network cluster

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a network cluster, comprising at least one MPO module box and a plurality of switches, at least two switches are electrically connected through the MPO module box, the MPO module box comprises a box body, at least one optical fiber jumper, at least one first MPO connector, a plurality of second MPO connectors, and the first MPO connector and the second MPO connector are both installed in the box body, and at least part of the first MPO connector and at least part of the second MPO connector are exposed from the box body, and the optical fiber jumper is located in the box body, wherein, the at least one optical fiber jumper corresponds to the at least one first MPO connector one by one, one first MPO connector corresponds to a plurality of second MPO connectors, one first MPO connector is electrically connected with the corresponding plurality of second MPO connectors through the corresponding optical fiber jumper, and the number of the second MPO connectors is greater than the number of the first MPO connectors. The setting of the MPO module box helps to realize the expansion of the scale of the network cluster, and breaks through the problem that the scale of the network cluster is limited by the number of ports of the core layer switch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of network trunking technology, and more specifically, to a network trunking system. Background Technology

[0002] In network clusters (such as AI network clusters), core layer switches are typically connected directly to multiple access layer switches via cabling. Since the number of interfaces on a core layer switch is fixed, the number of access layer switches it can connect to is also fixed, making it difficult to meet the needs of further increasing the number of access layer switches. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a network cluster to solve the technical problems existing in related technologies.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a network cluster including at least one MPO module box and multiple switches, wherein at least two of the switches are electrically connected through the MPO module box. The MPO module box includes a housing, at least one fiber optic patch cord, at least one first MPO connector, multiple second MPO connectors, and both the first MPO connector and the second MPO connectors are mounted in the housing, with at least a portion of the first MPO connector and at least a portion of the second MPO connector exposed in the housing. The fiber optic patch cord is located inside the housing. In this configuration, at least one fiber optic patch cord corresponds one-to-one with at least one first MPO connector, one first MPO connector corresponds to multiple second MPO connectors, one first MPO connector is electrically connected to multiple corresponding second MPO connectors through the corresponding fiber optic patch cord, and the number of second MPO connectors is greater than the number of first MPO connectors.

[0005] Optionally, the optical fiber in each of the second MPO connectors includes an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber, the number of the input optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors is greater than or equal to 2, the number of the output optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors is greater than or equal to 2, and the number of the input optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors is the same as the number of the output optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors.

[0006] Optionally, there are multiple first MPO connectors, each first MPO connector has the same number of optical fibers, each second MPO connector has the same number of optical fibers, and the number of optical fibers in each first MPO connector is equal to the sum of the number of optical fibers in the multiple second MPO connectors connected to that first MPO connector.

[0007] Optionally, the number of first MPO connectors is N, the number of optical fibers in each first MPO connector is M, the number of second MPO connectors is K, and the number of optical fibers in each second MPO connector is P; Where K > N, and K is an integer multiple of N; M > P, and M is an integer multiple of P.

[0008] Optionally, the fiber optic patch cord includes a wire body, a first connector connected to one end of the wire body, and a plurality of second connectors connected to the other end of the wire body. The first connector is connected to a corresponding first MPO connector, and the plurality of second connectors are respectively connected to a corresponding plurality of second MPO connectors.

[0009] Optionally, the first MPO connector and the second MPO connector are located at opposite ends of the housing, the length direction of the first MPO connector is parallel to the length direction or the width direction of the housing, and the length direction of the second MPO connector is parallel to the height direction of the housing.

[0010] Optionally, the network cluster further includes a patch panel with a height of 1U. The patch panel is provided with multiple mounting slots and multiple sealing plates. The MPO module box is detachably installed in the mounting slot. The sealing plates are configured to block the slot openings of the mounting slots where the MPO module box is not installed.

[0011] Optionally, the network cluster further includes a first fastener, the housing has a connecting portion that protrudes from the side wall of the housing, a first mounting hole is formed on the connecting portion, a second mounting hole is formed on the patch panel, and the first fastener passes through the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole.

