Data Center Cabling Standards

The Beginnings of the Computer Era – A Dedicated Room
While the data centre as we know it was perfected during the dot com boom of the late 1990s, data centres actually have their roots in the earliest beginnings of the computer era. Early computer systems, which were huge, room-sized machines, required a lot of space and controlled environment. The complexity of operating and maintaining these machines also led to the practice of secluding. The complexity of operation and maintaining these machines also led to the practice of secluding them in dedicated rooms.
Computer security became a consideration during this era. These early computers were incredibly expensive, and many of them were used for military purposes or important civilian business ventures. A dedicated room allowed businesses and organizations to control access to the machine.
Another factor influencing the trend toward separate computer rooms was the need to keep systems cool. Early computers systems used a great deal of power and were prone to overheating. Dedicated rooms could be climate controlled to compensate for the tendency to overheat.
These early computers required a multitude of component-connecting cables, and these cables needed to be organized. This led to the creation of some of the data center standards we know today. Racks were devised to mount equipment, and cable trays were created. Also, floors were elevated to accommodate these early computers.
The Advent of Microcomputers
During the 1980s, the computer industry experienced the boom of the microcomputer era. In the excitement accompanying this boom, computers were installed everywhere, and little thought was given to the specific environmental and operating requirements of the machines.
Organization of information was difficult to achieve, and lost data become a major concern. Information technology teams were developed to maintain and install these early microcomputers, but clearly, the industry needed a solution.
The “Data Center” is Created
Soon the complexity of information technology systems demanded a more controlled environment for IT systems. In the 1990s, client-server networking became an establish standard. The servers for these systems began to find a home in the old dedicated computer rooms left from the early computers.
In addition to putting servers in a dedicated room, this time period saw the invention of the hierarchical design. This design came about through the easy accessibility of inexpensive networking equipment and industry standards for network cabling.
The term “data center” first gained popularity during this era. Data centres referenced which were specially designed to house computers and were dedicated to that purpose.
As the dot com bubble grew, companies began to understand the importance of having an internet presence. Establishing this presence required that companies have fast and reliable Internet connectivity. They also had to have the capability to operate 24 hours a day in order to deploy new systems.
Soon, these new requirements resulted in the construction of extremely large data facilities. These facilities, called “Internet data centres” were responsible for the operation of computer systems within a company and the deployment of new systems. These large data centres revolutionized technologies and operating practices within the industry.
However, not all companies could afford to operate a huge Internet data center. The physical space, equipment requirements, and highly-trained staff made these large data centres extremely expensive and sometimes impractical.
Now – Private Data Centres, Improved Standards
Private data centres were born out of this need for an affordable Internet data centre solution. Today’s private data centres allow small business to have access to the benefits of the large Internet data centres without the expense of upkeep and the sacrifice of valuable physical space.
These days, operating and constructing data centres is a widely-recognized industry. New standards for documentation and system requirements add a high level of consistency to data centre design. Disaster recovery plans and operational availability metrics ensure the reliability of today’s data centre systems.
What the Future Holds
The future of data centre design is likely to reflect today’s emphasis on green practices. Environmentally responsible computer and networking systems, as well as refined operation practice, are likely to shape the data centres of the future.
Managed Hosting providing delivers a “higher level” of managed IT services for deploying and hosting e-business, security, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions for the mission-critical applications.
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Why Rated Plenum Cabling for Your Office

