Cabling Insight | Issue 02

ISSUE 02

WIRED FOR SUCCESS HOW TO FUTURE-PROOF YOUR DATA CENTRE CABLING INFRASTRUCTURE

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Category 8.1 Permanent Link

LAN and Data Center approved nents for LAN as well as Data Center needs in various environments.

Reichle & De- Massari Middle East, Turkey & Africa, JBC (Jumeirah Business center) 3, Cluster Y, are@rdm.com, + 61 87 236 4 971

CABLING INSIGHT

CONTENTS

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04

WIRED FOR SUCCESS

How to future-proof your data centre cabling infrastructure

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08 07

COMMSCOPE THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS

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TRIDENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICES CABLING FOR THE FUTURE

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R&M PRIMED FOR GROWTH

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FLUKE NETWORKS IS THIS FIBER LINK GOOD?

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CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS ON THE RIGHT PATH

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PANDUIT LIGHTING THE WAY

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12

14

16 CABLING INSIGHT

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COVER FEATURE

CABLING INSIGHT

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WIRED FOR SUCCESS HOW TO FUTURE-PROOF YOUR DATA CENTRE CABLING INFRASTRUCTURE.

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HE ENTERPRISE DATA CENTRE IS undergoing a rapid transformation, fueled by emerging technologies such as edge computing, IoT, 5G, and the cloud. Compounding matters is the ever-increasing transmission speeds with 200G and 400G looming large on the horizon. For enterprises grappling with these changes coupled with business needs that don’t tolerate any network downtime, the cost of which is pegged at $5600 per minute by Gartner, it is imperative to rethink the often-neglected cabling infrastructure to future-proof their data centres.

What are some of the best practices you should follow while cabling the data centre?

“When planning the installation or upgrade of network cabling, it is vital to remember that while the cost of cabling typically only accounts for 4-5% of the total expense of the data centre, reports have shown that 65% of system outages are related to cabling and patching mistakes cause of 28% of downtime in data centres.

They are therefore making sound cabling investments to significantly reduce the possibility of data centre downtime,” says Nabil Khalil, Executive Vice-President of R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa.

He adds that it is worth noting that internal data centre traffic is expected to grow by 80% over the next three years. Because of this, there is a real risk of networks becoming bandwidth bottlenecks. As a standard practice, organisations must now move away from traditional low-density cabling to high-density modular structured cable

solutions. By doing so, they can implement physical network infrastructure in a far more manageable and flexible manner.

Furthermore, these systems enable data centres to easily migrate to 25, 100 and 200 Gb/s networks and solve some of the most critical network challenges.

Prem Rodrigues, director for the Middle East, Africa & India/SAARC at Siemon, agrees: “A well-thought-out cabling design is vitally important for the data centre as the cabling determines how flexible, scalable and manageable the data centre will be in the long term. Also, all switching, server and storage technologies rely on a properly specified cabling infrastructure (plus power and cooling) to ensure performance, reliability and efficiency. Deploying preterminated copper and fibre optic cabling solutions for example means that cabling performance levels are guaranteed because these solutions have been factory terminated and tested.”

They also allow for a 30 percent faster installation compared to field-terminated

solutions. In the backbone, where fibre cabling needs to support transmission speeds of 100/200 or even 400 Gb/s, insertion loss is becoming a concern amongst end-users as it negatively impacts performance. With insertion loss budgets becoming much more stringent, Siemon recommends installing low-loss versions of fibre connectivity that better cope with shrinking optical loss budgets, he says.

Before you start wiring a data centre, it is important to plan the basics, follow common industry standards such as TIA-942, ISO-24764, BICSI-002, and select the right topology. Many industry experts recommend the increasingly popular spine-leaf architecture as the ideal network topology, which consists of two switching layers.

“A spine-leaf architecture can be adapted to continuously changing needs and reduces latency. A network mesh with crisscrossing cabling guarantees that switches at the access level is no longer more than a hop away from each other. All devices are the same number of segments. Unlike the ‘classic’ three-tier architecture, this new topology has just two layers. The leaf layer is built up of access switches that connect to servers, edge routers, load balancers, firewalls, and other devices. The network backbone is provided by the spine layer, which consists of routing switches,” says Khalil.

Rodrigues says users can also opt for a top-of-rack (ToR) switching architecture, where switches located at the top of each rack connect with active equipment in the same or adjacent racks, e.g., server or storage devices. Here high-speed interconnect solutions (HSIs) are a valuable consideration to support the transmission of large data

“A SPINE-LEAF ARCHITECTURE CAN BE ADAPTED TO CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING NEEDS AND REDUCES LATENCY. A NETWORK MESH WITH CRISSCROSSING CABLING GUARANTEES THAT SWITCHES AT THE ACCESS LEVEL IS NO LONGER MORE THAN A HOP AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. ALL DEVICES ARE THE SAME NUMBER OF SEGMENTS. UNLIKE THE ‘CLASSIC’ THREE-TIER ARCHITECTURE, THIS NEW TOPOLOGY HAS JUST TWO LAYERS.” Nabil Khalil, Executive Vice-President of R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa

CABLING INSIGHT

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COVER FEATURE

“COPPER CABLING STILL REMAINS A

VALUABLE CONSIDERATION AT THE DATA CENTRE EDGE WHERE UPLINK SPEEDS IN SWITCH-TO-SERVER CONNECTIONS ARE MOVING FROM 10 TO 25 AND 40 GIGABIT ETHERNET SPEEDS. COPPER CABLING CAN COST-EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT THESE SPEEDS.”

Prem Rodrigues, director for the Middle East, Africa & India/SAARC at Siemon volumes at high speeds in this point-to-point configuration. HSIs are typically available as Direct Attach Copper Cables (DAC), Active Optical Cables (AOC) or transceiver assemblies supporting transmission speeds from 10Gb/s to 100Gb/s.

