Is Your Cable Able?!
By Julie Drake of Jewel Technology Services, Inc., Fri Dec 9th
Cable... no, not the TV, the structured cable running throughyour building. While structured cabling may not seem as excitingas a discussion about your favorite show on cable television,what cabling solution you choose for a new or retro-fit buildingis the single most important decision you can make when it comesto your network design. Keep in mind that most servers anddesktops last an average of three to five years. Your cablingsystem is built to last- if designed and installed properly.
There are several components that you, as a decision maker,should be aware of. There are partnerships in the cablingindustry that work to your advantage. Existing between cable andconnection device manufacturers (patch panels, jacks, etc.),these partnerships maximize the end to end performance of thenetwork cabling through testing of interference factors,bandwidth performance and more. The list below is not allinclusive, but gives a good sense of which partnerships areavailable today: *Panduit/General Cable *Systimax/CommScope *Ortonics/Berktek *Siemens/Siemens (they have begun to selltheir own cable)
Why is this important? Many of these partnerships offer extendedwarranties (15+ years) for the cable (ex.-Berktek) and connectorequipment (ex.-Ortronics) used in the installation. The warrantycriteria include other factors, such as the installer of theproduct must be certified by the manufacturer of the solution.Be careful when reviewing proposals from vendors. If thesecriteria are not met, your promised 15+ year warranty will beinvalid.
Many people are tired of hearing about the differences betweenCAT5, CAT5E, CAT6 and now CAT7. However, these categories andother standards in the cabling industry are relevant to finalnetwork performance. CAT5 is generally used for telephoneconnections rather than the previous CAT3 cable. CAT5E is stillwidely used for data applications at this time, but CAT6 isbecoming more prevalent.
More bandwidth mandated a new standard. Ten years ago we weretalking about whether a company would run a 10MB or 100MBnetwork. Now the question is, do they run a 100MB or 1GBnetwork? CAT6 is built with tighter wire twists and increasedseparation of pairs which reduces interference between cablesand increases the amount of data that can be pushed through thewires. Take care, however, that you do not install CAT6 cable inthe wall and think that is going to allow the 1GB network tofunction at full speed. The jacks, patch panels, patch cords,switches, and NIC (network interface card) must also be 1GBcompliant to ensure 1GB performance.
When embarking on a new building project or a substantialremodel, CAT6 should be installed for both voice and datalocations to prepare for the future. The cost difference isgenerally between 25 - 30% higher for the material, while thelabor remains virtually the same. It is still far less expensiveto cable for the future in the beginning rather than to comeback and re-do. If you need to tweak the budget do it by notpurchasing
1GB switches, NIC cards and patch cables becausethose components are easy to change as you grow. If theadditional cost for the right cable seems frivolous, comparethat cost to the components of your voice and data network (IPtelephones, servers, desktop devices, software). It will makethe cable cost seem like a drop in the bucket.
Not to muddy the waters but now the newest talk of the town(although it has been around for a while) is CAT7 - or 10Gigabitcable?! It never ends. But there is good news. This cable is notideal for mainstream desktop cable runs in most situations atthis time. Appropriate applications for CAT7 are data centers,data devices pushing very high bandwidth such as full medicalrecords, etc. If the distance limitation of 300 ft is not afactor, CAT7 could also provide a less expensive option thanfiber to connect remote data closets within a building.
Plenum anyone? Each cable is offered in a plenum or non-plenum(PVC) variety. In the event of a fire, the plenum cable is slowto burn and produces less smoke than standard PVC cable. It doesnot mean that the cable will not burn - it simply means thatwhen it burns it will burn "cleaner". All of the cablesmentioned above come in these varieties and it is important toinstall the proper cable. Many new buildings are required toinstall plenum cable as are buildings using the drop ceilingstructure for a cold air return rather than providing ventingfor this purpose. Stay educated to avoid undue consequences fornon-compliance. An architect/engineer would be a good source forthis information.
Lastly, the NEC (National Electric Code) requires that unused(abandoned) cable be removed from a building. The main reasonfor this is that the old copper cable does not add any value butit may be a fire inducer. Many people do not even think aboutthis issue when pulling in a new cable system. Be sure to checkon local codes to ensure that your company is adhering to thepolicies set in your city. If no code exists in your city orstate, the NEC is the one to follow.
You wouldn't construct your building without a solid foundation.Give the same attention to your network foundation - thestructured cabling system. Do not simply go for the cheapestsolution -most likely it will cost more money later inre-cabling the same areas or poor network performancetroubleshooting. Be safe and research the type of cable neededfor the environment in which it is installed. And finally, relyon industry professionals to assist you in your decision makingprocess.
About the author:Julie is a recent recipient of the 40 Leaders under 40 awardpresented by the IBI of Central Illinois. Julie has 11 years oftelecommunications experience and currently serves on theSociety of Telecommunications board of directors. Julie providesindependent consulting in all areas of telecom equipment andservices. Her goal is to ensure that all clients make educateddecisions in regard to the vendors they purchase from and howtheir dollars will be spent!
