ENTERPRISE STRUCTURED CABLING: Gearing Up To Convergence

Enterprises across all verticals have witnessed a tremendous explosion in the data usage on their network. This has made them realize the importance of having a robust cabling infrastructure to support the increased bandwidth usage. Given the pace of at which the enterprise bandwidth requirements are increasing, the existing LAN cabling system stands the risks of becoming inefficient in no time.

Thanks to some innovative solutions by structured cabling vendors, enterprises are in a position to take advantage and upgrade their network for better connectivity at an affordable cost.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
Some of the common problems that occur during implementation include pair twists not being maintained in twisted pair cables especially at the modular plug, too much of the jacket removed from the UTP cable etc. Cable routing is another common factor contributing to faults. One must ensure that structured cabling is not laid next to power or telecom lines and does not have too many bends for this can affect the number of twists in the UTP cable. Extensive cabling as a result of large and unstructured computer networks can also cause problems. Also, one should ensure that one has proper documentation of the entire structured cabling layout.

	EXPERTS PANEL
	Milind Tamhane, VP- Passive Products, D-Link India Nagendra DS, director-sales, ADC KRONE India Prasanna Kumar, director, Systimax Rajesh Kumar, country manager, Siemon Ranajoy Punja, VP-marketing, Cisco Systems India

Within IT, the adoption of IP as a ubiquitous platform presents itself with an opportunity to converge all types of media and mediums of communications viz voice, data, and video. Applications such as VoIP, IP-based videoconferencing, digital audio and video are bandwidth intensive and becoming a reality today. Since information plays a vital role and therefore a successful delivery of information, inter and intra enterprises across world are an absolute necessity today. And to fulfill that there is a need for a reliable, scalable, and high-performance structured cabling solution. IT networks in an organization is being viewed as one of the important assets of the company. The growth of the organization is dynamic. To add to this, technology is changing very fast with the speed of computing increasing day by day. The challenges faced today in a network environment is to do with the technology vis-a-vis ROI SAN & NAS are turning to become high-end niche applications especially in BFSI sector. This has driven the data center market, with many global vendors viewing India as a major base for growth. Unlike work area cabling, which is fast turning into a commodity, data center cabling needs to be more futuristic with a high level of redundancy built into the cabling and other general infrastructure. The product reliability, installation skills, and performance headroom needs to be of a high order and all of these needs to fall in place at an affordable cost.

Buying Tips

Look at the layout first: Enterprises need to keep the physical layout and structure in view when doing the procurement. An implementation plan can typically have these components-vertical cabling, horizontal cabling, the backbone media, and user points.

When enterprise locations are spread over two or more nearby buildings, it calls for external cabling. Internal cabling takes care of intra-building needs, and can be across various floors (vertical cabling) or floor-wise (horizontal cabling).

Map requirements to technologies: Costs can be optimized, without compromising on the performance, by opting for different levels and types of technologies.

For example, it's better to install a fiber-optic backbone to interconnect the buildings. Additionally, there can be some coupling with multi-paired copper telephone cables for the connection of buildings with the public telephone network and the provision of internal lines/services between buildings.

Internal cabling needs special attention: Internal cabling should be designed in such a way that it's able to meet present as well as future needs. This is because the internal cabling is much more complex than external cabling and an improper plan can make a future expansion a big nightmare. In other words, the infrastructure should be fully extendable, especially in terms of technologies.

Ensure Robustness: Robustness of a structured cabling solution should be high on the buyer's priority. That comes from the solution's ability to facilitate smooth and uninterrupted heterogeneous traffic while ensuring high network uptime.

Look at fiber's no-interference advantage: Fiber is completely future proof. It remains unaffected by EMI and RFI effects. Two core tight-jacketed cables are normally used for these applications. Mostly multimode 62.5u fiber goes in multi-storied buildings as a vertical backbone and 50u laser graded or single-mode fiber goes as a horizontal backbone in the big campus-wide projects.

Make it future-proof: In years to come, since the gigabit reaches to the desktop, the necessity of 10-gigabit backbones will be a must thing for the bandwidth-hungry applications. With 10-gigabit backbones installed, companies will have the capability to begin providing gigabit Ethernet services to workstations and, eventually, to the desktop in order to support applications such as streaming video, high-end graphics etc. As the speed and bandwidth of the network increases the distance that copper cable can support decreases. If looking at a very long-term plan, it will be a good option to use single-mode fiber since it will be a much superior solution at a relatively much lower cost. Real-time cabling management could be very effective in the premises networking where different groups use the same backbones and share the same resources. It's very essential to identify the various groups and provide them the set up and bandwidth accordingly.

