Cabling Planner Issue 018

MAKING THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS

2016

ISSUE 018

A special supplement with

SPONSORED BY

POWER PLAY THE IMPACT OF NEW PoE TECHNOLOGIES ON CABLING

GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER Dominic De Sousa

CABLINGPLANNER

Publishing Director Rajashree Rammohan raj.ram@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5685 EDITORIAL

MAKING THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS

2015

ISSUE 017

Group Editor Jeevan Thankappan jeevan.thankappan@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5678 Editor Annie Bricker annie.bricker@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 1643

CONTENTS

Deputy Editor James Dartnell james.dartnell@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5684

4 FEATURE Power play

Online Editor Adelle Geronimo adelle.geronimo@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5683 ADVERTISING Commercial Director Chris Stevenson chris.stevenson@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5674 Sales Manager Merle Carrasco merle.carrasco@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5676 CIRCULATION Circulation Manager Rajeesh M rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5682 PRODUCTION AND DESIGN Production Manager James P Tharian james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5673 Senior Designer Analou Balbero analou.balbero@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5680 Designer Neha Kalvani neha.kalvani@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 3751644 DIGITAL SERVICES

8 INTERVIEW: Finding the right length

10 OPINION:

Cutting your 40 and 100 Gig losses

Web Developer Jefferson de Joya Photographer Charls Thomas webmaster@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9100

Published by

Registered at IMPZ PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 Printed by Al Ghurair Printing & Publishing

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14

OPINION: Passive optical LAN: The new possibilities of office cabling

OPINION: PoE- A new strategy for network devices

Regional partner of

© Copyright 2015 CPI All rights reserved While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

COVER FEATURE PoE

POWER PLAY The new generation of Power over Ethernet technologies gives network devices more juice but requires enterprises to rethink their cabling infrastructure design.

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ower over Ethernet delivers 30W of power per port to a broad range of gear -- everything from WwLAN equipment to IP video and thin clients. As such, you need to establish an enterprise-grade POE plan that optimises flexibility, scalability, energy efficiency, reliability, safety, maintenance and management.

One of the biggest predictors of PoE flexibility and scalability is whether it is delivered via the network switch or through a piece of equipment called a midspan. PoE switches and midspans both deliver the same amount of power over the same distances, in support of the same IEEE specifications.

Though PoE has become crucial to lowering the costs of

building wireless networks and has inspired a host of new devices, it is important for network designers to understand the impact of new PoE technologies on the cabling infrastructure. “The popularity of this technology and the interest in expanding its capabilities is staggering. Power over HDBaseT, Cisco Universal Power Over Ethernet (UPOE), and the work of the IEEE 802.3 4-Pair Power over Ethernet Task Force currently developing more efficient power injection schemes are enabling remote powering applications that will support new families of devices, such as lighting fixtures, high

definition displays, digital signage, and point-of-sale (POS) devices that can consume more than 30W of power. It is common knowledge that the networking of remotely powered devices for autonomous data transmission and collection is driving the need for larger data centre infrastructures and storage networks,� says Narendra Vasandani, Technical Manager MECA at Siemon.

Alfred Tharwat, Head of Training & Data Center consultancy, R&M Middle East, Turkey & Africa, says, with the advent of of the IEEE 802.3bt standard, there are new demands which will be placed on the installation processes.

Cabling planners and installers now need to prepare themselves for the 2016 CABLING PLANNER 5

COVER FEATURE PoE introduction of 4-pair Power over Ethernet (4PPoE).

“A consequence of using 4PPoE is that every twisted pair in the network cabling has a current of between 650 and 1100 mA, depending on its power. This is a significant increase in load compared to pure data transfer.

Due to physical losses, the cables and cable bundles heat up as a result of the energy transfer. A long-term temperature increase of 10ºC can halve the expected service life of the cable, due to the increased aging of the material. This temperature increase must also be limited for fire and occupational safety reasons,” he says.

As you lay the foundation for your power infrastructure, it is also important to understand the main challenges related to the designing a PoE Plus-ready cabling infrastructure.

“Since many of the devices that benefit from remote powering technology reside in the ceiling, cabling designers must become familiar with new configurations, such as zone cabling topologies, to ensure highly flexible infrastructures that support simplified deployment of new devices and applications,” says Prem Rodrigues, Director of Sales and Marketing, Siemon Middle East, India & SAARC. He adds that in addition, cables and connecting hardware must be carefully selected to ensure trouble-free support of 30W and higher wattage remote powering applications. For example, remote power delivery is known to produce

“WITH THE ADVENT OF OF THE IEEE 802.3BT STANDARD, THERE ARE NEW DEMANDS WHICH WILL BE PLACED ON THE INSTALLATION PROCESSES. CABLING PLANNERS AND INSTALLERS NOW NEED TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF 4-PAIR POWER OVER ETHERNET (4PPOE).”

