Answers to Multiple Choice Questions

Q1. Light is confined within the core of a simple optical fiber by Answer: B. total internal reflection at the core cladding boundry

If light hits a boundary of a material of lower refractive index at a steep enough angle, it cannot get out and it's reflected back into the high index medium, as in the figure below.

This total internal reflection is the basic concept behind the optical fiber. Option (A) is wrong since light is reflected inside and not refracted and so is option (B) since the total internal reflection does not take place at the outer edge of the cladding. The angle which a fiber accepts light depends on the refractive indexes of the core and the cladding glass, not on the plastic coating as in option (D). Back to the questions.

Q2. What makes optical fibers immune to EMI? Answer: A. They transmit signals in as light rather than electric current.

This is the main reason why optical fibers are immune to EMI, which is a type of noise that originates with one of the properties of electromagnetism. EMI is induced when magnetic field lines cut across a conductor. Option (B) isn't true since EMI can be induced in small connections. Shielding does reduce the induced EMI but does not cause the optical fiber to be immune of it, so (C) and (D) are both wrong. Back to the questions.

Q3. Which of the following is not a reason to use fiber-optic cables for point to point data transmission? Answer: C. Data-transfer rates too low to use metal cables. Explanation: Point-to-point transmission from one device to another using metal wires are much simpler than using fiber optics because they don't require the use of transmitter and receiver. However, fiber optics are prefered when data rates become too high. The other options are all reasons to use fiber optics. Firstly, fibers do not emit electrical magnetic fields that can be tapped by eavesdroppers (A.). Secondly, nonconductive fiber optic cables are immune to ground loops and effects of lightning surges (B.). Finally, sparks produced by electrical wires can be dangerous in explosive atmospheres (D.). Back to the questions.

Q4. Which of the following describes a technique to achieve fault tolerance in optical networks with minimum costs ?

Answer: D. Topological reconfiguration. Explanation: Topological reconfiguration relies on the capability of the transmission subsystem to establish an alternate data path in case of failure by changing its basic topology. This reconfigured topology must allow the live stations to operate normally despite the fault condition. This is very effective for protection against fiber breaks and applies specifically to an active structure. Another method is bypassing failed elements and not active elements as in (A). Duplication of system properties can be done but it requires great costs and it has nothing what so ever with avoiding star couplers. Back to the questions.

Q5. When would optical fibers be used in an Ethernet-type LAN? Answer: C. To extend transmission distance to reach remote terminals. Explanation: Coaxial cable limits terminal separation to 2.5km, with no more than 500m between terminals and no more than 1024 terminals altogether. Optical fibers can stretch transmission distances beyond this limit. Back to the questions.

Q6. What are the advantages of using parallel optical fiber interconnections within board-to-board or frame-to-frame connections in computer systems? Answer: D. All of the above. Explanation: Firstly, there practically no bandwidth limitation using fiber optics. Currently as many as 1000 high bandwidth (100-200 Mbit/sec) can be supported on a single fiber. Secondly, using fiber optics is definitely space saving than using

conventional wires - we would need 33 tons of copper wire to carry the same amount of information 1/4 of a pound of optical fiber would. Finally, electrical crosstalks would not occur as fiber optics only carry light. Back to the questions.

Q7. What technological progress has allowed the full usage of fiber optics within parallel computer architechture? Answer: C. I, II and IV only. Explanation: All the technological advancement mentioned in I, II and IV would fully allow the usage of fiber optics but suitable operating system(III) for the architechture would be difficult to create due to the flexible and dynamic nature of parallel systems. However progress are still underway to create such operating system. Two research examples are Mach and Amoeba. Back to the questions.

Q8. Which of the following is NOT a reason to use flexible optical circuits ? Answer: C. Small size. Explanation: (A) is correct since the circuit must distribute optical signals over a distance of at least one standard shelf width without significant loss. A compact and flexible circuit is attractive because it maybe attached in a variety of ways to panels, using thin tabs that bend and twist the optical leads into connector housings. A physically engineered circuit also provides the necessary protection by avoiding undue kinking, crushing and macro bending that could result during the system installation and use. Therefore (B) and (D) are also correct. The fiber however, has to

be large, around 30 inches, compared to standard fiber connectors which are 0.25 inches in diameter. Back to the questions.