For major projects, sophisticated gigabit solutions are also available. Large enterprises may find such solutions more suitable. It is also important to note that cabling infrastructure is generally considered a 10 year investment as opposed to two or three years for electronics.

While Cat-6 is becoming a de-facto standard for all medium and large networks, Cat-6A the 10 Gig cabling network is being widely accepted in large sized networks. With 10GE gaining acceptance the question is whether fiber or Copper? The cost of electronics involved in a copper based solution works out to be cheaper by more than five times over a fiber-based solution; hence, the Cat-6A is gaining momentum.

Before evaluating a structured cabling solution for deployment, the CIO or the CTO should know their network and the future requirements well enough

Managing large, multi-location networks are being viewed as a challenge as well.

Today, structured cabling is supposed to handle traditional voice and data. With IP being a reality, the bandwidth demands are increasing. Added to the cabling network are the other applications such as fire alarm, security, HVAC and building automation systems. These applications in turn demand a share of bandwidth, so with these applications the enterprise needs to install a robust network that is futuristic and able to support future technologies as well. ERP, Sarbannes Oxley being integrated in the enterprise throws an additional challenge.

THE WAY OUT
Education is the first step to marketing. It is the collective responsibility of all vendors to spend due resources on educating their target audience on all important issues pertaining to structured cabling such that they can make informed choices. Prevention is better than cure. Buying decisions should be made after due deliberations.

Case Study: Unisys

Implementer: Unisys Vendor: Systimax

At the heart of its installation is the innovative SYSTIMAX 110 VisiPatch patching hardware system. The compact, wall mounted VisiPatch panels make valuable space savings and their reverse patch cord connectors avoid the patch cord spaghetti that clutters the front of traditional panels. This clean, neat layout saves time when re-patching and avoids human errors by making connector block labeling more easily visible. To connect VisiPatch panels in the main computer room on the second floor with similar panels in satellite distribution frames on other floors, Unisys chose SYSTIMAX OptiSPEED fiber cabling.

A pair of six-core indoor multimode 62.5 micron OptiSPEED cables provide the main and alternative backbone connections for the new network. From the satellite distribution frames to workstations, links are made via SYSTIMAX GigaSPEED XL copper cabling. This solution can operate reliably at speeds up to 1 Gb/s over distances of 100 meters. Its quality design and manufacture ensure that the GigaSPEED XL Solution can comfortably exceed all the specifications of the Category 6 cabling standard, even under adverse conditions. Unisys is a worldwide information technology services and solutions company offering services to drive clients' business transformation. Across more than 100 countries, the company provides consulting, systems integration and outsourcing facilities together with IT infrastructure and server technology.

The Unisys Global Services data center in Bangalore, serves businesses worldwide in sectors that include financial services, communications, public service, transport, commerce, and media. When the company decided to install a new, 1200-outlet data network in the 10-floor Bangalore facility, it wanted to build this on the best available cabling infrastructure. To do this it chose solutions from the SYSTIMAX® Solutions portfolio.

SYSTIMAX Prestige BusinessPartner, Network Solutions, is installing the new cabling infrastructure. Based in Bangalore, Network Solutions employs over 1,000 people worldwide. It's work at the Unisys data center, located on Bangalore's Purva Premier Residency Road, was completed in two phases over a period of six months. The cabling will serve systems including access control as well as office and data center applications.
Source: Systimax

Before evaluating a structured cabling solution for deployment, the CIO or the CTO should know his network well enough. Besides, he should have a fair idea of the requirements that are going to emerge in the future. Having understood the load that his network may have to face, say 10 years from now, he should decide on a solution that best meets his requirements. At the same time, this futuristic solution (supposed to be the latest in terms of structured cabling standards/categories available) that he chooses should not cost a lot in terms of purchase, installation and maintenance. The TCO, which is sum of the cost of acquisition and recurring costs, should be low at all times.

Wired or Wireless?

