Washington | Progressive Office Cabling

Five New Approaches for Data Center Cabling – Part 2

15 Nov 2018

Network Cabling Computer Company Pittsburgh PA As discussed in Part 1, a properly designed network infrastructure is a prerequisite for being able to adapt emerging technology and support crucial systems cost effectively. Part 2 will discuss Modular Design, Optimized Network Infrastructure, and Virtualization.

Modular Design

An approach that has recently gained traction is building new data centers capable of supporting the demand for excellent networking capability. Companies are increasingly participating during the construction phase by becoming more involved in decisions that help decrease costs. Specially designed and portable, modular data centers utilize engineered modules and components that offer the ability to scale and allow the creation of a converged infrastructure where necessary. Such modular designs are described as portable modular data centers or containerized data centers. Structured cabling is the foundation for every modular data center.

Optimized Network Infrastructure

According to data center providers, copper and fiber technology are sufficient for current networking infrastructure. However, there is a greater demand for more speed and streamlined connectivity for PCs, servers, and data storage. Optimizing data cabling is the method for achieving both. Optimized network infrastructure typically uses component standardization, including copper and fiber cabling, racks, and cabinets. Teamed with a physical-layer cable-management system, this approach results in a network that is both accessible and organized.

Virtualization

Research has found that more than half of small and medium-sized enterprises have their workloads running on virtual machines. In addition, more than 9 in 10 data center providers are now offering virtualization services to businesses. Proven to be scalable and cost-effective, virtualization technology is being commonly used for these four functions: desktop, server, network, and storage. As the popularity of IT infrastructure virtualization increases, ensuring that your organization has well-designed structured cabling will grow in importance.

Progressive Office Cabling

Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking solutions on behalf of our clients in the Washington, D.C. and New York City areas. Efficiently working together, Progressive teams get cabling installed and operating as fast as possible while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.

Why Your Company Should Avoid CCA Cabling – Part 2

30 Oct 2018

Stu Kushner

Cat6 Office Cabling Dallas TX Pittsburgh PA As discussed in Part 1, companies that have a limited budget for network infrastructure may end up buying copper clad aluminum (CCA) cabling to save money. Although marketed as a sufficient substitute for solid copper cabling, CCA cables are far from being the right answer for trimming budgets. Part 2 will continue discussing CCA cabling related issues and counterfeit copper cabling.

Shortened Cable Runs

As lengthier CCA cable runs approach the 100-meter maximum, there will be a decrease of signal strength in comparison to solid copper CAT5e cabling. Reduced signal strength can result in data loss because increased packets of data must be retransmitted.

Unsuitable for Power Over Ethernet (PoE)

Since CCA wires have a higher DC resistance (about 55% greater) than solid copper, its conductors may need to be 60% larger than solid copper to compensate. Without resistance compensation, the drop in voltage will be greater for any channel length.

Longer cable runs of 65 meters or more will surpass TIA’s channel DCR requirements, limiting the available voltage for the device. In addition, higher resistance will result in a faster buildup of radiant heat, which may damage the device.

How to Identify CCA Cabling

CCA wire is also much more brittle than solid copper wire. Identifying CCA is easy because all you need to find is the silver color of the tip of the conductor. Another way is scraping away the thin copper surface of the conductor to reveal the aluminum.

CCA cables also weigh much less than solid copper cables. Go to the CCCA website for the CableCheck™ mobile app (http://cccassoc.org/news/free-apps/), which provides the approximate correct box weights to help detect CCA conductors being used to fraudulently substitute for solid copper conductors.

When a CCA cable is labeled as a Category 5e, 6 or 6A cable or CMP or CMR rated, it is counterfeit cable. It will also be non-compliant with industry performance standards and will pose a hazard by being unable to pass UL fire safety testing.

Progressive Office Cabling

Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking solutions on behalf of our clients. Efficiently working together, Progressive teams get cabling installed and operating as fast as possible while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.

The Importance of Structured Cabling to Your Company

13 Oct 2018

Stu Kushner

Office Cat6 Computer Network Cabling Pittsburgh PA Structured cabling provides consistently high performance because of its proper design and installation, which also allows for expansion and flexibility. When designed and installed by expert technicians, a structured cabling system is composed of several components that communicate with each other. As a result, it performs with efficiency and reliability. In addition, cabling can be transferred, adjusted, and expanded with ease. The system is also future proofed, so the system can evolve with technology as the company grows.

Conventional vs. Structured Cabling

Running point to point, conventional cabling directly connects hardware by utilizing jumpers or patch cables. Differing in approach, structured cabling deploys a series of trunks or patch panels that connect to hardware. These patch panels then link to another patch panel within the Main Distribution Area (MDA), the nerve center of a structured cabling system. MACs (moves, additions, and changes) at the MDA can be accomplished with ease by using short patch cords.

Why Use Structured Cabling?

Providing a more secure, rapid, and efficient method for connecting an office, structured cabling utilizes compact and standardized patch panels connecting to the MDA. This permits easier revisions and additions. The superior organization of structured cabling lets teams address issues faster, resulting in less labor cost and downtime.

Structured cabling’s goal is a well-organized cabling system that results in rapid connections and a leaner server room. As a result, cabling requires less room and is tidier, permitting improved airflow. The regulation of temperature is optimized, which helps preserve sensitive server room equipment.

Advantages of Structured Cabling

Cable and port tracing performed faster

Decreased downtime due to improved cable organization

MACs eased because of improved MDA configuration

Reduction of cabling mass, increasing airflow and cooling

Speedier connections and easier troubleshooting

Tidier and better organized cabling

A transition to structured cabling will improve the aesthetics and organization of your company’s cable system. It will also help your team function with more speed, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Progressive Office Cabling

Network Design Principles – Part 2

30 Sep 2018

Stu Kushner

Reliable & Manageable Scaling

Structured-Cabling,Data Cabling Scalability is a crucial characteristic that must be considered by network designers.

