Cabling Networking Systems July/August 2013

CNS

July / August 2013 Publications Mail agreement #40069240

Also: Cisco Live 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit

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Contents JULY / AUGUST 2013

• Volume 15, Number 4

Cover

18

Installer Update 2013 With the proliferation of IP-enabled devices from telephony and building automation to access and security systems, there is more pressure for installers to get things right the first time, since the fallout of a poor infrastructure is greater than ever. It is in an installer’s best interest to at least have a working knowledge of how things connect and be up to speed on the latest product and installation practices. “The biggest driver is the changing of the edge devices,” contends Stephen Foster, managing director of ICT for EllisDon Corp. in Toronto. “For structured cabling installers the last 25 years has been all about voice and data. That world has drastically changed. Now they have to be conversant in everything -- lighting, security, electronic door locks, metering and blinds systems, a/v and digital signage.”

Departments 4 Editor’s Desk 6

News Hub

26

What’s New

12

Columns 16 Money Management

In the next issue: Security Advances www.cnsmagazine.com

24

BICSI column

25

Wireless column

30

Standards update

cover photo courtesy BICSI July / August 2013 CNS 3

editor’s desk

What ails us can be fixed The cover story in this issue is a microcosm of all that is happening in the ICT industry. So much change, so many moving parts, so many opportunities and so many challenges.

Consider the following from author Denise Deveau: Anyone wanting to survive and compete in the industry will need to be vigilant in pursuing education certification training opportunities, even in areas they may not have considered before.

Paul Barker Paul Barker Stephen Foster, managing director of ICT for EllisDon Corp. is among a number of experts she reached out to for comment. “Cable installers value will rise as they work to become communication workers,” he says.

In the piece, Henry Franc, premises specialist (data centres) with Belden and chair of the TIA TR42.3 engineering subcommittee, summed up the challenges that confront the installer this way: “In the good old days anyone with a screwdriver could screw down a terminal and have things work.

“Today’s technician has to be a skilled craftsman. The successful ones are those who keep on top of things. If they do not, natural selection will take care of the problem. We all need to learn more and do better.”

Alex Smith, president of Connectivitywerx in Markham, Ont., says the new “tipping point” is Gigabit Ethernet: “We are seeing older systems falling down at that point. Once you get into 10 GbE, systems are less forgiving when it comes to product quality and design. It is not as simple as running a cable from A to B anymore. Cable installers need to be up to date on the latest standards and technologies or they will get left behind.”

The doing better part is critical. As I wrote in my last editorial in the May/ June issue of CNS, Canada continues to lag when it comes to innovation; however, that trend will have to change and change quickly, particularly now that the world is moving to what Cisco Systems Inc. calls the Internet or Everything (see p. 6).

In a blog posted in late June, Nitin Kawale, president of Cisco Systems Canada Co., referenced an online survey conducted by Cisco Consulting Services that found that the scope of IoE opportunity — called value at stake — over the next 10 years to be more than US$14.4 trillion globally.

Cisco defines value at stake as potential bottom-line value that can be created, or that will migrate among private sector companies and industries through IoE. Upwards of 80% of Canadian respondents surveyed indicated they have already seen the value and significance of it.

“Just as importantly those same respondents say they believe moving to the IoE will accelerate the pace of innovation in Canada,” Kawale wrote. “That’s a vitally important consideration given our country’s historically poor performance in that area and in labour productivity.

“Canada averaged less than 1% annual productivity growth during the first 10 years of 2000. The situation may be getting even worse if you consider recent reports from various think tanks. I’ve been among those speaking to audiences across Canada stressing the importance of improving productivity and innovation in order to ensure a great standard of living for this country. The value created by IoE could be a catalyst for changing Canada’s fortunes for the better.”

According to Kawale, Canada should be leading the way in the adoption of IoE: “It can set us on a path towards a future that will become the present sooner than we think. And it will make a difference to so many of the innovation and productivity challenges that we currently struggle with as a nation.”

4 CNS July / August 2013

Editor Paul Barker 416-510-6752 pbarker@cnsmagazine.com Senior Publisher Maureen Levy 416-510-5111 mlevy@cnsmagazine.com Advertising Sales Manager Vince Naccarato 416-510-5118 vnaccarato@cnsmagazine.com Art Director Anne Miron Production Manager Karen Samuels Creative Services Anita Balgobin Circulation Manager Barbara Adelt 416-442-5600 ext. 3546 Print Production Manager Phyllis Wright Advertising Sales Maureen Levy Vice President Alex Papanou President Bruce Creighton EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Keith Fortune, CTech, Business Development Specialist, Western Canada Network Solutions - Leviton Manufacturing of Canada Ltd. Henry Franc, RCDD/OSP Senior Account Manager, Professional Support at Belden Brantz Myers, B.Sc Math and Computing Science Director of Healthcare Business Development - Cisco Systems Canada Co. Peter Sharp, RCDD, AMIEE Senior Telecommunications Consultant • Giffels Associates Limited/IBI Group Alex Smith, President • Connectivitywerx Rob Stevenson, RCDD/NTS Specialist Communications Division Manager • Guild Electric Ltd. Head Office

BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Head office: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9 Tel: 416-442-5600 Fax:416-510-5134 Toll Free: 1-800-268-7742 ext. 6755 (CAN.) 1-800-387-0273 ext. 6755 (U.S.)

Editorial purpose

Cabling Networking Systems is a publication for the structured cabling industry, covering the latest developments in telecommunications cabling systems in building facilities. The editorial content is directed at structured cabling, networking and telecom professionals The publisher assumes no liability for the accuracy or completeness of the text or its fitness for any particular purpose.

Cabling Networking Systems is published by Business Information Group, a division of BIG Magazines L.P., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities

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Cisco enters the Internet of Everything era

Photos courtesy Cisco Systems Inc.

IOE STRATEGY FOCUS ON FOUR CONVERGING ENTITIES: PEOPLE, PROCESSES, DATA AND THINGS

Delegates to the Cisco Live user conference are shown prior to the start of a keynote speech from Cisco chairman and chief executive officer John Chambers.

By Paul Barker orlando, fla.

—

Cisco Systems Inc.’s reinvention of itself continued unabated in June with the launch of new switching and router equipment and a networking architecture designed to “expand” the scope of its Open Network Environment known as ONE. Speaking at the Cisco Live user conference here in late June Rob Soderbery, senior vice president and general manager, Cisco Enterprise Networking Group, said “the network is more important than ever before in enabling the user experience in today’s applications.”

New hardware offerings included: • Cisco Catalyst 6807-XL modular switch for the next-generation campus backbone, optimized for 10/40/100 Gbps. It is a 7-slot, 10-rack-unit modular chassis with up to 880 Gbps per slot capacity and 11.4 TB per port switching capacity.

• The Catalyst 6880-X, a 3-slot, 4RU switch with 16 fixed 10 Gbps port Supervisor engine and four half slots for optional 10

Rob Soderbery, senior vice president and general manager, enterprise networking group, discusses Cisco’s enterprise networking refresh.