Advantages:
Wired: Huge bandwidth, dedicated bandwidth, reliable connectivity, secure, cost effective
Wireless: Mobility, immediate connectivity

Disadvantages:
Wired: Immobile, cumbersome connectivity
Wireless: Limited bandwidth, shared bandwidth, security, high cost

“There is no harm in having bandwidth that's more than required for a couple of years before the network starts experiencing the real load it is scaled for”. Secondly, enterprises should compare the solutions offered by different vendors feature-by-feature. This will help understand what fits his scenario the best and where all can he protect the existing investments. A close look at the track record of the system integrators or certified installers empanelled with the structured cabling vendor is also important for the solution may be good in terms of features but the way it has been deployed also matters. What's unfortunate is that the awareness levels amidst users and decision-making community is low enough. They are not aware of the latest standards and ratifications. It is crucial to ascertain issues such as system performance, redundancy, diversity, modularity, and warranty and after-sales service before deploying any structured cabling solution.

There is no harm in having bandwidth that's more than required for a couple of years before the network starts experiencing the real load it

New networks, new ways. Network architecture is evolving based on new complex environment and future proofing demands. Within a converged network, unless the expectations of cost, speed, performance and reliability are met, an optimum return on investment (RoI) cannot be realized. While the design and engineering of the product contributes to cost and speed, it is the customer experience that defines performance and reliability. It is therefore essential that solutions be designed to deliver the desired quality of service (QoS) consistently.

Power-over-Ethernet-Growth Drivers

Power-over-Ethernet technology (PoE) allows IP telephones, wireless LAN access points, webcams, and many other appliances to receive power as well as data over Ethernet protocol, using the existing LAN cabling.

Also, with the power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology coming into play, wireless access points and other such devices will need structured cabling as the underlying infrastructure.

The technology works by injecting DC-converted power over the spare pairs of Cat 5 and above cables. Various WLAN equipment and end-user devices including laptops and VoIP phones can then be plugged into the cable to draw DC power. PoE, as one can see, converges not just telephony and Internet, but also power-on a single medium, copper. It also addresses the problem of an IP call getting disconnected in the event of a general power failure.

The growth in PoE is directly linked to the rapid growth in IP-based applications (telephony and video) as also wireless LAN protocols. The case for providing PoE through the structured cabling system is based on the fact that provision of power should be done in a transparent (non-interfering) manner. The passive solution lends itself to such a transparent provision as long as power is injected over the non-data carrying pairs in the UTP cabling, and as long as the device used for injecting power does not have the potential to interfere with sensitive switches and patch panels.

IEEE 802.3af defines requirements for PoE. This currently calls for a consistent provision of 15.4 watts of power to all IEEE-compliant powered devices (PDs). PDs listed include IP phones, IP cameras, WLAN access points, access control devices, etc. The freezing of the 802.3af standard will allow an explosion of PoE devices and installations. The PoE standard has the potential to change the way IT deploys big applications. For many IT managers, starting now to plan for PoE will pay dividends later.

While evaluating options for PoE, network managers should keep the following considerations in mind:

Does the PoE device have the potential to create interference or is it transparent?
Does it have modularity and hot-swappable features (think of a situation wherein multiple users have to be switched of because one module conked off!)?
Does it have a standards compliant (IEEE 802.3af) power management system and a 'handshake' protocol? The latter ensures that PoE is supplied only when a suitable device is available at the other end to receive this and function. Device detection prior to activating power prevents the device damage.
Is the PoE solution manufactured in-house by the structured cabling vendor, versus an outsourced module with the accompanying issues of support?

A resilient cabling that can be designed taking into account the various aspects of the enterprise. It is important to understand the needs in terms of the applications that will be deployed. The growth rate, the churn rate, the future plans, the occupancy time frame of the building has to be factored, while designing a network. It is always good to install a cabling network that is latest in technology as re-cabling involves huge cost and inconveniences associated with relocating the staff. It is always good to install a backbone that can be on fiber and copper that can cater to 10 Gigabit. Design the data center that can also be on 10 Gig copper and fiber. With intelligent cabling you can manage the network and can also manage the IT asset. The intelligent cabling can also be used for security purpose wherein intrusion in a network can be easily identified.

