How to Certify Optical Fiber Cabling with an OTDR

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There are different types of OTDRs available. TIA 568C.0 and ISO 14763-3 recommend OTDR testing as a complementary test to ensure the quality of fiber installations meets component specifications. The standards don’t designate Pass/Fail limits for this test. You should consider generic cabling requirements for components and design criteria for the specific job. You can use an OTDR as a single ended tester, bidirectionally (if desired) and optionally with a receive fiber for certification testing.

What you need to know about OTDRs. OTDRs used to be hard-to-operate laboratory equipment – impractical for field use. They were big, heavy and complicated for inexperienced technicians to set up and operate. Test results were difficult to understand. This created fear and confusion. Today, however, many new OTDRs are small, light and easy to use. An ordinary technician can troubleshoot like an expert – but a basic understanding of ow an OTDR works is still helpful.

• Basic operation – An OTDR infers loss, reflectance and location of events. It sends pulses of light into a fiber and uses a sensitive photo detector to see the reflections and plot them graphically over time. In order to accurately test, the optical characteristics of the fiber must be determined and set prior to testing.

• OTDR trace – The OTDR plots the reflectance and loss over time in a graphical “trace” of the fiber. Experienced technicians can “read a trace” and explain it. For example, in figure 11, an experienced eye can spot that one side of a cross connect shows excessive loss.

• Event analysis software – The latest OTDRs run sophisticated software that automates trace analysis and set up of test parameters. Fluke Networks’ OTDRs can automatically choose setup parameters, not only telling you where events (instances of reflectance and loss) are on the trace, but also indicating what the events are and qualifying each of them.

• Dead zone – The length after a connector, splice, break or macro-bend along the fiber cabling where the OTDR can make an attenuation measurement or differentiate between closely spaced events such as connectors. Event dead zone is the minimum distance between two consecutive reflective events that the OTDR can make a measurement. Attenuation dead zone is the minimum distance after a reflective event that the OTDR can make a loss measurement.

• Dynamic range – Determines the length of fiber that can be tested. The higher the dynamic range, the longer the fiber-under-test can be. However, as the dynamic range increases, the wider the OTDR pulse becomes and as a result, the dead zone increases.

• Ghosts – Not as scary as they might seem, ghosting is caused by an echo due to highly reflective events in the link under test. Fluke Networks’ OTDRs identify ghosts on the trace and tell you where the source of the ghost is so you can eliminate it.

• Gainers – Another misunderstood phenomenon on an OTDR trace is a gainer. Simply put, a gainer is an apparent negative loss at an event where there is a change in the optical performance. This is usually due to a mismatch between the index of refraction of two spliced fibers or connection of a 50 µm multimode fiber into a 62.5 µm fiber. This type of event will often exhibit excessive loss in the other direction.

OTDR built specifically for the enterprise.

The OptiFiber Pro OTDR is an Optical Time Domain Reflectometer that locates, identifies and measures reflective and loss events in multimode and singlemode fibers. Typical maximum test ranges are less than 35 km at 850nm and/or 1300 nm wavelengths for multimode fiber and well below the instrument’s range of 130 km for singlemode fiber which should be typically tested at 1310 and/or 1550 nm for singlemode fiber.

The tester can show the OTDR results in three formats (Figure 12):

• Table shows a table of the events on the fiber. Use this screen to quickly see measurements for all events and see the types of events on the fiber. The table includes the distance to the event, the loss of the event, the size of the reflection from the event and the type of the event. To see details for an event, tap the event in the table.

• EventMap™ shows a diagram of the events on the fiber, the fiber length and the overall loss of the fiber. Use this screen to quickly locate connectors and faults on the fiber. To see details for an event, tap the event in the map, then tap the information window for the event.

• Trace shows the OTDR trace. Use this screen to see the dead zones of reflective events and examine the characteristics of unexpected events such as ghosts and gainers.

– The characteristics of the link will show in the EventMap

– Note: Test result (Pass/Fail) and events shown depend on the characteristics of the test link

– Tap “Summary Bubble” to look at the details

EventMap™ View – In figure 13 is an example of a PASSING test using launch and tail fiber

• Different icons distinguish events such as:

– Passing reflective event

– Failing reflective event

– Hidden reflective event

– Passing loss event

– Failing loss event

– Hidden event’s loss is added to previous event’s loss

• Details are provided for the event’s loss, reflectance and segment attenuation.

