Optical interconnect system for an equipment rack of a fiber optic network and method of installing fiber optic cables in an equipment rack using the optical interconnect system

An equipment rack of a fiber optic network, comprising:

• a plurality of equipment patch panels mounted in the equipment rack, wherein each of the plurality of equipment patch panels includes a plurality of connector ports;
• at least one optical interconnect system mounted in the equipment rack, the at least one optical interconnect system comprising:
• a plurality of cable harnesses, wherein each of the plurality of cable harnesses comprises:
• a fiber optic cable carrying a plurality of optical fibers and having a network end including at least one primary fiber optic connector terminating the plurality of optical fibers and configured to be connected to the fiber optic network;
• and
• a plurality of breakout legs having a rack end, wherein each of the plurality of breakout legs is configured to carry at least one optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the rack end of each of the plurality of breakout legs is terminated by at least one secondary fiber optic connector;
• and
• at least one installation tray including a plurality of coupling locations, wherein each of the plurality of secondary fiber optic connectors from the plurality of breakout legs is connected to the at least one installation tray at a respective coupling location of the plurality of coupling locations,
• wherein the plurality of coupling locations on the at least one installation tray has an arrangement that corresponds to the plurality of port locations on the at least one equipment patch panel.

A method of assembling an equipment rack of a fiber optic network, the equipment rack including a main patch panel and a plurality of equipment patch panels, each equipment patch panel including a plurality of coupling locations defined by connector ports, the method comprising:

• providing at least one optical interconnect system, wherein the at least one optical interconnect system comprises:
• a plurality of cable harnesses, wherein each of the plurality of cable harnesses comprises:
• a fiber optic cable carrying a plurality of optical fibers and having a network end including at least one primary fiber optic connector terminating the plurality of optical fibers and configured to be connected to the fiber optic network;
• and
• a plurality of breakout legs having a rack end, wherein each of the plurality of breakout legs is configured to carry at least one optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the rack end of each of the plurality of breakout legs is terminated by at least one secondary fiber optic connector;
• and
• at least one installation tray including a plurality of coupling locations, wherein each of the plurality of secondary fiber optic connectors from the plurality of breakout legs is connected to the at least one installation tray at a respective coupling location of the plurality of coupling locations,
• wherein the plurality of coupling locations on the at least one installation tray has an arrangement that corresponds to the plurality of port locations on the at least one equipment patch panel;
• and
• mounting the at least one optical interconnect system to the equipment rack, wherein the at least one optical interconnect system is mounted to the equipment rack such that:
• the at least one installation tray is mounted on the equipment rack adjacent a corresponding one of the plurality of equipment patch panels;
• and
• the primary connectors of the at least one optical interconnect system is mounted to the equipment rack adjacent the main patch panel.