Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from June 2002

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from June 2002

Point, click, vote. (Editorial).
June 1, 2002... Last month's issue of this magazine featured a story on the new cabling system inside the headquarters of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Not being intimately familiar with the WWF's weekly programs, I deemed it necessary to sit on my...

Laser-optimized multimode fiber an excellent choice for 10-Gigabit Ethernet. (Perspective).
June 1, 2002... There's no doubt that 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) is on the horizon, and that even companies not planning to install it now are considering how to best futureproof their networks to ensure a smooth migration. Unlike its predecessors, 10-GbE is...

Category 6 performance requirements, and then some. (Ask Donna).
June 1, 2002... Q: When I prepare my design specifications, I provide a list of transmission requirements and specify that the data cabling system channels meet or exceed those requirements. I need some help interpreting Draft 10 of the Category 6...

Reliable cabling system for sound Seattle retailer: the systems in place at Nordstrom's Seattle facilities are the blueprint for its other sites. (Design).
June 1, 2002... One hundred years ago, when John Nordstrom opened his first store in downtown Seattle, he had no idea that his family business would grow to become the largest shoe store in Seattle by the 1960s, and then expand to be one of the largest...

110 blocks bring order to multi-location cabling project: a pharmaceutical company links its many offices with a tidy universal solution devoid of patch panels. (Installation).
June 1, 2002... When the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. Inc. (www.merck.com) faced the challenge of cabling and recabling its buildings, the company was determined to take a universal approach--one devoid of patch panels--that would save money and improve...

Low-loss connectivity for multimode applications: alternatives to field termination may gain popularity as high data rates drive down loss allowances. (Technology).
June 1, 2002... As has been documented in this and other trade publications, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE--www.ieee.org) specifications for 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) transmission include several options for running the...

Installers urged to acquire diverse skills. (Industry Spotlight).
June 1, 2002... In industry forecaster is urging installers to pursue broad knowledge of all cable types and to be ready for anything. "Be diversified," says Leviton's (www.leviton.com) Ian Hendler. "The fact is, no one technology is the answer." Hendler,...

BICSI course designed to teach installers about complexities of telecom pathways and spaces.
June 1, 2002... BICSI (www.bicsi.org) is offering an online course to help installers get a better understanding of how cables must be installed in the pathways and rooms of a commercial building. The online course covers the complex ANSI/TIA/EIA-569,...

John Payseur reflects on BICSI's global push. (Profile).
June 1, 2002... The following interview with BICSI president John Payseur is part of an occasional series of profiles on players in the cabling installation and maintenance industry. Q. BICSI is in the midst of a new global push for this year. What does...

Get to the source of the problem faster: cable-management software allows for smoother moves, adds, and changes, improving disaster recovery times. (Product Update).
June 1, 2002... After researching the need for cable-management software, Fred Klerks, chief operating officer, the CLEAR Edge (www.theclearedge.com), found that 70% of all service calls are cabling-related, and that technicians spend 80% of their service call...

End-to-end system. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... Pass & Seymour/Legrand's FiberSmart product line includes wall- and rackmount enclosures, interconnect products, and accessories, as well as test and termination equipment. When ordering the "pull and play" solution, you receive a connectorized...

Fiber termination kit. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... Jensen's JTK-18 Universal Fiber Termination Kit contains a dual-purpose Quick-Temp oven that accommodates hot melt connections on one side and Epoxy Cure connections on the other side. Other items include two crimp tool frames, four dies, and...

Non-impact punchdown tool. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... Gardner Bender's PDT-110LC Economy punchdown tool uses a non-impact compression design to replace the insertion tool supplied with data connectors. The 110-style data blade terminates Category 3 and Category 5 data cables to all data jacks and...

Rack-mountable surge protectors. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... Atlantic Scientific Corp.'s RackShield is a 19-inch cabinet-mountable surge protection unit designed for data protection, and the RackPro is a 19-inch unit designed for AC protection. Able to protect up to 12 network interfaces, the RackShield...

Optical loss test set. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... Kingfisher's optical loss test set is designed to provide drift-free traceable measurements without waiting for source warm up or meter dark current compensation. Autotest lets you measure multiple wavelengths in real time with one button....

Faceplate line. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... ICC has added the Flush-mount Stainless Steel faceplates to its Classic series line. Supporting voice, data, and video, the faceplates include 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 6-port single-gang faceplates, as well as 4- and 8-port double-gang faceplates. A...