Q9. The Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) standard calls for nodes to be: Answer: B. attached to a pair of fiber rings carrying signals in opposite direction.

Explanation: The FDDI standard calls for a ring topology, as shown in the Figure below.

There are actually 2 fiber rings, transmitting signals in opposite directions to give redundancy in case of component or cable failure. Data transmission in each direction is 100Mbits/s. All other options are incorrect since the FDDI calls for nodes don't use star couplers or T couplers. Back to the questions.

Q10. The type of light source and fiber chosen for FDDI networks are:

Answer: D. multimode fiber and 1300nm LEDs.

Explanation: This is the reqired light source and fiber chosen by the FDDI developers to balance costs and performance to decide hardware specifications. Comparing transmitter output and receiver input power shows that the loss budget for one hop in the ring is 11 dB, where 5 dB is for the cable and 6 dB is for other components. Although that seems tight, the allowed attenuation is for multimode fiber at 1300 nm. The combination of light source and fiber from options (A), (B) and (C) would not contribute to the maximum efficiency for the networks. Back to the questions.

Q11. Which of the following happen to be the limitations of optical fiber ? Answer: B. I,II and III only.

Explanation: The architecture of the couplers make it hard to split signals among many devices and complicates the structure of networks. Their inability of carrying power also causes problems in remote powering of devices, which can be done with the signal power sent over electrical wires. Cost of implementing fiber optic systems is the major disadvantage of it over wires. The main cost is not the fiber optic cables, but the other components such as transmitters, receivers, couplers and connectors. Some computer systems transmit data serially than sending several bits at a time in parallel over separate wires. The changeover requires modification to hardware and software, which increases costs. Option (IV) is not true since fiber optic cables are much easier and cheaper to install than metal wires. Back to the questions.

Q12. Speeds of laboratory fiber optic Local Area Networks are now in the range of Answer: D. hundreds of megabits per second.

Explanation: Fiber optics and LANs are the hottest communication technologies now. The main problem in fiber optics is the implementation of couplers and the extra cost of fiber optic equipment. Metal wires and coaxial cables can operate from 1 Mbits/s to 10 Mbits/s. Optical fiber connected LANs which were tested were operating at 100 Mbits/s and up but have not exceeded far from this figure. Back to the questions.

Q13.Which of the following is NOT true about digital signals used in fiber optic transmissions ? Answer: A. It's more compatible with people.

Explanation: Digital signals are more compatible with electronics and fiber optics and it's much simpler to design a circuit to detect if a signal is high or low. Digital signals are also less prone to distortion and even if there are any distortions, it is still possible to tell the logic level of the signal since it is going to be either on or off. Hence, (B), (C) and (D) are true. (A) is false since 'being compatible with people' is a property of an analogue signal. In an analogue signal the level varies continuously with time. Our ears detect continuous variations of the level of sound and likewise our eyes do detect various levels of brightness. Back to the questions.

Q14. What method allows large number of independent, selectable channels to exist on a single fiber? Answer: A. Frequency Division Multiplexing.

Explanation: Multiple frequencies of light i.e. multiple channels can co-exist on a single optical fiber using Frequency Division Multiplexing. All the other methods can't be used because it won't allow multiple frequencies to co-exist. Therefore (B), (C) and (D) are wrong. Back to the questions.

Q15. Which of the following statement about interconnection networks is true? Answer: D. Diameter is the number of links in the largest path between any two nodes.

Explanation: The other statements are all wrong. The degree of simultaneity is the fraction of nodes that can send data simultaneously, degree is the number of I/O connections per node and switches are elements seperate from the nodes that, along with links(point-to-point communication connections), can create a communication path between nodes. Back to the questions.

Q16. What type of optical fiber would best be used in the Multiple Channel Architechture (MCA)? Answer: C. Graded-Index.

Explanation: Graded-Index fibers are wide core fibers with the refraction index varying slowly from the core center to the cladding. This form minimises multipath dispersion which occurs in fibers of the Step-Index (B) type. Multipath dispersion results when rays of a single light source travels at various angles along the optical fiber and hence reaches the output at different times. Refractive index (A) of a material on the other hand is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the material. Back to the questions.