Trace View – When testing a fiber link or channel, change the wavelength easily to view the trace. Zoom in to see detail loss info and event characteristics.

• Jump to next/previous event

• Pinch to zoom out

• Reverse pinch to zoom in

• Drag to move the trace

• Slide to adjust x or y zoom

• Double tap to zoom to 100%

As mentioned at the beginning of this section, there are different types of OTDRs available. The OptiFiber Pro OTDR, with its advanced feature set and capabilities, would be an excellent choice for certifying enterprise fiber  cabling. But, since many contractors and network owners use the DTX Compact OTDR for “closet to closet” certification, we will demonstrate how to perform this type of testing with the DTX Cable Analyzer view.

OTDR certification set-up

Setting up for OTDR Certification Testing Setup: Turn the rotary switch to “Setup” and choose “Settings” from menus in five setup screens.

1. First, select which port you want to test from (multimode or singlemode), which test limit you want to use, the fiber type and desired wavelength.

• It is possible to create multiple sets of OTDR test limits and select one for a particular job. Each OTDR test passes (Figure 16) or fails (Figure 17) based on a comparison against the selected set of test limits.

2. On the second setup screen, you can set launch fiber compensation, designate which end you are testing from and note what you want to call each end of the fiber.

Using launch fiber compensation (LFC)

Launch fiber compensation is used to simplify testing and remove the launch and receive fibers’ losses and lengths from measurements (See figure 15).

• It shows where your launch (and/or receive) fiber is on the trace, and eliminates it from the certification test results. If you are a contractor, your customers want to know where an event is in their fiber plant, not where it is on your test setup. When you enable “LFC”, a connector 50m from the patch panel will show up at 50m, not 150m on the trace. Just turn the rotary switch to “Setup”, go to the second tab and enable “Launch Fiber Compensation”. Then turn it again to “Special Functions”, and choose “Set Launch Fiber Compensation”. Choose “Launch” only if you are just using a launch fiber, or “Other Options” if you are also using a receive fiber.

3. Third, designate the fiber characteristics, allow default to the selected fiber in the first step or choose “User Defined” and select “Numerical Aperture” and “Back-scatter coefficient” for the fiber-under-test.

4. Now choose from the menu to set “Distance Range”, “Averaging Time”.

5. Finally, choose from the menu to set “Pulse Widths” and “Loss Threshold”. With the DTX Compact OTDR, many settings such as “Distance Range”, “Averaging Time”, “Pulse Widths” and “Loss Threshold” can be automatically set. Just turn the rotary switch to “Autotest” and when you push the “Test” button, the OTDR will choose the most appropriate setting for the fiber you are testing.

Running an autotest. Now that you’re all set up for testing, turn the dial to “Autotest”, plug in your launch fiber and press “Test”. If it passes, press “Save”, name the test and test the next fiber. If you want to see a trace, just press the f1 softkey. The event table and limits are also accessible via softkeys on the main screen.

Summary of extended certification

• OTDR traces characterize the individual components of a fiber link: connectors, splices and other loss events. Extended certification compares the data to specifications for these events to determine if they are acceptable

• Critical because it identifies faults that may be invisible to basic certification

• Evidence that every component in a fiber optic cabling system was properly installed.

See Pass result at 1550nm in figure 18 and at 850nm in figure 19 Figure 19 – “Pass” trace screenshot on the DTX Compact OTDR

Setting up for OTDR Certification Testing

Setup: Turn the rotary switch to ‘Setup’ and choose ‘Settings’ from menus in five setup screens.

1. First, select which port you want to test from (multimode or singlemode), what test limit you want to use, the fiber type, and desired wavelength.

• It is possible to create multiple sets of OTDR test limits and select one for a particular job. Each OTDR test passes (Figure 6) or fails (Figure 7) based on a comparison against the selected set of test limits.

2. On the second setup screen, you may then set launch fiber compensation, designate which end you are testing from, and notate what you want to call each end of the fiber.