Changing network topologies also warrant the use of Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) solutions, which offer a holistic view of your network and its connectivity in real-time. According to a research report from Global Market Insights, the market for AIM solutions is expected to exceed $4 Billion in 2025, driven by the growing adoption of cloud-based technologies and edge data centres.

“Managing and maintaining a large number of edge data centres poses a significant challenge. This requires the implementation of new practices on work orders for Moves, Adds, Changes and fault detection. Faster MTTR would be a critical KPI for edge data centres. An AIM system can help provide the necessary management and monitoring of the physical infrastructure of these data centres. An AIM system also offers numerous extrinsic benefits, thanks to its ability to be combined with other management tools, thus enhancing the security of edge data centres,” says Arafat Yousef, Managing Director – Middle East & Africa, Nexans Cabling Solutions.

Another factor driving the demand for automation is the fact that there are more servers in data centres today than people to manage them. The complexity and dynamism of the infrastructures are reaching a scale at which humans can no longer manage them without remote-controlled hardware and software support.

“AIM solutions facilitate the CABLING INSIGHT

management of increasingly large and complex infrastructures. Using a single, current, consistent database eliminates stranded capacity and facilitates endto-end analysis, agile infrastructure management, predictive analysis, capacity utilization and efficiency of operation and administration, and can bring a 30 – 50% reduction in downtime. System data can be used for budgeting and IT infrastructure inventory.

Future steps in AIM include the use of AI to ensure infrastructures remain manageable. AI can independently manage connectivity from the data center to, for example, a smart city, making predictions based on monitoring and machine learning,” says Khalil.

is currently hyper-scale data centres’ first choice. Non-hyper-scale data centres still use great deal of copper cabling to connect servers. Economically, this makes perfect sense. Copper twisted pair runs at 1Gbps or 10Gbps today. 25GBase-T and 40GBase-T are defined as the next steps in Ethernet standards but are not yet deployed to the market, as the bandwidth demand in nonhyper-scale data centres can still be satisfied with 10G per port,” says Yousef from Nexans.

He adds this will change, and when the need for higher speeds arrives, new cabling will clearly be required: Cat6A will no longer suffice.

Rodrigues agrees that copper cabling still remains a valuable consideration at the data centre edge where uplink speeds in switch-to-server connections are moving from 10 to 25 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet speeds. Copper cabling can cost-effectively support these speeds.

Although fibre optic offers many advantages over copper, one reason organisations still favour the latter is cost. The new Cat 8 standard can provide 40G over 30 meters, so it remains a cheaper and viable solution for short distances.

“Of course, copper cabling can only be deployed when it can reliably meet the requirements of a specific application. We

“AN AIM SYSTEM CAN HELP PROVIDE THE NECESSARY MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING OF THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THESE DATA CENTRES. AN AIM SYSTEM ALSO OFFERS NUMEROUS EXTRINSIC BENEFITS, THANKS TO ITS ABILITY TO BE COMBINED WITH OTHER MANAGEMENT TOOLS, THUS ENHANCING THE SECURITY OF EDGE DATA CENTRES.” Arafat Yousef, Managing Director – Middle East & Africa, Nexans Cabling Solutions

FIBRE VS. COPPER With data transmission rates now swiftly moving to 100, 200 and even 400Gb/s, fibre optic cabling is now emerging as the media of choice for the data centre backbone to support higher speeds and longer link lengths. Does this mean the end of copper in the data centre?

“When it comes to future-readiness, fibre

have seen this to be the case in horizontal links that connect servers to switches. Copper is still widely used in this case, as is evident when you see the type of 10G ports shipped worldwide. However, when the network team wants to provide a backbone in 40G or 100G, they will need to start thinking about fiber cabling, especially when the distances involved exceed 30 meters,” says Khalil.

COMMSCOPE

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THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS

EHAB KANARY, VICE PRESIDENT OF ENTERPRISE FOR EMEA, COMMSCOPE, ON HOW THE ENTERPRISE CAN PREPARE FOR CONNECTIVITY REQUIREMENTS IN 2020.

WHAT TYPES OF TRENDS ARE WE SEEING WHEN IT COMES TO BANDWIDTH, EDGE DEVICES AND POWER OVER THE ETHERNET (POE)?

Last year saw the introduction of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 products, the long-awaited launch of 5G devices and services, the initial commercial rollout of shared spectrum, as well as increased global interest in private networks. In 2020, we expect these new standards, products and services to drive the demand for more bandwidth and more power over ethernet (PoE) for edge devices across a wide range of connected spaces.

These include smart homes and cities, intelligent buildings and stadiums, as well as mining sites, factories and warehouses.

WHAT WILL THE ROLE OF INFRASTRUCTURE PLAY AND WHY IS CABLING A KEY PART OF THIS STORY? Governments across the region are investing in telecommunications infrastructure in order to provision smart services.

The demand for sufficient bandwidth to support these types of technologies and the applications they will enable will become even more of a priority in 2020. We see options for in-building wireless acting as a catalyst in 2020 for the cyclical upgrade of back-end infrastructure including new multi-gigabit switches and fiber cabling that support Power over Ethernet (PoE).

IT departments engaged in cyclical upgrades during 2020 will deploy CAT6A cabling – which supports transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps – to prevent network bottlenecks and fully support new PoE demands. In addition, to support the expected increase in the amount of data and number of devices, we believe enterprises will spend time and money in 2020 bringing in new multi-gigabit switches.

HOW WILL THE INDUSTRY BE SUPPORTING NEW REQUIREMENTS WITH NEW INFRASTRUCTURE? Power over ethernet (PoE) is the preferred technology for delivering power to edge devices and wireless access points. The latest 802.3bt Power over Ethernet standard (also known as 4-Pair PoE or simply 4PPoE) stipulates support for a full 90 watts which is deliverable via CAT6A cabling. Although older wireless access points (APs) tend to draw a minimal amount of power, some newer APs require more power to drive all their radios

and provide power for devices connected via their USB ports. The number of edge devices demanding more PoE – such as HD/4K digital signage, pan, tilt and zoom cameras and smart LED lighting – will increase in 2020.