Computer network consists of seven layers. At the bottom, providing the foundation for everything, is the so-called physical layer, which means cabling. A good cable plant is a dream. A bad one is a nightmare.
Today’s networks usually employ UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cable. It resembles, but should never be confused with, telephone cable. The tight twist of each pair is tightly spec’d and is what gives it noise immunity. For most data networks, Category 5e or 6 rated UTP cable is used. Our recommendation is that in new construction, all communication cable, whether intended for data or voice, should be at least Category 6 UTP. The cable that’s permanently installed in walls, ceiling, and floors should be solid (not stranded) conductor.
In special cases, STP (shielded twisted pair) may be needed. In high electrical noise environments, or for vertical runs in tall buildings, or between buildings, fiber optic cable makes sense. Today, short runs of fiber optic cable consist of low-cost plastic (not glass) fibers with low cost light sources, in multi-mode. (The light beam is allowed to bounce around within the fiber; it’s lossy, but who cares, over distances less than a thousand feet?) Using fiber, rather than copper, between buildings eliminates electrical hazards caused by lightning strikes an earth differential voltage between buildings.
Plenum rated cable
Regardless of whether you run UTP, STP, or fiber optic cable in your building, the new cable must confirm to local building and fire codes. This often means that if the cable runs within the space above false ceilings is used to carry return air back to an air handler. In these cases, Plenum rated cable must be used. If your building has separate air return ducts, you may not need to use plenum rated cable; Check with your local building code enforcement authority before buying cable.
Structured Cabling
The correct way to cable a building is to install outlet boxes with quad RJ-45 wallplates in each office. Pull all the cables from all offices on each floor back to a central wire closet. (These are called “home runs”.) Number all cables consecutively with several number tags on each cable — especially their ends.
The closet should contain a 19 inch wide open relay rack with Category 5 or better RJ-45 connector panels. While connectorizing the cables, label each connector with its cable number.
Within the rack we’ll mount switches and / or routers as needed. The telephone PBX should be mounted in the closet or co-located with the file servers. We’ll use short stranded wire Category 5 or better patch cables between the connector panels and switches and telephone PBX as needed.
At each quad category 5 RJ45 wallplate, label each RJ45 connector with its cable number.
The result is that in each office, any of the four RJ-45 connectors can carry anything from the wire closet;
Inside phone, outside phone, Internet, local area network, data terminal traffic, etcetera. At any time, any of the RJ-45 connectors can be reconfigured just by moving patch cables inside the wire closet.
Within each office, just use a short flexible Category 5e patch cable to connect the computer, telephone, etcetera to the appropriate RJ-45 connector in the wallplate.
In practice, many offices will need two or even more quad wallplates, to allow easy movement of furniture in the future. It’s a pleasure to work within a building with structured cabling, because people, computers, phones, and furniture may be moved where needed.
If your budget is tight, dual or triple (instead of quad) RJ-45 wallplates may be substituted, if some loss of flexibility is acceptable.
Cable plant certification will certify cable plant to Category 5 or higher standards. They use specialized test sets to perform the certification, which often can produce printed output or talk to PC. I recommend having your cable plant certified, for two reasons:
The certification process will find weak spot in the cable run, which can be repaired before they cause trouble.
It documents the electrical length of each cable run. If you save this record (perhaps by importing it into a spreadsheet), when you suspect that a cable run has been cut or damaged, you can electrically measure its length and compare you results with cable’s electrical length when it was certified. This will point you toward the cable fault.
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Do I need Copper or Fiber Cabling?

Data usage over the network has increased exponentially over the last few years and therefore 10GBASE-T is the minimum you would need considering the future usage. Latest network cables such as Cat6, Cat6A and Cat7 are all capable of 10GBASE-T bandwidth and therefore fully complete the Fiber optic. However, you would need to evaluate your environment before deciding  to either go with Copper or Fiber Cabling.
Fiber Cabling: Fiber cable can cover much longer distances as compared to Copper. If you network exceeds well over 300 feet, you should go with Fiber. You can go with Fiber Cabling if:
If your business environment has electromagnetic interference
If the network distance from the MDF to the end exceeds 300 feet or 90 meters. Fiber using light signal can carry data fast over longer distances. Distances can range from 550 meters (984.2 ft.) for 10-Gbps multimode and up to 40 kilometers (24.8 mi.) for single-mode cable.
Greater bandwidth requirement over long distances. Fiber is in fact cheaper to run for long distances.
Extreme temperature environment: Fiber is also less susceptible to temperature fluctuations than copper and can be submerged in water.
Data security: Carrying data over fiber is secure as it cannot be tapped during the transmission.
Copper Cabling: Copper or Network Cable can be handy if you have the followings situations:
Data runs over the shorter distances
If you have analog phones
Copper cables are easy to run as they can be easily twisted or bend without causing the damage
low bandwidth requirements
office or business where expected life of the interior fitout and office space is less than 5 years
The choice of network cabling should be based on the merits and the needs. Going for a fiber only network may be a good option if you are future proofing or you have a large capacity of bandwidth. However, newer standards of Copper cabling such as Cat6a and Cat7 have shown considerable improvements and you may want to consider it if you Network is not too big or extends upto longer distances. Contact us as your trusted Network cabling company if you have any question about the type of Network to choose.