In addition, a network should also be reliable and manageable, which promote stability. A network may be capable of expanding to several thousand routers. However, if there is a failure of some sort that causes instability due to greater processing and CPU usage required to compensate, the design won’t be successful.

A scalable network that is a challenge to manage or troubleshoot is also unacceptable.

Network problems that arise would take an excessive amount of time to address and repair, negatively impacting an organization’s business goals of the organization.

Thus, a scalable design must provide a manageable and reliable network.

Combining scalability, reliability, and manageability as the qualities of a network is a challenge. As a network expands, it becomes more complex, making management, maintenance, and repair more difficult.

Fault Isolation & Simplicity

Providing fault isolation boundaries creates fail-stop behavior for the wanted fault model. Fail-stop prevents faulty behavior from propagating past a fault isolation boundary. Effective network design must prevent a failure in one domain from spreading to other domains within a network. This is essential for the avoidance of unneeded processing and delays throughout the whole network because of a device or link failure. In addition, this will result in a converging network that has more stability, reliability, and speed.

The above concept also promotes simplicity as a network architecture characteristic, which decreases complexity in operations. Typically, fault isolation stops the propagation of network fault information across several domains or network areas. This will lead to greater network stability and the minimization of recovery time after failures.

The negative consequences due to a failure of a link or network node may spread to all devices across a network, resulting in a large volume of unneeded processing. A properly designed network using the Fault Domains Principle with its logical separation will limit the negative impact to within one fault domain.

Progressive Office Cabling

Data Cabling,Structured Cabling,Washington DC

How Improper Cabling Causes Network Issues – Part 1

5 Sep 2018

Stu Kushner

Data Cabling Structured Cabling Washington DC Your employees are dissatisfied by their company’s network performance, and it is affecting their productivity. A number of factors must be taken into consideration. How many users are attempting to use resources simultaneously? Have you taken into account how much the use of devices has grown? Is your network equipment sufficient to meet demand? Answering the above questions will help, but network issues may be directly related to your company’s structured cabling.

Outdated Cabling

In many instances, the age of your structured cabling system may be responsible for poor network performance. 15-year-old cabling may have met standards when it was installed, but now it may be unable to handle the ever increasing network traffic needs of your company.

An internet service provider (ISP) provides the cable that provides the connection from your company’s network to the internet. When this backbone component fails to meet today’s bandwidth standards, bottlenecks may occur.

In situations where you are attempting to operate at speeds that are too high or carry excessive bandwidth via a cable that not rated for the capacity, it will be noticeable to users and their productivity will decline, hampering business operations.

Quality of Cabling

Cabling manufacturers rate their cables in terms of capability and performance. For example, CAT6 and CAT6a cabling have different capabilities, CAT being an abbreviation for category. A manufacturer must meet the performance standards set by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) for each category of cabling.

Cabling that exceeds minimum standards will attain higher network speeds without having to upgrade your cabling. In contrast, for cabling that only meets the minimum standards, the company network speed will be unable to expand much beyond the rating of the cable.

It is helpful to understand cable standards and ratings. Even though a cable is labeled Category 6A, it is not automatic that it meets the minimum performance standards of this category. The brand name and manufacturing quality will play a big role in the cable’s output.

Part 2 will discuss Compatibility, Patch Cords, and Poor Installation.

Progressive Office Cabling

Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking solutions on behalf of our clients in the Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Pittsburgh and New York City areas. Efficiently working together, Progressive teams get cabling installed and operating as fast as possible while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.

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Data Cabling,Structured Cabling, Cabling Design-Washington DC

Improve Data Center Reliability with Structured Cabling – Part 1

22 Nov 2017

Stu Kushner

Data Cabling,Structured Cabling, Cabling Design-Washington DC Cabling systems were once proprietary prior to the 1990s, which was a major problem for data centers. Each modification required vendor-specific knowledge of each component of the cabling system. In 1991, the TIA/EIA-568 standard was introduced to bring about structured cabling systems.

Although 5% percent of a network budget is currently spent on structured cabling, 59% of downtime can be attributed to it. Most downtime results from not adhering to standards. Data center efficiency can be increased by proper planning and implementing structured cabling principles. Structured cabling best practices should be the foundation of every data center.

Proper Planning

Designing proper cable runs, identification of cable types, the process of network verification, planning for future expansion, and accurate documentation are all part of the proper planning for structured cabling. Lacking these, a data center would be disorganized and chaotic.

A data centers begin at the MDA (Main Distribution Area), single or multiple HDA(s) (Horizontal Distribution Area), as well as the required equipment and spacing to allow cable access. The Main Distribution Area is the location of core networking equipment. The cross-connects of HDAs are utilized for the distribution of cables to the EDA (Equipment Distribution Area). A well-organized data center is the product of a structure that is well-planned.

Best Practices

Proper Standards –To attain high levels of proficiency, cabling standards, which are revised every five to ten years, must be followed. Remaining up-to-date will allow a data center to be more adaptable to changes of technology. American data centers now comply with the TIA/EIA-568 standard developed by the TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association), while business and companies located overseas comply with the ISO/IEC IS 11801.

Cable Identification System – In addition to standards, implementing an identification system utilizing colors and labels will assist managers in data center organization. A sound system will conserve both time and money over the long term. Addressing problems or even maintaining aging equipment is eased by a well-defined and easily understandable cable identification system.

Part 2 will discuss Cabling Infrastructure and Improved Network Function.