1. Introduction to Cabling Standards
and the impact of Data Centres on
the ICT industry
23rd November 2008
Paul Mathews MInstSMM
Global Channel Manager

2. Structured CablingNeed for Structured Cabling
1985 TR-42 Cabling Standards
– 1836 Telegraph
– 1876 Telephone
– 1911 Automatic switch
– 1948 Transistor
– 1950 PABX
– 1960 IBM S360 Computer
– 1980 PCs (Apple IBM)
– 1980 LANs (Ethernet )
– 1980 Telephone Switches
– 1990 10BASE-T
– 1995 100BASE-T
– 1999 1000BASE-T
– 2000 Video distribution
– 2000 Convergence
– 2006 10GBASE-T

3. Cabling StandardsCabling Standards
600 MHz600 MHz
• CATEGORY 7
– A NEW STANDARD PUBLISHED IN 2002
16 MHz16 MHz
• CATEGORY 3
– NOW ONLY USED FOR HIGH PAIR COUNT BACKBONE TELEPHONE CABLES
– SOMETIMES CALLED CW1308 IN UK 20 MHz20 MHz
• CATEGORY 4
– NOW RETIRED IN MODERN STANDARDS
100 MHz100 MHz
• CATEGORY 5
– THE MAJOR PRODUCT IN STRUCTURED CABLING
– CAT5 WAS UPGRADED TO “CAT5e” IN 2000 and
revamped again in 2002 250 MHz250 MHz
• CATEGORY 6
– A NEW STANDARD PUBLISHED IN 2002
– CAT 6A WAS RATIFIED 2008
500 MHz500 MHz
1000 MHz1000 MHz
• CATEGORY 7A
– DRAFT STANDARDS BEING REVAMPED FOR CLASS FA

4. Cabling StandardsCabling Standards
TIA 942TIA 942
DATA CENTRESDATA CENTRES
ISO/IEC 11801
Information Technology – Generic
cabling for customer premises
EN50173
Information technology. Generic cabling systems.
General requirements and office areas
ANSI EIA/TIA 568-B
Commercial Building Telecommunications
Cabling Standard

5. Cabling StandardsCabling Standards
• ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A – first ratified in 1991 with the goal to specify a
structured cabling system with a projected usable life on at least 10 years
• 1995: TSB-72 introduced ‘Centralised fibre optic guidelines’
• 2001: TIA-568-B.1 incorporated centralised cabling into the standards
• 2005: TIA-568-B and 568-B.1 Addendum 5 added Telecommunication
Enclosures (TE) that enable optical fibre to be used and connected within
zone cabling
• New addendums added Gigabit Ethernet, Cat 6 and 850nm laser-
optimised 50um fibre

6. ICT EvolutionICT Evolution
• The need for faster and more bandwidth
(such as video streaming content)
• The need for more space as computer
rooms evolve, caused by larger storage
areas for:
Servers and communications cabling
Routers and switches, fibre channel
SAN equipment, storage devices,
keyboards and monitors
Security, access and CCTV equipment
Racks
• See Connectix Article 6 – Server cabinet installation
• See Connectix Article 21 – Why choose Cat 5e, 6 or 10G
The BAD
old days…

7. ICT EvolutionICT Evolution
• The average lifetime of cabling systems is
3 years
• Is the end user
maximising their
return on investment?
• Company expansion
• Development of
standards,
education and
best practice
installation
The new ICT age….

8. The data centre...What is a data centre?
• “A building or portion of a building whose
primary function is to house a computer
room and its support areas,” according to
TIA 942
• Includes redundant or backup power
supplies, redundant data communications
connections, HVAC, fire suppression and
special security devices
• Tier 1 – can be as small as a normal
computer room
• Tier 4 – mission critical computer systems
such as ISP hosting, financial services and
emergency services infrastructures

9. Drivers for DC'sDrivers for data centres
• Disaster backup
– 9/11, Buncefield Oil depot, Hurricane Katrina
• Data protection legislation
– Sarbanes-Oxley, Basel II
• Growth in online businesses
– Mail-order, internet gambling
• Growth in financial sector
– Share dealing, internet banking, credit card transactions
• Competition amongst universities for
‘distance-learning’ students
• Corporate organisations requiring security,
storage, resilience and back-up
• EU Data Retention Directive (Aug 2007), 2 years of call records

10. Data Ctr DynamicsData Centre Dynamics
1.0 Physical location of the data centre
2.0 Physical sizing and capabilities
3.0 Electrical systems to and within the data centre
4.0 Fire minimisation, detection, alarm and suppression
5.0 Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
6.0 Communications Cabling within and to the data centre
7.0 Cabling containment within the data centre (including
raised floors)
8.0 Equipment racks and cabinets
9.0 Information Technology equipment
10.0 Security, Access and CCTV
11.0 Project management
12.0 Ongoing maintenance

11. Tier PerformanceData Centre Tier Performance
Tier Classifications per TIA-942 Standard
RequiredRequiredNot requiredNot requiredOperations Centre
0.41.622.028.8Downtime (hours
per year)
99.995%99.982%99.749%99.671%Site availability
Tier 4Tier 3Tier 2Tier 1

12. New technologyNew technology and techniques
• Connectix Express range offers
preterminated, pre-tested links that exceed
the performance requirements
– Express preterminated are available for Net 10G,
Net 6 or Net 5E and Fibre including Lightspeed
• Removes on-site termination, massively
reducing the time required to install
• Excellent performance is assured because
all the terminations are carried out by
skilled personnel in the UK
• Full performance testing of every link is
carried out prior to dispatch
• Pre-labelled with the required scheme
Pre terminated
copper and fibre
systems

13. Starlight MTPStarlight MTP
• Pre terminated MTP high density fibre optic
system for high speed networks
• 80% quicker to install over traditional pre
terminated fibre optics
• Supports future transmissions of 40Gbit
and 100Gbit/second
• Will provide 12 – 96 cores in 1u of rack space
(3mm diameter cables – less cable tray, less
air flow obstruction, easier cabinet entry and
easier fire-stopping)

14. Quality controlQuality control
• Working within an ISO 9001 quality regime
Connectix controls quality right from the
start
• A unique 100% testing programme
– Only Inferometer measuring equipment in the UK
for Lightspeed
– 12 months developing / training and equipping
– £80k investment in new facility in Braintree
• Connectix controls quality all the way
through the supply chain by only using
trained system integrators approved and
authorised and qualified distribution
partners
outstanding
quality and
performance
warranty…

15. Future EventsFuture Events
• Data Centre Design Principle Seminars, register at
www.connectixcablingsystems.com/register
• Exclusive to Connectix affiliates only
• Copper and fibre optic training courses – see
www.connectixcablingsystems.com/events
IET Endorsed
Training
provider
CIBSE Continuing
Professional Development BICSI Continuing Education Credits

16. Thank you