Popular Fiber Cabling Connectors

Fiber connectors are basically plugs joined to the end of a Fiber cable to make a Fiber connection.  There are different types of Fiber connectors available in the market and we will showcase some of the most popular connectors from all major manufacturers such as Corning, Belden, Hubbell, Commscope, Siemon, Panduit, Leviton and more.
CORNING 95-000-99 UniCam LC, 62.5 µm multimode (OM1)
This is a popular Single mode Blue colored connector with LC Connector Type having Ceramic Ferrule suitable for Single mode OS2 Fiber cables. These Single pack LC connectors are sold with one 900 µm boot, one 2.0/1.6 boot, and one 2.9 mm boot; Single pack SC and ST Compatible Connectors are sold with one 900 µm boot and one 2.9 mm boot. Organizer packs include 900 µm boots only.
BELDEN AX105202-S1 LC Connector Multimode OM3/OM4 50 µm
This is a CORNING Field-Installable LC connector for multimode Fiber cables 62.5 µm MM (OM1), Single pack LC connectors are sold with one 900 µm boot, one 2.0/1.6 boot, and one 2.9 mm boot; Single pack SC and ST Compatible Connectors are sold with one 900 µm boot and one 2.9 mm boot. Organizer packs include 900 µm boots only.
This is Belden LC connector for Multimode OM3/OM4 50 µm Fiber cables.
COMMSCOPE SFC-LCF-09-8X Teraspeed Fiber Qwik II-LC Connector
From CommScope, here is the Qwik-LC II Connector that comes factory pre-polished field installable connectors that eliminate the need for hand polishing in the field. This is  a TeraSPEED®, zero water peak singlemode fiber (G.652.D, G.657.A1 or G.652.D,  G.657.A1 | OS2) with Zirconia being used as Ferrule Material.
BELDEN AX105252-S1 Universal LC Connector, OM4 Multimode
From Belden, we have an OM4 MM connector that comes in Erika violet housing 1/Pack, with support for 250 um (using Breakout kit), 900 um, 2 mm and 3 mm fiber (using jacketed boots). Includes 900 um boot, other accessories (Breakout Kit & jacketed boots) sold separately.
From LEVITON this is 49990-LDL Fast-Cure LC Fiber Optic Connector which comes in Aqua colour and supports OM3/4 Laser Optimized Multimode, For 900um Application.