Power strips. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... Designed for use in cabinets, racks, and equipment enclosures, The Wiremold Company's CabinetMATE Series Plug-in Outlet Center power strips are available with straight-blade or twist-lock plugs, and accept both 15- and 20-A National Electrical...

Rack system. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... APW Enclosure Products' Matrix Self-indexing 4-post rack is offered in 61-, 70-, 78-, and 89-inch heights, and in standard 19- and 23-inch rack-mount models. A Post-indexing system lets you change the depth (21 to 31 inches) to fit your...

Cable support system. (New Products).
June 1, 2002... FCI's DataQik center spine support system is designed to be a lightweight alternative to traditional cable support systems, incorporating both metal and nylon components. At the core of the system is a 3-sided metal spine that comes in 8-foot...

Gigabit Ethernet switches. (New Products).(from Signamax Connectivity Systems)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Signamax Connectivity Systems' 065-7732FSC multimode and 065-7732FSM singlemode fiber Gigabit Ethernet access switches provide power and capabilities for simple network management protocol (SNMP)-managed Gigabit Ethernet optical-fiber networks....

Multi-user distribution facility. (New Products).(from Corning Cable Systems)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Designed for fiber-in-the-horizontal or zone cabling infrastructures, Corning Cable Systems' Active Zone Box allows for up to 48 ports of active electronics and 48 ports of fiber/copper patch panels. One large cable entry is provided, equipped...

Fiber distribution panel. (Premier Products).
June 1, 2002... Americable's 144-port F23 uses six inches of rack space for patch-only off-frame splicing applications, and eight inches of rack space for patch-and-splice off-frame splicing applications, delivering the highest density fiber distribution...

UTP cable. (Premier Products).
June 1, 2002... Available in both CMP and CMR versions, Belden Electronics Division's DataTwist 600e unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable performs to 600 MHz, as well as delivers 8 dB of headroom over Category 6, nearly 5 dB of return loss improvement at 100...

Cable pulling tool. (Premier Products).
June 1, 2002... West Industries' LaserLine is designed to install a pull line up to 120 feet through most web trusses, across suspended ceiling systems, over hard-to-move objects, under subflooring, or in limited access areas. Aim the laser sight at the...

Redundant data center architecture. (Premier Products).
June 1, 2002... American Power Conversion's (APC) PowerStruXure is a data center architecture that lets you purchase and install additional capacity when needed, via "building blocks," therefore reducing upfront capital investment. The three initial core...

Enclosure manufacturer seeks to build solutions, not boxes. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... About nine years ago, APW-Wright Line (www.wrightline.com), a designer and manufacturer of technical furniture and enclosure systems, entered the modern enclosure market, and has sought to evolve as technologies and customer needs evolve. "The...

Proprietary design pushes Category 6 system beyond the limits. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... Combining proprietary design tools and what it calls "precision quality control manufacturing processes," Avaya Inc. (www.avaya.com) says its new SYSTIMAX GigaSPEED XL structured cabling system guarantees performance in LANs that is 400% better...

Tyco will supply, promote and install iTRACs network monitoring system. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... Tyco Electronics and iTRACS Corp. (www.itracs.com) have announced a strategic relationship to develop, market and sell an intelligent structured cabling solution combining Tyco Electronics' AMP Netconnect (www.ampnetconnect.com) premises...

New fibers allow for bandwidth upgrades. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... Two companies have released new fiber systems especially designed to allow for bandwidth upgrades. Pirelli Communications Cables and Systems North America (www.na.pirelli.com) has introduced FineLight Giga fiber and FineLight Base fiber,...

DynaTrax automates physical-layer management, detects hackers. (Industry News).
June 1, 2002... Called a "connectivity management tool" by its supplier Tech Laboratories Inc. (www.techlabsinc.com), DynaTrax lets information-technology professionals remotely reconfigure the data network in real time, with a goal of maximizing uptime and...

Fiber Instrument Sales breaks into security market. (Industry News).
June 1, 2002... Fiber Instrument Sales (FIS--www.fiberinstrumentsales.com), a manufacturer and distributor of optical-fiber products, has entered the security market with its Fiber Fence Security System. In response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the new...

