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Structured Cabling Goals
Structured Cabling Standard
Structured Cabling for Data Centers
Areas of Structured Cabling
Structured cabling (or general building cabling) creates a future-proof foundation for a network, regardless of its purpose, as it makes installation of network components simple and flexible for expansion at any time. Structured cabling is based on a generally efficient cabling structure that provides sufficient capacity reserves for future needs. It has distinct advantages over unstructured cables, which are tied to specific application scenarios and often incur extremely high costs for technology conversion or expansion.
Building Structured Cabling
Structured Cabling Goals
Therefore, structured cabling is designed to support all current and future communication systems and is neutral in terms of transmission protocols and end devices. The star configuration creates redundancy and improves reliability. Standardized components such as cables and connectors will be installed according to a specified installation plan and support all communication requirements that can be expected over the next 10 to 15 years.
Structured Cabling Standard
The first version of "Application-independent communication cable systems" was specified in EN 50173 more than 20 years ago. Despite many initial optimization aspects, the standard has prevailed over the past few years. The availability and acceptance of its first version allowed the gradual standardization of IT cabling in buildings without office workstations. Whether it's a data center or an industrial building, national cabling standards apply to everything.
Data Center Structured Cabling
Structured Cabling for Data Centers
In early 2016, Europe completed the first European series of standards for "Data Center Facilities and Infrastructure", which included EN 50600-1, EN 50600-3-1 and EN 50600-2-1 to -2-5. This series of standards contains the latest definitions for data center facilities and infrastructure construction. Because of the focus on growth and migration of new applications, the standard recommends structured cabling as the best option for data centers. Requirements and recommendations for cabinets, cable routing systems and cable management have been partially removed from EN-50174-2 and have been further developed or supplemented by definitions. These specifications help make planners more aware of growth and migration, avoiding confusion when data center cabling is extended and reconfigured. Starting from Availability Level 2, the new EN 50600-2-4 standard mandates the use of a central patch location in the main distribution frame.
Areas of Structured Cabling
In EN 50173-5 and globally valid ISO standards, cabling is structured based on a hierarchy. These levels consist of those that belong together topologically or administratively. Structured network cabling is based on a star structure on which other topologies (such as ring, tree or bus topologies) can be easily mapped. A star topology can optimally support the requirements of modern switched networks.
The various wiring areas are divided into terrain wiring (primary wiring), building wiring (auxiliary wiring) and floor wiring (tertiary wiring). Each routing area defines the maximum allowable cable length and other quality requirements. Terrain cables connect buildings in the campus, buildings route floors in buildings, and floors route floor distributors or floor switches to fiber optic junction boxes in different rooms on the floor. The direct interface of the network to the user is the network socket, which can be installed in different ways. Cable conduits, network sockets in walls and bandwidth are common. Similar to copper cables, there is a standard for fiber optics that defines the properties and types of plug connections.