Alfred Tharwat Head of Training & Data Center consultancy, R&M Middle East, Turkey & Africa

temperature rise in cable bundles and electrical arcing damage to connector contacts. Heat rise within bundles has the potential to cause higher bit errors because insertion loss is directly proportionate to temperature.

Dave Hughes, Technical Director at Commscope Middle East and Africa, echoes a similar opinion: “Today’s PoE-enabled devices include motorised surveillance cameras, video phones, HD displays, and lowpowered intelligent building devices like controllers, sensors, and actuators.

These devices may or may not connect to the traditional wall-mounted, deskside telecommunications outlet (TO).

Increasingly, the connection points for these devices will be found in the ceiling, next to doors or entrances, in prominent wall locations, and outside and/or in remote corners of the building.

“These non-conventional outlet

“CAT6A CABLING CAN BE SEEN AS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR ENTERPRISE CABLING TODAY DUE TO THE FACT THAT ALL LOWER CABLING STANDARDS WILL GENERATE A BOTTLE NECK FOR THE NEW WIRELESS LAN STANDARD IEEE802.3AC.” Osama Abed, Technical Manager, Nexans Network Solutions

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locations present new and different challenges, such as the need for additional cabling capacity, routing access, and special requirements for fire-rated and/or plenum-rated components. Addressing these issues requires pre-installation planning to ensure balanced twisted-pair cabling is available for alllocations needing PoE.” Tharwat from R&M says the most important thing to consider when designing a cabling infrastructure for PoE+ is temperature increase in the cable due to power transmission (by the resistance of the copper wire) and the destruction of the RJ45 contacts as a result of sparks when unplugging under load. “As these can be impacted by a number of factors such as cable length, bundling, ventilation, and connector type it increases the design challenges. Each of these factors should be taken into account right from the design and planning stage.

Furthermore, even with due diligence being given to the planning stage, proper implementation plays a vital role and installers should be provided with the sufficient guidance so as to ensure the effort spent in design in translated into actual practice.”

The right choice Cabling vendors recommend Cat6A or higher grade cabling to support PoE applications. “Category 6A cabling has the best heat dissipation and largest bundle sizes when compared

to Category 5e and 6. Additionally, the new PoE standards are going to allow support of 10GBASE-T, which requires Category 6A cables. Hence, installing a Category 6A infrastructure will future proof an installation for the best PoE performance and allow support up to 10 gigabits per second,” says Stuart McKay, Business Development Manager EMEA, Panduit.

Hughes from Commscope adds that for cabling with an operational temperature range of -20 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius, the ambient temperature should not exceed 50 degrees Celsius. Using a higher category cable with lower dc resistance and improved heat dissipation can help reduce the rise in temperature.

Consequently, CommScope recommends Category 6A cabling for four-pair PoE applications.

Because increased thermal loading can also increase insertion loss, the maximum cable length should be de-rated for higher temperatures, per ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 Balanced Twisted-pair Telecommunications Cabling and Component.

“Cat6A cabling can be seen as the minimum requirement for enterprise cabling today due to the fact that all lower cabling standards will generate a bottle neck for the new wireless LAN standard IEEE802.3ac. But looking at POE+ it is not that much the category than the cable construction that does make the difference. Although an unscreened Cat.6A system would be an advantage compared with a Cat.5e solution, the recommendation is to use a screened system. A shielded Cat 5 cable would stay cooler in a cable bundle than a Cat6A UTP cable. The better the shielding and the thicker the wire - that is what counts for POE Plus,” Osama Abed, Technical Manager, Nexans Network Solutions.

Rodrigues from Siemon agrees that shielded cables are much better choice for heat dissipation rather than UTP cables.

Shielded cables have more thermally stable performance at elevated temperatures than unshielded cables and are a better

choice for support of remote powering applications. The standard ISO/IEC operating environment for structured cabling is -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F). The performance requirements specified in all industry standards are based on an operating temperature of 20°C. The temperature dependence of cables is recognised in cabling standards and both TIA and ISO specify an insertion loss de-rating factor for use in determining the maximum channel length at temperatures above 20°C (68°F). The temperature dependence is different for unshielded and

power cabling is therefore no longer required. However, the twisted-pair copper cables heat up during the supply process, leading to an increase in attenuation. This must be taken into account from the very beginning of a cabling project, which in turn poses new challenges when installing data networks,” says Tharwat.

Abed from Nexans says when PoE was introduced, people believed cable heating wouldn’t be an issue, as long as power levels were in accordance with the IEEE 802.3at guidelines.