Using launch fiber compensation (LFC) Launch fiber compensation is used to simplify testing and remove the launch and receive fibers’ losses and lengths from measurements.

• It shows you where your launch (and/or receive) fiber is on the trace, and eliminates it from the certification test results. If you are a contractor, your customers want to know where an event is in their fiber plant, not where it is on your test setup. When you enable ‘LFC’, a connector that is 50m from the patch panel will show up at 50m, not 150m on the trace. Just turn the rotary switch to ‘Setup’, go to the 2nd tab, and enable ‘Launch Fiber Compensation’. Then turn it again to ‘Special Functions’, and choose ‘Set Launch Fiber Compensation’. Choose ‘Launch’ only if you are just using a launch fiber, or ‘Other Options’ if you are also using a receive fiber.

3. Third, designate the fiber characteristics or allow default to the selected fiber in the first step or choose ‘User Defined’ and select ‘Numerical Aperture’ and ‘Back-scatter coefficient’ for the fiber-under-test.

4. Now choose from the menu to set ‘Distance Range’, ‘Averaging Time’.

5. Finally, choose from the menu to set ‘Pulse Widths’ and ‘Loss Threshold’. With the DTX Compact OTDR, many settings such as ‘Distance Range’, ‘Averaging Time’, ‘Pulse Widths’, and ‘Loss Threshold’ can be automatically set. Just turn the rotary switch to ‘Autotest’, and when you push the test button, the OTDR will choose the most appropriate setting for the fiber that you are testing.

Running an autotest. Now that you are all set up for testing, turn the dial to ‘Autotest’, plug in your launch fiber and press ‘Test’. If it passes, press ’Save’, name the test, and test the next fiber. If you want to see a trace just press the f1 softkey. The event table and limits are also accessible via softkeys on the main screen.

Summary of extended certification

• OTDR traces characterize the individual components of a fiber link: connectors, splices and other loss events. Extended certification compares the data to specifications for these events to determine if they are acceptable

• Critical because it identifies faults that may be invisible to basic certification

• Evidence that every component in a fiber optic cabling system was properly installed

Fluke Multimode OTDR for troubleshooting and extended certification – 2

Continue from: http://cs04fibercasa.blogspot.sg/2015/08/fluke-multimode-otdr-for.html

Fluke Multimode OTDR

Fluke Multimode OTDR Introduction:

	Multimode module	Singlemode module	Quad module
Wavelengths	850 nm +/- 10 nm 1300 nm +35/-15 nm	1310 nm +/- 25 nm 1550 nm +/- 30 nm	850 nm +/- 10 nm 1300 nm +35/-15 nm 1310 nm +/- 25 nm 1550 nm +/- 30 nm
Compatible fiber types	50/125 μm 62.5/125 μm	Singlemode	50/125 μm 62.5/125 μm Singlemode
Event dead zone 1	850 nm: 0.5 m (typical) 1300 nm: 0.7 m (typical)	1310 nm: 0.6 m (typical) 1550 nm: 0.6 m (typical)	850 nm: 0.5 m (typical) 1300 nm: 0.7 m (typical) 1310 nm: 0.6 m (typical) 1550 nm: 0.6 m (typical)
Attenuation dead zone 2	850 nm: 2.2 m (typical) 1300 nm: 4.5 m (typical)	1310 nm: 3.6 m (typical) 1550 nm: 3.7 m (typical)	850 nm: 2.2 m (typical) 1300 nm: 4.5 m (typical) 1310 nm: 3.6 m (typical) 1550 nm: 3.7 m (typical)
Dynamic range 3, 5, 6	850 nm: 28 dB (typical)1300 nm: 30 dB (typical)	1310 nm: 32 dB (typical)1550 nm: 30 dB (typical)	850 nm: 28 dB (typical) 1300 nm: 30 dB (typical) 1310 nm: 32 dB (typical) 1550 nm: 30 dB (typical)
Max distance range setting	40 km	130 km	MM: 40 km SM: 130 km
Distance measurement range 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10	850 nm: 9 km 1300 nm: 35 km	1310 nm: 80 km 1550 nm: 130 km	850 nm: 9 km 1300 nm: 35 km 1310 nm: 80 km 1550 nm: 130 km
Reflectance range 4, 5	850 nm: -14 dB to -57 dB (typical)1300 nm: -14 dB to -62 dB (typical)	1310 nm: -14 dB to -65 dB (typical) 1550 nm: -14 dB to -65 dB (typical)	850 nm: -14 dB to -57 dB (typical) 1300 nm: -14 dB to -62 dB (typical) 1310 nm: -14 dB to -65 dB (typical) 1550 nm: -14 dB to -65 dB (typical)
Sample resolution	3 cm to 400 cm	3 cm to 400 cm	3 cm to 400 cm
Pulse widths (nominal)	850 nm: 3, 5, 20, 40, 200 ns 1300 nm: 3, 5, 20, 40, 200, 1000 ns	3, 10, 30, 100, 300, 1000, 3000, 10000, 20000 ns	850 nm: 3, 5, 20, 40, 200 ns 1300 nm: 3, 5, 20, 40, 200, 1000 ns 1310/1550 nm: 3, 10, 30, 100, 300, 1000, 3000, 10000, 20000 ns
Test time (per wavelength)	Auto setting: 5 sec (typical)	Auto setting: 10 sec (typical)	Auto setting:MM – 5 sec (typical) SM – 10 sec (typical)
	Quick test setting: 2 sec (typical)	Quick test setting: 5 sec (typical)	Quick test setting: MM – 2 sec (typical) SM – 5 sec (typical)
	Best resolution setting: 2 to 180 sec	Best resolution setting: 5 to 180 sec	Best resolution setting: MM – 2 to 180 sec SM – 5 to 180 sec
	FaultMap setting: 2 sec (typical), 180 sec (max)	FaultMap setting: 10 sec (typical), 180 sec (max)	FaultMap setting: MM – 2 sec (typical) MM – 180 sec (max) SM – 10 sec (typical) SM – 180 sec (max)
	DataCenter OTDR setting: 1 sec (typical at 850 nm), 7 sec (max)	DataCenter OTDR setting: 20 sec (typical), 40 sec (max)	DataCenter OTDR setting: MM – 1 sec (typical at 850 nm) MM – 7 sec (max) SM – 20 sec (typical) SM – 40 sec (max)
	Manual setting: 3, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 180 sec	Manual setting: 3, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 180 sec	Manual setting: MM – 3, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 180 sec SM – 3, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 180 sec

FiberInspector probe specification
Magnification	~ 200X with OptiFiber Pro Display
Light source	Blue LED
Power source	TFS mainframe
Field of View (FOV)	Horizontal: 425 μmVertical: 320 μm
Minimum detectable particle size	0.5 μm
Dimensions	Approximately 6.75 in x 1.5 in (1175 mm x 35 mm) without adapter tip
Weight	200 g
Temperature range	Operating: 32°F to 122°F (0 °C to +50 °C) Storage: -4°F to +158°F (20°C to +70°C)
Certifications	CE (when used with the mainframe)
VFL specifications
On/Off control	Mechanical switch and a button on the touch screen
Output power	316 μw (-5 dBm) ≤ peak power ≤ 1.0 mw (0 dBm)
Operating wavelength	650 nm nominal
Spectral width (RMS)	±3 nm
Output modes	Continuous wave Pulsed mode (2 Hz to 3 Hz blink frequency)
Connector adapter	2.5 mm universal
Laser safety(classification)	Class II CDRH Complies to EN 60825-2
General specifications
Weight	Mainframe with module and battery: 3 lbs, 5 oz (1.28 kg)
Dimensions	Mainframe with module and battery: 2.625 in x 5.25 in x11.0 in ( 6.67 cm x 13.33 cm x 27.94 cm)
Battery	Lithium ion battery pack, 7.2 volts
Battery life	Four hours to charge from 10% capacity to 90% capacity with tester off
Environmental specifications
Operating temperature*	-18ºC to 45ºC
Non-operating temperature	-30ºC to 60ºC
Operating altitude	4,000 m (13,123 ft) 3,200 m (10,500 ft) with AC adapter
Storage altitude	12,000 m
EMC	EN 61326-1

View:www.fibercasa.com for more information

Fluke Multimode OTDR for troubleshooting and extended certification – 1

Fluke Multi-mode OTDR Introduction

Many OTDRs (Optical Time Domain Reflectometers) used for fiber troubleshooting are designed for carriers and contain cumbersome and complicated features that enterprise users don’t need. Few OTDRs are built with features and usability for enterprise network engineers, SAN designers and cable installers.