Mission critical use cases will also demand the use of PoE to reduce faultfinding time, especially in far-flung locations. With a non-PoE system, a power failure event requires the on-premise attention of an electrician to investigate the root cause of the outage. With a PoE-fed device, power and data are combined and centralized at the network switch in an equipment room with dedicated power circuits, thus simplifying and automating the faultfinding process. This reduces the time it takes to track down and repair outages, significantly improving the mean time to recovery (MTTR).

The demand for sufficient bandwidth to support the above-mentioned technologies and the applications they enable will become even more of a priority in 2020. We see new connectivity options and converged PoE edge devices acting as major catalysts for the upgrade of back-end infrastructure including new multi-gigabit switches and fiber cabling that supports 90 watts of PoE. IT departments engaged in cyclical upgrades during 2020 will also deploy CAT6A cabling – which supports transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps – to prevent network bottlenecks and fully support new PoE demands.

With the introduction of new technologies such as Wi-Fi 6, the launch of spectrum sharing, the uptick in interest for private networks and the continued rollout of 5G networks, 2020 will offers consumers and businesses a wide range of connectivity options.

CABLING INSIGHT

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TRIDENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

CABLING FOR THE FUTURE

BASSEL ALHALABI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TRIDENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, TALKS ABOUT THE LATEST TRENDS SHAPING DATA CENTRE CABLING IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES YOU RECOMMEND FOR CABLING THE DATA CENTRE? When planning for a greenfield data centre, the key operational objective is to have a facility that will sustain efficiently over the longest possible period with an optimised performance. Since physical infrastructure is considered the data centre backbone, it is critical to plan for resiliency, future-proofing, and performance assurance.

As a general rule, data centre operational growth is linked to hardware and software capabilities, which are correlated to physical infrastructure capacity. For example, if your network growth plans are significant, you will need to make capacity provisions for racks, cabinets, structured cabling, and pathways to make the necessary infrastructure to support your IT plans. So, the message here is to design a scalable system and identify, reduce, or eliminate any potential bottlenecks impacting the performance of your cabling system.

Following best practices regarding cable fill allowance and limits as well as including some redundancy will help alleviate these challenges.

It may be difficult for some data centre operators to know exactly what bandwidth they will need in the foreseeable future.

However, in reality, things don’t slow down, and you have to make provisions for higher performance sooner than later. It would be the best practice to assess and evaluate a physical infrastructure system that can address your IT needs for a couple of technology refreshes. Yes, you might incur a little more CapEx initially as a result, but when you think of how disruptive an entire upgrade process CABLING INSIGHT

is because an inferior physical infrastructure system was considered and installed on day one, along with the associated downtime, it quickly makes sense to implement the best solution that will perform well beyond what you need in day one and really consider this as an investment versus a pure expense.

WHICH CABLING TOPOLOGY SHOULD USERS PICK FOR DATA CENTRE CABLING? There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all for selecting a data centre topology. The reason is that each data centre is so different and its requirements in terms of network design and architecture. For example, an on-premise, colocation or hyper scale facility varies tremendously, and the variations within each of these segments span a wide range of uniqueness. Regardless of the individual data centre function or requirements, a common theme is to remain as flexible as possible when it comes to topologies. A recommendation on this topic would be to look comprehensively at each element that may be impacted by the type of configuration/topologies that are ultimately deployed. For example, consideration should be given to the amount of space, power, cooling that will be required to operate the data centre well into the future. We often still hear about facilities that typically run out of one of these three elements. However, the other two characteristics may even have additional capacity to yield but cannot be based on a shortcoming of one interrelated feature. Data centres will remain very dynamic entities; therefore, deploying solutions that can sometimes scale up or

down is hugely desirable. Consider solutions that are modular where elements or features can be added or subtracted with minimal disruptions.

IS FIBRE OPTIC NOW THE MEDIA OF CHOICE FOR A DATA CENTRE? Fibre optics infrastructure has the highest data rates and longest reach. Twisted pair copper is limited to speeds of 10 Gb/s at lengths up to 100 meters, and while direct attach copper modules like SFP+ and QSFP+ can go faster, but they are typically limited in the distance to about five meters. There is no doubt that fibre optics infrastructure is becoming very desirable, popular and growing media of choice particularly in switch-toswitch connections and for data centres’ communications in general. Depending on the data centre’s function, fibre optics may encompass nearly 100% of the cabling infrastructure. The key message here is that although fibre optics do provide a tremendous amount of benefits, careful consideration will still be required to make the best decisions.

DO YOU SEE A FUTURE FOR COPPER IN THE DATA CENTRE? There is such a large installed amount of copper in data centres around the world that an individual would find it difficult to think copper would not have a future, in some way, shape or form. We have heard the same claims for years that copper is dead within the data centre. That does not seem to be completely true. The amount of technological developments relative to copper structured cabling has been remarkable. There are clearly

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some significant benefits of copper vs. fibre and fibre vs. copper, but the reality is that copper is still able to provide a reliable and cost-effective option to deliver shorter reach links within the data centre, when compared to fibre optics due to the fact they do not require expensive transceivers and can be deployed on servers with technologies like LAN on Motherboard (LOM). However, this will depend on the configuration/topology of each data centre.

ARE THERE WAYS TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF EXISTING FIBRE OPTIC CONNECTIONS? You can do this using technologies like Cisco BiDi where modules allow you to get additional speeds over existing fibre optic connections. Panduit had confirmed that OM3 and OM4 fibre optic infrastructure would support 400G over multimode fibre.

There are also conversion modules / cassettes that can utilise 100% of existing fibre even if you change transmission technologies.

For instance, 3 Base 8 links can run over two previously installed Base 12 trunk cables.