However, modelling of heat generation in cable bundles based on original

“SINCE MANY OF THE DEVICES THAT BENEFIT FROM REMOTE POWERING TECHNOLOGY RESIDE IN THE CEILING, CABLING DESIGNERS MUST BECOME FAMILIAR WITH NEW CONFIGURATIONS, SUCH AS ZONE CABLING TOPOLOGIES, TO ENSURE HIGHLY FLEXIBLE INFRASTRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT SIMPLIFIED DEPLOYMENT OF NEW DEVICES AND APPLICATIONS.” Prem Rodrigues, Director of Sales and Marketing, Siemon Middle East, India & SAARC

shielded cables and the de-rating coefficient for UTP cable is actually three times greater than shielded cable above 40°C, he says.

The future of PoE The impending 802.3bt standard promises to deliver 100 watts power to powered devices by utilising the four data pairs in an Ethernet cable. This means users have to start laying the groundwork for a new level of PoE and network design with the new standard expected to be finalised by early next year.

“R&M is preparing planners and installers for the introduction of 4-pair Power over Ethernet (4PPoE). 4-pair PoE allows more powerful terminal equipment to be supplied with energy via network cables. Parallel

research done by Nexans, shows cables at the centre of a bundle heat up quite dramatically. As temperature rises, resistance also increases leading to an escalation of the heating effect until a steady state point is reached.

“Temperature increases are related to current, cable construction, cable diameter, the number of cables in a bundle and the installation environment. Failure to manage the heating effects correctly will lead to inefficiency and ultimately may preclude the delivery of adequate power to the device. Proper design or mitigation helps reduce temperature effects, prevents increased resistance and the associated losses, and prevents excess power consumption and heating,” he sums up.

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INTERVIEW NEXANS CABLING SOLUTIONS

FINDING THE RIGHT LENGTH Tarek Helmy, Regional Director Gulf and Middle East, South & East Africa of Nexans Cabling Solutions, talks about the trends in the regional cabling market and what his company brings to the table.

Tarek Helmy, Regional Director Gulf and Middle East, South & East Africa of Nexans Cabling Solutions

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tructured cabling market is getting increasingly commoditised with huge pressure on prices. How do you differentiate in such a market?

Over the last 24 years, Nexans Cabling Solutions has been successfully enabling thousands of customers to invest in future-proof, high-bandwidth networks, lower their operational costs and look to the future with confidence.

Nexans has been positioned as a high-end LAN infrastructure vendor that provides complete end-to-end solutions to major customers in the enterprise market. With a complete range of solutions in both, Copper and Fibre, we provide end customers with tailored solutions for their LAN infrastructure requirements that meet their today’s and tomorrow’s requirements. That includes but not limited to Copper and Fibre solutions for the future 40G, the 10 GBE, the Intelligent Infrastructure Management, the Environmental Monitoring solution, and Pre-Term Copper & Fibre solutions for Data Centres.

Nexans has invested heavily in R & D and innovation and we offer only the best-of-breed high quality cabling solutions. The advanced technology and the complete end-to-end solution offering by Nexans, both differentiates us from many other cabling vendors that focus on commodity market.

Apart from offering a complete range of LAN cabling products, Nexans also offers value added services providing improved reliability and reduced cost of ownership for Network Managers. All our offered solutions are supported by the Nexans 25-year warranty program that covers Products, Performance, Channel, and Labour.

Apart from these differentiators, Nexans also ensures that our customers get proper implementation support through Nexans certified partners in their market. We have been expanding our local resources in the region in order to ensure the highest level of support offered to the market.

The Middle East market is still dominated

by UTP. How do you see the acceptance of shielded cabling systems?

The Middle East market is not dominated by UTP. In fact, many customers prefer shielded cabling systems over UTP to ensure immunity

to Alien Crosstalk and other external interferences. Shielded systems have a higher coupling attenuation which gives them in-built protection against external noise (Alien Crosstalk) and support 10G simply by design.

Without doubt a shield is the best way to avoid Alien Crosstalk problems in 10G networks. And even beyond 10Gb/s, shielded Cat.7A and Cat.8 solutions are the best choice for higher speed applications.

Do you think the decline in data centre projects has had impact on the demand for pre-terminated fibre systems?

Data Centre projects in the Middle East have not declined but have, in fact, increased slightly or remained the same. The demand for pre-terminated fibre systems is, in fact, increasing as pre-terminated fibre systems are designed for rapid deployment and eliminates the need for field

and in certain situations it may be necessary to impose limitations. When correctly implemented the problems of heating and increased attenuation can be managed. Hence only higher grade cabling and high-quality, robust and approved connectors can offer longterm contact quality and trouble-free and economic operation.

Can you explain the concept of ‘Smart choices for digital infrastructure’ and what are the challenges faced by data centre managers?

‘Smart Choices for Digital Infrastructure’ is a concept which supports managers through the decision process by incorporating cabling systems which support several consecutive generations of active equipment and that are robust, flexible and scalable to adapt to new requirements.

It is about supporting customers to make smart choices that will help them build and operate an efficient and

THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND THE COMPLETE END-TO-END SOLUTION OFFERING

BY NEXANS, BOTH DIFFERENTIATES US FROM MANY OTHER CABLING VENDORS THAT FOCUS ON COMMODITY MARKET. terminations, which reduces costs and installation time significantly and increases network performance while guaranteeing full scalability, flexibility and long-lasting reliability.

