Structured Cabling: Strengthening the Backbone

Cabling infrastructure is fast becoming a vital component of an
enterprise's IT strategy. Threat of wireless taking the sheen off wired
infrastructure is no longer real as the cabling needs of the enterprises are
increasing year after year.

A structured cabling system (SCS) installation is neither
vendor-specific nor topology dependent. It offers uniformity, flexibility,
scalability, easy and low cost changes, and investment protection of an asset
with a very long life-10 years or more.

IT/BPO, BFSI, telecom, education, and health verticals are the
usual key drivers for the growth of SCS industry in India. While the major chunk
of business still came from BPOs last year, it was the manufacturing industry
that promised new excitement to the structured cabling players. Further new
areas of business are widening with the opening up of FDI in retail as well as
the real-estate boom.

Designing with Cables

Cabling is generally regarded as the lowest-cost component in networking,
having a longer upgrade cycle compared to other components such as switches, PCs
and other hardware. But as bandwidth increases exponentially, structured cabling
vendors are counting on users to re-invest in cabling to accommodate
next-generation enterprise applications and deliver communications services such
as "triple play" (video, voice and data).

The growing size of networks and the introduction of
higher-speed access methods create an overwhelming need for reliable and
manageable cabling systems. Careful planning will prevent congestion that can
dramatically diminish your network performance. At the same time, a successful
enterprise demands flexibility to meet the constant change of personnel and
equipment.

An SCS provides a universal platform upon which an overall
information system's strategy is built. With a flexible cabling
infrastructure, a structured cabling system can support multiple voice, data,
video and multimedia systems regardless of their manufacturer. A well-designed
cabling plant may include several independent cabling solutions of different
media types, installed at each workstation to support multiple system
performance requirements.

Some essential steps include identifying the service providers
available for the job site; establishing diverse and redundant routes for
bringing the service into the facility; coordinating the point of entrance for
each respective service provider; accounting for the respective equipment
requirements; and allocating space for each service provider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some key considerations that need to be borne in mind while
designing your cabling backbone are outlined below.

Eye on the Future

Before an enterprise chooses to go for cabling it needs to understand the
purpose for cabling. It's important to have a foresight of business growth as
SCS will be a long-term commitment. While selecting a structured cabling system,
organizations must consider the applications that they may add in future.

Cabling networks are better when built for the future. While
constituting only 5% of the total network cost, structured cabling is the basic
requirement of the network. Once installed it is expected to last for many years
because unlike the active components it cannot be changed at will.

Typically, a networking gear (computers, switches, etc) will
have a life of 3-5 years whereas structured cabling can have a life of more
than 20 years. That means the cabling you install today should support more than
three generations of networking gear.

The most important consideration of course would be the
applications that would run on the network. For high-speed bandwidth intensive
applications, 10G solutions on copper or fiber are recommended. If the
requirement is for 7 x 24 x 365 availability, fail-safe reliability and
continuous monitoring and fast installation, etc then data center solutions with
lug and play factory pre-terminated and pre-tested structured cabling products
like MPOs and MRJ21 are the way to go.

Choosing a Cable Vendor

To ensure that the quality of installation is high, it is critical to have
installation partners that are trained and certified. These installation
engineers should use the right termination tools to ensure error free
installation.

Another consideration in selecting the right cabling vendor
should be their offering of value-added support services. These services can
include things like design assistance, contractor referrals, installation
audits, continuing education, and other programs that are beneficial to your
company. While many services are complimentary, some may be fee-based. Costs and
service values should be closely explored for the best deal, but such programs
and services allow you to form a business partnership with the vendor rather
than just purchasing components.

Finally, you will want to look at the variety of warranties they
provide as well as what is covered within the warranty. Upon examination, most
warranties vary greatly. Some only offer coverage for components (usually
referred to as a product warranty). Product warranties may provide adequate
coverage for your needs, however, be sure that any product replaced is new and
not refurbished.

Careful planning will prevent congestion that can dramatically diminish your network performance

Qualified IT team and experienced consultants would ensure
correct medium selection. It is a good idea to narrow down your choice to
companies having their manufacturing presence in India, for any customization
need as well as to ascertain pre-dispatch performance.

Selecting the Right Medium

Selection of the SCS components as per their designed performance levels is
a complex task. The system integrator or cable installer has to consider key
issues like size of enterprise, the expansion growth rate expected (at lest for
next six years), physical spread and transmission speeds and capacities needed.

It is recommended that one use modular components that are
pre-terminated and tested at the factory prior to shipment, where just
connecting the components makes the link go up and running. In data centers
especially, products like MPO (Modular Push on Connector) for fiber & MRJ21
components for copper are highly reliable and flexible for any MACs. These not
only ensure speedy and error free installation, but being pre-terminated and
tested they eliminate the need for field testing.