6

CNS July / August 2013

Gbps or 40 Gbps line cards, supporting up to 80 10 Gbps ports or 20 40 Gbps ports.

• Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR) 4451-AX, which addresses the needs of large branch offices, and the • C isco Aggregation Services Router (ASR) 1000-AX. All products are part of the new Cisco Enterprise Networks Architecture, which the company said “enables applications to get the networking information they need to offer more innovative services to end users with less hands-on administration from IT professionals.”

ONE applies software programmability to ASICs, operating systems, networking functions, and services across the data centre, WAN and LAN. In addition, the company launched Application-Centric Infrastructure, an architecture designed to transform the data centre to better address demands of new and current applications in the Cloud computing era.

Padmasree Warrior, Cisco’s chief technology and strategy officer, wrote in a blog released on the day of the launch, that in order to meet these demands, the infrastructure must evolve: “It must become application-centric. Network, compute and storage need to be able to operate as one high-performance resource pool that can be provisioned instantly and automatically according to the needs of the application and related IT policies with security pervasive throughout.”

In his keynote speech, Rob Lloyd, Cisco’s president of development and sales, said the existing network architectures do not “connect the physical to the virtual seamlessly and are not removing the complexity that all of us are trying to remove. They are adding a level of complexity in many cases and that is not good.”

That is the technical bent. The more intriguing side to all of this is that the product upgrades and data centre transformation Continues on page 10 www.cnsmagazine.com

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Another action-packed Canadian Telecom Summit Role of IT, arrival of ‘fifth technology revolution’ and new wireless code share centre stage

By Paul Barker Jean-Pierre Blais, chairman of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) says Canadian must be at the “heart” of their communication system.

Speaking at the 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit held in Toronto in early June, Blais outlined his vision for a new type of convergence that is both client-centric and Canadian-centric.

His speech, which came one day after the commission issued a wireless code designed to “empower consumers and help them make informed choices about the service options that best meet their needs,” outlined how that will come about.

“Your products and services have become an extension of our jobs, our families, even our personalities,” said Blais. “That is why fostering a more dynamic marketplace is fundamental to the public interest.

“We are instituting new standards for wireless contract obli-

ERICSSON TO BUILD GLOBAL ICT CENTRE IN QUEBEC At the Canadian Telecom Summit, Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg announced plans to build a global ICT Centre in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. The 40,000 square metre facility will house the company’s “complete portfolio” enabling the R&D organization to create what Ericsson called the “foundation for the next generation technology and cloud-based services.”

It will be located close to two of Ericsson’s existing main R&D hubs in Montreal and Ottawa and will be a new platform for its R&D engineers “It is a special day for us as we celebrate 60 years of doing business in Canada,” said Mark Henderson, president of Ericsson Canada Inc. “The ICT Centre represents our commitment to the region and will contribute to building the ICT ecosystem and competence in Canada.”

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois said the “the future of Quebec and the greater Montreal area relies on the knowledge base, the training opportunities and the skills available locally. I welcome the establishment of Ericsson’s new global ICT Centre and see this as an example of what Quebec has to offer and a sign of confidence in our Vestberg: Unveiled new facility. economy.”

8

CNS July / August 2013

gations. Some of you already meet some of these standards.

That’s a good thing, but we at the Commission have to be concerned about all Canadians where they live.”

The new code states that the amortization period for cell phones will be limited to two years, providers will not be able to unilaterally change key contract terms and customers must be given the opportunity to accept or decline those key changes.

“Right now many Canadians feel trapped in arrangement they can’t refuse,” Blais said. “Going forward (they) will receive offers they can refuse. Wireless service providers will have to let Canadians freely choose them.

“Beyond the breakneck rate of technological innovation that drives your sector, responding to the constantly-changing needs of Canadians should be front and centre in your thinking as you define your place in the digital world.”

On the opening day of the Telecom Summit, innovation and how the telecommunications industry is changing was the focal part of a presentation from Hans Vestberg, president and CEO of Ericsson, who delivered a speech via satellite from the company’s head office in Stockholm, Sweden.

“We are in the fifth technology revolution,” said Vestberg.

“We expect that by 2018 over 90% of the world’s population will have mobile coverage.”

In addition, all industries, he said are looking at how best to use mobility, broadband and connectivity.

On the day that Vestberg spoke to delegates the firm released the latest findings of its quarterly Mobility Report, which showed the number of mobile subscriptions grew by an estimated 8%.

And while at the end of the Q1 2013 total mobile subscription exceeded 6.4 billion, Vestberg said by the end of 2018, they are expected to reach 9.1 billion.

According to Douglas Gilstrap, senior vice president and head of strategy at Ericsson, LTE services will be available to about 60% of the world’s population within the next five years: “We expect LTE subscriptions to exceed one billion in 2017, driven by more capable devices and demand for data-intensive services such as video. Owing to the build out of WCMA/HSPA, network speeds have improved and so has the user experience.”

Video, according to the report, makes up largest segment of data traffic in networks and is expected to grow around 60% annually up until the end of 2018.

Meanwhile, Tony Ciciretto, president of Cogeco Data Services, spoke about using IT as an enabler to “push ahead with new ideas, new opportunities and new business models for ourselves and for our customers.

“If we want to lead in a digital world, we need to transform our industry and keep performing and growing without having continues on page 10 www.cnsmagazine.com

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Continued from page 6

Cisco’s Lloyd predicts ‘IoE has potential to significantly reshape economies’

Padmasree Warrior, the company’s chief technology and strategy officer, said the infrastructure must evolve and become application-centric.

plans are being done because of four converging entities: people, processes, data and things that collectively form an entity Cisco defines as the Internet of Everything or IoE. In his keynote speech, company president and CEO John Chambers told the audience that in 1984, only 1,000 so-called “things” were connected to the Internet and today there are 20 billion. By 2020, the total will reach 50 billion.

“You are seeing the processing power, the storage and the programmability and the knowledge that comes into the network in ways that I think will completely transform IT,” he said. “We are going to use this to catapult into the number one IT position.

“A year ago, the CEOs I talked with were focused on operational excellence and productivity. Now, they are desperate for growth.”

During a media Q&A session he added that “what you are seeing on a global basis is an understanding that there is a major transformation going on. ********* One week before the user conference, Cisco released an IoE Value Index study that concluded firms that “optimize connections” among people, process, data and things will generate the largest profits.

Dave Evans introduces the iRobot Ava 500 to Cisco Live attendees. It enables people working off-site to participate in meetings and presentations.

10

CNS July / August 2013

Cisco said it builds on research conducted earlier this year, which found that “global business could pursue as much as US$14.4 trillion over the next decade by leveraging IoE to improve operations and customer service.

This year alone, businesses around the world could generate US$613 billion in global profits; however, the study found that corporations could nearly “double those profits though greater adoption of business practices, customer approaches and technologies that leverage IoE. Globally, an additional US$544 billion in profits is possible, while in Canada alone the figure is US$56.8 billion.