[0012] Optionally, the housing includes a lid, a body, and connecting ears, and the network cluster further includes a second fastener; The first MPO connector and the second MPO connector are mounted on the housing, the fiber optic patch cord is located inside the housing, the connecting ear is located on the edge of the housing cover and protrudes towards the housing, the housing is provided with a third mounting hole, the connecting ear is formed with a fourth mounting hole, and the second fastener passes through the third mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole.

[0013] Optionally, the plurality of switches includes a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch, and the plurality of MPO module boxes includes a first MPO module box, a second MPO module box, and a third MPO module box; One interface on the third switch is electrically connected to one of the first MPO connectors of the third MPO module box. Two second MPO connectors corresponding to the first MPO connector of the third MPO module box are electrically connected to one of the second MPO connectors on the first MPO module box and one of the second MPO connectors on the second MPO module box, respectively. One of the first MPO connectors on the first MPO module box is electrically connected to one interface on the first switch, and one of the first MPO connectors on the second MPO module box is electrically connected to one interface on the second switch.

[0014] Through the above technical solution, since one first MPO connector corresponds to multiple second MPO connectors, and one first MPO connector is electrically connected to multiple corresponding second MPO connectors through corresponding fiber optic patch cords, it is realized that one first MPO connector can be expanded into multiple second MPO connectors. This is equivalent to indirectly increasing the number of interfaces of the switch (e.g., core layer switch) connected to the first MPO connector, thereby increasing the number of switches (e.g., access layer switches) electrically connected to the first MPO connector. This solves the problem that the number of access layer switches cannot be further increased due to the limitation of the number of interfaces of the core layer switch, which helps to expand the scale of the network cluster and breaks through the problem that the expansion of the network cluster scale is limited by the number of ports of the core layer switch. It can realize a more powerful network cluster (e.g., AI network cluster).

[0015] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is an internal structural diagram of an MPO module box provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a front view of the fiber optic patch cord of an MPO module box provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the housing of an MPO module box provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a first MPO connector and a second MPO connector are also shown. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the first MPO module box, the second MPO module box, and the third MPO module box in a network cluster provided by an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, and the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1-MPO module box; 2-First MPO module box; 3-Second MPO module box; 4-Third MPO module box; 10-Box body; 11-Box cover; 12-Box body; 120-Third mounting hole; 13-Connecting ear; 130-Fourth mounting hole; 14-First fastener; 15-Connecting part; 150-First mounting hole; 20-Fiber optic patch cord; 21-Wire body; 211-Wire core; 22-First connecting connector; 23-Second connecting connector; 30-First MPO connector; 40-Second MPO connector; 100-First switch; 200-Second switch; 300-Third switch. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0019] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "up," "down," "left," and "right" are used to indicate orientation or positional relationships only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or a specific orientation structure and operation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. The terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of the corresponding structures.

[0020] Additionally, the "length direction of the first MPO connector," "length direction of the housing," "width direction of the housing," and "length direction of the second MPO connector" can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown. Additionally, it should be noted that terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish one element from another and do not indicate sequence or importance. Furthermore, in the description referring to the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same elements.

[0021] In the description of this disclosure, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "connect," "link," and "install" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] refer to Figures 1 to 3As shown, this disclosure provides a network cluster including at least one MPO (Multi Push-On) module box 1 and multiple switches. At least two switches are electrically connected through the MPO module box 1. The MPO module box 1 includes a housing 10, at least one fiber optic patch cord 20, at least one first MPO connector 30, and multiple second MPO connectors 40. Both the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40 are mounted in the housing 10, and at least a portion of the first MPO connector 30 and at least a portion of the second MPO connector 40 are exposed outside the housing 10. The fiber optic patch cord 20 is located inside the housing 10, wherein at least one fiber optic patch cord 20 corresponds one-to-one with at least one first MPO connector 30, and one first MPO connector 30 corresponds to multiple second MPO connectors 40. One first MPO connector 30 is electrically connected to the corresponding multiple second MPO connectors 40 through the corresponding fiber optic patch cord 20, and the number of second MPO connectors 40 is greater than the number of first MPO connectors 30.