IS AUTOMATION NOW COMING TO CABLING MANAGEMENT IN DATA CENTRES? The desire to automate just about anything can be boiled down to the desire to become

more efficient and reliable. Data centres, in this sense are no different. Lights out data centres have been in circulation for many years, but still have not achieved mainstream adoption. This does not mean the intent to get there does not exist, it just means that certain issues and challenges take priority in the bigger picture. When it comes to the cable management function within the data centre, this may be a case where its time for mainstream will come as higher priorities are addressed. As artificial intelligence, machine-to-machine learning and the perpetual drive to become more efficient continue to grow and become more mature in regards to the data centre, it’s a natural belief that more day to day activities will move to a more seamless and intelligent workflow. For example, the increasingly large number of cross-connects within multi-tenant data centres pose a challenge to maintain and manage in a manual environment. The dynamic nature of this setting is a strong candidate for some level of intelligence / automation to help maintain accurate records for capacity and circuit management. Automation still might not be widely adopted across the various data centre cabling environments, but it may be closer now than ever before.

WHAT ARE THE TOP PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2020?

In general, people are trying to do more with what they have - space optimisation in the telecommunications closet to accommodate more technology in the same amount of space and copper cabling continues to get smaller while increasing in bandwidth and power capabilities. We also see a trend towards longer reach applications, specifically for applications like security cameras, where people are trying to extend PoE and networking capabilities beyond the standard 100m channel. Wireless adoption is also increasing, meaning fewer wired ports at the workstation with WiFi 6, bringing truly groundbreaking performance akin to what is being touted for 5G. We continue to see more technologies adopt twisted pair cabling and Ethernet, and we expect this to continue as Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) becomes widely available. SPE is believed to be the technology that enables a seamless cloud to edge architecture.

OM5, optimised OM4 and single-mode are also gaining traction within the data centre for links longer than 100-meters. Higher density connectivity (144 LC fibres per RU) is also being mainstream versus previous densities of 96-fibres per RU, and new connectors such as CS will enable densities higher than 144F per RU later this year.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRY 4.0 AND IOT ON INDUSTRIAL ETHERNET? Industry 4.0 and IoT are the catalysts that are driving Ethernet adoption at the edge of the network in industrial applications. The legacy protocols that have been used for 30 years are not robust enough to allow for the data capture and usage that is demanded by IoT applications. With Ethernet, there is no need for protocol gateways that diminish the quality of data being collected, allowing for better analysis and control capabilities all the way to the machine level. Single Pair Ethernet will be the technology that makes Ethernet an attractive option from cloud to edge, delivering data and power capabilities to the control network. SPE is cost-effective for industrial applications where 4-pair Ethernet has been overkill for years.

CABLING INSIGHT

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R&M

PRIMED FOR GROWTH

NABIL KHALIL, EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF R&M MIDDLE EAST, TURKEY AND AFRICA, ON HIS COMPANY’S GAME PLAN IN THE REGION AND THE FUTURE OF CABLING. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR RECENT EXPANSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS? At R&M, we have always followed the strategy of investing in the region, for the region. Since our establishment in the Middle East, we have consistently strengthened footprint and market penetration, expanding not only our sales presence and partner network, but also bringing world-class structured cabling production facilities to the Middle East.

Our strategic move into a larger regional headquarters in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, and our expansion into a new production facility - which consolidates our production and warehousing hubs - comes in direct response to the overwhelming demand for world-class cabling solutions in the region.

Structured cabling is essential to the ambitious fibre-to-the-home rollouts, 5G deployments and smart city and giga-projects currently underway across the Middle East and R&M proudly supports the entities driving these transformation initiatives. Dubai is one of the most innovative cities in the world which makes it the ideal location for us to center and expand our regional presence in.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CABLING TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2020?

The current global challenges have highlighted the need for high speed connectivity even to home users and individuals in remote locations. The FTTH market can therefore be expected to gain the strongest momentum through this year.

CABLING INSIGHT

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There is an added benefit to this investment as service providers will find they can combine FTTx and 5G rollouts to benefit from a common infrastructure that supports both platforms. The vast bandwidth and latency performance potential of 5G can be realized by bringing FTTX networks closer to the wireless connection point. Radio links will be increasingly replaced by antennas integrated into fibre networks and connected to local or regional edge data centers.

The infrastructure supporting Smart City services consists of IoT-linked sensors connected by fibre extending deep into the network. R&M offers several unique, integrated and flexible products and services for safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly Smart Cities, and has developed several Smart City projects around the world, including Egypt, India, and Brazil.

We have built up considerable experience in developing and customising products according to the needs of customers, ensuring they are ready to be installed without hassle or delays.

WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS EDGE COMPUTING AND IOT ON STRUCTURED CABLING? Owing to the growing utilisation of IoT, especially in smart cities, fibre will play an increasingly prominent role as it enables billions of IoT sensors to be connected with extremely high, uninterrupted, lowlatency symmetrical bandwidth. These new data transmission and processing requirements are driving the creation of edge infrastructures that extend and support centralized structures with computing power at the edge of the network.

Applications will rely on 5G’s ability to enable edge computing, which will allow for greater reliability, better use of bandwidth, and lower latency. IDC predicts that in three years, 45% of all IoT-generated data will be stored, processed, analysed, and acted upon close to or at the edge of networks.

The installation and operation of cabling infrastructure at the edge will have to be made as simple as possible with the ‘plug & play’ principle applied to connectivity and IT. Micro-data centres will require the ability to be connected directly to fibre

optic or broadband networks everywhere, and will require integrated cooling, sound insulation, UPS, access control, and remote monitoring. Given the likely locations for their deployment, they would have to be climate-resistant, closed and shielded and designed for maximum density and compactness. Cabinets and containers should be able to be linked and stacked to be able to scale the infrastructure as required. And finally, the system should be Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) enabled so that monitoring and documentation of cabling and IT assets can be centralized. For this purpose, we offer R&M inteliPhy net, our easy-to-use Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software that lets organizations maintain an accurate inventory of their data center assets. It includes equipment in racks like servers, storage, networking equipment, rack PDUs, patch panels, and also software applications.

