Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from July 2007

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from July 2007

Your network's health is everything.(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... Recently, I had occasion to spend time in a special-care unit at a hospital--not as a patient, but visiting for many hours with a loved one who was a patient in the unit. Because all medical matters were resolved positively and this member of...

'Abandoned' headaches begin early.(Ask DONNA)(Column)
July 1, 2007... Editor's note: This month, we bring you a slice of "Best of Ask Donna" from years past. This column originally ran all the way back in February 2003, so why did we take it out of mothballs now? The first question-and-answer volley provides...

The myths and realities of shielded, screened cabling: potential users must separate fact from fiction concerning noise immunity, grounding, and the antenna effect.(design)
July 1, 2007... A global standard since the 1980s, screened and shielded twisted-pair copper cabling varieties are still a mainstay in some markets. While many other markets have migrated largely to unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cables, the recent ratification...

Abandoned cable removal a dogged challenge for all: unfortunately, for everyone involved, ignoring the issue won't make it go away.(installation)
July 1, 2007... For just about a half-decade, the National Electrical Code has included language requiring the removal of cable from building pathways when that cable is not in current use or tagged for future use. The NEC defines this type of cable as...

Twisted-pair options for 10-Gigabit Ethernet: conducting appropriate tests will help ensure your medium of choice is ready for high-frequency, high-speed transmission.(technology)
July 1, 2007... Many companies are planning to install networks with the ability to transmit 10-Gbit/sec Ethernet to meet the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth and improved response times. The need for higher bandwidth first manifests itself in the backbone...

Products and technologies meeting myriad challenges: latest innovations aim to alleviate problems associated with cable management, power consumption, security and, oh-by-the-way, signal transmission.(data center)(Product/service evaluation)
July 1, 2007... The technological food chain that is the data center yields challenges at every turn. Over the past several months, we have detailed on these pages the myriad considerations that go into planning, deploying, and administering networks and their...

WLAN goes fat to thin and back again: when the industry moved to centralized wireless solutions with switch-based controllers, many thought the war between "fat" and "thin" was over. But now it appears the battle is still on.(wireless)
July 1, 2007... As the wireless LAN (WLAN) industry looks ahead to the high speeds promised by the IEEE 802.11n protocol and the growing expectation for more critical applications to successfully run over wireless, the architectures are evolving. Legacy...

Anixter lab integrates networking, security.(INDUSTRY spotlight)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A 4,000-square-foot lab designed to educate, demonstrate, and evaluate networking and security infrastructure products has been unveiled at telecom distributor Anixter's (www.anixter.com) corporate headquarters in Glenview, IL. The...

Big Blue digging deep for Big Green data center purge.(INDUSTRY spotlight)(International Business Machines Corp.)
July 1, 2007... Redirecting $1 billion per year across its businesses worldwide, IBM (www.IBM.com) has unveiled a data center energy-reduction plan that could achieve 42% energy savings for "Big Blue" and its clients. For an average 25,000-square-foot...

Flexible racks meet military media center specs.(INDUSTRY spotlight)
July 1, 2007... Thirty-eight Stantron Broadcast Rack equipment racks from APWMayville (www.stantronracks.com) were recently installed at the Soldiers Media Center in Arlington, VA, which produces numerous news and public affairs programs for military personnel...

Wireless Gigabit Ethernet on-the-fly.(INDUSTRY spotlight)(BridgeWave Communications Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... New technology in BridgeWave Communications' (www.bridgewave.com) line of 100-Mbits/sec wireless links now let you upgrade in the field to Gigabit Ethernet simply by activating a web-enabled software key. Both the FE80U and FE80XU...

Durham, NH--the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab (UNH IOL; (www.iol.unh.edu) recently conducted multi-vendor 10GBase-T interoperability for Fulcrum Microsystems, Solarflare Communications, and Teranetics.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... DURHAM, NH -- The University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab (UNH IOL; (www.iol.unh.edu) recently conducted multi-vendor 10GBase-T interoperability for Fulcrum Microsystems, Solarflare Communications, and Teranetics. Solarflare and...

Salt Lake City, UT--Silex Technologies (www.silexamerica.com) has unveiled Multicast Video Distribution System (MVDS), a wired/wireless video distribution system designed for the digital sign industry.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- Silex Technologies (www.silexamerica.com) has unveiled Multicast Video Distribution System (MVDS), a wired/wireless video distribution system designed for the digital sign industry. MVDS' digital multicast technology and...