Do you think PoE applications will drive the demand for higher grade cabling?

Yes. PoE applications will drive up the demand for higher grade shielded cabling. With PoE+ higher power transmission using the data cable means more heating in the conductors. This is both a risk factor and a cost factor, as is the associated increase in attenuation that occurs as the temperature rises. The increase of attenuation could harm the performance and could even cause network downtime in worst case.

Hence, when planning applications that utilise PoE+, great care must be taken in choosing the optimal cabling system;

cost-effective digital infrastructure to support their business goals.

These choices address challenges data centre managers face and include: - Flexible, cost-effective bandwidth architectures - Optimised space usage - Performance protection and enhancement - Faster modular deployment (with pre-term fibre and copper systems) - ‘Design through to operation’ support services What kind of verticals are you targeting this year for growth?

Infrastructure is definitely one our key focus areas this year. With huge construction projects and ongoing infrastructure projects, airports, hotels, hospitals, educational institutes to name a few, we definitely see increased business for these verticals.

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OPINION SIEMON

CUTTING YOUR 40 AND 100 GIG LOSSES Narender Vasandani, RCDD, Technical Manager MECA at Siemon, discusses the importance of deploying high quality low-loss connectivity in today’s data centres to ensure that a network will support the 40 or 100G applications of the future

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Narender Vasandani, RCDD, Technical Manager MECA, Siemon

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he Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data are driving the need for more bandwidth and increased transmission speeds from 10 to 40 and 100 gigabit per second (Gb/s) within data centre switch-to-switch backbone links to handle larger sets of complex data from multiple sources. As data centres migrate to these higher speeds, they are faced with much more stringent insertion loss budgets. Staying within the overall loss budget is essential for ensuring that optical data signals can properly transmit from one switch to another without high bit error rates and performance degradation.

While the overall channel insertion loss per industry standards for 10 Gb/s Ethernet (10GBASE-SR) is 2.6 dB, the maximum channel loss for 40 Gb/s Ethernet (40GBASE-SR4) and 100 Gb/s Ethernet (100GBASE-SR4) have been reduced to just 1.9 dB using OM3 multimode fibre to 100 metres and 1.5 dB using OM4 multimode fibre to 150 metres. Both 40 and 100 Gb/s standards also include a maximum connector loss of only 1.5 dB. Considering these more stringent optical loss requirements, the use of specially qualified low loss cable assemblies and jumpers deployed for switch-to-switch 40 and 100 Gb/s backbone connections in the data centre is becoming

essential. Based on 8 multimode optical fibres—4 transmitting and 4 receiving at 10 or 25 Gb/s each—both 40 and 100 Gb/s transmission use pre-terminated multi-fibre plug and play MPO/ MTP cable assemblies that enable faster deployment. Unfortunately, not all MPO/MTP assemblies are created equal. Selecting lowercost versions from questionable sources can compromise insertion loss performance and adversely impact the ability to support flexible and reliable high speed fibre deployments in the data centre.

Why it matters When it comes to loss budgets for 40 and 100 Gb/s applications, the type of fibre cable, its length and the number of connections and splices all contribute to loss. This requires data centre designers to carefully calculate each connection point and fibre segment within the channels to ensure optical performance and application assurance.

Loss is especially a concern in today’s flatter, more reliable data centre designs that have fewer switch tiers and utilise redundant mesh topologies where every switch is connected to every other piece of active equipment. These flattened mesh designs result in more active connections and even potentially longer fibre distances throughout the data centre, making new fibre links difficult to deploy.

To maintain flexibility and ease deployments, many data centre managers prefer to deploy patching areas between switches.

These patching areas connect via permanent or fixed high count fibre assemblies, enabling the deployment of shorter fibre links from the patching areas to equipment. These patching areas also help keep switches secure, allowing changes to be made at the patching areas via fibre jumpers.

Unfortunately, the use of these patching areas adds additional connection points and additional loss in a fibre channel. That is why the use of specially qualified low loss assemblies and jumpers is so

important. For example, 12-fibre MPO/MTP connectors with a loss value of 0.40 dB compared to those with a loss of just 0.2 dB, place far more strain on the number of connections supported in a 40 or 100 Gb/s multimode optical fibre Ethernet channel. MPO/ MTP connectors with a 0.4 dB loss support only 2 mated connections in an OM4 40 or 100 Gb/s channel, while connectors with a 0.2 dB loss can support 5 mated connections.

Avoid the risks When it comes to ensuring that channel loss stays within the loss budget, one also has to ask if the savings from using substandard fibre assemblies and jumpers are worth putting critical network performance at risk. Unfortunately, not all MPO/MTP cable assemblies are created equal, and recent studies show that lower-cost versions from questionable sources do not always provide the low insertion loss claimed by the manufacturer.