If one is not using modular cabling solutions, then one must
insist on installing latest products (copper & fiber) that are standards
compliant and tested for the performance by third party as a complete system. It
is better to deploy an end-to-end solution from a single vendor instead of
installing component-based network.

 

 

 

 

 

Midspan for POE, should be seriously considered-it is expected
to change the way IT deploys big applications. Use of products like intelligent
patch panels solutions for ease in maintenance and frequent moves, additions and
changing scenarios would greatly improve maintenance time.

Choosing Standards

Indian market is mainly a UTP market where Category5e, Category6, and
Category6A are the three UTP cabling systems that are available for data
communication. Category5e cabling is now considered for small enterprises though
it can support Gigabit Ethernet. Category6 cabling system dominates the market
as of now. With the recent ratification of IEEE 802.3an 10 Gb Ethernet
standards, Category6A started gaining market acceptance. Category6A can support
10 Gb Ethernet for the full channel distance. Fiber optic cables are used in
backbone connectivity. Cat7 is also in the market, however its uptake is not
very significant.

While it is often difficult to predict the future needs of
specific tenants, it is certain that all will have telephone service and most
will have a computer network that allows information and centralized equipment,
such as printers, to be shared. The computer network will typically provide
access to the Internet via either a broadband modem (cable or DSL) or a
dedicated T-1 or higher-capacity line, depending upon the number of users and
the applications being used.

Upgrading to Category5e or Category6 wiring ensures that today's
networking technologies running at 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps can be easily supported.
It is important to match the categories of both the connectors and wiring
because the weakest link dictates the performance of the circuit.

Testing is Vital

It is not just important to choose the right cabling and quality of
installation, but also its field testing and maintenance are equally imperative.

New trends in copper, the installation has become more difficult
and stringent; new parameters have made field testing for equal-level far-end
crosstalk (ELFEXT), Powersum equal-level far-end crosstalk and Alien Crosstalk,
etc far more complex. These require highly skilled installers and also field
testing equipment that has Level 4 specification and gives accurate results as
proposed by ISO/IEC to test Class F links.

In fiber, the new developments of OM3 and OM3+ multimode cables
require fiber testers that have fiber modules with laser sources to ensure
standards compliant certification.

Room for Expansion

It is important to keep in mind the physical orientation of the building.
Telecommunications rooms, entrance facilities (EF), main distribution frames (MDF)
and intermediate distribution frames (IDFs) should allow for 20% expansion of
equipment.

Placing telecommunications IDFs in central locations in the data
center enables easy cable management as well as the efficient addition of future
equipment. Planning for future equipment population and adjacencies facilitates
pathway design for expansion space, which in turn provides near-new construction
efficiency for future cable installation.

Installation Practices

Installation of structured cabling product is equally important like the
product selection. Following the right installation practices and adherence to
standards is very important when it comes to new applications that require
higher data rate transfer.

Proper installation is critical to the performance of the
system. Qualified installers know how to handle the wire during installation and
to be aware of such factors as pull strength, minimum bend radius, proper
termination techniques, separation of communication cables from electrical
wiring, and the importance of maintaining tight twists.

As one expects better transmission capacities, say 10 Gbps over
copper or use of fiber optics till desk top (FTTD), the transmission medium and
the physical layer needs to be treated with care, especially installations in
equipment rooms, where one gets convergence of all kinds of LAN cables, also at
the points of termination.

As the physical layers becomes more and more complex, due to use
of LAN for many additional non data applications like voice, video, HAVC
systems, fire alarms, CCTV, public address systems, etc systematic installation,
proper labeling systems, and even use of intelligent cabling improves
maintenance efficiencies. 

It is possible to provide a cabling design without knowing where
any of the devices will be located as per the open-office cabling practice. The
entire design for the cabling can be based on the maximum usage of the size and
type of space. For example, a typical voice and data work area for an office can
be located every 100 sq ft (9 sq m), and the building management systems (BMS)
devices can be calculated based on every 250 sq ft (23 sq m). Even if an
open-office cabling approach is not utilized, costs can still be reduced by
consolidating the cable-delivery methods for the voice, data, video, and BMS
services.

Historically, voice and data horizontal cabling has not been
installed during the construction phase. Installing cabling during the
construction phase is easier, minimizes damage to finished surfaces, and is
reusable for the life of the structure when designed properly.

New cabling does not have to be installed every time the tenants
move, or when systems are changed or upgraded. This helps to eliminate cluttered
floor and ceiling spaces. In addition, constant rewiring within a structure
tends to cause modifications that may affect the physical structure of the
building and the integrity of the technology deployed in the structure.

Malovika Rao


malovikar@cybermedia.co.in