WHEN IT COMES TO COPPER, IS CAT8 THE FUTURE OF LAN AND DATA CENTRE CABLING? Fibre optic cabling offers several advantages over copper such as greater throughput, space savings, better security and future proofing. However, one reason organizations still favor copper is cost as these tend to be cheaper than fibre alternatives. Of course, copper cabling can only be deployed when it can reliably meet the requirements of a specific application. We have seen this to be the case in horizontal links which connect servers to switches. Copper is still widely used in this case as is evident when you see the type of 10G ports shipped worldwideCopper is still used more.

Cat. 8.1 seems set to become the mainstream technology for rack-level interconnects in the data centre. Unlike copper cabling for earlier 1G and 10G technologies, Cat. 8.1 will not have a 100-meter range. For most data centre purposes, however, this limitation is not a problem so Cat. 8.1 copper is an excellent, future-proof solution for the connectivity of current and upcoming generations of active equipment, with 10G and 40G. From the perspective of LAN cabling, Cat 8.1 is even more relevant. Using Cat. 8.1

for office cabling allows the introduction of three different speed zones depending on the length of the permanent link. Thanks to the use of the RJ45 format, a Cat. 8.1 installation delivers the usability organizations currently require, while ensuring future demands can also be effectively provisioned for. This compatibility with the RJ45 is key as, for the time being, RJ45 will remain the preferred standard– for 40GBASE-T, too.

WHAT ARE THE NEW INNOVATIONS YOU ARE BRINGING TO SINGLE PAIR ETHERNET TECHNOLOGY? Experts agree that Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) is becoming a key technology in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). However, no one is yet able to say exactly how and where SPE will be used.

For example, to date the standardization committees have not dealt sufficiently with the influence of remote power supply (Power over Data Line, PoDL) or the implementation of multi-drop capability.

To save time, they are focusing almost exclusively on point-to-point connections without remote power supply. And that results in the following situation: The standards for the SPE cabling link are today at the same level as those for existing cabling (Cat. 5, 6, 6A or 8.1). But that does not mean that SPE should replace the tried and tested RJ45 interface.

One specific operational area is building automation. R&M is convinced that SPE is perfect for connecting a large number of applications in building automation to the data network. SPE components are much smaller than RJ45 adapters. Therefore, the connection density on network devices can be increased. The connectors on sensors and actuators can be downsized.

The cabling will become comparatively inexpensive.

However, SPE does not support the bandwidths which classic structured cabling with the tried and tested RJ45 interfaces enable. Applications such as WiFi6 and 5G DAS require bandwidths over 10 Gbit/s.

Currently, SPE can only provide 10 Mbit/s on the required distances of up to 100 m.

This means that initially SPE is not suitable as cabling for an application-neutral infrastructure in a building or on a campus.

CABLING INSIGHT

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FLUKE NETWORKS

T IS THIS FIBRE LINK GOOD?

THAT’S A COMMON QUESTION, BUT THE RESPONSE MIGHT BE “GOOD FOR WHAT?” WERNER HEEREN, REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR AT FLUKE NETWORKS, LOOKS AT HOW THE PERFORMANCE OF FIBRE LINKS CAN BE DETERMINED.

CABLING INSIGHT

HE ATTENUATION OR “LOSS” OF A FIBER link is the primary determinant of its ability to carry traffic.

That sounds simple, but things quickly get more complicated than that. Let’s look at how the performance of fiber links is determined and how you determine if it’s “good”.

When you put a signal into one end of a fiber, the signal that comes out the other end is smaller. The difference between the input and the output signals is called insertion loss. If there is too much loss, the signal coming out the end of the fiber will be too small for the receiver to interpret.

Loss is expressed in decibels or dB, where every halving of the signal strength is represented by 3 dB. If the output signal is half of the input, that’s 3 dB of loss, ¼ is 6 dB of loss, etc.

HOW MUCH LOSS IS TOO MUCH? The TIA and ISO define a loss limit or budget based on the length of the fiber and the number of connectors and splices. There are multiple versions of these parameters for different types of connectors and fiber, so for this example, we’ll use OM5 multimode fiber, which has the same limits in the TIA and ISO (Table 1). To calculate the loss budget of a link, just perform a calculation as shown:

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Fiber length in km

x

3.0 dB

+

Number of mated connectors

x

Number 0.75 dB + of splices

x 0.3 dB

With a 250 m length, four connections and two splices, the budget would be: 0.25 km x 3.0 dB / km + 4 x 0.75 + 2 x 0.3 = 4.35 dB

If the measured loss of your link is 4.35 dB or less, you’ve passed!

You might realise that adding more connectors and making the fibre longer will give you a higher limit and possibly make it easier to pass. What if you patched together five of the links described above? That combined link would have a TIA limit of 21.75 dB. So if it measured 20 dB of loss, it would pass the limit, but would it be good? Well, that brings us back to the question of “good for what?”

WILL MY APPLICATION RUN ON THIS LINK? If you are responsible for a network, the “good for what” question typically means “good for the application I want to run”, for example 10 or 40 Gig Ethernet. For example, looking at a spec for a common 40GBASE-SR4 transceiver shows that the minimum transmit power is -7.6 dBm and the minimum receive power is -9.9 dBm. This means that the loss on the link would need to be less than -7.6 dBm – - 9.9 dBm = 2.3 dB. Neither of our “good” links above would work.

Rather than look at the individual product specs, it makes more sense to use the IEEE limits for applications. These are the limits that the designers of networking gear use to design their products. The IEEE specifies the amount of loss and the length of the fiber for each application.

You can find the limits for most common applications online or in the Fluke Networks Versiv Limit Lines document (registration required) – just search for your application, for example, “40GBASE-SR4”, and you’ll find a table like the one at right.