DEPLOYMENT TRENDS
Cabling systems are increasingly getting intelligent especially the ones deployed in the enterprise space. These systems provide for real-time management of the physical layer, which enables immediate troubleshooting of problems, if any, besides optimum utilization and efficiency. The intelligent structured cabling is able to track IP-based devices such that the network manager can access, control, and manage them from one central location. This is more critical considering the today's distributed computing environments and the acute need to troubleshoot them remotely. There is a scarcity of network management staff and, therefore, remote access and management of devices is logical. For this, use of an intelligent structured cabling system is a must. Besides this, there is a growing trend towards interoperability and providing higher security to the user as well.

Build Networks with a Vision

As IT and network managers would know very well, improving network performance is simply a matter of moving the bottlenecks around. Not always, a network's bottleneck will be inadequate bandwidth. It may be underpowered servers, or out of date workstations.

It's no secret that network managers are under constant pressure to offer more services, to more users, while coping with new applications and technologies. In addition, they are asked to minimize the risk of downtime and failure, or rather maximize uptime, while lowering costs.

It's not uncommon that a cabling solution deployed today will be running out of capacity in the next five years.

Why? Because:

Today's server will be tomorrow's desktop
Every five years you can suffix a zero to your current Ethernet data rate
Cost of bandwidth is dropping faster than packets on a poorly designed network
Processing power will continue to double every 18–24 months, while cost declines
Terabytes of data moving and stored on today's networks will triple over the next five years
High-performance computing, multi-site collaboration, and real-time streaming media will choke today's network infrastructure over the next five years

Hence, the need to build in tolerance, by installing high-performance, high-quality systems, while protecting against uncertain future developments in technologies, products, and applications that may require major (and costly) upgrades. Such risks are managed only through a careful selection of systems with reliability, scalability and the future in mind. This is particularly true for the cabling infrastructure. Keeping the above in mind will help IT and network manager to have an infrastructure geared for the future.

The industry has experienced steady growth over the years but the last fiscal (2004-05) was special as it witnessed a very large deployment of networks across all verticals. 10 GE on copper is gaining importance and is being widely installed. Apart from this intelligent cabling is making its way in large enterprises. The enterprise is also installing both wired and wireless network to derive maximum benefit of both bandwidth and mobility. POE is another technology that will be deployed more than expected. An integrated cabling network is also catering to the other applications such as security, fire alarms, HVAC, and building automation systems.

Case Study: PNB India

Implementer: PNB India Vendor: Siemon

Punjab National Bank - Punjab National Bank (PNB) is one of the largest profit making banking and financial service institutions with more than 4000 offices located in various parts of India. To cope with the increasing number of network users and real-time demands from customers, PNB decided to upgrade their existing Category 5e cabling system to Siemon's 10G ip copper and fiber end-to-end solution. The solution is implemented in the bank's NOC and Data Center located Delhi. More than 600 points of 10G copper connectors and 200 points of 10G fiber were installed to support various bandwidth intensive applications such as data, video, and multimedia. In addition, close to 1,000 pieces of 10G BladePatch cords were used in this high density network environment. In 2005, PNB will be adding another 1500 branches throughout India to offer the latest and fastest services to its customers. The NOC and Data Center will be the key in monitoring the entire network. Siemon's 10G ip cabling solution ensures the NOC and Data Center will meet future high speed multimedia network applications.
Source: Siemon

In a corporate environment, which involves multiple locations, distributed work force and deferring time zones the cost of managing these is an important element that ensures efficiency within an organization. The desire for cost efficiency is driving decision makers to consider introducing intelligence and automation into the building management. It is in such a scenario that the IP platform enables one to integrate voice and data communications, but also the other elements viz security systems, access controls, CCTVs, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, (HVAC) etc. While the introduction of automation and intelligence is beneficial from a technology standpoint, the crux of the decision lies in the need for saving cost, achieving higher speeds and better performance.

Globally, structured cabling trends get guided by the bandwidth crave in all the three media. There are newer products with higher transmission speeds in the market today. Copper accepts Cat6 Augmented and 10G over copper range, fiber gets low water peak fiber compatible for CWDM transmissions and Wireless already has products with 100Mb/s speeds. However, while all new product range is available for us in India the installation investments are largely governed by price.

