8. Internal Switch Cascades

For optical switches that include multiple internal switch modules, FlexOTO allows you to cascade the internal switches on the Hardware Diagram A FlexOTO pane where one models (draws) fiber-optic connections between test setup hardware blocks. with the condition that a switch that is not connected to an Acquisition/Analysis Engine One of up to 8 instances of FlexDCA measurement code that FlexOTO uses to analyze data. (DCA-M modules) can use only one output port. Connecting multiple output ports are not allowed.

FlexOTO does not allow the installation of multiple optical switch instruments, so they can't be cascaded. For example cascading a DiCon GP600 switch and a DiCon GP750 switch is not allowed. Cascading an optical switch's internal switch modules, if available, is allowed.

Example 1. Cascading Internal Keysight N7731A Switches with WDM DUTs

Example of cascaded N7731A switches with four WDM 4-lane DUT fixtures

Example 2. Cascading Internal Keysight N7731A Switches with non-WDM DUTs

Example of cascaded N7731A switches with three 2-lane DUT fixtures

Example 3. Cascading Internal DiCon GP750 Switches

The following picture illustrates cascading three switch modules in an example DiCon GP750 switch. This Hardware Diagram is valid because:

Switch SL1:M2 port IN is directly connected to switch SL1:X1 port 5, and
Switch SL1:M1 port IN is directly connected to switch SL1:X1 port 6.
Switches SL1:M1 and SL2:M2 only have one output (IN). If more outputs were available, they could not be used.

Example 4. Unnecessary Cascades of Internal Switches

This switch diagram makes use of an unnecessary switch cascade as the switch has an ample number of input ports.

In this situation, you could simply connect all DUT Fixture output ports to the same internal switch.