Depending on which type of cable you’re running, just measure the loss and length of the fibre and compare it to the appropriate limits for the type of cable you’re running. For example, if your

Single mode applications are much more sensitive to the reflectance of the connectors and splices in the link.

(Reflectance is a measurement of the amount of light reflected from the connector back to the transmitter.) For this reason, the IEEE has specified reflectance requirements for these technologies.

Connections should have reflectance of better than -45dB (in other words, a larger negative number). Connections with worse performance (reflectance of -35 dB to -45 dB) are allowed, however, if present, the loss of the link may need to be better than the 3.0 dB number above.

OM4 measures 1.1 dB of loss at 850 nm wavelength and 125 meters, your cable will support 40GBASE-SR4.

The basics of loss measurement are straightforward and can be performed with relatively inexpensive tools. A reference MADE TO MEASURE measurement is made between the light Measuring the reflectance of connectors on source and power meter and recorded. a link is a little more difficult than measuring Then links can be measured, and the the loss, as it requires an Optical Time reference measurement is subtracted from Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), which is the observed measurement to determine typically more expensive than a light source the loss of the link being tested. Setting and power meter (which is still needed to a reference for accurate measurements measure loss). One work around for this requires following a few steps correctly, would be to use top which we won’t go quality connectors into here. If you’re and go for the tightest interested, just RATHER THAN LOOK limit shown below. For search for “1-jumper AT THE INDIVIDUAL example, with four reference setting” on PRODUCT SPECS, interconnects, make the the internet to learn IT MAKES MORE conservative assumption the basics.

SENSE TO USE THE that they’re all worse IEEE LIMITS FOR than -45 dB and make AND NOW, APPLICATIONS. THESE sure your link is better REFLECTANCE ARE THE LIMITS THAT than 2.7 dB of loss.

Over the last few THE DESIGNERS OF However, you should be years, a variety of NETWORKING GEAR aware that field polished short-reach single USE TO DESIGN THEIR connectors or those that mode applications PRODUCTS. THE get dirty or scratched can have become popular.

IEEE SPECIFIES THE easily have reflectance Unlike older single AMOUNT OF LOSS worse than -35 dB, mode technologies, AND THE LENGTH OF and your link will not these technologies THE FIBER FOR EACH operate properly – even are engineered for APPLICATION. if the loss is acceptable. shorter distances Maybe you should have (1 km or less) using an OTDR handy after all! much less powerful and therefore less GOOD JOB expensive transceivers. Unlike older singleSo in order to answer the question, the mode technologies, they also have much link is “good” for your desired application more stringent loss requirements. Note that if has acceptable amounts of insertion the long-range technologies can tolerate a loss, the proper length, and good large amount of loss, while the shorter range reflectance performance. one have much tighter limits.

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CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS

ON THE RIGHT PATH

CINDY RYBORZ, EMEA DATA CENTRE MARKETING MANAGER, CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS, ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT A FLEXIBLE AND HIGH-PERFORMING CABLING SYSTEM IN YOUR DATA CENTRE TO MEET BUSINESS NEEDS.

WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO DATA CENTRE CABLING? The sudden shift in the recent weeks towards a digital workspace has truly tested the digital infrastructure of organisations.

With an increase in users and data, this growth has put pressure on data centres to facilitate the rapid and seamless transmission of data, voice, and video.

Bandwidth, latency, access to vital business tools and possible network constraints are factors that data centres need to address through the right infrastructure, with the opportunity to scale up or down based on the demand. Structured cabling provides data centres with flexibility should there be a need for moves, adds or changes (MACs), and allows for better airflow and manageability of the network infrastructure.

Another opportunity is multifibre pre-terminated for easier and quicker deployments of infrastructures, translating into reduced labor costs. Using preterminated components with low-loss or even ultra-low-loss enables system design flexibility, which allows the use of more connections throughout the link or extending link distances. In addition to that, using bend-insensitive multimode or singlemode fibres provide extra benefits by reducing the risk of network components to fail in tight spaces, and thus minimising the risk of signal loss or network downtime.

A best practice for larger scale data centres or data centre campuses are high fibre count cables like Corning’s RocketRibbon, with its unique cabling design of ribbon sub-units that are easy to manage, identify, and trace, proving to have a significant impact on cable CABLING INSIGHT

deployments for large-campus data centre interconnects. Its smaller, denser design enables faster implementation and easier fibre management, and it provides proven cost-saving capabilities with its capacity of up to 3,456 fibres in approximately the same area of existing lower fibre-count central tube and stranded ribbon tube designs.

WHAT ARE SOME KEY FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A DATA CENTRE NETWORK TOPOLOGY? There are three main topologies for server networking: Centralised, Zone Distribution (including End-of-Row, Middle-of-Row) and Top-of-Rack (electronics distributed). The choice of topology depends on the server being used and the applications/operations it runs, such as compute intense applications, applications critical to latency etc. With more bandwidth demand and applications such as artificial intelligence or machine learning, denser network topology is needed to support the high compute power. This requires more complex architecture designs for spine and leaf or even super-spine and super-leaf networks to provide a highway for all of the complex algorithmic computing to flow between different devices and ultimately back to the receptors.

For large networks, meshed connectivity for such spine-and-leaf fabric can be achieved using standard MDA-style structured cabling, which can be compared to building new things using old tools. Using mesh modules as a new tool to build next-generation networks can dramatically reduce the complexity and connectivity costs for your data centre fabric.

However, some data needs to be processed close to where the user is, and as such at the edge of the network, where it originates. Therefore, not only central data centres with heavy compute power are needed, but also edge DCs, which could be as small as a telecoms or computer room or rented rack space in a colocation/multitenant DC – to only run certain processes centralised or in the cloud and operate the rest of them close to where the user is.

It is important to note that the “edge” is not really defined in terms of size, hardware or capacity, and it may look different for every customer whether a small, medium or large enterprise.