Case Study: Cognizant

Implementer: Cognizant Vendor: ADC Krone

Cognizant Technology Solutions provide application outsourcing services and enterprise consulting solutions to Fortune 500 and blue chip companies in the US and Europe through a streamlined on-site/offshore development model. To meet the stringent quality standards, it has set for itself, Cognizant decided to go in for a state of the-art connectivity solution. The CAT 6 standard had just been ratified at that point of time. Cognizant picked Krone's PremisNET CAT 6 solution for its Kolkata operations.

PremisNET comes with TrueNet Technology offering a Zero Bit error guarantee, over and above the CAT 6 standard. The new CAT 6 KM 8 Jack from Krone, offering cable management at the conductor level, was also used in this deployment. Network Solutions, Kolkata, completed the 3,300 node installation in 50 days.

The backbone of the installation is on Om3 fiber, generally 50m multimode fiber cables is used in such deployments. The fiber connectivity was made using SC connectors and pigtails. Cognizant and Krone both preferred splicing to normal connectorization in order to have a backbone with low losses. Sliding Polycarbonate Fiber Patch panels were decided upon, to facilitate easy maintenance and faster scalability. Horizontal connectivity was on Krone PremisNET CAT 6 cables with TrueNet Technology. The tape filled cables offer an impedance matching of 100 +/- 3 ohms, which is 100% more than what the new CAT 6 standards require (100+/- 6 ohms). Over 200 km of CAT 6 cabling was used in this deployment. The outlets were the new PremisNET KM 8 CAT 6 jacks. The new Krone KM8 CAT 6 jack with the cable manager ensures that each wire follows an exactly prescribed path maintaining all necessary electrical parameters, and guaranteeing that the termination stays perfect.
Source: ADC Krone

GROWTH DRIVERS
In the recent past, what has been most noticeable is the introduction of standards such as 10GE-over-copper. There have been many early deployments of 10G-over-UTP and Cat 7 as well, which augurs well for the times ahead. Another new technology that has emerged is the Power-over-Ethernet (PoE), but it is still too early to see some significant deployments of this. Initially, there was a lot of hype over 10G-UTP structured cabling solution but the good thing is that it is fast gaining acceptance. The hype is getting translated into market orders, fortunately! More and more vendors are introducing their own brands of this technology. This is also a sign that Indian businesses are embracing what's new in the market in an attempt to protect their investments in technology for the years to come.

There is a scarcity of network management staff and, therefore, remote access and management of devices is logical

There have been one or two model Cat 7 deployments as well, but they account only for a miniscule percentage of the overall structured cabling systems market in the country. Once the IEEE, which is currently working on the 10G-UTP standard, ratifies this, it will be called Augmented Cat 6 or Cat A6. It will witness far more deployments than today. Businesses may deploy this even at the backbone level and this is where it will compete with the fiber. Even if you compare it with fiber in terms of cost, it is going to be cheaper when it comes to the cost of acquisition, installation and maintenance. The total cost of ownership (TCO) will be lower than fiber.

Definitely the deployment of 10G on copper networks will drive the growth. The campus networks on fiber will also play an important role with educational institutes, manufacturing enterprises getting networked. Intelligent cabling will also fuel the growth in the days to come.

Gigabit Connectivity-Fiber Vs Copper

Cat 6 cabling continues to gain ground against Cat 5e. However, major deployments of Cat 5e cabling products are still going on. The continuing popularity of Cat 5e may be attributed to its capacity to deliver the gigabit speed. It is also a very reasonable solution, something that's a major criterion in most projects.

The most popular horizontal cabling systems today are Cat 5e and Cat 6. Both these systems are capable of carrying data in the gigabit speed range. Fiber (two-core) is also seen in a few applications in the form of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH).

As for the advent of 10G-over-copper, one needs to only look at history to understand that copper, at the same speed has always been cheaper to deploy than fiber.

Fiber's biggest advantage is no-interference. Fiber is completely future proof. It remains unaffected by EMI and RFI effects. Two core tight-jacketed cables are normally used for these applications. Mostly multimode 62.5u fiber goes in multi-storied buildings as a vertical backbone and 50u laser graded or single-mode fiber goes as a horizontal backbone in the big campus-wide projects.

Industrial Ethernet will also gain importance as automation has increased. The latest machinery at the shop floor today provides an Ethernet port for the data management. SCADA applications in large establishments such as power, cement, steel mills will ensure that the opportunities are ever increasing for the cabling world.