Category 5e ethernet cable. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Shaxon Industries' injection-molded Super Flexible Low-Profile Category 5e-type cable features a .05x.310-inch jacket and injection-molded strain relief boots to combine flexibility and durability. It may be used in limited-space environments,...

Jumper assemblies. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... ICC's LC jumper assemblies are available in 1-and 3-meter lengths in LC-LC and LC-SC configurations. Small form-factor (SFF) solutions improve port density in the telecommunications room and the work area, and offer twice the port density of...

RF coaxial cable assemblies. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Produced in lengths up to 150 feet, Tru-Connector's RF coaxial cable assemblies can include flexible and semi-rigid types, ranging from 0.074 to 1.20 inches in diameter, with any gender combination of plugs, jacks, and panel mounts. These can...

Category 6e UTP cable. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Tyco Electronics' AMP Netconnect enhanced Category 6 (6e) unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable incorporates a central spline that serves to provide additional physical separation between the individual twisted copper wire pairs carried within...

Category 6 structured cabling system. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Krone's TrueNet Category 6 network cabling system includes the Category 6 KM8 jack, patch cord, and patch panel. The cable-management system built into the jack is designed to eliminate the occurrence of untwisted and buckled pairs that can...

Crossconnect panel. (Connection & Crossconnection Devices).
June 1, 2002... ADC's DSXi crossconnect system features options such as 56, 60, 64, or 84 terminations; wire wrap, 64-pin, balun, 1.5/5.6 connectors; rear, front-split, front-below, and total front access configurations; and 100- or 120-[OMEGA] impedance....

AC/DC media converter. (Connection & Crossconnection Devices).
June 1, 2002... Measuring 1.25x3.0x5.0 inches, Taiyo Yuden's Power Systems Group's Model AAD130 has a 4-output, 130-W switcher designed for data communications, telecommunications, and other 1U applications. According to company claims, it features 83%...

Adapter panel. (Connection & Crossconnection Devices).
June 1, 2002... ICC's LC adapter panel comes preloaded with six duplex singlemode and multimode LC adapters, and mounts into the company's wall-mount and rack-mount fiber distribution boxes, or in rack-mount optical-fiber blank patch panels using push tabs....

Multiple service box. (Splicing & Termination Equipment).
June 1, 2002... The Wiremold Company's WallSource Multi-Service Box is an "in-the-wall" box that provides multiple service access at a single location without compromising room decor. It is designed to eliminate the need for multiple single-gang boxes and...

Residential/small commercial splitter. (Splicing & Termination Equipment).
June 1, 2002... Ortronics' telephone splitting device plugs into a TIA/EIA-568A jack and breaks out all four lines to separate jacks. There are six jacks, two for 2-line telephones and four for single-line jacks, letting you have multiple devices connect...

Field-configurable enclosures, pre-terminated shelves. (Distribution & Routing Equipment).
June 1, 2002... Pass & Seymour/Legrand's FiberSmart field-configurable black optical-fiber rack series enclosure offers patch capacity of up to 144 fibers, supports up to 48 splices, and can be mounted in 19-inch equipment frames. Cable entry openings are...

Cut-and-strip tool. (Specialized Equipment & Materials).
June 1, 2002... OK Industries' OK-3907 series is designed for copper-interconnect applications. Comfortable rubber grips and a high-leverage handle design helps save time during simultaneous cutting of multiple wires. The OK-3907 cuts and trips 22- and...

Enclosure manufacturer seeks to build solutions, not boxes.
June 1, 2002... About nine years ago, APW-Wright Line (www.wrightline.com), a designer and manufacturer of technical furniture and enclosure systems, entered the modern enclosure market, and has sought to evolve as technologies and customer needs evolve. "The...

Tyco will supply, promote and install iTRACS network monitoring system.
June 1, 2002... Tyco Electronics and iTRACS Corp. (www.itracs.com) have announced a strategic relationship to develop, market and sell an intelligent structured cabling solution combining Tyco Electronics' AMP Netconnect (www.ampnetconnect.com) premises...

Proprietary design pushes Category 6 system beyond the limits.
June 1, 2002... Combining proprietary design tools and what it calls "precision quality control manufacturing processes," Avaya Inc. (www.avaya.com) says its new SYSTIMAX GigaSPEED XL structured cabling system guarantees performance in LANs that is 400% better...