“IoE has the potential to significantly reshape our economy and transform key industries,” said Lloyd. “The question is who will come out op top and win in this new economy. This study shows us that success won’t be based on geography or company size, but on who can adapt fastest.”

Dave Evans, Cisco’s chief futurist, predicted that IoE will Continues on page 14 Continued from page 8

Canadian Telecom Summit 2013 to slow down. We need to be able to build constant change into what we do and learn how to accelerate the right way” Organizations, he warned, need to focus on what they are good at, but also get much savvier in their use of technology.

“The new reality is that there is an unstoppable convergence of IT and overall business strategy.

Executives must understand the im- Tony Ciciretto: He spoke about pact of technology on their busi- using IT as a key enabler. ness, and ignore it at their peril.”

An example of that, Ciciretto added, is the growing dependence of organization of every size with cloud computing and other managed services.

“The cloud, combined with first-class connectivity, gives small and mid-sized business access to high-performance technologies that historically have been out of reach except for the largest companies,” he said. “That is great news especially for an economy like Canada that is dependent on the dynamism and entrepreneurship of small and mid-market companies.

“There is a reason why Summit organizers Mark Goldberg and Michael Some this year made ‘our place in the digital world’ the theme. My question is if we have to seek a place can we accept that it’s a place with ambiguous and indefinite boundaries.

And that maybe as an industry, it’s OK to be nomads for a while and that we may settle in different places in the end. In the end, it’s not about seeking a place, it’s about seeking growth.” www.cnsmagazine.com

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Winning ways of Infiniti Red Bull

Photos courtesy of Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team

F1 RACING TEAM RAISES TELEMETRY AND HIGH-SPEED NETWORKING TO A NEW LEVEL

Race team engineers with Infiniti Red Bull are shown on race day during the recent Montreal Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel won the pole position and later the race.

By Paul Barker Despite some obvious tension between drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber over the years, the current situation could not be better for the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team.

As of the German Grand Prix held on July 7, Vettel held a comfortable 34-point lead in the drivers standings this year over Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, while the veteran Webber who will retire from F1 at the end of this season, was in fifth place with a respectable 94 points.

A highlight for both Vettel and Red Bull occurred in June at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal when he earned the pole position during qualifying and followed that up with the team’s first victory on Canadian soil one day later.

“We have had a few podiums, but we have not actually won this circuit yet,” said Alan Peasland, technical partnership executive for the team three days prior to the race.

“It is a tough circuit — long, high-speed straights and some very aggressive breaking points. It is an exciting place to race and 12

CNS July / August 2013

it’s one we really need to crack.”

Red Bull did just that and as in every race, technology played a pivotal role and in particular AT&T equipment and networking expertise.

Williams loss, it appears, is Red Bull’s gain. AT&T’s five-year partnership agreement with that race team ended on Dec. 31, 2012 and within five months the networking company was named as an official technical supplier to Red Bull.

Its job is to make sure huge amounts of data can be transmitted instantaneously between a particular race course venue and the team’s headquarters based in Milton Keynes, U.K. “When you look at the race calendar now and the fact we have very little in-season test time, it’s important that we get as much data back to the factory as we can and as quickly as we can,” Peasland said.

“Between Practice Sessions One and Two we will be making Continues on page 14 www.cnsmagazine.com

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Cisco demonstrates Connected Car, iRobot Ava 500 as part of IoE rollout

Rob Lloyd outlined a new networking strategy in his keynote speech.

John Chambers: He contends CEOs today are now desparate for growth.

“dwarf everything we have seen in terms of what Internet has done before. This is big. It is going to impact every part of our lives.

There is not a single industry that exists or will exist that will not be impacted or benefit from IoE in some fashion.

“From a people perspective the way we are going to connect to the Internet tomorrow will be radically different. The Internet will be on us, in us and around us. The way we connect to the network, the way we connect to one another, the way we connect to services is going to change. By the end of this year, we will create more new information every 10 minutes than we did in all of history as of 2008.”

In a white paper he defined how each segment will work as follows: People: As the Internet evolves toward IoE we will be connected in more relevant and valuable ways. For example, in the future, people will be able to swallow a pill that senses and reports the health of their digestive tract to a doctor over a secure Internet connection: Data: Rather than just reporting raw data, connected things will soon send higher-level information back to machines, computers and people for further evaluation and decision making.

Things: This group is made up of physical items like sensors, consumer devices and enterprise assets that are connected to both the Internet and each other. In IoE, these things will sense more data, become context-aware and provide more experiential information to help people and machines make more relevant and valuable decisions. Examples of “things” in IoE include smart sensors built into structures like bridges, and disposable sensors that will be placed on everyday items such as milk cartons.

Process: With the correct process, connections become relevant and add value because the right information is delivered to the right person at the right time in the appropriate way.

“In a world where the rapid pace of change has nearly rendered five-year business plans useless, why consider next steps?” he wrote.

“Simply stated, the more you can prepare for the future, the better off you will be when it arrives. And because of the tremen14

CNS July / August 2013

dous amount of transformation and disruption IoE is expected to create, it is not too early to start planning for a world where more people, information and things will be connected than ever before.”

Demonstrations of IoE took place on the show floor of Cisco Live and elsewhere and included: • The Cisco Connected Car, a communications network architecture for vehicles.

• Connected healthcare, which provides doctors, nurses and hospital employees with a way to check patient statuses and communicate with one another instantly.

• A Security and Facilities Operations Centre demo that showed how a community could be protected and managed through centralized monitoring and emergency dispatch capabilities • The iRobot Ava 500 video collaboration robot. According to Cisco, it blends together iRobot’s autonomous navigation with TelePresence to enable people working off-site to participate in meetings and presentations • A Smart and Connected Community (S+CC) built on a unified network platform that allows politicians to make a community economical and environmentally sustainable.

According to Evans, “when the history of IoE is written, its success or failure will be determined by answering one question: How did (it) benefit humanity? In the end, nothing else matters.”

Continued from page 12

Infiniti Red Bull win in Montreal changes to the car, trying to improve its handling, improve the setup. It’s more important than ever really because of the reduction of in-season testing that we can have with the car. We don’t have a test team anymore.

“There is a huge amount of information to process and we have to have that done quickly and back to the circuit.

“Having a big and fast network is one thing, but the key is how you use it. Interpreting that data and getting some meaningful results is key.”

As an example, during practice and qualifying sessions and on race day, the cars driven by Vettel and Webber contain upwards of 100 sensors each, which send back critical telemetry to both the pit lane and an operations room in Milton Keynes.

“We split the operations room into two so each team is looking after an individual car, but are still collaborating together,” said Peasland. “Data is shared “It is divided into three areas: race strategy, vehicle dynamics and performance. The beauty of the network is that it is not just about sharing telemetry. We can have videoconferences for meetings and de-briefs. It is like working at the circuit when you are in the factory.”