Siemon recently conducted a comprehensive study on MPO/ MTP assemblies purchased through standard distribution channels.

Testing was performed on 25 random samples that included five samples of each assembly from Siemon and from four generic assembly houses. Each sample was tested to Siemon’s published specifications, as well as to IEC standards for end face geometry, visual inspection, end face

0.50 dB is the maximum recommended insertion loss for 40 and 100 Gb/s applications

cleanliness, optical transmission performance and mechanical reliability testing. Siemon’s published specifications are more stringent to ensure superior performance and application assurance for today’s high speed fibre applications.

The results of the testing do not lie. Only assemblies from Siemon and one of the four assembly houses exhibited insertion loss of less than 0.40 dB. In fact, the other three samples all exhibited insertion loss values greater than 0.50 dB, which is the maximum recommended insertion loss for 40 and 100 Gb/s applications and expected to be specified in upcoming industry standards.

The samples from Siemon and this same assembly house that exhibited a loss of less than 0.4 dB were also the only assemblies compliant with the IEC PAS 61755-331 standard for end face geometry.

Because overall performance of fibre optic connectivity depends on the mechanical characteristics that control alignment and physical contact of the fibre cores, failing end face geometry testing can be directly correlated to the lower loss performance. The higher insertion loss of the other three manufacturers can be directly attributed to a lack of end face geometry control during the polishing process at the manufacturing stage, in addition to a lack of physical geometrical tolerance control of the connector and fibre materials.

In summary, low insertion loss performance of MPO/MTP cable assemblies is needed to ensure flexible 40 and 100 Gb/s applications with cross connects while staying within the maximum loss budget. One way to ensure low insertion loss performance is to purchase assemblies only from manufacturers who have stable, controlled manufacturing processes that place a high emphasis on performance, including using the highest quality materials and instituting rigorous process control over end face geometry, cleanliness and mechanical reliability.

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OPINION R&M

By Matthias Gerber, Market Manager Office Cabling at R&M

PASSIVE OPTICAL LAN: THE NEW POSSIBILITIES OF OFFICE CABLING

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he concept of the Passive Optical LAN (POL) promises gigabit speed to the end device. It is being sold as a cost saving, powerful alternative to traditional structured and application-neutral LAN cabling.

Passive Optical LAN (POL) promises the availability of the massive potential of fibre optics at every 12 CABLING PLANNER

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desk and every end device. The excitement is growing. Installation solutions are already available.

Surveys by manufacturers and market researchers have predicted a POL boom. BSRIA, the specialist British organisation for construction and building services, is expecting growth rates of 40 to 100% per annum until 2018. The analysts

from Transparency Market Research have predicted average growth rates of over 19 percent until 2020.

IT system providers are investing in POL solutions and offering corresponding portfolios. R&M’s market surveys would, however, suggest that the technology is actually only being used in a few cases today. We therefore do not expect the imminent ousting of application-neutral cabling which is why before you start investing, there are aspects of POL that have to be taken into consideration.

Diving deeper into understanding POL POL is based on FO access networks (FTTX) of the carriers and their technologies. In a way, it is a private FTTX system that works with a Passive Optical Network (PON) resulting in PON-specific planning regulations and network topologies. The infrastructure of the POL is essentially based on

singlemode fibres, distributors and passive optical splitters, outlets as well as the corresponding active components - Optical Network Terminals (ONT) and Optical Line Terminals (OLT).

Why passive optical LAN? The advantages of POL are the reduced costs for setting up and operating a system. Various estimates show that POL is up to 50% less expensive than traditional, application-neutral office cabling. Current calculations are, however, often based on the optimal capacity utilisation of the POL devices – something which is not always possible in practice.

This is why it is recommended you check the expected or promised savings extremely carefully in each particular case as part of your planning procedure.

The savings are the result of the fact that network devices are less needed due to simpler network structures with large installations, that network devices have become less expensive and that cabling has become simpler. POL requires just one singlemode fibre per workstation. It thus replaces up to four twisted-pair copper cables in floor cabling. POL granularity tends, however, to be pretty approximate and, for optimum capacity utilisation, a network interface card in the OLT should be able to operate 256 workstations. All connection points envisaged at one workstation (including reserves) have to be developed from the outset with POL.

20 KM is the distance covered by POL

This means that a lot of active ports remain unused. This has to be taken into consideration in calculations. Particularly suitable application areas for POL are large, extended LAN installations with a high number of workstations to be connected. POL is also particularly suitable for environments with limited space for cable routing and floor distributors. A Passive Optical LAN can cover distances of up to 20 kilometers and thus gives planners a whole new range of approaches for connecting workstations.

switch with lots of ports is typically more efficient to operate than a widely distributed infrastructure with lots of small switches at remote locations.

The varying life cycles of passive and active POL components, which have a symbiosis in the transmission channel, can be disadvantageous.

