We’ve all seen LED clocks where RGB LEDs are used to display time. It seems like the simpler the interface, the more likely you’d need to do math to figure out the time. This Octal Clock by [Alex Kurrasch] proves the point by using only four LEDs: the top two show hours and minutes, and the bottom two LEDs are multipliers. Using octal numbering, [Alex] translates the data using a Venn diagram of color mixing. The mapping uses 1 as red, 2 as green, followed by yellow, blue, magenta, and cyan. It ends with 7 as white (all on) and …read more http://pje.fyi/P56KsX
Although 10 Gigabit Ethernet is still marketing its way into the data centers, the need for faster data transfer rates is relentless, which means the migration to 40 Gigabit Ethernet is becoming inescapably compelling. For 40G Ethernet network, there are mainly two connectivity methods, one is Base-8, and the other is Base-12. Base-12 connectivity has had its place in the data center, while Base-8 is a new connectivity that could gain widespread acceptance in the next few years. With these two methods existing in 40G Ethernet network, there comes problems: Which one is more suitable for 40G network, or can we both use these two methods in 40G network? Read this articles, and you will get the detailed answers.
Base-12 Dominates the Market
Base-2 connectivity is the most commonly used one in the past, but as the data center grew to thousands of fiber ports engaged, stringing two-fiber patch cords across all corners of the data center will result in an unmanageable, and unreliable mess. So Base-12 connectivity is introduced. It is designed to develop a modular, high density, structured cabling system which could be deployed in data centers quickly, while also maximizing port densities within the rack space. In this connectivity method, all the fiber optic cables are based on an increment of 12 fiber, like 12-fiber or 24-fiber MTP trunk cable.
Base-8 Shines the Light
Base-12 connectivity is common in data center, but here comes a problem when installed it in a parallel system. For example, if we need to use 40GBase-SR4 optics implemented in a 12-fiber infrastructure, four fibers for transmit, and four fibers for receive, leaving four fibers unused per connection, this will lead to a significant and costly loss in fiber network utilization. But Base-8 can be a more cost-effective option for end-to-end MPO to MPO channels and architectures. With 8-fiber infrastructure, the 40GBase-SR4 module will use all the 8 fibers. Base-8 connectivity makes use of fiber links in increment of 8 versus 12. The 12-fiber trunk cables are replaced with trunk cables in increment of 8: 8-fiber, 16-fiber, or 24-fiber trunk cables, etc.
Can We Use Base-8 and Base-12 Together?
Although using Base-8 connectivity could decrease fiber consuming in supporting 40G data rates, in fact, in many cases, Base-8 connectivity isn’t a universal solution, and Base-12 may still be more cost-effective. So is it possible to have both Base-8 and Base-12 connectivity in the same data center? The answer could be “Yes” or “No”.
Base-8 and Base-12 Fiber Links Cannot Be Mixed and Matched
It is never possible to directly mix the components of Base-8 and Base-12 connectivity, or plug a Base-8 trunk into a 12-fiber module. Because a Base-12 trunk cable normally has unpinned MTP connector on both ends, and requires the use of pinned 12-fiber breakout modules, while a Base-8 trunk cable is manufactured with pinned MTP connectors at both ends (pinned and unpinned MTP connectors are shown below). So if we plug a Base-8 trunk into a 12-fiber breakout module, just like trying to mate two pinned connectors together, this connection will definitely not work, and vice verse.
Base-8 and Base-12 Can be Maintained in the Same Data Center Separately
It is possible to deploy both Base-8 and Base-12 connectivity within the same data center, just as long as the links are separate. Since Base-8 and Base-12 components are not interchangeable, during managing the data center physical layer infrastructure, we should do careful management and labeling practice to ensure we will not mix or mismatch them.
Conclusion
Base-12 connectivity has dominated the 40G network market for years, while the Base-8 connectivity is an additional option in the network designer’s tool kit to ensure that data centers have the most cost-effective, future-proof network available. When using Base-8 and Base-12 in network, make sure that you need to carefully manage and label them, and that the components in Base-8 and Base-12 won’t be mixed.
Originally published at http://www.fiber-optic-cable-sale.com/can-use-base-8-base-12-together.html
I'm bored, so here's part II of Nuim's number system.
While one can make large numbers in Nuim with umru and sotci, there is another, somewhat simpler system that can be used. This system is based on how the numbers look when written out and effectively puts each number in a "place." The places are as follows.
So the locative applicative marker kind of jumped from pe, to yo, back to pe again, but lets not worry about that. Lets worry about numbers instead. Nuim is base-8, which means you count one, two, three, ..., seven, eight, eight-one, eight-two, eight-three, etc. Its also base-16; so once you reach sixteen, you sort of stay there. Lets start with just the numbers one through eight.
Number, English
soka, one
afru, two
pefa, three
fuas, four
cukas, five
himom, six
nocam, seven
umru, eight
Number, English
umru soka, nine
umru afru, ten
umru pefa, eleven
umru fuas, twelve
umru cukas, thirteen
umru himom, fourteen
umru nocam, fifteen
Like eight, sixteen has its own number: sotci. The numbers seventeen through twenty-four are just like nine through fifteen; follow sotci, sixteen, with another number.
Number, English
sotci soka, seventeen
sotci afru, eighteen
sotci pefa, nineteen
sotci fuas, twenty
sotci cukas, twenty-one
sotci himom, twenty-two
sotci nocam, twenty-three
sotci umru, twenty-four
From twenty-five onwards, things get a bit stranger. Follow sotci, sixteen, with one of the numbers nine through fifteen.
Number, English
sotci umru soka, twenty-five
sotci umru afru, twenty-six
sotci umru pefa, twenty-seven
sotci umru fuas, twenty-eight
sotci umru cukas, twenty-nine
sotci umru himom, thirty
sotci umru nocam, thirty-one
Thirty-two onward is even weirder. Start with asotci, thirty-two, and follow it with one of the numbers one through fifteen.
Number, English
asotci, thirty-two
asotci soka, thirty-three
asotci afra, thirty-four
...
asotci umru, forty
asotci umru soka, forty-one
asotci umru afra, forty-two
...
asotci umru nocam, forty-seven
After forty-seven comes pesotci, forty-eight. All the *sotci numbers are as follows.
Number, English
sotci, sixteen
asotci, thirty-two
pesotci, forty-eight
fusotci, sixty-four
cusotci, eighty
hisotci, ninety-six
nosotci, one-hundred-twelve
usotci, one-hundred-twenty-eight
umru asotci, one-hundred-forty-four
...
umru nosotci, two-hundred-forty
sotci sotci, two-hundred-fifty-six
You can keep on stacking up sotcis, but there's an easier way. One that I'll tell you about later.
