Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from August 2005

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from August 2005

Limited-combustible squabble threatens to stain industry.(Editorial)
August 1, 2005... Last month, columnist Donna Ballast filled you in on the potential for requiring limited-combustible cable in certain building spaces (see "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... [well, not this time]," July 2005, page 8). The column was a...

Conduits and the Code: unraveling the mystery.(Ask DONNA)(Column)
August 1, 2005... This column is in response to requests to unravel the mysteries of the NEC 2005 relating to acceptable conduits for extending unlisted optical fiber and unlisted communications cable inside the building beyond the exterior wall. So far,...

Staying connected when disaster strikes: a contractor and distributor gor FEMA online amid 2004's ferocious hurricane season.(design)(Gilbert Gonzalez of Mission Critical Solutions)(Interview)(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... Nobody in the state of Florida has to be reminded of the 2004 hurricane season. Not only are the memories permanently branded, but as of the time of this writing, nearly a year after the season's first storm hit, the recovery and rebuilding...

Racking up the latest in KVM technology: as keyboard/video/mouse technology embraces IP, Category 5e cable takes a place at the table.(installation)(Keyboard, video, and mouse)
August 1, 2005... Keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) switches have been around for as long as customers have needed access to multiple systems from a single keyboard, mouse, and monitor. KVM switches actually predate the development of servers, and most...

Connecting blocks endure in the evolution of UTP: not-to-be-forgotten elements in the development of 10-Gigabit Ethernet UTP solutions.(technology)
August 1, 2005... With new 8-position modular jacks designed to handle 10GBase-T transmission, patch panels have quickly made their way into new product lines that vendors predict will comply with the Augmented Category 6 specifications now in development. In...

The advantages of staying flexible: the degree of your success often depends on your materials.(NEWS in TECHNOLOGY)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2005... There are many instances during a network construction project where owners and builders are challenged to balance current and future capacity needs against existing budget constraints. Increasingly, managers, engineers and contractors are...

Choosing the right paging and alert system: why you need to understand the differences between 70-volt and 24-volt system design.(security)
August 1, 2005... If you're entering the world of paging and alert system installations, you'll need to understand the differences between 70-volt and 24-volt self-amplified systems, and why one system may be better suited for a given environment. Given a...

FOLS' new spreadsheet model compares copper/fiber LAN infrastructure costs.(INDUSTRY spotlight)(Fiber Optics LAN Section)
August 1, 2005... The price of an optical-fiber network is coming down and a new cost model by the Telecommunications Industry Association's Fiber Optics LAN Section (FOLS, www.fols.org) offers a simplified tool to compare infrastructure costs. The...

Supercomm comes to an end, TIA and USTA go separate ways.(INDUSTRY spotlight)(Telecommunications Industry Association)(United States Telecom Association)
August 1, 2005... The 18th Supercomm came to an end for good in June as its two organizers, the Telecommunications Industry Association and the United States Telecom Association, decided to go separate ways and present different conferences and expos in 2006....

Not all cable testers are created equal.
August 1, 2005... In today's competitive cable test market, there are new test tools emerging at a rapid rate to perform various tasks at various price points. While all cable test tools are useful for specific applications, not all meet TIA/ISO standards and...

Survey points to network managers' recognition of cabling's vital role.(INDUSTRY spotlight)
August 1, 2005... The important role cabling plays within the network is finally being recognized by network managers, who are now viewing high-performance cabling as a good investment for the building infrastructure. These are the conclusions of a survey...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
August 1, 2005... An article in our May issue about cable trays incorrectly reported that Gulf Coast Systems' J-Tray System includes a flexible center post that lets it be supported from a ceiling or wall. In fact, the center post, or Universal Fastening...

Fusion splicing a crucial part of bringing fiber to the premises: for this growing application, the right equipment boasts portability, durability, and precision.(product update)
August 1, 2005... The burgeoning fiber-to-the-premises marketplace is, by all accounts, a fast-moving field. According to analysis from Render Vanderslice & Associates (www.rvallc.com), the number of so-called "fiber-optic communities" in the United States...

End-to-end 10-Gigabit system.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Molex's end-to-end 10-Gigabit system features the enhanced Modlink plug-and-play system, preterminated optical-fiber trunk cables, and optical-fiber patch cords. The system is designed especially for mission-critical facilities and networks,...

Wall-mounted Wi-fi enclosure.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A non-metallic, wall-mount enclosure for wireless access points lets you place your access point on any wall surface, and is designed for easy accessibility and with concealed-lock security. Supporting a wide variety of access point designs,...