The network, he added, is an overhead “we do not need to worry about. We focus on racing and partner with the people who can help take care of the technology.” www.cnsmagazine.com

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money & management

When business and theatre meet Preparing your company for a sale is not unlike a star actor rehearsing for a stage performance.

By Mark Borkowski

W

hen entering the center stage spotlight, both a business owner and a star performer must know their roles, the script, the story, as well as the other major players and the roles they will play.

The goal of both is to achieve a certain response for their portrayal of the story from their own specific audience. Whether it is rave reviews for the actor or offers to buy the business for the owner, an experienced director is key to making the presentation a success.

Putting metaphoric prose aside, directing and orchestrating the behind-the-scenes activity for the successful sale of a company, is a professional mergers & acquisitions advisory firm.

Before dressing up the company for its debut be ready to share its best features, as well as its blemishes. All will become visible under the due diligence spotlight. As in the classic tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes, it does not take a rocket scientist to see what the cloth is really made of. Buyers do not like surprises, and either do business brokers or other members of the professional team involved in the sale process. Problems uncovered late impugn your integrity and threaten the price — and the deal. The more issues brought to the table and worked out in advance, the better chance of a smooth closing.

Your role as the business owner is to be the source of information necessary to accurately assess the firm. Addressing the following issues will help maximize the value of the business, provide transparency to prospective buyers, and minimize the amount of time consumed in the sale process. This information will be the foundation of the script that will tell the story to your audience ... the marketplace of buyers.

• Why is the business on the market? This is not only important from the buyer’s prospective, but an owner must have a sincere motivation to facilitate a smooth process.

• Are accounting procedures in place and easy to follow?

• Are profit and loss and balance sheets well prepared and clean?

• Are the facilities and equipment in good working condition?

“Curb Appeal” makes an impression. When someone walks into a business establishment, they’re looking at everything. An orderly and organized facility gives a good feel for how the business is run.

• Is intellectual property (if applicable) well documented and up to date?

• Is there an appropriate lease in place and is it transferable?

• Are customer contracts secure and transferable?

• Are there employee contracts and are they well documented?

• Are operating procedures documented and in use?

• Are there outstanding legal or financial aspects that may hinder the sale?

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• How is the business positioned in relation to the competition?

• What distinguishes the business from others in the same field?

The Story: Once information gathering is complete and data is analyzed, a price range will be determined and a company profile will be formulated. This is the story about your business. It will be the marketing tool that articulates and presents the message about your company to the audience of buyers.

The Script: The script is made up of the individual pieces that tell the story. The following are individual items that will be pieced together by the prospective buyer in order to substantiate the story and justify the asking price.

• Financial statements. An accurate financial statement not only adds to a buyer’s comfort level, it more likely will result in a higher sales price. A potential buyer is typically looking for a predictable cash flow from the business. Three, four or five years of professionally prepared financial statements and tax returns will show them that.

• Trends in accounts receivable and payables. When selling a business, you want to show that you have good customers who pay on time. Owners need to be on the ball and contacting slowpaying clients. This shows better credit management, follow-up and attention to detail. Seasonality of cash flow and concentration of the customer base are also underlying themes of the story.

• A list of furniture, fixtures and equipment along with applicable service records shows the buyer that the company is well maintained. Remove excluded items prior to the sale, or list items excluded from the deal separately.

• Being prepared for the questions the buyers will ask will facilitate a smooth process for all involved.

The Players: The team that a business owner puts together to assist in the structuring of the business sale will play key roles in the transaction. Depending on the size and complexity of the business, the usual team may consist of the firm’s accountant, attorney, and business broker. In order to ensure a smooth process, it is recommended that all team members be experienced in business transfer transactions.

Proper rehearsal and having the necessary props in place for presenting a business to the targeted audience is key to attaining the desired outcome ... the successful sale of the business in a timely manner ... a rewarding finish to a performance well done ... the whole reason for the show. CNS Mark Borkowski is president of Toronto-based Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corporation, a mid-market M&A brokerage firm. He can be reached at mark@mercantilema.com or www.mercantilemergersacquisitions.com

www.cnsmagazine.com

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2013

installer

UPDATE

The most successful installers are learning to master multiple aspects of the cabling spectrum, from design and installation to troubleshooting and certification.

By Denise Deveau

Photo courtesy of BICSI

T

www.cnsmagazine.com

he old adage “what goes around comes around” is something that could be applied to the world of cabling installation.

At least that is what Alex Smith, president of Connectivitywerx in Markham, Ont. believes. “In a way the cabling installation industry is coming full circle. In the 1970s and 1980s it was highly specialized with very few people in the field.”

As he explains, things became more simplified with the advent of UTP cabling in the late 1980s, at which point a number of players got into the cabling business. However, with the moves to convergence, wireless, IP-enabled devices, and gigabit Ethernet, the industry is once again on the hunt for highly specialized expertise.

It seems that the most successful installers are learning to master multiple aspects of the cabling spectrum, from design and installation to troubleshooting and certification. Depending on the industry, a full service cabling, design and installation company must have special training, tools and skills, Smith says. “The ramifications of poor installation practices today mean a company just cannot operate. The sophistication today is extraordinary compared to what it used to be. And the complexities are only going to increase.”

The new tipping point is Gigabit Ethernet, Smith believes.

“We are seeing older systems falling down at that point. Once you get into 10 GbE, systems are less forgiving when it comes to product quality and design.

“It is not as simple as running a cable from A to B anymore.

Cable installers need to be up to date on the latest standards and technologies or they will get left behind.”

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So what does that really mean for installers these days? Below are what some industry experts had to say about the present and future of cabling installation.

IP and more

With the proliferation of IP-enabled devices from telephony and building automation to access and security systems, there is more pressure for installers to get things right the first time, since the fallout of a poor infrastructure is greater than ever.

It is in an installer’s best interest to at least have a working knowledge Anyone wanting to of how things connect and be up to speed on the latest product and survive and compete installation practices.

“The biggest driver is the in the industry will changing of the edge devices,” need to be vigilant contends Stephen Foster, managing director of ICT for EllisDon in pursuing education Corp. in Toronto. “For structured cabling installers the last 25 years and certification have been all about voice and data. training opportunities, That world has drastically changed.

Now they have to be conversant in even in areas everything — lighting, security, electronic door locks, metering they may not have and blinds systems, a/v and digital considered before. signage.”

In the construction world, a key to a successful migration is the knowledge transfer from electrician and controls contractor and vice versa, Foster says. “There has to be a groundswell of collaborating and sharing information at the scope of the work changes. Trades for their part need to learn from cablers. It has to come together and be organic.”

When it comes to understanding the inner workings of cabling, Valerie Maguire, director of standards and technology at The Siemon Company, says she is intrigued by the awareness required on the part of installers. “It is not just that copper is more sensitive and optical fiber is more complex. It is more about the fact that there are more opportunities to install things incorrectly because of all the additional parameters.”

