Inspect before connecting: Use a fiber optic inspection microscope to check ferrules for contamination or damage. This is the single most effective preventative step! Clean properly: Use approved, lint-free wipes and optical-grade cleaning solution or cassette cleaners. Never. Optical modules must be handled with standardized procedures during application, as any non-compliant action may cause potential damage or permanent failure. Main Causes of Optical Module Failure The primary causes of optical module failure are performance degradation due to ESD damage, and optical. However, common causes of optical module failures, such as ESD (electrostatic discharge), port contamination, environmental stress, compatibility issues, and device aging, can lead to performance degradation and even link interruptions. While generally reliable, failures do occur, leading to frustrating downtime, performance degradation, and costly troubleshooting. Dell engineering teams have verified cases in which a fully functional port appears to be a bad port because dirty optical connectors manifest as a port failing loop testing. The thrust of the NEMI project on Fiber Optic Signal Performance was to develop fiber optics inspection criteria, which may support differing requirements based on application.