Metro Ethernet will in turn also fuel the growth of the cabling in the enterprise as this means that the pipe will be large at the backbone that will challenge the enterprise to pump more data on the backbone. There would be more and more applications of 10G over copper that too through more robust SFTP cables, thanks to the ever-increasing electro magnetic noise. There comes yet another area, PoE, which would use existing cable infrastructure to provide power to host of equipments through same data ports. Fiber medium would see more of FTTX applications.

THE PRICING
One may like to keep in view here that the 10G-over-UTP solutions will be costlier than Cat 6 solutions as of now and buyers will have to pay a premium for having the new technology. Estimates, however, vary from vendor to vendor over the premium. According to an estimate, a pre-standard Cat A6 installation could be up to three times costlier than a Cat 6 installation. Another claim is that customers can expect to pay upwards of a 30% premium on material to deploy 10Gig solutions to a full 100m.

What does that wide gap in estimates mean? Two things. One, vendors are ready to negotiate on material prices. Two, service and support components are going to be pretty high as compared to Cat 6 installations.

Yet another way of estimating Cat A6 costs, could be a comparison with 10G fiber. It is understood that 10G copper networks will be approximately 50% cheaper than 10G fiber networks. This approach assumes that it's still early days to compare a 1G copper network to a 10G copper network.

Ultimately, although the initial offering will be expensive to deploy, increased volumes will bring the cost of 10Gig-over-copper down relatively quickly. In particular, the deployment of 10G on a larger scale will only be possible if the cost of per 10G port comes within the buying capacity of corporate customers. It may take another year for these products to start gaining some ground in India. Till that time the technology itself will continue to mature.

Intelligence Ahoy!

An intelligent cabling system is a solution for providing up-to-date accurate documentation in real-time so that customers can minimize costly network failures and downtimes. It integrates network layer and physical layer management, reduces staff workload, and more importantly reduces the time for moves, additions and changes (MACs) by automating the management of the physical layer.

Intelligent systems can allow monitoring and managing of all fiber and copper connections, across a site or at remote locations, from PCs anywhere on the LAN. This significantly eliminates wiring errors and cuts downtime by empowering administrators and technicians to monitor the entire communication network from one point.

Every fiber and copper port connection is continuously monitored, verified, and logged in a central database. Whenever there is an unplanned change on any panel, the system can be configured to trigger notification via pager, e-mail, and even the phone. Automated work orders and updating of the database, connectivity maps, and logs save administrators' time.

These are some of the key benefits of intelligent cabling systems:

Minimizes the network down time
Reduces cost by improving the process of moves, additions, and changes
Guarantees documentation accuracy
Improves response time
Online tool for troubleshooting
Allows mobility-remote working over the Internet
Improves the performance and service levels
Enables remote management
Encourages asset utilization
Strengthens security by identifying unauthorized changes and by notifying alarms on an immediate basis

THE COMPLIANCE FACTOR
The whole point of setting standards is to ensure that the user is able to access the best available and suited technologies within each segment-UTP cable, connecting hardware, patch cords, and other equipment. Further, it ensures that users end up with fully standards-compliant solutions.

The EIA/TIA Cat 6 standard underlined the need for 'interoperability' or, in other words, for component-level compliance. This simply means that each component in the passive network must individually meet the standard set for it, apart from the channel (all components put together) meeting the overall requirement. When each component meets the standard, customers can virtually pick and choose products from different vendors based on the technology strengths of each vendor. This is the evolved 'mix and match' philosophy that is prevalent in most developed markets. This dynamics allows users to cherry-pick, ie access best-in-class technology in each product family. More significantly, it puts pressure on vendors to keep improving the qualities of their end-to-end solutions or else face the prospect of the user eliminating a low-performance portion and picking it up from elsewhere.

Component-level compliance became more important with the emergence of Cat 6 because the objective of Cat 6 was to provide headroom for future applications much over Cat 5e. This implies that the best technology should be made available to users. Some vendors adopt the easy way out by not revealing component-level performance to customers. They bundle their Cat 6 offering under 'channel compliance' and get away. The customer realizes this only when new applications do not work very well with the solution. The safeguard for users is to insist on detailed component-level specifications of the products being evaluated by them.

In 10G applications one has to assure that the system meets information carrying capacity. All this obviously leads to emphasis on component-level compliance as per the standards.