There was a time when installers could get away with a lot more “shoddy” practices, he adds, “but today if you are not watching your bend radiuses, untwisting conductors, etc. you can run into problems you do not see on slower speed systems.”

The major growth in data centres is bringing additional challenges. For example, people are having to split off fiber signals to replicate or assess quality of data, Stevenson explains. “This introduces a lot more complexity into the system and burden on cable performance. If you have installers that do not understand what that technology is doing, it will be difficult for them to troubleshoot and understand those problems.”

Henry Franc, premises specialist (data centres) with Belden and chair of the TIA TR42.3 engineering subcommittee, believes there are two levels of convergence posing challenges to installers today. The first is operational convergence in which cablers must take into account the proper integration of power, density, cooling and cable management. “You do not want to install perfect fiber into the core switch without talking air flow. It is not just about bits and bytes anymore.”

There is also convergence on the systems side, which is an issue that reared its head in the early days of voice and data where some tough lessons were learned.

“Every day there are more and more IP-addressable devices on networks, from plumbing and lighting to controls and security. Video sound security guys have

With the increased demands on all things cabling, quality of installation is more critical than ever, says Rob Stevenson, project manager with Guild Electric Ltd. in Toronto. “The main things in terms of installing and terminating and testing are similar to what they have always been. But there is a lot more importance attached to making sure things are being done properly and manufacturers’ recommendations are followed in order to maintain the headroom required to handle the systems people want. Attention to detail is important.”

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Photo courtesy of Fluke Networks

Quality counts

Anyone wanting to survive and compete in the industry will need to be vigilant in pursuing certification training opportunities. www.cnsmagazine.com

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been putting on coax connectors for 20 years. Now they are being asked to translate those to fiber optic or RJ45 connectors. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know; and all of these new system types, can fall prey to sub-par techniques.”

Whereas the lowest price was once the driver behind customers’ cabling services decisions, they are much more educated today on related issues such as reducing footprint, With the proliferation heating and electrical ramifications and green technologies, says Rick of IP-enabled Boyd, general manager for devices from Marcomm (Toronto) Inc. in Ont. “In the data centre telephony and building Concord, space for example, technology is extremely concentrated, making it automation to access so much more important to have and security systems, proper pathways, to ensure cables dressed in properly and to there is more pressure are minimize the space being used.

That means more training and for installers to get foresight in data centre installation things right the planning.”

first time, since the fallout of a poor infrastructure is greater than ever.

The wireless conundrum

When presenting at conferences, Tony Fortunato, senior network performance specialist with The Technology Firm based in Georgetown, Ont., says cabling installers are asking a lot of questions these days about Wi-Fi. “It is becoming something new for them. Typically they provided wire to plug in and off they go. But a lot of cabling guys are not familiar with wireless technology and the issues around it.

Sometimes they are blamed for poor performance when it has nothing to do with them. In some cases they are having to learn how to do things all over again.”

To that end, it makes sense to learn the ways wireless does not work well and how to find it. “There are a whole lot of new things involved they didn’t have to do with wire, like channel planning.”

At the same time, cabling contractors can view this new direction as an opportunity to actively promote their services and create more credibility with customers. “When pulling wire, it would be easy to ask the customer if they would like you add access points,” Fortunato says. “You want to be a plug and play kind of person. The good news is, it is a relatively short learning curve.

With the proliferation of complexities, keeping up with specs is becoming an increasingly challenging task.

For the most part there continues to be a lot of confusion around testing and certification, Fortunato believes. “This is a huge issue for installers. A lot do not know the difference and think test tools are certifying cabling, but that is rarely the case. That is becoming an even bigger concern now. If you start overlaying power over Ethernet or higher speed networks, a test tool might tell you that Cat6 cabling is good enough. If you run a certification test, it could fail.”

Being aware of what is going on around you is essential, Boyd says. “You can’t plug into any plug. There is a lot more potential liability and downside that can happen. And you can no longer get away with testing only 10% of cables. Now every single one must be tested and certified to meet manufacturer product quality guarantees. At least there are tools that are more efficient and can test cables in two to three seconds.”

As part of the growing pressure to keep installations

Mistakes in testing will cut into the profits

“With things getting more complex comes the opportunity to make mistakes,” says Jason Wilber, vice president and general manager for Fluke Networks in Seattle, Wash. “Technicians do not just complete one job and move on to the next in a linear, orderly fashion. Some installers are managing five, 10 or 20 projects at one time and half of those may be in the testing phase at any given time.”

They also have to work with multiple cabling infrastructures (copper, fiber, wireless), industry standards (TIA, ISO, etc.), and test tools and reporting instruments. Not to mention an unprecedented number of complex measurements and parameters (e.g. for copper: near end and far end crosstalk, return loss, insertion loss, alien crosstalk; for fiber: loss budgets, light launch conditions, etc.).

A March 2013 Fluke Network survey conducted before the launch of its new Versiv cabling certifica22

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July / August 2013

tion product, revealed just how much mistakes in testing can cost in terms of labour and profitability.

The report is based on data from 803 respondents globally that had installed 1,000 links.

Below are some highlights: • The top problem by a wide margin was copper and fiber cables were tested with the wrong limits and had to be retested • The #2 problem was cable IDs in reports not matching the specifications, requiring manual editing, closely followed by test results stored in multiple testers which took time to find.

• Overall, the average time spent on issues per 1,000 links was 47 job hours. Based on an average labour rate of US$45 an hour, average costs wasted per month per contractor was US$2,529 or US$30,348 annually. www.cnsmagazine.com

cover story

Photo courtesy of BICSI

cabling systems

END TO END MANUFACTURER OF STRUCTURED CABLING SYSTEMS Installers today have to understand the big picture and how other things are brought into the sphere of cabling systems, says Rob Stevenson, project manager with Guild Electric Ltd.

up to speed based on manufacturers’ guidelines, it is especially important for installers to cycle through courses every two years to keep up with certification requirements, he adds.

So what is a cabling professional to make of all this? Anyone wanting to survive and compete in the industry will need to be vigilant in pursuing education and certification training opportunities, even in areas they may not have considered before.

A combined knowledge will mean opportunities for increased revenues, since education level requirements will demand higher salaries, Foster says. “Cablers value will raise as they work to become communication workers. They should be challenging themselves to learn about these systems, because it is coming.”

Maguire also recommends training on “sub-levels” of expertise, such as administration (labeling patch panels, organization and record keeping), grounding and bonding for equipment protection, data centre topologies and fabrics, or finishing off cabling in conduits and air handling spaces (firestopping). “There are always ways to supplement your skills and differentiate yourself professionally. That knowledge can be a competitive differentiator.”

This also holds true for IP adoption, power over Ethernet and intelligent building concepts, Stevenson says. “Installers have to understand the big picture and how other things are being brought into the sphere of cabling systems. Right now, people are trying to understand how to make that knowledge sharing happen. But the onus is on installers to find it.”

Franc contends that the profession needs to be treated seriously. “In the good old days anyone with a screwdriver could screw down a terminal jack and have things work,” he says.

