Fiber optic test analysis

Drop a job's test files (OTDR traces, OLTS tables, fiber inspection and report files, from any manufacturer) and get one repair verdict per fiber, and a table of all fibers.

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Frequently asked questions

How the whole-job analysis works, which files it reads, and where your data goes. New here? Start with the Fiber Analysis walkthrough.

What files can I drop in?

A whole job at once, from any manufacturer, mixed together. Drop the files and the tool sorts them into fibers on its own.

What files Fiber Analysis reads

Drop these, read automatically

  • OTDR traces.sor.msor.trc.trcx
  • OTDR & report JSON.json.fcpro.json
  • OLTS results.jolts
  • iOLM results.iolm.iolmbdr.bdr.bdr.json
  • MPO / MMC power meter.opm
  • Endface inspection.cmax2
  • Whole job in an archive.zip
  • Expected-fiber list.csv.txt

Needs one quick step first

  • .oltsNative OLTS. Export it as .jolts and drop that.
  • .pdfA report, not data. Drop the underlying trace instead.
  • .rar.7zArchive we don't open. Extract it, then drop the traces.
  • Something else? Send a sample and it gets added.

Everything is read in your browser. Files never leave your device. Any manufacturer, mixed together, is fine.

Does this upload my files anywhere?

Your test files are parsed entirely in your browser and never uploaded. We do log anonymous usage, like file counts, instrument type, and whether the job ran clean, tied to your sign-in email, to improve the tool. The short written review is sent to the server only when you ask for it by pressing Run Analysis. We never receive your trace data, and nothing is sold or shared.

Why did I need to give my email address?

Building and running the analysis summaries takes real work and real money, so access is gated to keep the tool from being abused. You sign in with your email (one tap on a link, no password), which ties usage to a real person and keeps the free version going.

Your address is only used to send that sign-in link. It isn't sold or shared, and we only email you for product feedback or about new tools if you tick the optional opt-in box when you sign in.

How does it decide which files belong to the same fiber?

It reads the identifiers stored inside each file and the file names, then groups everything for one fiber together: both directions of an OTDR trace, the OLTS reading, and the iOLM result all land on one row. It handles reversed site order (A→B vs B→A), span and direction tags, and files that come from different instruments. If a file lands in the wrong group, you can fix its identifiers from the results without leaving the page.

What is bidirectional analysis?

When both directions of a span are present (A→B and B→A), the tool averages the two to report the true bidirectional loss, and it keeps the reflectance from each end (A and Z) so a bad connector isn't hidden by the averaging. Direction is read from the file's own AB / BA / OE / EO tag first, then the leading site name.

Can I change the pass/fail thresholds?

Yes. The Thresholds control above the results sets the mid-span loss, span attenuation, maximum link loss, and minimum ORL used to judge each fiber. Change them and the verdicts recompute immediately, no re-drop needed. If a file carries its own pass/fail limits, those win for that file.

How is this different from the Trace Analyzer?

The Trace Analyzer is for one file at a time: drop a single trace to see its waveform, event table, and numbers in detail. Fiber Analysis is for the whole job: drop everything, and get one plain-language repair verdict per fiber plus a table across all of them. Click any fiber in the table to open the underlying trace in the analyzer view.

What does the repair verdict tell me?

For each fiber you get a pass/fail call and a short read on what to do next: whether the span is clean, which event or connector is the likely culprit, and roughly where along the fiber to look. The table alongside it shows span length, total loss, worst reflectance, and how many events crossed your thresholds, so you can scan the whole job and jump straight to the fibers that need a truck roll.

Can I run this from my own software (API)?

Yes. The same whole-job pipeline is available as a REST API: POST a job (many files, or a zip) and get back a per-fiber pass/fail verdict as JSON, no browser needed. It's built for reporting pipelines and automated acceptance testing. This interactive tool stays free; the API is the paid path for programmatic and bulk use. See the developer how-to or the API docs.

About fiber optic test analysis

Fiber optic test analysis proves a link is good: how much signal it loses, its physical integrity, and where any fault sits. Under ANSI/TIA-568.3-D it runs in two tiers.

Tier 1 (certification) uses an OLTS (optical light source and power meter) to measure the whole link end to end: total insertion loss, length, and polarity. Tier 2 (characterization) adds an OTDR, which maps every event along the route, each connector, splice, and bend, with its loss, reflectance, and distance.

The metrics that decide pass or fail are insertion loss (IL), optical return loss (ORL), and attenuation (dB/km), plus the event analysis from the OTDR trace. This tool reads your OTDR, OLTS, and OPM files together and runs that analysis per fiber, across the whole job, then writes the acceptance report. For the full background, see the fiber optic test analysis guide.