Fiber optic monitoring patch panel providing readily accessible monitoring ports

1. A patch panel comprising:

a stepped front panel having a recessed first portion and a second portion, the second portion extending farther in a forward direction than the recessed first portion;

a plurality of traffic ports configured to receive fiber optic cables, the traffic ports positioned at the recessed first portion of the stepped front panel, wherein the recessed first portion of the stepped front panel at least partially defines a cable management area that is sufficiently large that fiber optic cables inserted in the traffic ports are contained within the cable management area and do not extend forward farther than the second portion of the stepped front panel; and

a plurality of monitor ports configured to receive fiber optic cables, the monitor ports positioned at the second portion of the stepped front panel.

2. A patch panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of traffic ports and the plurality of monitor ports face the same direction and are linearly arranged along the same direction, wherein each one of the plurality of traffic ports is oriented 90 degrees to each one of the plurality of monitor ports.

3. The patch panel of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of coupler cartridges, each coupler cartridge including a first plurality of fiber optic couplers that serve as the traffic ports and a second plurality of fiber optic couplers that serve as the monitor ports.

4. The patch panel of claim 3 , wherein the second plurality of fiber optic couplers that serve as the monitor ports extend farther in a forward direction than the first plurality of fiber optic couplers that serve as the traffic ports.

5. The patch panel of claim 1 , further comprising a shelf that is perpendicular to and between the plurality of traffic ports and the plurality of monitor ports, the shelf also defines the cable management area.

6. The patch panel of claim 1 , further comprising a front cabinet door that can be closed when the fiber optic cables are inserted in the traffic ports and cannot be closed when fiber optic cables are inserted in the monitor ports.

7. The patch panel of claim 1 , wherein the recessed first portion of the stepped front panel is above the second portion of the stepped front panel.

8. A patch panel comprising:

a stepped front panel having a recessed first portion and a second portion, the second portion extending farther in a forward direction than the recessed first portion; and

at least one coupler cartridge coupled to the stepped front panel, the at least one coupler cartridge comprising a plurality of traffic ports positioned at the recessed first portion of the stepped front panel and a plurality of monitor ports positioned at the second portion of the stepped front panel.

9. The patch panel of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of coupler cartridges coupled to the stepped front panel, wherein the plurality of traffic ports and the plurality of monitor ports for each coupler cartridge face the same direction and are linearly arranged along the same direction, wherein each one of the plurality of traffic ports is oriented 90 degrees to each one of the plurality of monitor ports.

10. The patch panel of claim 8 , wherein the recessed first portion of the stepped front panel is above the second portion of the stepped front panel.

11. The patch panel of claim 8 , further comprising a front cabinet door that can be closed when fiber optic cables are inserted in the traffic ports and cannot be closed when fiber optic cables are inserted in the monitor ports.

12. The patch panel of claim 8 , further comprising a shelf between the recessed first portion and the second portion of the stepped front panel, the shelf extending in the forward direction.

13. The patch panel of claim 12 , further comprising a cable management area defined by the recessed first portion of the stepped front panel and the shelf, the cable management area being sufficiently large that fiber optic cables inserted in the traffic ports in the recessed first portion are contained within the cable management area and do not extend forward farther than the second portion of the stepped front panel.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a patch panel coupler cartridge comprising:

a plurality of traffic ports, the traffic ports being linearly arranged; and

a plurality of monitor ports that face the same direction as the traffic ports, the monitor ports being linearly arranged in the same direction as the plurality of traffic ports, the plurality of monitor ports are located farther forward than the plurality of traffic ports in a direction faced by the plurality of traffic ports and the plurality of monitor ports.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the patch panel coupler cartridge is stepped with a recessed portion and a non-recessed portion, the plurality of traffic ports are located on the recessed portion and the plurality of monitor ports are located on the non-recessed portion.

16. A patch panel coupler cartridge comprising:

a plurality of traffic ports, the traffic ports being linearly arranged; and

a plurality of monitor ports that face the same direction as the traffic ports, the monitor ports being linearly arranged in the same direction as the plurality of traffic ports, the plurality of monitor ports are located farther forward than the plurality of traffic ports, wherein each one of the plurality of traffic ports is oriented 90 degrees to each one of the plurality of monitor ports.