IS FIBRE OPTICS THE IDEAL CHOICE FOR FUTURE-PROOFING A DATA CENTRE? Over time, fibre has proven to be a future–ready medium to meet the requirement of the intensified current and anticipated demand. Fibre allows higher speed and larger bandwidth transmission, preventing signal loss over longer distances. Fibre cable diameters allow to reduce the fill ratio in cable trays, enabling more connectivity while maintaining fire load and air flow and also a better cable management.

In contrast to copper, fibre cables do not have to be protected from electromagnetic interference causing white noise and signal loss, which cable trays filled with large number of copper connections may face, and fibre cables are also more secure and not prone to “sniffing”.

Making a smart choice in fibre counts and fibre type is the first step in future-

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multimode optics. Most hyperscale and cloud data centres almost exclusively use single-mode. Parallel optic connections utilise existing technologies to build nextgeneration transceivers and utilise either four uncooled lasers or a single laser coupled with a waveguide splitter and four modulators. These attributes not only make them cheaper to manufacture but also reduce their overall power consumption.

Base-8 for parallel optics is a recommended solution as it provides 100 percent fibre utilisation and allows to break out ports, providing savings in power and cooling on day 1 and 2, and have future-ready equipment installed even if not fully utilised today.

proofing a data centre. Usually, the electronics used for data transmission become more affordable over time, so utilising a fibre infrastructure that can work with different generation of optics provides greater return on invest in the long run.

DO YOU THINK COPPER STILL HAS A ROLE IN DATA CENTRES? Copper may still be considered an option for data centres as it might be the legacy system already installed, and will still work well on small networks or on “the edge�.

The last mile to the user is copper still, as in the case of laptop, desktops and other appliances. CAT 8 twisted pair copper cable can support bandwidths of up to 2 GHz (2000 MHz) for up to 30 meters of cabling and 25Gbps/ 40Gbs speeds, and has been developed to provide copper cabling of the next generation.

HOW CAN WE MAKE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF EXISTING FIBRE OPTIC CONNECTIONS? For most enterprises, multimode fibre connectivity continues to provide reliable and low-cost solutions in the data centre. As the historical 40 and 100G deployment data shows, 90 percent of OM3/OM4 channels in the data centre are less than 100 meters. However, for the customers who have channel lengths out to 300 meters, there will be several fibre and transceiver combinations to provide the necessary reach, ensuring that multimode connectivity deployed in the data centre today will remain valuable well into the future.

For links greater than 100 meters, single-mode parallel optic links are also a valid option, as the prices for the active equipment is now more comparable to

CAN AUTOMATION SOLVE THE CHALLENGES RELATED TO MANAGING THE PHYSICAL LAYER? Keeping up with routine workflows and processes around maintenance and monitoring are becoming increasingly important for data centre operators as they help increase efficiency and agility.

In this regard, the use of automated patch services, for which operators are using patching robots, has become a key discussion.

Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) is utilised and also discussed by data centre operators, as it is not necessarily a benefit. AIM has its limitations: with the increased amount of connectivity needed, more cabling infrastructure and higher port density needs to be put in place.

In order to achieve this, smaller form factors of connectors are being introduced alongside smaller cable diameters, which can provide challenges in labelling options for documentation or the implementation of RFID chips on these small components.

We are seeing an increase in the implementation of SDN (software defined networking), so the organisation of automated services on a virtual layer separated from the hardware. Resources can be allocated centrally, and operational tasks can be automated which would allow IT staff to allocate their time for more critical tasks.

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PANDUIT

LIGHTING THE WAY

STUART MCKAY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, ENTERPRISE, PANDUIT EMEA, ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMART BUILDINGS INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF POWER OVER ETHERNET.

T

HE INTELLIGENT BUILDING IS A sleeping giant, in terms of its capability to deliver productivity boosting advantages to technologically switched on organisations. The theory has been with us for over 20 years, and in the same way that voice over IP (VoIP) drove exciting changes in enterprise telecommunications

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networks, PoE structured cabling is shaping up as the platform that defines new building capabilities.

The modern building needs to accommodate a variety of smart devices and systems to meet the needs of the business. Video cameras, lighting and environmental sensors, wireless access points, security devices, and LED lighting are all connected to a converged IP network infrastructure using a backbone

of structured cabling. To power and control these devices, that same structured cabling delivers Power over Ethernet (PoE) from a PoE-enabled IP switch. When you add in control systems, applications, and analytics, the final result is a digital building.

There are a variety opportunities and advantages that digital lighting and other PoE based systems offer not only to the organisation, but also, the employees within and around the building. In a digital lighting

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system, each light links to the building’s IP network. This is the structured infrastructure that is creating the backbone of all connected buildings, allowing all connected systems to communicate, share data, analyse and adapt environmental parameters to optimise work centres and maintain high levels of security across facilities.

People and systems can now interact, with individual lighting fixtures delivering intelligence to the management systems that allows a wealth of data to be gathered and shared on current occupancy, activity patterns, temperature and even external light levels.

Gartner research recently stated that ‘smart lighting has the potential to reduce energy costs by up to 90 percent.’ Dean Freeman, research vice president at Gartner, stated ‘To successfully achieve the lowest electricity cost, in addition to achieving safety and security and enhancing the office environment, lighting product managers at technology and service providers will need to implement five key strategic phases to smart lighting: LED lighting, sensors and controls, connectivity, analytics and intelligence.’

Building and facilities managers are moving closer to having the tools and capabilities to effectively deliver highly controllable IP connectivity, with mobile handsets and secured wireless devices utilising software apps to control their individual workspace.

All intelligent building systems benefit from being able to link to and communicate with sensors and other systems. These linked systems are generating data that can be used to enhance efficiencies within the facility.

INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS The growth of digital lighting and the wider connected building services management systems is defined by their interconnectedness and this is the characteristic that is driving the increase in IoT. This new interconnected business world, is having a seismic effect within commercial and public buildings (such as schools and hospitals), where the integrated systems communicate and are powered over Ethernet structured (PoE) cabling.