Richardson, TX--a Web-based printing program for producing telecommunications system labels has been unveiled by CommScope (www.commscope.com) that enables SYSTIMAX BusinessPartners to create professional product labels for specific installations.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... RICHARDSON, TX -- A Web-based printing program for producing telecommunications system labels has been unveiled by CommScope (www.commscope.com) that enables SYSTIMAX BusinessPartners to create professional product labels for specific...

Sacramento, CA--low-power semiconductor transceiver developer KeyEye Communications (www.keyeye.net) and copper transceiver manufacturer Methode Electronics (www.methode.com) will jointly develop 10-Gigabit Ethernet copper MSA pluggable modules compatible with the short-reach, lower-power mode of the IEEE 802.3an 10GBase-T standard.(Short runs ...)
July 1, 2007... SACRAMENTO, CA -- Low-power semiconductor transceiver developer KeyEye Communications (www.keyeye.net) and copper transceiver manufacturer Methode Electronics (www.methode.com) will jointly develop 10-Gigabit Ethernet copper MSA pluggable...

Watertown, CT--Siemon's (www.siemon.com) EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) manufacturing operations and logistics center's Quality Management System in Brno, Czech Republic, has been certified ISO9001:2000.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... WATERTOWN, CT -- Siemon's (www.siemon.com) EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) manufacturing operations and logistics center's Quality Management System in Brno, Czech Republic, has been certified ISO9001:2000. The Brno facility will serve as...

Cat 6A solution undergoes 10-GbE traffic test.(INDUSTRY spotlight)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Ethernet Load Modules from performance test systems developer Ixia (www.ixia.com) were used at a demonstration at Interop this spring to perform "real" data plane traffic generation and analysis of the Berk-Tek (www.berktek.com) and...

Oakbrook Terrace, IL--a recent Web poll of more than 1,100 technology professionals, conducted by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA; www.comptia.org), finds that security technologies and solutions will have the greatest impact on organizations in 2007.(Short runs ...)
July 1, 2007... OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL -- A recent Web poll of more than 1,100 technology professionals, conducted by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA; www.comptia.org), finds that security technologies and solutions will have the greatest...

Sunnyvale, CA--a powerline networking technology, MegaPlug AV 200 Mbps Ethernet Adapter Kit, is based on the HomePlug AV standard for distributing large entertainment and data files around the home without the need of Ethernet cabling.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... SUNNYVALE, CA -- A powerline networking technology, MegaPlug AV 200 Mbps Ethernet Adapter Kit, is based on the HomePlug AV standard for distributing large entertainment and data files around the home without the need of Ethernet cabling....

Corning, NY--a $300 million facility expansion is planned for Corning Inc.'s (www.corning.com) Sullivan Park Research and Development campus.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... CORNING, NY -- A $300 million facility expansion is planned for Corning Inc.'s (www.corning.com) Sullivan Park Research and Development campus. "We have set some aggressive goals for accelerated innovation, including an anticipated doubling of...

Brick, NJ--North American Video (www.navcctv.com) has been awarded a $100,000 security installation contract from the Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... BRICK, NJ -- North American Video (www.navcctv.com) has been awarded a $100,000 security installation contract from the Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland. The agreement includes design and implementation of a state-of-the-art...

Indoor/outdoor fiber hubs.(New Products)(ADC)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The OmniReach Indoor Fiber Distribution Hub FDH 3000i is designed to organize and administer fiber-optic cables and passive optical splitters for such installations as multi-dwelling units. Providing a cross-connect and interconnect interface...

LSZH patch cables.(New Products)(Cables To Go Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Duplex 62.5/125-[micro]m and 50/125-[micro]m multimode LSZH (low-smoke zero-halogen) fiber-optic patch cables are now available in more than 60 standard configurations. These cables are designed for harsh environments, particularly where space...

Passive cooling cabinet.(New Products)(Chatsworth Products Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... N-Series TeraFrame network cabinets are engineered to solve thermal problems, such as network switches with side-to-side airflow located in a hot aisle/cold aisle layout that run the risk of re-consuming hot exhaust air, causing elevated...

