Tom Warren, MSO market manager for Clearfield. “When loaded with two Clearview Cassettes, the FieldSmart SCD panel provides up to 24 ports of fiber management in a single 1RU panel, with mounting brackets that enable convenient access.”

Availability
The FieldSmart SCD 1RU is shipping. It is the latest of a series of small count enclosures designed around the Clearview xPAK, including the FieldSmart SCD Wall box (Part#: FDP-xWB1).