[0023] Through the above technical solution, since one first MPO connector 30 corresponds to multiple second MPO connectors 40, and one first MPO connector 30 is electrically connected to multiple corresponding second MPO connectors 40 through a corresponding fiber optic patch cord 20, it realizes the expansion of one first MPO connector 30 into multiple second MPO connectors 40. This is equivalent to indirectly increasing the number of interfaces of the switch (e.g., core layer switch) connected to the first MPO connector 30, thereby increasing the number of switches (e.g., access layer switches) electrically connected to the switch. This solves the problem that the number of access layer switches cannot be further increased due to the limitation of the number of interfaces of the core layer switch, helps to realize the expansion of the network cluster scale, breaks through the problem that the expansion of the network cluster scale is limited by the number of ports of the core layer switch, and can realize a more powerful network cluster (e.g., AI network cluster).

[0024] In addition, the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40 can be connected to switches (such as core layer switches and access layer switches) by plugging and unplugging, which facilitates quick connection operations for users. Users can quickly respond to the needs of network changes and easily add or remove devices.

[0025] Regarding the aforementioned exposure of at least a portion of the first MPO connector 30 and at least a portion of the second MPO connector 40 to the housing 10, it can be understood that at least a portion of the first MPO connector 30 and at least a portion of the second MPO connector 40 may protrude from the outer wall of the housing 10, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 3As shown, this is to facilitate the connection of the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40 to the corresponding device. Alternatively, an opening may be formed in the housing 10 to expose the first MPO connector 30 and at least a portion of the second MPO connector 40.

[0026] In the above text, the one-to-one correspondence between at least one fiber optic patch cord 20 and at least one first MPO connector 30 can be understood as the number of fiber optic patch cords 20 being the same as the number of first MPO connectors 30, thereby ensuring that each first MPO connector 30 can be connected to multiple second MPO connectors 40 through its corresponding fiber optic patch cord 20.

[0027] Optionally, the number of optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 can be greater than 2. Since a greater number of optical fibers means more data streams can be transmitted simultaneously, improving overall network performance, especially under high load conditions, and better supporting large-scale data transmission, having more than 2 optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 means that each second MPO connector 40 can transmit more data streams, thereby significantly improving network bandwidth and data transmission efficiency. This allows for higher data transmission rates to meet the needs of network clusters used in high-bandwidth applications (e.g., AI, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data, etc.).

[0028] Optionally, the optical fibers within each second MPO connector 40 may include input and output optical fibers. The number of input optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 is greater than or equal to two, and the number of output optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 is greater than or equal to two. The number of input optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 is the same as the number of output optical fibers. Increasing the number of input and output optical fibers provides more sufficient bandwidth for bidirectional data transmission. As the network scales up, both data inflow and outflow increase significantly. Thus, a sufficient number of input and output optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 ensures that a large amount of data can be transmitted efficiently bidirectionally simultaneously.

[0029] Optionally, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, there are multiple first MPO connectors 30, each first MPO connector 30 has the same number of optical fibers, each second MPO connector 40 has the same number of optical fibers, and the number of optical fibers in each first MPO connector 30 is equal to the sum of the number of optical fibers in the multiple second MPO connectors 40 connected to that first MPO connector 30.

[0030] Since the number of optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 is the same, after being connected to a switch (such as a core layer switch) through the first MPO connector 30, the multiple optical fibers accessed by the first MPO connector 30 can be evenly distributed to multiple second MPO connectors 40.

[0031] Furthermore, since the number of optical fibers in each first MPO connector 30 is the same, and the number of optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 is the same, that is, the multiple first MPO connectors 30 are of the same type, and the multiple second MPO connectors 40 are of the same type, it can prevent users from mistakenly connecting the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40.