As enterprises consume more storage resources and adopt higher bandwidth (40G, 100G) data center architectures,

Fluke Multimode OTDR

the resilience of the cabling infrastructure becomes highly dependent upon maintenance tools to ensure fiber reliability. OptiFiber Pro is the industry’s first purpose-built OTDR that meets the unique challenges of an enterprise fiber infrastructure. With its simple smartphone user interface and powerful feature set, the OptiFiber Pro turns anyone into an efficient and expert premise fiber troubleshooter or installer.

This Multi-mode OTDR with 850nm & 1300nm wavelengths, eliminates errors that occur when testing fiber and features ultra-short dead zones.

Kit includes AC adapter, USB interface cable, user guide and CD, Link Ware software, 2-SC/LC & 1-SC/SC launch cables, fiber inspection probe, 2-launch fiber tool packs, 1.25 & 2.5mm One Click cleaners and carrying case & strap.

Fluke Multimode OTDR Features

Extremely short event and attenuation dead zone, The OptiFiber Pro leverages the most sophisticated optical technology to provide the shortest event dead zone (0.5 m typical for MM) and attenuation dead zone (2.2 m typical for MM and 3.6 m typical for SM) of any OTDR. This technological advancement allows OptiFiber Pro to detect and measure closely spaced faults where no other OTDR can in today’s connector-rich data center and storage area environments.

Two second trace per wavelength Another breakthrough with OptiFiber Pro is the data acquisition speed. While in Quick Test mode, a complete set of data is acquired in as little as two seconds per wavelength. OptiFiber Pro then analyzes the data and displays it as an EventMap event, Table or Trace. The end result is less time spent testing and more time performing other tasks.

DataCenter OTDR™ mode With a simple one-touch selection, users enter DataCenter OTDR mode – without setup time for fine tuning as needed in legacy OTDRs. DataCenter OTDR mode automatically detects OTDR parameters –end-detection algorithms, pulse widths, etc – without getting confused by the short links or number of connectors.

Graphical EventMap™ view To eliminate the learning curve associated with reading an OTDR trace, OptiFiber Pro’s advance logic automatically interprets the information to create a detailed and graphical map of events that includes connectors, splices and anomalies. To accommodate different preferences, users can easily switch between the EventMap, the Event Table and the Trace for test details. Any faulty events will be highlighted with RED icons to facilitate quick troubleshooting.

Dynamic project and user profile management OptiFiber Pro enhances job efficiency by allowing the workflow planner to create and manage operator and job profiles per project – defined jobs or sets of cable IDs can be assigned to specific operators. The progress and status of each project can also be easily monitored.

On-screen help – corrective action On-screen “help” suggests corrective action(s) for resolving fiber problems during each testing step. The “help” offered is context sensitive which allows users to quickly pinpoint possible resolutions. An easy-to-read, gray icon in the bottom, left-hand corner shows detailed corrective action recommendations.

FiberInspector™ probe OptiFiber Pro’s video inspection system examines patch cords and patch panel bulkheads to avoid the number one cause of fiber link failure – contamination. Significant time is saved because the probe is inserted directly into the patch panel’s bulkhead to examine installed fiber terminations without disassembling the patch panel. Technicians assign a pass or fail grade to the fiber, append a comment and save it for use in certification reports.

View: www.fibercasa.com or www.fiber-optic-fusion-splicer.com
for more information

FHO5000 OTDR FAQ for Grandway F2H OTDR

• What is the operating system for the FHO5000 OTDR?

       The operating system for the OTDR is Windows CE.

• How to do the calibration for the FHO5000 OTDR?
• What Modules can be added for the FHO5000 OTDR?