The active devices only support those applications which were implemented at the time of commissioning. Usually, active devices have a life cycle of anything between 3-5 years; the cabling, however, can easily last

ADVANTAGES OF POL

DISADVANTAGES OF POL

Low costs

Not application-neutral

High bandwidth potential in the fiber

Shared medium, shared bandwidth

Large transmission distances

Approximate granularity

Energy-saving individual components

Full development of the active ports necessary at the workplace

Slim cables, low weight

Active/passive infrastructure linked

Small floor distributors and channels

Complex device change

Complete solutions from one source

Dependence on manufacturers

Considerations for POL You should always bear in mind that all workstations which are connected to an OLT port via a splitter share the bandwidth of this connection. This is why in practice a splitting ratio in the optical splitter of no more than 1:32 is recommended today for GPON. The guaranteed transmission performance of a workstation is thus relatively small in comparison to applicationneutral cabling.

A further important fact is energy consumption. POL does work passively in signal distribution, in other words does not need any active devices on the transmission link.

But the distributed switches at the workstations need a power supply. A compact infrastructure with a large

15 years. When an upgrade takes place, the ONT has to be exchanged at every workstation - which can mean considerable installation effort depending on the implementation.

This should also be taken into consideration in terms of cost planning.

With the growing dependence on IT and an increasing number of connected devices, a fast, reliable, and cost-efficient LAN remains an essential business enabler. Implemented correctly, a passive optical LAN can help enterprises and organisations benefit from new communications technologies for years to come. But rather than simply jumping on the bandwagon, you must take the time to determine whether this is the right solution for your organisation.

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OPINION COMMSCOPE

POE- A NEW STRATEGY FOR NETWORK DEVICES

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nterprise networks continue to expand, growing more versatile and complex. Devices once considered peripherals— wireless access points, security cameras, intelligent building systems and voice-over-IP (VoIP) phones—are now important network assets. As more devices are added, the cabling infrastructure needed to support them will have to expand and the option to power them over structured cabling becomes more attractive.

Over the last decade, Power over Ethernet (PoE) has emerged as a key powering strategy allowing network managers, installers and integrators to use structured cabling to provide both power and data to many of their network devices.

CommScope is laying the groundwork for tomorrow’s power requirements. Here is guidance we’ve shared with our customers.

Dave Hughes Technical Director at CommScope, Middle East and Africa

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Good contact with PoE connectors In golf, football, cricket and many other sports, making “good contact” makes all the difference in performance. Regularly hitting the ball in the exact right spot, with a club at the exact right angle, is what separates the professionals from us amateurs (among other factors). But making good contact doesn’t only matter in sports. Good contact plays a significant role in communications networks, too.

Most everyone has experience with connectors in communications networks. If you have plugged an Ethernet cable or power cord into your computer, that involved some type of connector. CommScope supplies connectors of many types—for fiber, coaxial and other cable types—including connectors for PoE applications.

The PoE industry is going through a major transition where the need for power support is increasing to levels that require greater care in the design of each cabling system component. In the case of connectors, not having good contact could result in energy losses— as well as energy discharged in the gap between the plug and jack contacts when unmating.

Higher power equates to higher electrical current, which causes more energy to discharge between the unmated contacts. The worst potential risk comes when all of the current passes through a single contact pair that is unmated, resulting in damage to the contact plating. This damage can increase contact resistance, and may cause the connector to no longer meet specifications.

CommScope recognises the importance of making good contact with properly designed connectors, especially for PoE applications.

Our connectors are subjected to stringent reliability testing to ensure they are suitable for a variety of uses, including high power PoE. CommScope tests all Category 5e and higher connectors per the IEC 60512-99-1 standard, which easily meets the requirements for the most demanding PoE applications, including the high power 4-pair PoE specifications currently in development for IEEE 802.3bt.

As our own Masood Shariff wrote previously, “The RJ45 connector is probably the most tested connector in the history of communications,” and it is the connector most commonly used for PoE applications.

When you order an RJ45 connector

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIGHER POWER, THE DRAFT STANDARD IEEE P802.3BT SUPPORTS POWER SCALING BETWEEN SWITCH AND POWERED DEVICES, BUT REQUIRES HIGH-QUALITY CABLING. from CommScope, you can rest assured that it’s been tested to both current and next-generation PoE specifications.

We might not be professional athletes at CommScope, but we know how to make good contact with connectors.

Creating connected and efficient building networks Buildings are important to us; we spend a large portion of our lives inside buildings. Indeed, the Royal Institute of British Architects has stated that we spend an average of 20 hours each day inside commercial or residential buildings.

As the planet’s population continues to expand beyond the current seven-and-a-half billion people, so too will the buildings in which we live and work. They will naturally become more numerous but also more dense (people per area) as land value increases. Estimates for the total number of buildings in the world vary, but a rough estimate is that there are at least one billion buildings across the world.