[0032] like Figure 2 As shown, this disclosure does not limit the specific number of optical fibers in the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40. For example, in the embodiments provided in this disclosure, the number of first MPO connectors 30 is N, and the number of optical fibers in each first MPO connector 30 is M; the number of second MPO connectors 40 is K, and the number of optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 is P, where K > N, and K is an integer multiple of N; M > P, and M is an integer multiple of P. Thus, when expanding a large network cluster, the number of optical fibers in the first MPO connector 30 can be split according to a multiple relationship, thereby increasing the number of second MPO connectors 40 used to meet the connection needs of more devices or links.

[0033] In one exemplary embodiment provided in this disclosure, the number of M can be 16, the number of P can be 8, the number of K can be 6, and the number of N can be 3. That is, the first MPO connector 30 can be a 16-core MPO connector, and the second MPO connector 40 can be an 8-core MPO connector. Each first MPO connector 30 corresponds to two second MPO connectors 40. It is understood that, for the embodiment mentioned above where the number of input optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40 is the same as the number of output optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40, the second MPO connector 40 with 8 cores includes 4 input optical fibers and 4 output optical fibers.

[0034] In other exemplary embodiments, the first MPO connector 30 may also be a 24-pin MPO connector or a 48-pin MPO connector (i.e., the number of M can be 24 or 48). For an embodiment where the first MPO connector 30 is a 24-pin MPO connector, the second MPO connector 40 may be one of a 4-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, or 12-pin MPO connector. For an embodiment where the first MPO connector 30 is a 48-pin MPO connector, the second MPO connector 40 may be one of a 4-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, 12-pin, 16-pin, or 24-pin MPO connector.

[0035] In one embodiment provided in this disclosure, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the fiber optic patch cord 20 may include a cable body 21, a first connector 22 connected to one end of the cable body 21, and multiple second connectors 23 connected to the other end of the cable body 21. The first connector 22 is connected to a corresponding first MPO connector 30, and the multiple second connectors 23 are respectively connected to a corresponding multiple second MPO connectors 40. The fiber optic patch cord 20 enables the connection between the first MPO connector 30 and the multiple second MPO connectors 40. On the one hand, this reduces the complexity of the wiring, making it neater and more orderly, and lowering the difficulty and management cost of wiring. On the other hand, the fiber optic patch cord 20 with the first connector 22 and the second connectors can also shorten the connection time between the first MPO connector 30 and the multiple second MPO connectors 40, facilitating the rapid assembly and disassembly of the fiber optic patch cord 20.

[0036] In addition, the length of the fiber optic patch cord 20 can be greater than the distance between the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40, thereby providing a certain redundant length for the installation and maintenance of the fiber optic patch cord 20, which facilitates the inspection and maintenance work of the operators in the MPO module box 1.

[0037] In embodiments where the length of the fiber optic patch cord 20 is greater than the distance between the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40, the fiber optic patch cord 20 may be arranged in a bent or coiled manner within the MPO module box 1.

[0038] It should be noted that the aforementioned line body 21 may include multiple branch lines, which can be combined into a main line. The main line is connected to the first connector 22, while each branch line is connected to a corresponding second connector 23. The number of cores 211 in the main line body is the same as and corresponds one-to-one with the number of optical fibers in the first MPO connector 30. Similarly, the number of cores 211 in each branch line body is the same as and corresponds one-to-one with the number of optical fibers in each second MPO connector 40. Thus, when the first connector 22 is connected to the first MPO connector 30, each core 211 in the first connector 22 is connected one-to-one with each optical fiber in the first MPO connector 30. Similarly, when the second connector 23 is connected to the second MPO connector 40, each core 211 in the second connector 23 is connected one-to-one with each optical fiber in the second MPO connector 40.

[0039] Furthermore, when the fiber optic patch cord 20 is electrically connected to the first MPO connector 30, multiple cores 211 in the main body can be aligned one by one with multiple ferrule end faces of the first MPO connector 30 and connected by fusion soldering. When the fiber optic patch cord 20 is electrically connected to the second MPO connector 40, multiple cores 211 in the branch body can be aligned one by one with multiple ferrule end faces of the second MPO connector 40 and connected by fusion soldering, thereby realizing the splitting and reassembly of signals.