     The FHO5000 OTDR support optional power meter module, light source module, micro scope module, able to add touch screen feature, water proof features.

• How do I know which range to select on my OTDR?

   As for FHO5000 OTDR support Auto testing mode, so it is able to automatically scan the network and set the range setting. The selected range is at least bigger than the total length of the launch cable plus the cable length under test, plus the tail cord. For best result and trace display in the OTDR, the selected length is better about 150% of the total length (total length = launch cable length + cable under test length + tail cord length). 

• What Pulse width should use when testing the fiber?

      The key is to always use the shortest pulse width possible that will satisfy the trace quality and allow the user to see the end of the fiber. Short pulse widths are used for short fibers. Long PW's are used on long fibers. If the trace quality exhibits excessive noise that can't be removed by additional averages, select the next higher pulse width.

For FHO5000 OTDR, please refer to the table below:

PulseWidth-setting-for-FHO500 OTDR

• What Adapters included by FHO5000 OTDR

      The standard fiber adapter for FHO5000 OTDR is FC, but optional SC & ST. But for user who want test SC or LC by standard FC adapter, you are suggest to use FC/UPC - SC/UPC or FC/UPC - LC/UPC launch cable.

      As second solution is to use a bulkhead on the Fiber Under Test side that is hybrid, for example FC to SC.

• How to test a bare fiber

It is recommended to use a pigtail and mechanical splicer to test the bare fiber. Connect a pigtail of the correct fiber type and connector to the OTDR or far end of a launch cable. Cleave the opposite end of the pigtail and insert it into a mechanical splice. Cleave the end of your fiber to be tested and insert it into the opposite side of the mechanical splice. By using the "Real Time" function available on most OTDRs you can adjust the position of the fibers in the mechanical splice to get the best throughput. The cable is now ready to be scanned.

3 Ways to Use Mobile Marketing to Keep Customers Coming Back

Seventy percent of companies say it’s cheaper to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one, according to a report. And they are right: acquiring a new customer can be five times more expensive, which is hopefully enough to convince you that customer retention should be on your radar at all times.

So how do I retain customers you might ask? The answer is simple: mobile marketing. Given that 60 percent of the time users spend online is through their mobile devices, establishing a solid mobile presence ensures that your customers always have a piece of your brand at the tip of their fingers.

Related: 5 Business Myths About the Mobile Industry

Here’s how it’s done:

The right place, the right time

Mobile devices draw tons of information from users. Some of this information, such as geolocation, can be instrumental in optimizing your brand’s mobile product specifically for consumers. Knowing where consumers are allows marketers to offer users content that’s relevant to the situation they’re currently experiencing.

The most obvious way to use this data would be to alert existing clients on new deals right when they are near your store or company branch; however, there are ways to get more creative.  

Airline KLM is a great example. The company created a mobile game that lets users fly a paper jet over a virtual version of the city of Amsterdam. Aside from being beautifully made and very enjoyable, the game also uses mobile data to promote user loyalty. With every purchase of a KLM flight users' win more points, but the even cooler thing is that users can advance in the game when they are at the airport gate waiting to board their KLM flight (using geo-location technologies).

Related: Rebranding? Don't Forget Your Mobile Strategy

Fresh content and exclusive deals

To ensure users don’t lose interest in your app, introduce new content as often as possible. Whether it’s cool music, text, visuals or attractive deals, these kinds of elements will ensure users keep coming back for more.

Now, you might be thinking at this point, that by introducing as much content as possible, you are spamming people. Wrong. If someone downloaded your app, it means that they’re interested in what you have to offer. The more great content you put out, the more satisfied your users will be. Even content that doesn’t necessarily directly relate to your product but fits with its general concept is fair game.

Let's look at the Starbucks app. The app features a variety of content (such as music) that doesn’t necessarily relate to the products Starbucks is most known for selling. Users who have the app get this content as an added value and check in with it regularly to see what’s new. It’s a great way to make sure that your brand stays on the consumer's radar.

Another way to promote user loyalty is by using the mobile app to keep consumers up to date on new products and deals. Being aware of deals before everyone else is good but not good enough. Instead, offer users deals that are only available through mobile purchases to incentivize app users to check in regularly.