WIRELESS NETWORKS A THREAT?
There are discussions about the threat posed by wireless networks to structured cabling. But on a closer look, it would appear that wireless networks are not a threat to structured cabling in any way, form or manner whatsoever. Indeed, they are an opportunity for integrated functions. They are for users who are mobile and need to access the main network while on the go. In case of large corporate/enterprise implementations not just everything can be turned wireless for it has some limitations as against a traditional network with structured cabling. A wireless network can run into issues like security, bandwidth/speed and capacity of data transmission etc. These can become a bottleneck as and when the users grow beyond a certain point.

FAQ

What is the relationship between the IEEE and 10-gigabit Ethernet over copper?
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE) is the leading developer of global industry standards in a broad-range of industries. Ethernet is the most widely used network protocol standard in the world. 10-gigabit Ethernet over copper is currently the subject of an IEEE task force working toward a standard for Ethernet at 10-gigabits per second over unshielded twisted pair cabling (P802.3an). This will allow users to run data 10 times faster over copper than the current standards allow.

When will 10-gigabit Ethernet be available?

The ratified standard is expected in 2006. The fact is, as infrastructure, cabling systems must precede the future electronic requirements and protocols. This was the case with Category 5e and Category 6 in anticipation of gigabit Ethernet.

Will 10-gigabit Ethernet work with Category 5e or Category 6 standards compliant systems?

10-gigabit Ethernet will have a very limited range over current Category 6 systems at best (up to 55 m), and in worse case scenarios, where substandard product was installed, it may not work at all. The IEEE has determined that a Category 5e solution was not feasible and would not be investigated further.

Does a 10-gigabit Ethernet system have to be shielded?

Early indications showed that the cable might need to be shielded.

Could I use fiber instead?

10-gigabit Ethernet fiber standard has been established for some time. However, the cost of installation and electronics for fiber to the desk has greatly slowed its acceptance.

Why should I install a 10-gigabit Ethernet capable structured cabling system now?

It's all about viewing your cabling infrastructure as a long-term investment. Pulling up false floors or working in ceiling spaces is hard enough the first time. But if your system does not meet your future needs, then the level of disruption to business operations and additional cost down the road is much greater. For a slight increase of only a few percentage points in the cost of the project, it will save clients re-cabling their premises in the coming years. This gives true future proofing and flexibility.

What does 10-gigabit Ethernet mean to an end-user?

If you have installed a gigabit Ethernet system using Category 5e or Category 6, then a single file that takes 30 seconds to send will be reduced to 3 seconds. Multiply this productivity benefit across your business and it is easy to understand the rapid adoption of the latest networking technologies by businesses.

Is this a ratified standard?

No, this is not yet a ratified standard.

Why won't 10-gigabit Ethernet work to 100m on today's Category 6?

This is because of the increased levels of alien cross talk or interference from adjacent cables and connectors that the higher frequencies generate. This requires improved cable and connector designs to compensate for this technical obstruction. Furthermore, installation practices must be considered to minimize the effects of alien cross talk.

Where will 10-gigabit Ethernet be used?
10-gigabit Ethernet over UTP will find its first applications in data centers, medical facilities, higher education campuses and enterprises that routinely work with large electronic files that require increased bandwidth. However, as new technologies emerge, all network users will quickly realize the benefits of the more advanced infrastructure.

Wired and wireless networks are complimentary to each other. The wired networks offer a dedicated high bandwidth for the ever growing need for speed of a network whereas the wireless network offers a shared and low speed bandwidth. The advantage with wireless is the mobility that it can offer. It is worth mentioning that even the wireless access points need a wired connectivity. This goes to prove that wireless and wired are complimentary to each other.

Over the next few years, both the wired and the wireless networks will coexist and cohabitate. With its ability to support feature-rich applications, organizations are realizing that wireless is a viable option to run enterprise-wide applications. Today business benefits have compelled organizations with small offices and the SOHO segment to be the first movers in adopting wireless as a standard against structured cabling. However, large enterprises will continue to have a hybrid solution for the next few years. Wireless will help service providers drive broadband in the home and small office segment.

All the three media for information transmission-copper, fiber, and wireless (radio frequency) would coexist. They complement one another due
to their inherent strengths and
weaknesses.