[0040] In one exemplary embodiment provided in this disclosure, such as Figure 1 The MPO module box 1 is provided with three first MPO connectors 30, three fiber optic patch cords 20, and six second MPO connectors 40. Each fiber optic patch cord 20 has one first connector 22, two second connectors 23, and 16 wire cores 211. One first connector 22 is connected to a main line body including 16 wire cores 211, and one second connector 23 is connected to a branch line body including 8 wire cores 211.

[0041] In one exemplary embodiment provided in this disclosure, both the first connector 22 and the second connector 23 can be MTP (Multi-fiber Termination Push-on) connectors.

[0042] Optionally, the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40 are located at opposite ends of the housing 10. The length direction of the first MPO connector 30 is parallel to the length direction or width direction of the housing 10, and the length direction of the second MPO connector 40 is parallel to the height direction of the housing 10. The location of the first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40 at opposite ends of the housing 10 ensures that the user is not interfered with by the second MPO connector 40 when connecting the first MPO connector 30. Similarly, connecting the second MPO connector 40 will not affect the first MPO connector 30, thereby reducing the possibility of misoperation.

[0043] Furthermore, since there are a large number of second MPO connectors 40, setting the length direction of the second MPO connectors 40 to be parallel to the height direction of the housing 10 allows for the arrangement of more second MPO connectors 40 within a limited size range, avoiding excessive protrusion of the second MPO connectors 40 that would increase the size of the housing 10.

[0044] Optionally, the network cluster in this disclosure may also include a patch panel (not shown), the patch panel having a height of 1U, multiple mounting slots and multiple cover plates provided on the patch panel, the MPO module box 1 being detachably mounted in the mounting slot, and the cover plates being configured to seal the openings of mounting slots where the MPO module box 1 is not mounted. Here, "U" is a unit representing the height dimension of the patch panel, 1U representing 1.75 inches, approximately 44.45 millimeters.

[0045] The 1U height allows the patch panel to be easily installed in a standard cabinet, allowing for unified layout with other U-standard equipment (such as servers and switches), improving cabinet space utilization and facilitating overall cabling and equipment management.

[0046] Furthermore, the patch panel is equipped with multiple mounting slots, and the MPO module box 1 can be detachably installed in the mounting slots. This modular design allows for flexible configuration of the number of MPO module boxes 1 according to actual network cabling needs. The sealing plate is designed to seal the opening of the mounting slots where no MPO module box 1 is installed, effectively preventing dust, debris, etc. from entering, protecting the wiring and equipment inside the patch panel, and extending its service life.

[0047] It should be noted that this disclosure does not impose any restrictions on the height of the patch panel mentioned above; other heights such as 2U, 3U, and 4U are also possible, and the specific height can be selected according to actual usage requirements.

[0048] To facilitate rapid assembly between the housing 10 and the patch panel, in one exemplary embodiment provided in this disclosure, the network cluster may further include a first fastener 14. The housing 10 has a connecting portion 15 protruding from the side wall of the housing 10. A first mounting hole 150 is formed on the connecting portion 15, and a second mounting hole (not shown) is formed on the patch panel. The first fastener 14 passes through the first mounting hole 150 and the second mounting hole. By providing the first mounting hole 150 on the connecting portion of the housing 10 and the second mounting hole on the patch panel, the connection between the housing and the patch panel can be completed by directly passing the first fastener 14 through these two mounting holes, greatly simplifying the installation steps and saving assembly time.

[0049] When maintenance, repair or replacement of the housing 10 or patch panel is required, the housing 10 and patch panel can be easily separated by simply removing the first fastener 14 from the first mounting hole 150 and the second mounting hole, making it convenient to handle each component individually.