20 hrs

is the average time spent inside buildings

Whichever way we slice and dice the data, it is clear that buildings, particularly those in which we work, are a vital part of our lives.

The building of the future will collapse several discrete networks into one system. Disparate data networks for managing everything from air conditioning to entry systems will be joined to the traditional Ethernet network, connected wired and wirelessly. The data networks are not the only area that will change. Power networks have had few changes in the past 100 years, but are starting to join the networking revolution.

In 2003, PoE compliant switches started moving power at DC, delivering 15 watts of power. This has increased to 25 watts and is planned to increase to 90 watts.

Although transporting power at lower DC voltages over smaller diameter cabling reduces efficiency in transport, it improves efficiency in conversion and control, and massively reduces the cost and speed at which edge devices are deployed.

To take advantage of higher power, the draft standard IEEE P802.3bt supports power scaling between switch and powered devices, but requires high-quality cabling. The ability to regulate and shut down power to inactive devices is environmentally-friendly because it reduces total power consumption With the increasing need to deliver more data for less money, network operators will continue to focus on improving their networks’ efficiency while keeping an eye on improved energy efficiency. Is your network doing enough?

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INSIGHT ETHERNET

EVOLVING ETHERNET New rates are targeted at applications vs. the historic approach of turning the crank

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n its first 27 years of existence we saw the introduction of six Ethernet rates – 10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps, 10Gbps 40Gbps and 100Gbps. And the Ethernet community is now working feverously to introduce six new rates -- 2.5Gbps, 5Gbps, 25Gbps 50Gbps, 200Gbps and 400Gbps-- in the next three years.

Higher Ethernet rates used to be introduced when industry bandwidth requirements drove the need for speed. But with Ethernet’s success, it soon became apparent that one new advance could satisfy the requirements of each Ethernet application space. This was clearly illustrated nearly 10 years ago when it was recognised that computing and networking were growing at different

70 Billion

meters of CAT5e and CAT6 cables deployed

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rates. This led to 40Gbps being selected as the next rate for servers beyond 10Gbps, while 100Gbps was selected as the next networking rate.

The industry, however, has a funny way of taking an Ethernet solution and applying it as it sees fit. Rather than use 40GbE as a server solution, the industry applied it in conjunction with 10GbE. This combination of 10GbE and 40GbE served to fuel the growth of hyper scale data centres, and while this has had a dramatic impact on the industry overall, it served to unchain Ethernet and lead to its next evolutionary step – introduction of rates targeted at applications, as opposed to force-fitting given Ethernet rates to given applications.

For example, 70 billion meters of deployed of Cat 5e and Cat 6 cabling, not capable of supporting the upgrade to 10GbE, led to the initiation of an Ethernet project to develop 2.5GbE and 5GbE BASE-T. These new specifications can be applied to the deployed cable infrastructure giving a needed speed-boost to campus and enterprise applications that are looking to deploy the next wireless standard, 802.11ac, that will drive the uplinks of wireless access points beyond today’s GbE uplinks.

So, while we saw 10GbE/40GbE data centers quickly being deployed,

the industry recognised a couple of things. First, a higher density solution for 100GbE was necessary, and the easiest way to enable it was to reduce the width of the electrical interface from 10 lanes of 10Gbps to 4 lanes of 25Gbps. The industry also recognised the need for a higher speed of Ethernet beyond 100Gbps, which led to the industry effort to develop 400GbE. The development of this higher speed Ethernet was different than the development of 40GbE and 100GbE, as new technologies were needed to develop a practical 400GbE solution.

Figure 2 illustrates the options that can be considered during the development of new higher speed solutions, and how it was applied to the development of the target 400GbE specifications. More fibers running at 25Gbps was selected as the solution for operation over 100m of MMF. In the case of the solutions running over single mode fiber, operation at 50Gbps or greater was selected, and PAM4, a higher order modulation scheme, was chosen.

And, while the 500m solution is running PAM4 at 100Gbps over 4 fibers, the 2km and 10km solutions added additional optical lambdas, and are running 8 lambdas at 50Gbps.

While the debates on the different technologies to enable 400GbE

were underway, another dynamic was emerging. The development of 25Gbps signaling to support 100GbE, including operation over backplanes, copper twin-axial cables and multimode fiber, led to the recognition that 25GbE-based servers, using 100GbE for networking, could be used in the same fashion as 10GbE and 40GbE and drive the next generation of the hyper-scale data centres. The standard to make this leap will be completed shortly.

With the impending completion of this standard, and the rapid pace by which hyper scale data centers are looking to grow, it was recognised that, once again, a higher speed Ethernet was needed for the next generation of servers beyond 25GbE. And with the new 50Gbps signaling technologies being developed to support 400GbE, the choice is clear – 50GbE. It raises another question, though: what would be the right networking solution? Considering the success of 10GbE/40GbE, and the anticipated deployment of 25GbE/100GbE, it has been recognised that the optimal solution for servers is the highest serial signaling rate, while using a networking solution based on 4x this serial speed. Thus, the industry is now in the initial stages of starting the development of 50GbE and 200GbE. Figure 3 illustrates what has emerged for the Ethernet industry.