International Standards based structured cable, such as Category (Cat) 6 and Cat 6A, are essential to ensure an organisation’s

technology systems run at optimised levels and have bandwidth to accommodate upgrades. Cat 6A cabling system is optimised to support all current and near future applications, making it the choice of forward thinking building management, however, not all intelligent lighting systems require Cat 6A performance, but other systems, such as the latest generation wireless access points (WAPs) do. Structured infrastructure provides building operators the opportunity to design and install with the future and peripheral upgrades in mind. There may be situations within a building where it appears to make sense to

computing is the cost and massive energy saving potential as PoE ready systems, offer low energy thin client computers, which consume half the electricity of a normal mains powered desktop computer.

PoE therefore eliminates the need for mains cabling, and these systems also benefit from their speed of deployment, once again as they do not require mains electricity. The reduction in mains power requirement reduces the time-delay to installation as power cable routing is not required. No mains requirement also reduces floor and desk cable clutter around workspaces.

WHAT IS DRIVING POE

run two types of cable, for example Cat 6 for lighting and Cat 6A for everything else.

However, with a planned building strategy, a transparent single type cabling policy has to be considered for future growth and productivity requirements.

Key requirements for the intelligent building’s tenants will be the ease and availability of connectivity for wired and wireless computing systems. With the massive increase in BYOD (bring your own devices) in the workplace, office environments need to support a wider selection of desktop and mobile devices accessing the corporate environment.

Smart building owners and tenants appreciate the mobility that PoE computing solution offer when mobile devices and desktop systems need to be moved, added, changed and upgraded.

Another aspect of PoE deployed

Structured cabling systems for larger buildings often utilise a fibre optic backbone, offering high capacity data throughput, and connecting the organisations data room or main distribution facility to the telecommunications rooms. The latest international standard OM4 and OM5 fibre cabling systems provide the capabilities that any building can rely on for the foreseeable future.

Intelligent systems and algorithm enabled environmental systems are now demonstrating their potential to provide business aware solutions that contribute to organisations’ hard profitability in operational costs saving, as well as the intangible benefits of higher workforce productivity. The developments coming to market demonstrate that this giant is finally waking up to its potential.

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PRODUCTS

SIEMON Z-PLUG SIEMON’S PATENT-PENDING Z-PLUG offers quick, reliable high-performance plug terminations in the field for customlength direct connections to wireless access points, security cameras, LED lights, distributed antenna systems (DAS), building automation devices and any other IP-based and PoE-enabled devices deployed in today’s converged networks.

The Z-PLUG exceeds all Category 6A performance requirements, and it can be terminated to shielded, unshielded, solid and stranded cables for maximum flexibility. The plug is compliant with UL 2043 for use in plenum air handling spaces, and can be terminated without the boot for connecting to devices with limited depth, such as cameras and access points.

COMMSCOPE WIFI 6 ACCESS POINTS COMMSCOPE HAS INTRODUCED additions to its portfolio of access points supporting Wi-Fi 6 technology, bringing the benefits of higher data rates, increased capacity, improved power efficiency and better performance in environments with multiple connected devices.

In addition to the RUCKUS R750, introduced last year as the world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 access point (AP), CommScope added the R850, R650 and R550 indoor APs and T750 and T750SE outdoor APs. The APs will be Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 and are optimised for highly dense environments such as educational campuses, hotels and other venues such as airports and stadiums.

Wireless networks today have expanded beyond Wi-Fi to include different IoT wireless technologies for multiple use cases from asset tracking to connected door locks. This has led to unmanageable, expensive, siloed wireless networks. These new APs spearhead an end-to-end converged architecture, eliminating overlay networks, and allowing cost savings and easy management using a variety of management options – SmartZone Network Controller, ZoneDirector, RUCKUS Cloud and RUCKUS Unleashed. These new APs also deliver comprehensive network intelligence powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence through RUCKUS Analytics.

NEXANS CAT 6A FIELD TERMINABLE PLUG NEXANS HAS RELEASED A NEW Category 6A field installable plug as part of its LANmark-6A offer. This plug is designed to build Modular Plug Terminated Links (MPTL), an increasingly popular method to directly connect patch panels with network devices, such as Wireless Access Points and IP cameras. These devices are usually located near the ceiling, where there is often no possibility to install an outlet or other connection box.

MPTL are built with infrastructure cable terminated with an RJ45 jack on one end and an RJ45 plug on the other and are now standardised in TIA 568-2.D and specified in the draft version of ISO/ IEC TR 11801-9910 ED1.

In conjunction with LANmark-6A CABLING INSIGHT

horizontal cable and the LANmark-6A Snap-In connector, configured in MPTL, the LANmark-6A Field Terminable Plug will support all Class EA applications, including 10GBase-T and Power over Ethernet up to 100W. When designed and carried out following our Design Guidelines (for MPTL / 1-connector Channel) and tested according to our MPTL Field Test procedure, LANmark-6A MPTL installations qualify for a 25-year LANmark system warranty.

The LANmark-6A Field Terminable Plug is fully shielded, accepts cable of 6.0mm to 8.5mm diameter with AWG24 to AWG23 solid wires and is easy to install without the need for a special termination tool, apart from a pair of parallel jaw pliers.

Shaping the always-on communities of tomorrow—one smart city at a time Tomorrow’s smart cities begin with intelligent network connectivity, available today from CommScope.

With innovative wired and wireless infrastructure for in-building and outside plant, we power and connect today’s smart buildings and campuses.

CommScope brings it all together: flexible structured cabling with best-in-class fiber and copper technology, future-ready cellular and Wi-Fi mobility, high-reliability PoE and powered fiber, and the automated infrastructure management to help you monitor and control everything in real time.

Partnering with local and regional governments around the world, CommScope helps build smarter, safer and healthier places to live, work and play—one smart city at a time.

Your smart city begins with an even smarter network infrastructure. Start with CommScope.

Learn more at commscope.com

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