Panduit FRZUP88Y002F028 OM4 24-Fiber Plenum Interconnect Assembly

Overview

The Panduit FRZUP88Y002F028 is a 24-fiber OM4 multimode interconnect assembly built for plenum-rated installations in data center backbone paths and enterprise distribution environments. If your network design requires a high-fiber-count run through air-handling spaces — above drop ceilings, in raised-floor plenums, or through HVAC-adjacent cable trays — this assembly addresses the two non-negotiable requirements simultaneously: OM4 multimode performance and code-compliant plenum construction. It is the kind of cable selected when the cable plant needs to be installed once and trusted for years without revisiting compliance questions.

For structured cabling projects where fiber count, pathway efficiency, and long-term reliability drive the bill of materials, the fiber optic cable and assemblies category covers the full range of options — this 24-fiber format sits in the sweet spot for aggregation and distribution layers where a single run replaces multiple lower-count cables.

Key Features

• OM4 Multimode Fiber: OM4 supports 100G Ethernet at distances up to 150m and 40G at up to 400m on short-reach optics — you get a meaningful headroom buffer over OM3 without the cost premium of single-mode. For intra-building backbone links where transceivers are SFP28 or QSFP28, OM4 is the practical ceiling before single-mode becomes necessary.
• 24-Fiber Count: Twenty-four fibers in a single interconnect assembly consolidates what would otherwise be multiple 12-fiber or 8-fiber runs into one managed pathway. For high-density structured cabling environments — patch panels, MPO cassette systems, aggregation switches — this reduces tray fill, simplifies labeling, and cuts installation labor per-fiber compared to running smaller counts repeatedly.
• Plenum-Rated Construction: Plenum rating (CMP) is the NEC requirement for cables routed through air-handling spaces. Substituting a riser-rated or general-purpose cable in a plenum environment is a code violation that can fail inspection and — in a fire scenario — generate toxic combustion gases. This assembly eliminates that risk without requiring conduit as a workaround.
• Interconnect Assembly Format: Configured as an interconnect (point-to-point) rather than a trunk, this cable is pre-terminated and ready to install between panels, switches, or enclosures. No field termination, no polishing, no attenuation variables introduced at the jobsite — attenuation performance is factory-controlled.
• Enterprise Backbone Fit: The 24-fiber format is well suited to aggregation and distribution layer links in structured network rooms. In a typical data center or enterprise MDF/IDF design, this assembly spans the backbone segment between distribution panels and core equipment, replacing ad-hoc patching with a single, organized run.
• Panduit Build Quality: Panduit's Panduit fiber infrastructure line is specified on commercial and enterprise installations where the cable plant carries long-term support commitments. Factory-terminated assemblies from this line are designed to consistent insertion loss standards that support 40G and 100G link budgets without margin surprises.

Integration & Compatibility

This assembly integrates into any OM4-compatible fiber infrastructure. The 24-fiber count is compatible with standard high-density patch panel systems, MPO/MTP cassette breakout modules, and aggregation-layer fiber enclosures. Because it is an interconnect (not a trunk with MPO connectors), verify that your termination scheme matches the connector type on this assembly before ordering. OM4 multimode is backward compatible with OM3 and OM2 transceivers, though full OM4 distance performance is only realized with OM4-rated optics on both ends. For parallel optics architectures — 40G SR4, 100G SR4 — ensure your cassette or breakout scheme accounts for polarity before installation.

Plenum-rated assemblies like this one are commonly deployed alongside other Panduit fiber assemblies in tiered backbone designs: trunk cables from the MDF to satellite IDFs, with interconnects like the FRZUP88Y002F028 handling the structured panel-to-panel runs at each tier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What fiber type does the FRZUP88Y002F028 use, and what speeds does it support?

A: The FRZUP88Y002F028 uses OM4 multimode fiber. OM4 supports 100 Gigabit Ethernet at distances up to 150m and 40 Gigabit Ethernet at distances up to 400m using short-reach (SR) optics — making it appropriate for intra-building data center and enterprise backbone links.

Q: Is the FRZUP88Y002F028 plenum-rated, and what does that mean for installation?

A: Yes, this assembly carries a plenum (CMP) rating, which satisfies NEC requirements for cables routed through air-handling spaces such as above drop ceilings or in raised-floor plenums. If your cable path runs through an HVAC air-handling space, plenum rating is a code requirement — riser or general-purpose cables are not a legal substitute without conduit.

Q: How many fibers does the FRZUP88Y002F028 contain, and what applications does that support?

A: The assembly contains 24 fibers. This count is well suited to high-density backbone runs, aggregation-layer distribution panels, and structured multimode cabling environments where a single cable replaces multiple lower-count runs to reduce tray fill and installation labor.

Q: Is this a pre-terminated assembly or bulk cable?

A: The FRZUP88Y002F028 is a factory pre-terminated interconnect assembly — not bulk cable. It is ready to install between panels, enclosures, or switches without any field termination. This removes jobsite attenuation variables and is standard practice for structured data center and enterprise cabling projects.

Q: Can the FRZUP88Y002F028 be used with OM3 transceivers or OM3 infrastructure?

A: OM4 multimode fiber is backward compatible with OM3-rated optics, but the maximum reach distances will be governed by the lower OM3 specifications. For full OM4 link budget performance, both transceiver ends should be rated for OM4.

Marty Allison

The FRZUP88Y002F028 comes up frequently in backbone design conversations where the project scope calls for 24 fibers through a plenum path — the combination of OM4 multimode and CMP rating handles two requirements that often trip up procurement when they are specified separately and then sourced independently. The pre-terminated interconnect format is the right call for structured environments where field termination introduces schedule and attenuation risk.

Technical Highlights:

• OM4 Multimode: Supports 100G SR links at up to 150m — meaningful headroom for intra-building data center backbone runs using current-generation SFP28 and QSFP28 optics without the cost of single-mode infrastructure.
• 24-Fiber Count: Consolidating 24 fibers into a single interconnect run reduces tray fill and connector count at both termination points compared to running three 8-fiber or two 12-fiber assemblies across the same path.
• Plenum (CMP) Rating: Code-compliant for NEC air-handling space requirements without requiring conduit as a workaround — a meaningful labor and material cost avoidance on projects where plenum paths are the norm across multiple floors or wings.

Deployment Considerations:

• Verify connector type compatibility at both termination points before ordering — as a pre-terminated interconnect assembly, the connector format is fixed at the factory and cannot be changed in the field.
• For parallel optics architectures (40G SR4, 100G SR4) using MPO breakout, confirm polarity scheme matches your cassette or breakout module design; a polarity mismatch on a 24-fiber run requires the whole assembly to be re-routed or swapped.

This assembly fits cleanest in enterprise MDF-to-IDF backbone segments and data center distribution runs where the cable path crosses an air-handling plenum and the fiber count justifies a single 24-fiber pull over multiple smaller assemblies — precisely the scenario where the FRZUP88Y002F028 eliminates a sourcing and compliance decision from the same procurement line item.