Enterprise access point.(New Products)(Colubris Networks Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... MAP-625 enterprise-class wireless access points provide a centrally managed WLAN solution that enable migration from legacy standards to 802.11n without upgrades, architectural changes, or additional peripheral equipment. Featuring dual radios,...

Compact OSP enclosure.(New Products)(CommScope Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Designed for high-density telecommunications equipment, such as 3G UMTS equipment and batteries, the 50B Compact Enclosure for outside plant measures 15 inches wide by 25 inches tall and 33 inches deep, with 6U of 19-inch rack space. The...

Hot spot zapper.(New Products)(Degree Controls)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... HotSpotr, billed as an easy-to-install system for cooling data center hot spots, supplies cool air to hot racks and then exhausts the hot air directly to the CRAC (computer room air conditioner). Each unit is designed to eliminate hot spots in...

Heavy-duty AV cable.(New Products)(Gepco International )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Designed for transmission of component analog video in a twisted-pair format without hardware delay compensation, the LSK04HD heavy-duty, ultra-low skew UTP cable provides a consistent pair lay with a maximum time-delay differential of 2 ns...

Two-in-one blower.(New Products)(Emtelle US)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Fibreflow Fusion blower can blow fiber counts of 1 to 96 (typically requires two machines to cover this range). It . is fitted with a radial force-setting device, a blocking device, and an electronic speed and distance counter. Included...

Fiber cleaner.(New Products)(Fluke Networks Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A fiber-optic solvent, which uses a plastic-safe solver designed for superior cleaning properties, is a key element of the company's new fiber-optic cleaning kit. Also included are a cleaning card and cleaning cube, both of which are designed...

Gell-free loose tube.(New Products)(Hitachi Cable Manchester Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The NanoCore line of gell-free, loose tube optical-fiber cables includes a 12 to 24 fiber-optic strand zip cord, a single-jacket construction built to accommodate from 2 to 12 strands, and a dual-jacket construction that can accommodate up to...

Portable polisher for field termination.(Product Focus: fiber-optic polishing equipment)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Rev system for processing fiber-optic connectors features a patented connector holding mechanism that is optically aligned and calibrated to achieve maximum performance and compliance with Telcordia standards. According to the company,...

Long-life polishing fixture, film.(Product Focus: fiber-optic polishing equipment)(Ideal Industries Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Built for long life and designed for use with ST, SC, and FC connectors with 2.5-mm ferrules, the Model 45-342 polishing fixture features a precision-manufactured center hole diameter to assure the ferrule is kept perpendicular to the polishing...

Fiber-optic fueled camera.(New Products)(Infinova)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Built-in 10-bit digital fiber-optic transceivers are now available with the SuperDome series of indoor/outdoor analog PTZ dome cameras. The fiber interface is designed to provide exceptional lightening immunity for outdoor security...

Snag-free plug.(New Products)(Westek Electronics)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The patented Snagless L-plug has been engineered to protect the modular jack lever from snagging surrounding cables or equipment, rendering the connector unbreakable. It is designed to stay tightly and securely in port and, according to the...

Recessed patch panels.(New Products)(Leviton Voice and Data)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... These recessed patch panels provide expanded options for applications where the back rail is positioned close to the rear doors, or in applications with minimal depth in front of the panel. The recess depth (3-inches from installation point)...

Power over Ethernet midspan.(New Products)(Microsemi Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A one-port, gigabit Power over Ethernet (PoE) midspan (PD-7001G) is built to maintain existing PoE standard parameters with double the power, supporting a minimum of 30 watts at the port output. This unit is suitable for such applications as...

CCTV balun.(New Products)(Mux Lab Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Active CCTV Transmitter Balun provides enhanced video performance for a single CCTV video channel via Category 5 UTP cable. When installed inside a dome camera or camera back box, the balun features manual gain compensation to support...

IP video software.(New Products)(Milestone Systems)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... XProtect Corporate IP video software is designed for large, multi-site and multiple server installations requiring 24/7 surveillance. The distributed server architecture allows unlimited recording and arching of video, while client access...

Curved patch panels.(New Products)(Ortronics Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Clarity curved patch panels for the company's Clarity 6 and 5E connectivity technology feature a patent-pending recessed design that helps direct patch cords to vertical rack or cabinet management, and serves as an alternative for installations...