Category 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Moderator:

Sarah McElroy, IHS

Panelists:

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation

Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg
gg Lafontaine,, Legrand
g
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

2014 IHS Research: Network Cabling

Network Cabling = fiber and copper cabling products used in data center, local
area network (LAN),
(LAN) and industrial/factory applications in an IT capacity,
capacity for
data processing or storage.

Scope

Geographic: North America

Cable Type: Copper and Fiber
P d Type:
Product
T
C bl patch
Cables,
h cords,
d
assemblies, other pre-terminated
solutions, connectors

Methodology

Interviews with over 20 key suppliers

to the market
Reported data (both verbally and via
Excel questionnaire)
Secondary information sources such as
other IHS research and IHS global
economic data

2013 North American Cabling Market

Total Market Size: $1,887m
Year-Over-Year Growth
2013
3.9%
5-Year CAGR
8.9%

Year-Over-Year Growth
2013
1.4%
5-Year CAGR
5.7%

Fiber
ib
$559m
Copper
$1,329m

2013 North American Cabling Market

Copper Cable Types - North America - 2013

5-Year CAGR:
Cat 5e
-0.8%
Cat 6
6.1%
Cat 6a
18.1%
Cat 7
3.5%

Shipme
ent Revenue ($m)

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Cat 5e
Source: IHS

Cat 6

Cat 6a

Cat 7
2014 IHS

2013 North American Cabling Market

Application - North America - 2013

Application - Ratio of Copper to Fiber

Data Center
Factory/Industrial
LAN

Shipm
ment Revenue
e ($m)

3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2013

2014
Data Center

Source: IHS

2015
LAN

2016

2017

2018

Factory Industrial

Source: IHS

2014 IHS

Copper

Fiber

2014 IHS

What is going on in the market?

High Speed Applications

8-15%
8
15% of IT Network Cabling in NAM is being deployed in a high speed environment
(10 Gbps or higher)

Data Center Cabling Configurations

Traditional Structured Cabling vs. Top of Rack

Rack Density

Increasing in terms of kW per rack and amount of equipment within a rack

Racks getting taller and deeper

Application

Data centers driving growth

Category 8 Copper Cable

Category 6a

Category 8

Speed

Up to 10 Gbps

Up to 40 Gbps

Size

Typically 0.280-0.35 in. diameter

Prototypes will be equal to Cat 6a sizes or

smaller

Weight

23 gauge is 35-50 lbs./1000 ft.

Prototypes will be equal to Cat 6a weights or

lighter (corresponds with diameter size)

Length

Standardized for 100m at 10Gbps

Standardized for 30m at 40Gbps; 100m for

l
lower
speeds
d

Shielding

Unshielded (UTP) or overall shielded

(F/UTP)

Overall shielded (F/UTP)or individually

shielded pairs

Auto Negotiation Yes

Yes

Meet the Panelists

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

What is one common

misconception about
C 8 that
Cat
h you would
ld
like to clarify?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

What is the length

limitation for Cat 8
patch
h cables?
bl ?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

What is one myth

about Cat 8 that you
would
ld lik
like to di
dispel?
l?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

How do the terms

Class I and Class II
relate
l
to C
Cat 8
Cabling?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

Will whether
h th or nott a
customer uses a topof-rack infrastructure
or structured cabling
affect their decision to
use Cat 8?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

Will direct attach be

introduced for Cat 8,
and
d if so, what
h
considerations need to
be made?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

What types of
applications
li ti
will
ill b
be th
the
earliest adopters of Cat
8? What types
yp of
considerations need to
be made for the use of
C t 8 outside
Cat
t id th
the d
data
t
center?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

What is one rumor

surrounding this topic
that
h you would
ld lik
like to
clear up?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

How does Cat 8

benefit the copper
cable
bl iindustry
d
as a
whole?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Masood Shariff, CommScope

What work remains to

be completed before
C 8 products
Cat
d
can b
be
developed and
manufactured?

Cat 8: Unraveling Fact From Fiction

Derrick Stikeleather, Optical Cable Corporation
Masood Shariff, CommScope
James Withey, Fluke Networks
Frank Straka, Panduit
Gregg Lafontaine, Legrand

Any other questions?