PREFERENCE FOR CAT6
A survey of networking and IT managers conducted amongst 2,165 network and IT professionals in 48 countries (including India) by Systimax revealed 72 percent favoring the deployment of Category 6 copper cabling for next installation. This includes 16 percent of the total who would install cabling conforming to the proposed Augmented Category 6 (Category 6A) standard for 10 Gb/s connections over copper cabling.

It would appear that wireless networks are not a threat to structured cabling in any way, form or manner whatsoever. Indeed, they are an opportunity for integrated functions

Results of new global research study also revealed that these professionals are willing to adopt new cabling technology at an early stage to ensure they have the bandwidth they need. As Gigabit desktop connections become the norm and 10Gb/s is seen as the way ahead, managers see high quality cabling as an investment rather than a cost.

The report, titled Meeting the Connectivity Challenge, covers technology trends for the physical layer of enterprise networks. The respondents across wide ranging verticals, gave details of their current and planned connectivity, with particular reference to 10-gigabit networking, intelligent infrastructure management and wireless connectivity.

Standards and Categories

ISO/IEC and TIA/EIA
Both the ISO/IEC and TIA/EIA standards organizations have defined generic cabling systems suitable for medium and large offices. Details of these can be found in the ISO/IEC IS 11801 standard for Customer Premises Cabling and TIA/EIA 568B. ISO/IEC IS 11801, TIA/EIA 568B and the European version, EN 50173-1, are all key standards for cabling installation. These cover similar areas, but use different approaches to conformity. ISO/IEC IS 11801 is a global standard that has evolved to meet the needs of all geographic areas. As a result, some of its requirements are very broad.

Cable Categories
TIA/EIA 568B and ISO/IEC IS 11801 specify several cabling categories. The first two categories are suited only to voice and data communications up to 4 Mb/s and are seldom used in data networking applications.

Category 3 cabling is generally regarded as suitable only for networks operating up to 16 Mb/s using active equipment. Primary usage is for backbone cabling to support voice (but not VoIP).

Category 4 cable was developed to support communications at l6 Mb/s over runs up to 100 meters, but is now considered obsolete.

Category 5 cabling was designed to support applications up to 100 Mb/s. Reliable support for 1 Gb/s requires additional performance specifications, and existing installations may not comply. Category 5 cabling is now also considered obsolete. Category 5e (Enhanced Category 5) is an upgrade to Category 5 specifications that was targeted as minimally compliant support of Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T). The maximum frequency specified for Categories 5 and 5e is 100 MHz. 1 Gb/s signalling is accomplished via PAM5 encoding scheme transmitted over all cable pairs.

Category 6 cabling was designed with a significant improvement in bandwidth, which is nearly double the bandwidth of Category 5e for robust support of Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) over the maximum frequency specified of 250 MHz. Category 6 cabling is also recommended if mid-span PoE is required to be supported as an application since the additional connections introduced by the mid-span equipment may have a detrimental effect on the crosstalk and return loss performance of the end-to-end 'channel'.

Category 6a cabling is currently a draft standard to meet or exceed the requirements of 10 Gb/s Ethernet (10GBASE-T). It extends the cabling bandwidth beyond Category 6 by specifying the frequency range out to 500 MHz, and includes the alien cross talk specifications that are vital for the support of 10 Gb/s Ethernet.

Category 7 cabling is specified only in ISO/IEC IS 11801 and CENELEC EN50173-1, but not in TIA-568B. It is specified to a frequency of 600 MHz and requires the use of bulky and expensive individually paired shielded cables. The connector for Category 7 is a complex switched version of an RJ45 that does not seem to have gained significant share in the Category 7 market. A non-RJ45 version is also allowed when the customer is prepared to give up compatibility with RJ45 plugs. Category 7 is not expected to gain wide market acceptance and its market share has been predicted at 0.4% worldwide by 2006.

IT professionals have learned by experience with existing networks that to realize the full potential of network intensive applications they must have the best connectivity. This is confirmed by the research, which shows that Technical Performance is by far the most often mentioned priority (cited by 30 percent) in selecting cabling solutions.

Forty five percent expect to implement 10 Gigabit Ethernet in the data center horizontal (server connections) within two years. Ten percent of them have already implemented it in backbone (switch-to-switch) connections, and further 54 percent expect to do so within two years.

Sudesh Prasad
sudeshp@cybermedia.co.in