Tone and probe kit.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The TRACEtone tone and probe kit is designed to accurately isolate, trace and test RJ-11 cable in crowded wiring closets or bundles. Its tone generator lets you apply a strong signal to a wire pair of a single conductor. Select between two...

All-in-one floor box.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Snake Box is a floor box that provides an end-to-end power and data solution. The unit is pre-wired at the factory to save on field installation costs, letting you simply insert your power, voice, video and data devices for plug-and-play...

10GbE over copper system.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Superior Essex and Leviton Manufacturing have jointly introduced the NextLAN 10GC UTP system designed to support 10-Gigabit Ethernet transmission for 100 meters. The companies claim it is the first UTP cabling system to fully comply with the...

Full-scale estimating.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Delivering takeoff tools that are designed to provide speed, accuracy and flexibility for voice/data/ video estimating, IntelliBid helps you to automatically adjust labor units based on job and installation requirements, create breakouts with...

Ready-to-go firestopper.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The SpecSeal Ready Sleeve promises cost-effective firestop protection for electrical, telephone and data cabling passing through rated or non-rated fire barriers. Sleeves are ready to install, with no field fabrication necessary. The kit...

Portable label printer.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The RhinoPRO 3000 is designed for residential cabling contractors, security system installers, A/V and HVAC technicians to help quickly label and identify systems and components. The labeler features one-touch hot keys for such common...

Lay-in grounding lug.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A two-hole aluminum lay-in lug (LI2/0142) is a dual-rated, electro-tin-plated device designed to provide grounding attachment of copper or aluminum conductors to equipment racks and cabinets that feature standard hole spacing. The UL-listed lug...

Ethernet network demarcation unit.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A multi-port optical Ethernet demarcation device that delivers EFM/OAM-managed services over VLANs and MPLS in a metro Ethernet network, the Ethernet Services Provisioning Platform (ESPP) is designed to address the demands of business for VoIP...

10-Gbit connectivity system.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Designed to incorporate current installation practices with 10-Gigabit performance, the eXtreme 10G UTP connectivity system is said to be fully compatible with the latest ANSI/ TIA draft standard for 10-GbE cabling requirements in a...

Total grounding package.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The BurndyWeld exothermic line of grounding products has been added to the company's Hyground and mechanical grounding lines to provide a complete grounding solutions package. BurndyWeld is designed to provide a simple, portable and efficient...

Heat-shrinkable markers.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... ShrinkTrak is a ladder-style, heat-shrinkable marker for copper and wire identification. Military specified, ShrinkTrak is flexible and made from polyolefin tubing. Slit edges are designed to permit faster and easier insertion and removal of...

Plenum-rated indoor/outdoor fiber.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Hitachi Cable Manchester is manufacturing singlemode and multimode indoor/outdoor plenum-rated optical-fiber cabling. The design lets installers and building owners connect buildings directly between the telecommunications rooms of the...

No-solder RF connector.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The EZ-600-NMH-D is a no-solder EZ crimp connector for LMR-600 cabling used for antenna feeders, system jumpers, and interconnects. LMR cables are designed to be low-loss, flexible, non-kinking RF transmission line media. The new connector...

Fusion splicer kit.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A new fusion splicing kit contains more than 25 products, including cable preparation tools, consumables, and fusion protection sleeves. The company's CT20-12 cleaver is optional. The kit is designed to provide an affordable and efficient means...

10-GbE network tester.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Featuring a flexible configuration, the FTB-8510G Packet Blazer for testing 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10-GbE) interfaces in LAN and WAN optical-fiber networks can characterize physical interfaces with the same test module at all available...

Dual-speaker spring clip module.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A patent-pending dual-speaker spring clip module is designed for home theater, conference room and other installations where a large number of wires are present. The modules provide a clean connection point for speaker wire pairs, and 50% less...

Fiber connectivity perks.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Designed following input from installers and end users, the G2 System for optical-fiber connectivity is a high-density, modular solution designed to let installers connect system components simply and quickly. The company's InstaPATCH solution,...

Data center protection.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The E-LINE system, which includes the manufacturer's "swinghandle" mechanical latching design, combines with a software system to protect data center cabinets from unauthorized access or tampering. Security personnel can remotely control and...

One headset does it all.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... For installers needing to communicate with multiple devices, whether en route to the job site or in the office, this Voyager 510 wireless headset lets you seamlessly switch between cell phone, office phone, laptop PC, PDA, and other Bluetooth...

Fiber plug-and-play.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Preterminated optical-fiber plug-and-play solutions are designed for high-density telecommunications systems and data centers, and promising to provide reduced installation time and cost. The preterminated fiber solutions feature a reusable...

