Bi-directional data center architectures including a jacketless trunk cable and methods of forming the same

A method of forming a bi-directional data center architecture that includes first and second coupling panels and a plurality of N sub-racks, wherein the first and second coupling panels respectively have N first and second adapters, the method comprising:

• providing a jacketless trunk cable that includes opposed first and second ends, N first sub-unit sections associated with the first end, and N second sub-unit sections associated with the second end, wherein each of the N first sub-unit sections and each of the N second sub-unit sections carries an even number of optical fibers and are terminated with a multi-fiber connector that accommodates the same number of optical fibers carried by each of the N first sub-unit sections and each of the N second sub-unit sections;
• optically connecting the first adapters of the first coupling panel to different sub-racks of the plurality of N sub-racks using the respective ones of the first sub-unit sections;
• and
• optically connecting the second adapters of the second coupling panel to different sub-racks of the plurality of N sub-racks using the respective ones of the second sub-unit sections;
• wherein every one of the one or more optical fibers in the N first sub-unit sections and the N second sub-unit sections is used to establish an optical connection.

A jacketless trunk cable for a bi-directional data center architecture involving N sub-racks and first and second coupling panels that respectively have N first adapters and N second adapters, the jacketless trunk cable comprising:

• opposed first and second ends for coupling to the respective first and second coupling panels;
• N first sub-unit sections associated with the first end;
• and
• N second sub-unit sections associated with the second end;
• wherein:
• each of the N first sub-unit sections has a different length for extending from a respective one of the first adapters of the first coupling panel to a respective one of the N sub-racks;
• each of the N second sub-unit sections has a different length for extending from a respective one of the second adapters of the second coupling panel to a respective one of the N sub-racks;
• each of the N first sub-unit sections and each of the N second sub-unit sections carries an even number of optical fibers and are terminated with a multi-fiber connector that accommodates the same number of optical fibers carried by each of the N first sub-unit sections and each of the N second sub-unit sections.