Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from October 2007

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from October 2007

LEED by example.(EDITORIAL)
October 1, 2007... At the most recent BICSI Conference, held the second week of September in Las Vegas, I enjoyed the presentation delivered by Bill Weekes, a Registered Communications Distribution Designer with Fancom Network Integrators (www.fancomni.com). He...

A close examination of UTP cabling performance: answers to many of the "why" questions associated with the installation and maintenance of UTP systems.(design)(unshielded twisted-pair)
October 1, 2007... Most of us are familiar with the installation specifications that have been written for unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cabling systems. These specifications include such topics as pair untwist, bend radius, and pulling tension. And while we are...

Using an OTDR: how to keep it simple: not just for use in public networks, the optical time-domain reflectometer no longer has to be an intimidating tool.(installation)
October 1, 2007... Communications networks never go slower, never get simpler, and never stay the same. Likewise, certification testing for fiber-optic cabling has also changed. New test equipment and enhanced testing regiments help ensure that cabling can...

The ins and outs of fusion splicing: while primarily for use in the outside plant, the technology is also seeing deployment in premises applications.(technology)
October 1, 2007... The process of fusion splicing has been around for several decades, and in outside plant (OSP) applications, it remains the most common and trusted method for permanently fusing together the ends of two optical fibers to realize a specific...

Enclosures play a role in thermal management: dealing with heat close to its source takes several forms.(data center)
October 1, 2007... The vexing problem of heat generation in the data center and, more specifically, within racks and enclosures is top-of-mind and top-of-agenda for professionals who manage such high-density computing environments. "The IT [information...

Surveillance market seeing many IP rumblings: acquisitions, alliances, and increasing attention are more evidence of the shift to Internet Protocol-based systems.(security)
October 1, 2007... Over the course of just a couple of months, several announcements from the surveillance industry underscore the notion that the technology is increasingly moving in the direction of Internet Protocol-based delivery. The...

Berk-Tek unveils smaller diameter fiber cable for data centers.(Industry spotlight)
October 1, 2007... Incorporating a patented dry loose-tube technology in a smaller outside diameter, Berk-Tek's new Micro Data Center Plenum (MDP) fiber-optic cable technology is designed to relieve congestion in the data center and storage area network (SAN)....

Hybrid connector solution developed for harsh environments.
October 1, 2007... Applied Optical Systems (AOS; appliedopticalsystems.com) has developed a long-distance hybrid cabling system built to carry electrical and multi-channel fiber optics for LAN and wireless LAN (WLAN) in harsh environments. The F-Link family...

Structured cabling system aimed at home, small office markets.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Designed for managing high-bandwidth content within a small office or home network, Telect's (www.telect. com) Media Gateway system addresses the need to distribute, manage, and deliver ever-increasing data rates throughout a small network. ...

Richardson, TX--Network infrastructure developer CommScope (www.commscope.com) has formed an alliance with network video solutions provider Axis (www.axis.com) to deliver intelligent building solutions to its customers.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RICHARDSON, TX--Network infrastructure developer CommScope (www.commscope.com) has formed an alliance with network video solutions provider Axis (www.axis.com) to deliver intelligent building solutions to its customers. "To be more diligent and...

New London, CT--Following tests conducted at the Nexans Data Communications Competence Center, Ortronics/Legrand (www.ortronics.com) and Berk-Tek (www.berktek.com) say their warranted NetClear GTX 10G UTP cabling system can be installed alongside existing NetClear structured cabling systems within the same pathway without performance degradation of either system.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... NEW LONDON, CT--Following tests conducted at the Nexans Data Communications Competence Center, Ortronics/Legrand (www.ortronics.com) and Berk-Tek (www.berktek.com) say their warranted NetClear GTX 10G UTP cabling system can be installed...

Dublin, Ireland--A newly released study from Research and Markets, "2007 Global FTTH--Fibre Networks Becoming a Reality.(Short runs ...)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... DUBLIN, IRELAND--A newly released study from Research and Markets, "2007 Global FTTH--Fibre Networks Becoming a Reality" (www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/544344), finds that fiber-to-the-home deployment worldwide "will be much faster in...