Self-amplified paging.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A new line of self-amplified paging products is designed to save time and money in installation and customer use. Features include digital switching amplifiers designed to consume significantly less current, built-in connections to common port...

Textile innerduct system.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... MaxCell is a flexible, multi-celled, textile innerduct system that's designed specifically for network installations. The textile construction conforms to the shape of cables placed within a conduit, reducing wasted space that would be found...

Fast and versatile punchdown tool.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The JackRapid punchdown tool now supports the Systimax/Uniprise cabling system, and lets you terminate and trim all eight wires in a jack with one squeeze. Its interchangeable blade head is designed to be easily removed without tools. The...

Air-blown fiber on demand.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The FutureFLEX Air-Blown Fiber infrastructure is designed to offer fiber-on-demand and immediate scalability to ensure that a network is keeping up with the pace of emerging technologies. The company says other benefits include: elimination of...

Quick-release tie strip.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... QuickStrip, the latest version of the Mille-Tie bundling tie strip, features a quick release format--a single-cell design that includes a V-shaped notch in each cell, making it faster to latch and easier to release. With a latch strength of 44...

Test kit for fiber-to-the-home.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The Fiber OWL fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) test kit adds support for the ITU G.983.3 FTTH standard, automatic wavelength recognition, and an improved interface. When used with the Wave-Source FTTH intelligent light source, the power meter and light...

Fiber connectivity to PC.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A new line of optical-fiber network interface cards (NIC) and PCMCIA cards are designed to deliver low-cost fiber connectivity to the desktop or laptop within the LAN. All cards offer driver support for most popular operating systems, and come...

Stainless steel ID wall plate.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A new label designation system is available with the company's flush-mount, stainless steel wall plates. The flexible labeling solution is designed for frequent moves, adds, and changes, and lets you clearly identify connections on wall plates...

Termination kits.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... F-Conn Termination Kits include a range of connectors and required installation tools. Contents include compression tool, strip tool, round cable cutter, and a 12-inch tray tote bag. The multi-compartment tray slides securely into the bottom of...

Multi-fiber assemblies.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The high-density MTP fiber cable assembly is designed to replace up to 12 fiber connections with a single ferrule, reducing installation time and labor costs. The assemblies are suitable for such applications as data centers, telecommunications...

Optical-fiber microscope.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A premium optical-fiber microscope incorporates high-quality glass optics for 200x magnification, LED lighting for 100,000 hours of service, and disposable LR44-type batteries that provide up to seven hours of continuous use. Weighing less than...

Self-managed media converter.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... iConverter GX/TM is a self-managed media converter and network interface device (NID) designed to provide Gigabit Ethernet fiber connectivity in enterprise and service-provider networks. It features secure operation and management (OAM)...

10-Gbits/sec fiber.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... MaxCap, a 50-[micro]m multimode fiber cable for 10-Gbits/sec applications, is designed as a low-cost, high-performance alternative to deploying a more expensive singlemode system in the backbone for both LAN and storage area network...

Cat 5e backbone, outside plant cable.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... Available in plenum and riser-rated versions, the GenSPEED 5000 25-pair Category 5e backbone cable (photo) is designed for backbone, horizontal and interconnect installations. It is especially suited for zone cabling, for linking telecom...

Rack-mount fiber cabinets.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... A new range of OptiMo optical-fiber products includes rack-mount fiber cabinets, fiber adapter panels, and cable management accessories. Designed for LAN or data center/ SAN applications, the rackmount cabinets are available in patch, splice,...

Compression connectors, crimping tools.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The new XFC series of F-Style compression connectors are designed to provide a dual seal that stops moisture from entering the cable and connector. Color-coded sleeves allow for easy identification of cable compatibility. The connectors exceed...

Fiber soon to overtake copper in LAN deployments.(PERSPECTIVE)(Local area networks)
August 1, 2005... The structured cabling systems market has struggled in recent years after a decade of significant growth in the 1990s. The onset of market saturation in 1999, with all large firms installing their initial local area networks (LANs) was the...

High performance cabling.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... With multi-gigabit Ethernet driving cabling technology, Mohawk is displaying its high-performance cables: the Category 5e+ MegaLAN, Category 6e+ GigaLAN, and the new Augmented 6 GigaLAN 10. The company also offers its laser-optimized...

Datacom catalog.(BICSI Nashville New Product Showcase)
August 1, 2005... The new Hoffman DataCom Catalog, Volume 4, features a wide selection of open frame racks, networking and data cabinets, wall-mount racks and cabinets, and cable manager systems. Product introductions include wall-mount WiFi cabinets, D-Box and...