Bi-directional data center architectures employing a jacketless trunk cable having sub-units with connectorized sections, and methods of forming the same

A bi-directional data center architecture, comprising:

• first and second trunk cables;
• first and second coupling panels respectively operably connected to the first and second trunk cables, the first and second coupling panels respectively having N first adapters and N second adapters;
• a plurality of N sub-racks;
• a jacketless trunk cable that includes a plurality of (N+1) sub-units each carrying one or more optical fibers, wherein (N−1) of the sub-units includes first and second connectorized sections while two of the sub-units are first and second peripheral sub-units that each consists of a single section;
• and
• wherein the first and second connectorized sections of a given one of the (N−1) sub-units respectively optically connect corresponding first and second adapters of the first and second coupling panels to different sub-racks;
• wherein the first peripheral sub-unit is optically connected to a peripheral one of the N first adapters and to a most distant one of the sub-racks as measured from the first coupling panel, and the second peripheral sub-unit is optically connected to a peripheral one of the N second adapters and to a most distant one of the sub-racks as measured from the second coupling panel;
• and
• wherein every optical fiber in each sub-unit is used to establish an optical connection.

A method of forming a bi-directional data center architecture that includes a plurality of N sub-racks, comprising

• operably connecting first and second trunk cables to respective first and second coupling panels, wherein the first and second coupling panels respectively have N first and second adapters;
• providing a jacketless trunk cable that includes a plurality of (N+1) sub-units each carrying one or more optical fibers, wherein (N−1) of the sub-units includes first and second connectorized sections, while two of the sub-units are peripheral sub-units that each consists of a single section;
• optically connecting first and second adapters of the first and second coupling panels to different sub-racks respectively using the first and second connectorized sections of a given one of the (N−1) sub-units;
• optically connecting the first peripheral sub-unit to a peripheral one of the N first adapters and to a most distant one of the sub-racks as measured from the first coupling panel;
• optically connecting the second peripheral sub-unit to a peripheral one of the N second adapters and to a most distant one of the sub-racks as measured from the second coupling panel;
• and
• wherein every optical fiber in each sub-unit is used to establish an optical connection.

A method of forming a bi-directional data center architecture that includes a plurality of N sub-racks, comprising

• operably connecting first and second trunk cables to respective first and second coupling panels, wherein the first and second coupling panels respectively have N first adapters and N second adapters, and including optically connecting one of the N first adapters in the first coupling panel to the second trunk and optically connecting one of the N second adapters in the second coupling panel to the first trunk;
• providing a jacketless trunk cable that includes a plurality of N sub-units, with each sub-unit carrying one or more optical fibers, and wherein each sub-unit includes first and second connectorized sections;
• forming first and second connectorized sections of each sub-unit by furcating each sub-unit at a furcation location to form first and second cut ends, and then connectorizing the cut ends;
• and
• optically connecting the first and second connectorized sections of a given sub-unit to corresponding ones of the N first adapters and N second adapters of the first and second coupling panels and to first and second adapters of a different sub-rack, such that every optical fiber in each sub-unit is used to establish an optical connection.