[0050] In the embodiments provided in this disclosure, in order to further facilitate the inspection and maintenance of the above-mentioned MPO module box 1, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the aforementioned housing 10 may further include a cover 11, a body 12, and a connecting ear 13. The network cluster also includes a second fastener (not shown). The first MPO connector 30 and the second MPO connector 40 are mounted on the body 12. The fiber optic patch cord 20 is located inside the body 12. The connecting ear 13 is located at the edge of the cover 11 and protrudes towards the body 12. The body 12 is provided with a third mounting hole 120, and the connecting ear 13 is formed with a fourth mounting hole 130. The second fastener passes through the third mounting hole 120 and the fourth mounting hole 130. In this way, by screwing on the second fastener, the installation and removal between the body 12 and the cover 11 can be realized, providing convenience for operators to maintain and repair the fiber optic patch cord 20, the first MPO connector 30, and the second MPO connector 40 located inside the body 12.

[0051] Alternatively, in other exemplary embodiments provided in this disclosure, the lid 11 and the body 12 can also be implemented in other detachable ways, such as snap-fit ​​or plug-in, which will not be described in this disclosure.

[0052] In one embodiment provided in this disclosure, such as Figure 4 As shown, the network cluster may include a first switch 100, a second switch 200 and a third switch 300 (the first switch 100 and the second switch 200 may be the core layer switches mentioned above, and the third switch 300 may be the intermediate layer switches mentioned above). There are multiple MPO module boxes 1, including a first MPO module box 2, a second MPO module box 3 and a third MPO module box 4.

[0053] An interface on the third switch 300 is electrically connected to a first MPO connector 30 of the third MPO module box 4. The two second MPO connectors 40 corresponding to the first MPO connector 30 of the third MPO module box 4 are electrically connected to a second MPO connector 40 on the first MPO module box 2 and a second MPO connector 40 on the second MPO module box 3, respectively. A first MPO connector 30 on the first MPO module box 2 is electrically connected to an interface on the first switch 100, and a first MPO connector 30 on the second MPO module box 3 is electrically connected to an interface on the second switch 200.

[0054] In the above technical solution, one interface of the first switch 100 is connected to the first MPO connector 30 of the first MPO module box 2, one interface of the second switch 200 is connected to the first MPO connector 30 of the second MPO module box 3, the second MPO connector 40 of the first MPO module box 2 and the second MPO connector 40 of the second MPO module box 3 are respectively connected to two second MPO connectors 40 on the third MPO module box 4, and the first MPO connector 30 of the third MPO module box 4 is connected to one interface of the third switch 300. Thus, for example, if the bandwidth output from the interface of the first switch 100 and the interface of the second switch 200 is 400G respectively, after being allocated by the first MPO module box 2 and the second MPO module box 3, the bandwidth output from the second MPO connector 40 of the first MPO module box 2 and the second MPO connector 40 of the second MPO module box 3 is 200G. After being integrated by the third MPO module box 4, it becomes 400G bandwidth again, and is input into the third switch 300 from the first MPO connector 30 of the third MPO module box 4.

[0055] In the above-mentioned technical solutions and Figure 4 This document only describes how one interface on the third switch 300 connects to one interface on the first switch 100 and one interface on the second switch 200. It is understood that for a network cluster, the first switch 100, the second switch 200, and the third switch 300 each have multiple interfaces. Furthermore, the total number of the first switch 100 and the second switch 200 (i.e., the total number of core layer switches) can be multiple, and the number of third switches 300 (i.e., access layer switches) can also be multiple. By using multiple MPO module boxes 1 provided in this disclosure and connecting the core layer switches and access layer switches through the above connection method, it is beneficial to improve the scalability of the network cluster.

[0056] For example, taking a total of 32 core layer switches (i.e., the total number of core layer switches) including the first switch 100 and the second switch 200, and each of the first switch 100 and the second switch 200 having 18 interfaces, the total number of interfaces of all core layer switches is 576. Assuming that, in related technologies, the interfaces of the core layer switches are directly connected to the interfaces of the access layer switches via wiring harnesses, only 576 access layer switches can be connected. However, by using multiple MPO module boxes 1 provided in this disclosure and connecting the core layer switches and the access layer switches (i.e., the third switch 300) using the above connection method, 1152 access layer switches can be connected. Without increasing the number of core layer switches, the number of access layer switches that can be connected is increased, thus expanding the network cluster size.