All you need to know about Structured Cabling

Ever wondered what structured cabling system is? Well, if you want to get a deeper insight regarding the complete intricate system of cabling and the related hardware, then you are just at the right place. We are going to skim through the concepts of structured cabling and how it’s related to network, data and fiber cabling!
In simpler terms, structured cabling is a complex network which is responsible for the provision of the basic telecommunication services. It is the backbone and base of the telecommunication infrastructure which gives us the telephone services or is responsible of transmission of your data through the plexus of computers. All of it is interlinked to each other just like the complex neural network in our brain. The magnificent wonders of science have made this infrastructure possible which serves a diverse range of uses and is not at all device dependent.
Now plunging deeper into the technical meaning of the structured cabling system, this system begins at the specific location where the service provider (SP) ends. This point is also referred to as the point of demarcation (demarc) or Network Interface Device (NID). But do keep this in mind that not every structured cabling system is the same. It varies according to the type of building, the cable and products, the function of cable and even the types of equipment this system is going to support. It also varies according to demands and needs of customers and even the warranties offered by the manufacturer. While installing these cable systems, one standard installation procedure is followed. Normally there are different government organizations which are responsible for the provision of these standard procedures which are important for the consistency of performance, for same documentation of all cable installations and also for making any future changes in the system.
With the advances in modern technology, no doubt many companies have shifted on wireless technologies instead of using the cables for transfer of their data. But there is still a need of using cables of various types for specific purposes. These network cables are customized for fulfilling specific needs. These network cables differ in their thickness, size and even the material they are made of.
Following are a range of network cabling systems which differ according the type of cables being employed for the data transfer:
Twisted Pair Cabling Sytem
This cabling system is employed mainly for Ethernet and it has also been used for 100 Mbps after considerable changes.  For Ethernet, around eight cables are wound around each in pairs and then used.
Fiber Optics are the intricate and delicate fine fibers of glass which are use light. They can be twisted and bent. They are highly durable and widely used in wide area network (WAN) installations. They are specifically useful when the date has to be transferred over a considerably long distance specially underground. There are two type of fiber cabling systems depending on whether single mode or multi-mode fiber is being used.
In small areas for example while installing a structured cabling system in a house or a building, the term which is normally used is called as “local area network (LAN)”. There are other technical terms like metropolitan area networks (MANs) and wide area networks (WANs) which are used according to the size of area employing network cabling system.
While laying out the network of Structured cabling in a typical area, things like installing entrance facilities, vertical and horizontal backbone cables,  work area outlets and setting up equipment rooms is kept in mind.
The entrance facility includes the cabling components needed to provide a means to connect the outside service facilities to the premises cabling. This can include service entrance pathways, cables, connecting hardware, circuit protection devices, and transition hardware.
Backbone cabling
The term “backbone cabling” is used when the network of cables branches out from one location to another. It means that from the source, the cable is being supplied to the neighboring buildings and from one portion to another. The data is being transferred from one junction to another through interjunctions and cross connections, and there is practically a wide web of cables. Backbone cabling is of two types : Inter-building and intra-building,  depending whether the data cabling system is between two different buildings or within a single building.
Various hardware, facilities and cables are used while laying out these cabling systems. These include different coaxial copper cables, fiber cables, cross connections, and grounding hardware. These cabling systems are long lasting but typically they can last from five to ten years depending on the type of material used and the quality of the cables being used in the structured cabling system.
Thus, all these cabling systems employ one basic component: CABLES. These cables are sometimes made of copper and sometimes made of optical fibers which carry data travelling through light using it as a medium. These data cabling systems are designed according the requirements of a particular location or a building. The data cables are protected by different coats of plastic and are sturdy enough to withstand the different high temperatures they might face underground or above the ground. The quality of data cables plays a crucial role in determining the life of a particular cabling system.
Thus, structured cabling system employs a range of different cables which are used for a diverse range of applications. All the long distance telecommunication services being provided to us are the result of these efficient data cabling systems which are able to transmit the data in high-speed between different areas. We owe so much to this wonderful science behind the smooth and unhindered working of structured data cabling system which leads to transmission of data in miraculous ways!

MTP fiber cable assembly to what kind of LC connectors?

Here we go again, changing things when a traditional LC connector worked just fine, or did it? Over the past couple of years the convenience of a small footprint by the LC connector has been evolving due to manufactures battling for your data center dollars. Let’s quickly go over the different types of connectors.
1) LC Traditional Duplex – This has been the most popular LC duplex connector since the dawn of time. A simple yet effective design by tightly holding 2 individual strands of terminated LC simplex connectors. A small clip is used to hold the connectors together and also offers a press down tab to easily remove the connectors from the port. Can you remove the small clip? Sure, but it’s a chore and you’ll destroy it.
2)  LC AFOP Duplex – The AFOP LC duplex has almost everything in common as your LC traditional duplex but the connectors are easily removed and reattached. If your in a busy closet you might have to move single a strand around, especially in an emergency or maybe reverse the polarity. A small clip is used to hold the connectors together, also offers a press down tab to easily remove the connectors from the port and has openings on the sides to allow you to separate the connectors and put them back together.
3) LC Generic UNIBOOT – The LC connector portion of the UNIBOOT is similar to the LC traditional duplex connector, but the main difference is that you have 2 strands of fiber now in one jacket. Since your now saving space in your cable raceway you can add more cables in the same size raceway or save on cost by installing a smaller raceway. This is an excellent choice for high density applications.
4) LC SANWA UNIBOOT – This connector is named after the the manufacture SANWA and truthfully after playing with this connector vs. the generic UNIBOOT I can’t tell the difference, until I grabbed an additional tool that cracks this connector open. After opening it you can reverse the polarity easily! Check the video out. I’ve also seen this connector specified on many Verizon projects.
5) LC UNIVERSAL – This connector is a proprietary connector. Accepts the traditional size LC connector but also accepts the “MINI LC” for small footprint mini SFP (mSFP) ports. I thought the LC connector was small enough already but space is money. Currently these “High Density MINI LC” connectors are commonly installed and designed to work with Brocade’s FC8-64 high density 64 port blade.