As discussed, Ethernet is no longer developing a single Ethernet rate to be applied everywhere and to everything.

Instead, families of Ethernet rates, based on signaling rate technologies, are emerging. The base signaling rate and its quad: First generation is 10GbE and 40GbE; The next generation is 25GbE and 100GbE; And the latest generation of 50GbE and 200GbE. As one looks at Figure 3, solutions based on 2x and 8x are logical and are emerging. And, as noted, 100Gb/s PAM4 optical signaling is in the development stage, thus a fourth generation data center architecture is clearly on the horizon. Furthermore, if one considers the development of an 8x solution, based on 100 Gbps, the next speed of Ethernet beyond 400Gbps is clearly 800Gbps.

Ethernet is continuing to evolve and the days of focusing on the

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

development of a single speed are gone. Now, we see the industry focusing on multiple rates of Ethernet, intent on leveraging the investment in the next generation of signaling technologies to enable these multiple rates.

About the author:

John D’Ambrosia chairs the Ethernet Alliance, a global consortium committed to the success and expansion of Ethernet technologies. He is also senior principal engineer at Huawei.

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PRODUCTS ROUND UP

NEXANS LAUNCHES 25G,40G ETHERNET SOLUTIONS Nexans has launched its new copper-based solutions to support bandwidths of 25Gb/s and 40Gb/s Ethernet. Nexans’ LANmark-7A is now upgraded in frequency from 1000MHz to 1250MHz to fully cope with the demands of 25GBase-T. Designed for applications beyond 10G, LANmark-7A supports existing RJ45 based legacy equipment using the backwards-compatibility of GG45 connectivity. This technology allows for a seamless migration to 25G over 30m while being fully compatible with 10GBaseT over distances greater than 100m.

LANmark-8, which has also been launched, is based on LANmark-7A, with enhancements including the ability to support frequencies up to 2000MHz, enabling transmission of 40GBase-T over 30m. Both systems are based on Nexans’ GG45 connector, which is a screened RJ45 compatible cable jack specified up to 2000MHz. These developments were designed specifically to address the challenges of supporting high frequency Ethernet applications in excess of 10 Gigabits. Combined with LANmark-7A cable and patch cords, GG45 offers support for 25GBase-T.Combined with a LANmark-8 2GHz cable, GG45 offers support for 40GBase-T. 18 CABLING PLANNER

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SIEMON INTRODUCES NEW PDU LINE Siemon has rolled out a new line of power distribution units (PDUs) in the Middle East. The new PowerMax PDUs are initially offered in basic and metered versions and enable simple and reliable power distribution to rack mounted IT equipment at an affordable price.

The new basic and metered PDUs are available in both single

phase and three phase power for efficiently powering active equipment in the data centre. They feature a single input in a variety of currents and voltages with either NEMA or IEC style plug. Multiple output options are available that distribute 120V, 208V or 230V to rack mounted IT equipment, ranging from 1.8kW to 7.36kW.

R&M DEBUTS NETSCALE R&M has launched Netscale, said to be the world’s highest-density fiber cable management solution, and the first to feature integrated intelligent infrastructure management functionality. Designed as an ultrahigh density platform that utilises the smallest diameter uniboot patch cord for minimal cabling bulk, this solution boasts up to 67% higher density than its competitors and promises to eliminate a host of cable management problems that plague data centers today.

Currently available high-density fiber solutions for data centers generally

offer up to 72 LC duplex ports per rack unit and pose great difficulties for management. Thanks to R&MinteliPhy technology, Netscale delivers a density of up to 80 RFID-monitored LC duplex or MTP ports, and even 120 standard LC duplex or MTP ports per rack unit. The innovative rear-cabling manager makes it truly easy to manage connections, alleviating risk during MACs and migrations. Modular components and best-in-class network scalability makes it possible to accommodate the unique infrastructure requirements of each data centre.

Delivering the highest

R&M’s Netscale solutions combine unmatched fibre cable management with automated connectivity tracking and an innovative tray design to deliver the world’s highest port density for 10/40/100G Ethernet.

R&M Middle East, Turkey & Africa - Dubai Airport Free Zone K09/K10 - PO Box 54281 - Dubai U.A.E. Phone: + 971 4 236 87 61 - Fax: +971 4 236 87 62 - Email: are@rdm.com - www.rdm.com

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Built around the GG45 connector with a 2GHz interface, Nexans LANmark-8 system supports both 40G and 25GBase-T whilst LANmark-7A accommodates 25GBase-T. Ideal for data centres which currently use 1 or 10Gbps at server ports today.

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