“Today’s technician has to be a skilled craftsman. The successful ones are those who keep on top of things. If they do not, natural selection will take care of the problem. We all need to learn more and do better.” CNS Denise Deveau is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

She can be reached at denise@denised.com. www.cnsmagazine.com

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bulletin

Cloud services and small business Embracing a cloud-based model allows flexibility and mobility to support a business plan.

By Kellie J. Orr

M

any BICSI members are small business owners or are interested in making a transition to owning their own business. Cloud computing is becoming the engine that brings those businesses many of the enterprise level tools that, until recently, have only been available to the large publically traded companies. Previously, the cost of these tools that large firms take for granted would require a team of information technology (IT) personnel and an allocation of valuable real estate in their office for on-site servers.

Small business owners have to wear many hats. Not only do they have to learn the business aspects of a small business, they often become the chief technology officer, accountant, loan shark, etc.

This requires them to complete a parallel process of developing their business plan and IT implementation plan.

Owners of small businesses need to deploy tools at company launch for a reasonable price. Because BICSI members and credential holders have the knowledge to assist customers with their technology purchases, it is often hard not to select products for your business that may not fall within your technology budget.

A cloud-based private branch exchange (PBX) can give you the features you need at a cost you can afford.

Instead, one might first look at the tools available within your budget that can compete with larger firms. Compile a list of the necessary applications your business will need, and it may become apparent that an outright purchase of these tools is out of the question.

A small business server or robust network attached storage (NAS) could be deployed to provide e-mail, storage, versioning and backups; however, embracing a cloud-based model allows flexibility and mobility to support a business plan that involves working on projects located in different areas of the country and internationally.

For a nominal monthly charge, you can get hosted e-mail, a Microsoft Office 2013 subscription, Web site hosting, online meeting capabilities, file sharing and video collaboration.

There are plenty of cloud-based file-sharing services available for your business, as well. It is important to standardize on one that could grow with you, reduce the complexity of multiple platforms and offer the maximum bang for your buck.

In the beginning, try free services such as Dropbox, Box, SugarSync, YouSendIt, Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive, etc.

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Once you find the one that works for your business and storage requirements, plan to only use that service.

One of the limitations of some corporate-based e-mail servers is restrictions set by IT policies, which limit the size of incoming emails. This is quite common in large enterprise clients. One solution to this is to employ cloud-based file-sharing services that include corporate branding and a branded download site.

This is the easiest way to ensure the temporary file is deleted when it is no longer required, and many of these services offer notification of delivery and download.

You may also need a professional timekeeping, estimating and invoicing solution. There are a number of cloud-based and on-site solutions to consider, as some large firm solutions are expensive and require on-site servers. Easy-to-use programs such as Harvest integrate into on-site accounting programs and come with great smartphone apps.

A business telephone system could be out of the reach of your budget. A cloud-based private branch exchange (PBX) can give you the features you need at a cost you can afford.

The monthly cost per desktop VoIP phone is competitive to analogue offerings and allows for flexibility of adding phones as you grow or connecting your phones to an on-site business telephone system down the road. It also allows for deploying phones anywhere in the world to make cost-effective calls. It is a good idea to use local network routers and switches that support quality of service (QoS).

You will still need to have a reliable on-site file storage server, and a private cloud solution. Residential or Windows-based servers may not be viable for small businesses.

Instead, look at something like Synology NAS, which can support many redundant array of independent disks (RAID) versions and off-site backup. It is amazing the number of robust features and enterprise-level features you can get with a NAS. You can also look at cloud backup services; however, right now, the monthly cost of this feature can be prohibitive. It might be more cost-effective to purchase external hard drives for this purpose.

Set a budget in your business plan by embracing the cloud where it makes sense. By doing so, you can stay well within a minimal perperson budget to provide the present and future tools you need to expand and grow your business. CNS Kellie J. Orr, CD, CET, RCDD, CTS is president and CEO of HDK Consulting Inc., a Winnipeg-based engineering firm and BICSI Assistant Canadian Region Director. He can be reached at kellie.orr@hdkconsulting.com or via LinkedIn.

www.cnsmagazine.com

wireless

The elusive fourth carrier It certainly could soon happen now that Verizon is making noises about expanding into Canada.

By Trevor Marshall

W

ell, it has been a busy couple of months in the wireless sector, hasn’t it? Let’s review: Incumbent operator Telus was set to acquire new entrant Mobilicity and its 250,000 customers for $380 million until the federal government killed the idea in early June.

Ottawa did not rule out the possibility that incumbents could gobble up the smaller competitors after a regulatory ban on such acquisitions expires in 2014.

In May, Rogers announced a $180 million bid to acquire spectrum in the Greater Toronto Area from Vidéotron. As with the Telus-Mobilicity deal, this would require government approval (pending as I write this) and the transfer could not take place until 2014.

It is the second play by Rogers for additional spectrum: Earlier in the year, Rogers announced interest in unused spectrum held by Shaw. Meantime, Rogers and Vidéotron also plan to share a new LTE (Long Term Evolution) mobile wireless network in Ottawa and parts of Quebec.

‘Is it important that the fourth service provider in a region control its own network?

I honestly do not know: I do not think wireless users will care, as long as they are happy with the services they receive and the price they pay.’

Wind Mobile’s future is also in question, as principal investor Orascom Telecom of Cairo announced in mid-June that it would withdraw an application to the federal government to approve its acquisition of control of Wind, under the Investment Canada Act. At the same time, U.S. telecom giant Verizon made noises about expansion into Canada, and while the avenue of entry was not specified it is clear that the path most likely involves buying a new entrant — with its established network of towers and retail locations, plus more than 600,000 customers.

That is still a drop in the bucket compared to the 9.3 million Rogers/Fido customers, the 7.7 million Telus wireless users, and the 7.6 million Bell subscribers, but it is better than zero.

The government would dearly love to see the wireless landscape grow to four strong carriers in every region, but it is clear that achieving this will require one of two things.

The first option is to continue to engage in economic jigwww.cnsmagazine.com

gery-pokery, setting artificial barriers to market-based competition. That is something that, in principle at least, the Harper government does not believe in.

The second option is to open the telecom sector to further foreign investment. Foreign investment is something that the industry approves of, by and large. The devil is in the details.

A year ago, Ottawa relaxed foreign investment rules for nondominant players, but it has not attracted the investment that these small companies so desperately need. Should foreign investment be further relaxed to apply equally across the board for all companies, including the incumbents? And would any of this make a difference, really? Then there are options three, four, five .... Are their other measures that the federal government should take?

Perhaps Ottawa should offer PC Points to attract foreign investors? In mid-June, grocery giant Loblaws announced that President’s Choice is entering the post-paid (subscription) mobile phone business. The company’s PC Mobile brand has offered pre-paid mobile phone service since 2011, running on the Telus network.

PC Mobile’s post-paid offering includes three voice/data plans at $35, $50 and $65 per month, with a choice of 18-month or 30-month contracts. Presumably, all handset browsers are configured to accept cookies.