A great example is that of an Israeli hotel chain called Fattal. The company managed to get not two but three birds with one mobile stone by launching an app for last-minute deals. First, the company used this clever move as a way of approaching new clients. Second, Fattal included special discounts for loyalty club members and third, they found a classic solution for their dead inventory.

Engage and interact

The best way to turn any consumer into a loyal one is to make them part of your brand. On mobile, this has become easier than ever, and user-generated content (UGC) is the name of the game.

Mobile apps introduce endless, easy and instant ways for users to participate in brand communities and contribute their own content. For instance, to promote its "What is Perfect Conference", TedXPortland launched a mobile app that overlaid the word "perfect" over user-generated pictures that were shared on social media. People immediately became curious about what those pictures meant, which in turn helped create buzz around the conference. The photos were later projected on the walls of the event as part of the decor.

Investing in retention on mobile is not only interesting and creative, it’s also essential. This is your opportunity -- and obligation -- to make sure that when customers go on their way, they take a piece of your brand with them.  

Related: What They Haven't Told You About Mobile-First Marketing

Cloud Carriers and Cloud Providers: Enemies, Friends or “Frenemies”?

Any given cloud user is dependent upon both the cloud provider running the data center that is hosting the application, and one (or more) network service providers or carriers used to reach the cloud. If the cloud is “down”, meaning the user can’t access the cloud application, whose fault is it? Who is responsible for fixing the problem and who does the user complain to? If we aren’t careful, problems can quickly turn into a finger-pointing exercise that makes no one happy.

One thought is to set up a clear contractual relationship between the carrier and provider. The cloud provider buys access to the users from the carrier. The carrier, in turn, provides a traditional service-level agreement (SLA) to the cloud provider covering availability, loss, latency and jitter measured from locations in close proximity to the user and the data center. This establishes a clear division of responsibility and clean, measurable criteria for determining whether the carrier is living up to the terms and conditions. However, it doesn’t fully solve the finger-pointing problem, because even if the data center and the servers are working fine, and the carrier connections to the data centers are running perfectly, users still may not be able to access the cloud.

Another possibility is to eliminate the distinction by having the cloud carrier buy a cloud provider, as Verizon bought Terremark, or the other way around, as Google bought their own fiber. This way, the cloud customer can buy cloud services from a single organization running both the data centers and the network. This reduces any finger pointing from the customer, but if the organization is internally siloed, the same old problems can persist. Besides, the number of cloud carriers in relation to the number of cloud providers is such that no single enterprise can be large enough to own everything, not even Google.

The way out of this mess is for cloud carriers and cloud providers to collaborate and move up the stack. They need to test the service as the users see it, rather than the circuits as the carriers provide them, and also test the virtual machines in the data center as the cloud provider manages them. If the service being stored is cloud storage, the storage should be tested. If the service is a platform for running websites, the websites should be tested. If the service is an application like email, the application must be tested. However, these tests should not be local tests from the data center; in order to test the service effectively, testing must be performed from locations as close as possible to users. These locations are buried deep within the carrier’s network, out-of-reach to cloud providers.

To make the collaborative effort work, new kinds of business relationships will probably need to be established between cloud carriers and cloud providers, i.e., relationships that are cooperative as opposed to the adversarial seller/buyer relationships governed by SLAs. For instance, relationships in which the carrier accepts responsibility for testing the service the cloud provider sells, and in which the carrier and provider share test results honestly and in real time. In such relationships, both organizations’ operations staffs would work together to solve problems.

So, how do we evolve to this collaborative model in which cloud carriers and providers work together? The obstacles are not technical, as effective solutions are already available from Fibercasa and others. The answer lies in cloud carriers and cloud providers getting together to establish a viable business model enabling them to cooperate effectively. Business partnerships are based on equal relations, in which the parties involved are neither friends nor enemies.

If you'd like to learn more about testing cloud services, you can read Testing the Cloud white paper. You can also watch the Network Forecast - Mostly Cloudy webinar that I've recently co-hosted with my colleague Bruno Giguère  about the cloud and its many benefits, including reduced capital and elimination of the time, space, power and cost constraints that plague the traditional computing environment.