New fibers allow for bandwidth upgrades. (Product News).
June 1, 2002... Two companies have released new fiber systems especially designed to allow for bandwidth upgrades. Pirelli Communications Cables and Systems North America (www.na.pirelli.com) has introduced FineLight Giga fiber and FineLight Base fiber,...

DynaTrax automates physical-layer management, detects hackers. (Industry News).
June 1, 2002... Called a "connectivity management tool" by its supplier Tech Laboratories Inc. (www.techlabsinc.com), DynaTrax lets information-technology professionals remotely reconfigure the data network in real time, with a goal of maximizing uptime and...

Fiber Instrument Sales breaks into security market. (Industry News).
June 1, 2002... Fiber Instrument Sales (FIS--www.fiberinstrumentsales.com), a manufacturer and distributor of optical-fiber products, has entered the security market with its Fiber Fence Security System. In response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the new...

Category 5e Ethernet cable. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Shaxon Industries' injection-molded Super Flexible Low-Profile Category 5e-type cable features a .05x.310-inch jacket and injection-molded strain relief boots to combine flexibility and durability. It may be used in limited-space environments,...

Jumper assemblies. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... ICC's LC jumper assemblies are available in 1- and 3-meter lengths in LC-LC and LC-SC configurations. Small form-factor (SFF) solutions improve port density in the telecommunications room and the work area, and offer twice the port density of...

RF coaxial cable assemblies. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Produced in lengths up to 150 feet, Tru-Connector's RF coaxial cable assemblies can include flexible and semi-rigid types, ranging from 0.074 to 1.20 inches in diameter, with any gender combination of plugs, jacks, and panel mounts. These can...

Category 6e UTP cable. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Tyco Electronics' AMP Netconnect enhanced Category 6 (6e) unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable incorporates a central spline that serves to provide additional physical separation between the individual twisted copper wire pairs carried within...

Category 6 structured cabling system. (Cabling Media).
June 1, 2002... Krone's TrueNet Category 6 network cabling system includes the Category 6 KM8 jack, patch cord, and patch panel. The cable-management system built into the jack is designed to eliminate the occurrence of untwisted and buckled pairs that can...

Crossconnect panel. (Connection & Crossconnection Devices).
June 1, 2002... ADC's DSXi crossconnect system features options such as 56, 60, 64, or 84 terminations; wire wrap, 64-pin, balun, 1.5/5.6 connectors; rear, front-split, front-below, and total front access configurations; and 100- or 120-[ohm] impedance. Also,...

AC/DC media converter. (Connection & Crossconnection Devices).
June 1, 2002... Measuring 1.25x3.0x5.0 inches, Taiyo Yuden's Power Systems Group's Model AAD130 has a 4-output, 130-W switcher designed for data communications, telecommunications, and other 1U applications. According to company claims, it features 83%...

Adapter panel. (Connection & Crossconnection Devices).
June 1, 2002... ICC's LC adapter panel comes preloaded with six duplex singlemode and multimode LC adapters, and mounts into the company's wall-mount and rack-mount fiber distribution boxes, or in rack-mount optical-fiber blank patch panels using push tabs....

Multiple service box. (Splicing & Termination Equipment).
June 1, 2002... The Wiremold Company's WallSource Multi-Service Box is an "in-the-wall" box that provides multiple service access at a single location without compromising room decor. It is designed to eliminate the need for multiple single-gang boxes and...

Residential/small commercial splitter. (Splicing & Termination Equipment).
June 1, 2002... Ortronics' telephone splitting device plugs into a TIA/EIA-568A jack and breaks out all four lines to separate jacks. There are six jacks, two for 2-line telephones and four for single-line jacks, letting you have multiple devices connect...

Field-configurable enclosures, pre-terminated shelves. (Distribution & Routing Equipment).
June 1, 2002... Pass & Seymour/Legrand's FiberSmart field-configurable black optical-fiber rack series enclosure offers patch capacity of up to 144 fibers, supports up to 48 splices, and can be mounted in 19-inch equipment frames. Cable entry openings are...

Cut-and-strip tool. (Specialized Equipment & Materials).
June 1, 2002... OK Industries' OK-3907 series is designed for copper-interconnect applications. Comfortable rubber grips and a high-leverage handle design helps save time during simultaneous cutting of multiple wires. The OK-3907 cuts and trips 22- and...