But PC Mobile is not a network operator — it is piggybacking on Telus. So as good as the new offering may be (and we will have to wait to see how that plays out), it is not a fourth national, facilities-based operator. It will provide Canadians with the illusion of more choice while filling the Telus coffers.

Is it important that the fourth service provider in a region control its own network? I honestly do not know: I do not think wireless users will care, as long as they are happy with the services they receive and the price they pay.

But the many developments in the wireless sector over the past couple of months have not changed my thinking from my previous column, in which I suggested, “Perhaps it’s time to concede that Canada’s population, economy, geography and telecommunications environment can only support three national wireless carriers.”

If that is true, then we should ask ourselves, “What are the benefits we think a four-player market would deliver? And how can we deliver that with three?” CNS Trevor Marshall is a Toronto-based reporter, writer and observer of the Canadian technology sector. He can be reached (on his mobile) at 416 878-7730 or at trevor@wordstm.com.

July /August 2013

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what’s new

Greenlee reciprocating saw blades cut through variety of materials

Plixer upgrades Scrutinizer Netflow analyzer Plixer International, Inc., a provider of NetFlow-based network traffic monitoring and threat detection technology, has announced the availability of Scrutinizer V11. The new version is enhanced to improve the ability to identify cyber threats, offers refined reporting tools and introduces flexible licensing, cost and distribution options for organizations of all sizes, the company says.

Scrutinizer V11 simplifies visibility of the threat landscape by placing hosts in a threat heat map. Hosts high and to the right are exhibiting the most abnormal behaviors.

Features include support for iPhone and iPad and all tablets (trends rewritten to work without flash), autonomous system reporting based on Internet IP address and username mapping to IP addresses via Microsoft active directory, Cisco ISE or other authentication systems.

Greenlee / A Textron Company, recently released a line of reciprocating saw blades for the professional trades.

Used by electricians, plumbers, pipefitters and general contractors, Greenlee reciprocating blades are designed to cut a variety of construction materials from nail embedded wood to structural steel.

The lineup consists of standard-duty Bi-Metal blades, Specialty blades, Extreme blades for structural steel, and Extreme Ti-Metal titanium-coated blades.

Titanium coating helps reduce friction and heat buildup, allowing the blade to run cooler and resist chip-weld.

Greenlee Extreme blades feature a wider, thicker blade frame for increased strength and durability. They resist bending and cut straighter than standard blades in structural steel applications such as angle iron, I-beam, structural tubing and C-channel.

Greenlee www.greenlee.com

Plixer International www.plixer.com

Legrand Cablofil V-Trough reduces cable bundling heating Legrand has introduced a ventilated cable tray that the company says combines ease of installation with highstrength steel construction. The Cablofil V-Trough cable management system keeps cables protected and easy to manage in commercial and light industrial applications.

Straight sections are ventilated to reduce cable bundle heating, and to keep mold and moisture from building up within the cable pathway. The open tray design allows ready access to cables and additional cabling can be added with ease.

All bends and turns necessary for any installation are available as stocked items. Other accessories include cable drops, size reductions, and cabinet connections. Optional covers are available for complete security. V-Trough cable management installs with relatively few parts using standard construction practices and common tools.

Legrand www.legrand.com

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www.cnsmagazine.com

what’s new

T3 Innovation releases the Cable Prowler tester and report management system T3 Innovation, a provider of handheld test equipment for the cable/telecommunications, datacom/networking, electrical design and maintenance, and residential/CEDIA custom install markets, recently launched the Cable Prowler cable tester and report management system. Now shipping, the company says it combines the functions of a high-end cable tester and length measurement tester, with the capability to identify link status, link capability, and PoE detection.

The full-featured Cable Prowler measures cable length (using TDR technology) and generates tone levels for signal tracing and cable identification on all pairs, a selected pair, or a selected pin. Cable results can be exported to a computer via micro USB cable for record keeping and printing.

T3 Innovation www.t3innovation.com

Cooper B-Line adds locking latch to RCM+ Rack system Cooper B-Line, a division of power management company Eaton, recently added a new locking latch system to its RCM+ Rack Cable Management system. The latch is stronger and allows the door to be opened from either side or it can be completely removed and reinstalled.

Designed for installation and maintenance convenience, the new latching system included on all vertical RCM+ systems uses a quarter turn locking mechanism for maximum strength and efficiency.

The high-density rack cable manager provides support for cabling at each RMU space. Features include quarter-inch accessory mounting holes spaced every half-RMU along the entire height of the unit, optional two piece doors, and snap-on gates that retain cables when the doors are opened or removed.

Cooper B-Line www.cooperbline.com

www.cnsmagazine.com

July / August 2013 CNS

27

Literature Reviews ANIXTER IPASSURED FOR DATA CENTER Anixter ipAssured for Data Centers is an infra–structure assurance program that includes the physical infrastructure products (including net–work cabling, power and cooling solutions, racks and cabinets, security as well a manage– ment and monitoring) and best practices needed to support current and future data center applications. The program considers maximizing the efficiency, sustainability and profitability of your data center. For ease of planning, ipAssured for data centers addresses three possible scenarios: “Refined” (IP-ClassSM 1+), “Enhanced” (IP-Class 5+) and “Advanced” (IP-Class 10+).

BELDEN’S TRACEABLE PATCH CORDS In today’s complex network infrastructure environments, maintaining uptime and network reliability is more important than ever. Being able to quickly and easily trace cables with instant cable identification can dramatically reduce downtime. Belden Traceable Bonded-Pair Patch Cords allow today’s IT manager to ensure fast and easy maintenance, and quick resolution of connection mistakes to save time and money.

Belden Inc. 1.800.BELDEN1 (800.235.3361) www.belden.com

ANIXTER www.anixter.com 1-877-ANIXTER RAPIDLY DEPLOY HIGHPERFORMANCE OPTICAL NETWORKS WITH BERK-TEK® PRE-TERMINATED FIBER OPTIC ASSEMBLIES Learn how fully-customizable Berk-Tek Assemblies enable you to: • Reduce Installation costs • Improve network performance • Maximize project ROI Find out about the full range of cable and connector options available from Berk-Tek that can be designed to address the requirements of virtually any installation environment, from the Data Center to Security.

Request your brochure: Berktek.info@nexans.com 800-237-5835 Or download it: www.berktek.com

THE NEW DYMO RHINO™ 4200 GETS LABELING JOBS DONE FAST – AND DONE RIGHT. Easily navigate the familiar QWERTY keyboard.

Use one-touch “Hot Key” shortcuts to quickly create and format wire/cable wraps, flags, Code 39 and Code 128 barcodes, fixed-length labels, breaker labels and more.

INTELLIGENT CONNECTIVITY NEW 2013 CATALOGUE FROM NEW WORLD TELECOM New World Telecom’s latest product catalogue provides complete solution for connectivity products.

