FIBER OPTIC ASSEMBLIES FOR TAPPING LIVE OPTICAL FIBERS IN FIBER OPTIC NETWORKS EMPLOYING PARALLEL OPTICS

A fiber optic assembly for supporting optical connections in a fiber optic network employing parallel optical configurations is described. In one embodiment, the fiber optic assembly includes at least two live multi-fiber components and at least one tap multi-fiber component. Optical signals are routed from one live multi-fiber component to another in a parallel optical connection configuration, with each group of optical signals corresponding to a respective group of fiber positions on each live multi-fiber component. Each group of optical signals is also routed to one of the first and second groups of fiber positions of the at least one tap multi-fiber component in a parallel optical connection configuration. In this manner, fiber optic signals can be simultaneously provided and monitored within an active fiber optic network using a parallel optical configuration without the need for interrupting network operations.