[0057] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0058] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0059] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A network cluster, characterized in that, include: Multiple switches, At least one MPO module box, at least two of the switches are electrically connected through the MPO module box, the MPO module box includes a box body, at least one fiber optic patch cord, at least one first MPO connector and a plurality of second MPO connectors, the first MPO connector and the second MPO connectors are both mounted in the box body, and at least a portion of the first MPO connector and at least a portion of the second MPO connector are exposed in the box body, the fiber optic patch cord is located inside the box body; In this configuration, at least one fiber optic patch cord corresponds one-to-one with at least one first MPO connector, one first MPO connector corresponds to multiple second MPO connectors, one first MPO connector is electrically connected to multiple corresponding second MPO connectors through the corresponding fiber optic patch cord, and the number of second MPO connectors is greater than the number of first MPO connectors.

2. The network cluster according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors include input optical fibers and output optical fibers. The number of input optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors is greater than or equal to 2, the number of output optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors is greater than or equal to 2, and the number of input optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors is the same as the number of output optical fibers in each of the second MPO connectors.

3. The network cluster according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are multiple first MPO connectors, each of which contains the same number of optical fibers, and each of the second MPO connectors contains the same number of optical fibers. The number of optical fibers in each first MPO connector is equal to the sum of the number of optical fibers in the multiple second MPO connectors connected to that first MPO connector.

4. The network cluster according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The number of first MPO connectors is N, the number of optical fibers in each first MPO connector is M, the number of second MPO connectors is K, and the number of optical fibers in each second MPO connector is P; Where K > N, and K is an integer multiple of N; M > P, and M is an integer multiple of P.

5. The network cluster according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The fiber optic patch cord includes a cable body, a first connector connected to one end of the cable body, and a plurality of second connectors connected to the other end of the cable body. The first connector is connected to a corresponding first MPO connector, and the plurality of second connectors are respectively connected to a corresponding plurality of second MPO connectors.

6. The network cluster according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The first MPO connector and the second MPO connector are located at opposite ends of the housing. The length direction of the first MPO connector is parallel to the length direction or the width direction of the housing, and the length direction of the second MPO connector is parallel to the height direction of the housing.

7. The network cluster according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The network cluster also includes a patch panel with a height of 1U. The patch panel is provided with multiple mounting slots and multiple sealing plates. The MPO module box is detachably installed in the mounting slot. The sealing plate is configured to block the slot opening of the mounting slot where the MPO module box is not installed.

8. The network cluster according to claim 7, characterized in that, The network cluster further includes a first fastener. The housing has a connecting portion that protrudes from the side wall of the housing. A first mounting hole is formed on the connecting portion, and a second mounting hole is formed on the patch panel. The first fastener passes through the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole.

9. The network cluster according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The housing includes a lid, a body, and connecting ears; the network cluster also includes a second fastener. The first MPO connector and the second MPO connector are mounted on the housing, the fiber optic patch cord is located inside the housing, the connecting ear is located on the edge of the housing cover and protrudes towards the housing, the housing is provided with a third mounting hole, the connecting ear is formed with a fourth mounting hole, and the second fastener passes through the third mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole.

10. The network cluster according to claim 9, characterized in that, The plurality of switches includes a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch, and the plurality of MPO module boxes includes a first MPO module box, a second MPO module box, and a third MPO module box; One interface on the third switch is electrically connected to one of the first MPO connectors of the third MPO module box. Two second MPO connectors corresponding to the first MPO connector of the third MPO module box are electrically connected to one of the second MPO connectors on the first MPO module box and one of the second MPO connectors on the second MPO module box, respectively. One of the first MPO connectors on the first MPO module box is electrically connected to one interface on the first switch, and one of the first MPO connectors on the second MPO module box is electrically connected to one interface on the second switch.

Images