RITTAL’S IT LIQUID COOLING PACKAGE Rittal provides an innovative cooling solution that provides up to 60 kW of cooling capacity direct to your rack. By bringing the cooling direct to the heat source, energy efficiency is optimised. Rittal’s LCP is a scalable solution that you can expand as your data centre and cooling needs grow.

• Category 6A (Augmented) • Category 6 • Voice • Fiber • Cable

Print labels on a variety of materials, flexible nylon, permanent polyester and durable vinyl materials – PLUS print directly on heat-shrink tubes.

Time is Money, save more of both with the new Rhino 4200!

DYMO – A division of Newell Rubbermaid 800-668-4575 www.DYMO.com

• Category 5E • Audio/ Video • Baluns • Tools/ Testers

www.rittal.ca marketing@rittal.ca 1-800-399-0748

Download a PDF version of the 2013 Catalogue: www.newworldtelecom.com/catalog.htm Order a hard copy : nwtsales@newworldtelecom.com Visit: www.newworldtelecom.com Call: 1-866-507-4810 SIEMON

CNS 2013 MEDIA KIT

FREE Siemon Network Cabling Catalog Covering data communications products from the trusty S66 connecting block family to the latest cutting-edge Siemon innovations including End-to-End Copper Cabling Solutions from Category 5e to Category 7A , Fiber cable, connectivity and enclosures, telecommunications cabinets, racks and cable management.

CNS magazine provides quality editorial coverage for cabling designers, electrical contractors, cabling installers, consulting and specifying engineers, and end users (IT, IS and MIS Managers and Network Specialists). The magazine reaches both influential and key decision-makers across the country — the very audience you need to reach.

Request yours at: www.siemon.com/go/catalog

FOR CABLING, NETWORKING AND TELECOM PROFESSIONALS

2013 4

Photos courtesy of Wirewerks

Media Kit

www.cnsmagazine.com

To request your 2013 media kit, please send along your request directly to Maureen Levy at (416) 510-5111 or email: mlevy@cnsmagazine.com

28

CNS

July / August 2013

www.cnsmagazine.com

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Index of advertisers Companies

Pg. # Email

Phone

Website

Anixter

9

877-ANIXTER (264-9837)

www.anixter.com

Belden

2 ppollack@adtrack.com

800-235-3361

www.belden.com/enterprise

Canadian Security Association

27

staff@canasa.org

905-513-0622

www.securityexpo.com

Dymo

21

dymosales.canada@sanford.com

203-355-9000

www.dymo.ca

Eaton Power

32

SusanACrowder@eaton.com

800-461-9166 X 3389

www.eaton.com/powerquality

Fluke Networks

15

info@flukenetworks.com

800-283-5853

www.flukenetworks.com

Hammond Manufacturing

5

datacom@hammondmfg.com

877-535-3282

www.hammondmfg.com

Hyperline Canada

23

info@hyperline.com

866-634-9737

www.Hyperline.com

Optical Cable Corporation

31

info@occfiber.com

540 265-0690

www.occfiber.com

Rittal Systems Ltd

7

Marketing@Rittal.ca

800-399-0748

www.Rittal.ca

Siemon

13

info@siemon.com

866-474-1197

www.siemon.com

www.cnsmagazine.com

July / August 2013 CNS

29

standards update

Zeroing in on security TIA TR42.1 draft standard contains means and ways to protect critical telecom infrastructure equipment.

By Paul Kish A new physical network security standard is under development within the TIA TR42.1 formulating committee. The document is still in the early stages of development and for this issue’s column, I wanted to report on the key elements of this draft standard.

Physical network security is an important topic for consideration during building construction or renovation.

The purpose of physical network security systems is to protect critical telecommunications infrastructure elements from theft, vandalism, intrusions, and unauthorized modifications. The draft standard is structured in different sections starting by defining the primary objectives of a security plan.

The primary objectives of a security plan should be: • Identification of potential for negative events and their causes • Reduction of negative events (e.g. errors, outages, loss of data etc.)

• Recovery from negative events • Limit impacts of negative events • Review events to evolve the security plan The next step involves asking some questions to assess the risk, to define the scope and/or location of vulnerabilities, to identify the threat and to implement countermeasures.

• Why is security required (e.g. regulatory, privacy, continuity)?

• What are you trying to protect (e.g. operations, data, access)?

• Have you defined the scope and/or location of the vulnerabilities?

• Do different parts of the security plan have different threats and protection requirements?

• When are we concerned about the specific threat, when the building is occupied, or unoccupied? Is there a specific action, time, or function that provides additional risk?

• Is the countermeasure effective against both intentional and accidental threats?

If an event occurs, • who exploited the vulnerability?

• what were the circumstances that triggered the vulnerability?

• when can we be sure countermeasures have been successful?

• where did the defense mechanisms fail?

• why did defense mechanisms not protect the asset?

• how will the event be countered in future?

During the risk assessment process, the designer should highlight aspects where the telecommunications infrastructure is considered an asset that requires protection (e.g. from physical damage, tampering, or unauthorized access), or where the infrastructure plays a role in the solution to protect other assets (e.g. for electronic monitoring and surveillance of assets in an already secure facility) or both.

Cable Routing & Telecommunications Spaces: The draft stan30

CNS

July / August 2013

dard provides some specific requirements and recommendations on access to telecommunications spaces and on cable routing inside buildings, for example, • Access to telecommunications spaces shall be restricted to authorized personnel and should be monitored by the security system using a camera, remote alarm or both.

• Telecommunications cabling shall not be routed through spaces accessible by the public or by other tenants of the building unless the cables are in enclosed duct, conduit or other secure pathways.

Administration: In the section on Administration, the Physical Network Security Standard recommends that the physical network security management system should: • be capable of detecting and reporting device connection and identify the associated location. This information can be used to establish whether this is an authorized connection in order to respond appropriately.

• be capable of being integrated with security cameras, where present, to activate during unauthorized events and provide access to recorded content.

• have the capability to report the location of a connected device based on a port and outlet connection.

• use standardized encryption, authentication, and communication methods between endpoints to ensure that the data is not accessible or readable by unauthorized persons.

Video Surveillance and Access Control: In addition, the Physical Network Security Standard provides specific guidelines and recommendations for: • Video Surveillance including the planning and placement of cameras, camera types, media types, remote powering, electrical protection and pathways for indoor and outdoor locations.

• Access control systems including card readers, request-to-exit devices (REX), door contacts, electric strike or latch, motion detectors, battery backup, dialer and keypads. Note: Access control systems are typically coordinated with and operate in conjunction with video surveillance systems and other building automation systems.

As you can see the physical security of the telecommunications infrastructure is an important aspect of the design of a premises network. The intent of the document is to provide guidance to designers of security systems to customize and to enhance the physical security functions of the telecommunications infrastructure. CNS Paul Kish is Director, Systems and Standards at Belden. The information presented is the author’s view and is not official TIA correspondence. www.cnsmagazine.com

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© 2013 Eaton All Rights Reserved Eaton and ABM are registered trademarks. 18137_0613