Handheld OTDR.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... Weighing in at 1.7 pounds, the Noyes OFL 250 is a singlemode handheld OTDR with integrated optical power meter (OPM), laser source (OLS), and visual fault locator (VFL). Featuring short dead zone and mid-range dynamic range performance, the OFL...

Deep enclosure.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The NetShelter SX 1200-mm deep enclosures, built for deeper servers and larger volumes of cable in data centers, is five inches deeper than a standard 1070-mm enclosure. It includes an additional pair of cable channels in the back that enable...

Interlocking armored cable.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... This 12-strand, 62.5-[micro]m multimode optical-fiber cable needs no pre-installed innerduct, providing a single-pull solution that can reduce labor and cost. The cable's aluminum interlocking armor is designed to provide maximum protection in...

Scope with probe.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... This compact, handheld video fiber-optic microscope includes a 200x probe that's designed for inspecting adapter panels. The microscope features a bright 3.5-inch display, variable coaxial illumination, and contrast and brightness control....

Universal splicer.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The Universal Mechanical Splice (UMS) system can splice fiber from 250 to 900-gm with a single-hand action. The lightweight, handheld wedge tool device, measuring 142 x 57 x 22-mm, offers a cost-effective alternative to pre-connectorized cables...

Digital balun for A/V.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The digital FatCAT series of precision baluns is designed for distributing HDMI video and audio signals over Category 5 or 6 cable. Incorporating a proprietary HDMI Path technology that prevents EDID miscommunication and results in a clean HDMI...

Pre-polished LCs.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... FastCAM LC fiber-optic pre-polished connectors are designed to provide precision mechanical termination of singlemode and multimode fiber. No proprietary tools, epoxy, or hand-polishing are required, resulting in quick field termination....

Hard coating 62.5-[micro]m.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... This 62.5-[micro]m optical-fiber cable with hard clad silica (HCS) fiber coating is designed for high bandwidth communication in industrial environments, and especially suited for environments with high pull forces. The fiber is available...

Rear-loading panels.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... Available in flat and angled versions, Clarity individual jack panels use reduced-size Clarity 6 and 5E panel jacks that can be terminated and snapped in place from the back of the patch panel. The recessed design provides a low-mounted profile...

Data center cabinet.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The NET-ACCESS server cabinet system is designed to manage, protect, and showcase cabling and equipment by providing open-rack accessibility with the aesthetics and security of a cabinet. The cable management design organizes power and data...

Fiber fault-finder.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The battery-powered FFD100 fiber fault detector quickly locates breaks, bends, and other discontinuities that can affect performance and result in signal loss. It also aids end-to-end fiber identification within a fiber bundle, or when looking...

Category 6A angled connectivity.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... CopperTen Augmented Category 6 (6A) angled patch panels optimize 10-Gbits/sec transmission performance with offset jack positioning to counter the negative effects of alien crosstalk. The angled port design is built to improve all aspects of...

1U, 48-port system.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... 10GX 48-port ultra-high-density patch panels fit into a 1U space, compared to similar systems requiring 2U. When used with the company's high-density modular racking system, the 10GX patch panels deliver four times the density of standard...

Test-built Category 5e and 6 panels.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... Allen Tel patch panels undergo thorough in-house and nationally recognized tests for channel compliance exceeding TIA/EIA Category standards. A full array of Category 5e and 6 patch panels are available, with Category 6A panels pending. In...

Rack-mountable fiber termination.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... Light-Link LanSystem series of rack-mountable fiber termination patch panels are available empty for complete field configuration, with adapters ready to accommodate field-installable connectors or factory preterminated cables, and...

Housing for various connector panels, modules.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... Pretium Connector Housings, designed for the LAN and data center environment, accept numerous connector panels and modules. Available in a wide variety of port counts and connector styles, these housings are four inches deeper than standard...

Preterminated and ready to go.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... The RapidNet modular patch panel is a preterminated plug-and-play system requiring no on-site termination or certification testing. Simplified installation is via RapidNet cassettes that snap into the panel. The 1U modular panel accepts four...

Rack-mount Category 5e, Category 6 panels.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... The Unity series of Category 5e and 6 patch panels is designed to exceed all standards performance requirements, and built for maximum performance headroom plus optimum quality and reliability. All panels are 19-inch rack-mountable, support...

Cable management trays included.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... The company's copper and fiber patch panels comes with integral cable management trays for cable strain relief and cable dressing. Ports can be labeled or color-coded using an icon for site-specific administration. PowerCat 6 patch panels...

Maximum density in 1U.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... Clarity maximum density patch panels offer 48 ports of Category 6 or 5e performance in 1U, suitable for data center and other high-density installations. These patch panels are ETL-tested and verified to TIA Category 6 and 5e component...

Zero-U patch panel.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... The patent-pending VertiGO Zero-U patch panel consumes no rack space, eliminating interference with cooling racks or other panels. VertiGO can be installed in server cabinets, freestanding racks, on a ladder tray, or in raised floor...

Rack-mount RJ-45 alternative.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... The VisiPatch 360 system is both an RJ-45 alternative rack-mount patching solution and an optimized wall-mount system designed to make cable management easier. By protecting cords away from the user and into the patching field, VisiPatch 360...

Power over Ethernet panel.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... The DPoE 1Gig 24-port power patch panel extends the capabilities of a network's infrastructure by supporting Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, such as IP telephones, wireless access points, and IP network cameras. The systems offer scalability...

Compact fiber distribution system.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... Designed to meet cable management needs of larger fiber-optic networks in data centers, telecom closets, and central offices, the 8400 Series fiber distribution system is a compact solution with options for customization and growth. The 8400...

Speedy copper, fiber solutions.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... The company's line of patch panels provides fast network transmission speeds (up to 10 Gbit) and supports a wide variety of applications with the functionality and compatibility found on name-brand panels. Category 5e and 6 panels come in 12,...

MTP-style 1U panel.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... At 1U high, these MTP-style fiber-optic patch panels feature 16 MPT couplers, and are especially suited for data centers or where management of MTP ribbon fibers is required. In addition, the company also manufactures MTP panel-mount couplers,...

Custom passive patch panels.(Product Focus: patch panels)
October 1, 2007... White Sands Engineering builds custom passive patch panels to customer specifications, with ports for all types of connectors, including coax, telco, and fiber. Panel features include 1U to 4U for larger) height standard or high-density port...

Surface-mount seal.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... A surface-mount version of the Air Guard Cable Seal is designed to reduce cool-air loss in data centers. Although packaged with mounting hardware, an adhesive strip covered by a foal seal provides an installation alternative. A 10 x 10-inch Air...

Hybrid RJ-45 patch cord.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... These 10-Gbits/sec-capable patch cords feature a standards-recognized TERA (Category 7) interface on one end and a redesigned version of the company's RJ-45-style MC plug on the other. The cord supports current network equipment, and future...

Cat 6A, 7 termination block.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The SS-51 Series of punchdown blocks is engineered to allow field termination of insulated 22 to 26 AWG solid copper wire in Category 6A and 7 applications in which wires are individually shielded. Employing insulation displacement contact...

Ethernet, WAP device.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... SMCWEB-N EZ Connect can operate in either wireless access point (WAP) mode to add high-speed wireless connectivity to the network, or in Ethernet client mode to connect multiple Ethernet-enabled devices simultaneously via an integrated 4-port...

Ethernet fiber multiplexer.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The TC8518 Ethernet and T-1/E-1 fiber multiplexer multiplexes 8/16/20/24 T-1 channels of 8/16/20 E-1 channels, and three 10/100 Ethernet switch ports over multimode or singlemode fiber-optic cable. (The three Ethernet ports support non-blocking...

3-phase UPS.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... SmartOnline 3-phase UPS systems feature what the company claims is the smallest footprint in their class. Power and battery components have been combined into a single, compact module designed to save floor space. The UPS features on-line,...

Insulated wrap.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... An alternative to shrinkable tubing, X-Treme Tape is a self-fusing wrap designed to insulate connections regardless of size or design, eliminating the need for heat guns or torches. While shrink tubing must be slipped onto the wire prior to...

Security DVR.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... For video surveillance installations, the Kollector Lite XG network DVR is designed for the company's ViconNet digital and IP-based video management software. Available in 60- and 120-fps model, and with up to 1 TB of local storage, the DVR's...

Network simulator.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... This 250-kilometer network simulation module is designed as a platform for improved testing and measurement of fiber networks, test equipment, and optical subsystems requiring extended channel lengths. It requires less rack space than...