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OC TOBER 2015 SYSTEMS THAT ENABLE CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS
INNOVATIVE CABLING AT
Stony Brook
University PAGE 12
SPECIAL REPORT PAGE 5
Honoring the
industrys innovators
DATA CENTER PAGE 23
Category 8 Q&A
MARKET INSIGHTS PAGE 40
Vertical-specific
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2015 Corning Optical Communications. LAN-1960-AEN / September 2015

CONTENTS O C T O B E R 2 015
vol. 23, no. 10
ABOUT THE COVER

Stony Brook Universitys new
computer science building.
Exterior photo supplied by
Stony Brook University. Interior
photo supplied by ICAS.
SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 12.
Group Publisher Alan Bergstein

(603)-891-9447; alanb@pennwell.com
Chief Editor Patrick McLaughlin
(603) 891-9222; patrick@pennwell.com
Senior Editor Matt Vincent
(603) 891-9262; mattv@pennwell.com
Marketing Manager Joni Montemagno
Editorial Creative Director Meg Fuschetti
Production Director Mari Rodriguez
FEATURES Senior Illustrator Dan Rodd

Audience Development Manager Debbie Bouley
Ad Traffic Manager Glenda van Duyne
5 SPECIAL REPORT 20 MANUFACTURING FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES:

Tel: (847) 763-9540; Fax: (847) 763-9607
Inaugural awards ceremony The journey to zero waste www.cim-subscribe.com; e-mail: cim@halldata.com
honors industrys innovators WILL BRYAN
EDITORIAL OFFICES
PATRICK McLAUGHLIN PennWell Corporation
23 DATA CENTER Cabling Installation & Maintenance

98 Spit Brook Road LL-1, Nashua, NH 03062-5737
12 DESIGN Category 8 questions answered Tel: (603) 891-0123, Fax: (603) 891-9245
www.cablinginstall.com
Stony Brook University: PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
CORPORATE OFFICERS
Innovation in network cabling Chairman Robert F. Biolchini
and computer science 30 TECHNOLOGY Vice Chairman Frank T. Lauinger

President and Chief Executive Officer
Outside plant products and tools Mark C. Wilmoth
BETSY CONROY
Executive Vice President, Corporate Development
aim to ease design, installation and Strategy Jayne A. Gilsinger
Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial
PATRICK McLAUGHLIN Officer Brian Conway
TECHNOLOGY GROUP
Senior Vice President & Publishing Director
DEPARTMENTS Christine A. Shaw
3 EDITORIAL 32 PRODUCT FOCUS

Innovation as a customer service Adapters CABLING INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE 2015 (ISSN 1073-3108),
is published 12 times a year, monthly, by PennWell Corporation, 1421 South
Sheridan Road, Tulsa, OK 74112; phone (918) 835-3161; fax (918) 831-9497;
27 PERSPECTIVE 34 EDITORS PICKS

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singlemode fiber testing? INFRASTRUCTURE INSIGHTS screened companies that offer products and services that may be important
for your work. If you do not want to receive those offers and/or informa-
Cabling enables vertical-specific tion via direct mail, please let us know by contacting us at List Services
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W W W . S I E M O N . C O M
EDITORIAL
W H AT 'S N E W AT
Innovation as a
customer service
DATA CENTER
Splice eases cable- The building that adorns this issue's front cover is
tray expansion the recently constructed computer science build-
ing at Stony Brook University, located on Long
Island's north shore. The article beginning on page
12 tells the story of the cabling within this new
building, including the process by which the ca-
bling technology was selected and installed.
We chose this article as our cover story not just
NETWORK CABLE PATRICK McLAUGHLIN because it includes a nice-looking photo of the
patrick@pennwell.com building, but more importantly, because the story
UL investigates PoE
heat's effect on cable represents the essence of the Cabling Innovators
Awards program we recently completed. The cabling project at Stony Brook was
CONNECTIVITY an honoree in that program because its conceptualization, execution and ad-
ministration demonstrate not just incremental improvement, but makred im-
provement over other methods, approahces, and system use. Told by Siemon,
the cabling-technology provider for the project, the article describes how the
use of a Category 7A cabling system and the implementation of cable sharing are
innovative in each of the characteristics we identified in the Cabling Innovators
Awards program.
It provides value to the user because, as Stony Brook's director of computer
Static control during
fiber cleaning operations Ken Gladky noted, "While we would have deployed the same num-
ber of connections if we had gone with Category 6A, with TERA we don't expect
to have to run any more cables for future use. This will save us in the long run."
AV SYSTEMS
Press mult It is a sustainable techology deployment in that cable sharing makes use of pairs
AV distribution that otherwise would have been left unused in four-pair channels dedicated to
unit an application that required just one or two pairs.
The cabling technology deployment at Stony Brook met the user's defined
INSTALLATION needs, including distance requirements of 100 meters and the existence of a sin-
Holemakers for gle main equipment room where all the building's connections converge. It also
cabling installs paves the way for future higher-power Power over Ethernet distribution.
The project was a good example of collaboration among a number of involved
parties, from the technology manufacturer to the end-user organization, and
along the way a consulting engineer, infrastructure installer, and distributor.
The project and the building within which it was carried out make a signif-
icant impact on the university and its network users. The building aims to ac-
celerate Stony Brook University's growth in a number of research areas. And
with the structured cabling infrastructure it has in place, it is poised to do
exactly that.
www.cablinginstall.com Cabling Installation & Maintenance OCTOBER 2015 3

Special Report
Inaugural awards
ceremony honors
industrys innovators Silver
Honorees recognized at the Silver
level have demonstrated that
The inaugural Cabling Innovators Awards their innovation has resulted in
marked improvement over previous
ceremony was held during the BICSI Fall methods, approaches, or product
Conference and Exhibition in September. and system use.
A Silver Level Award
went to Belden Enterprise
BY PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
Connectivity for inno-
vations related to their
On Monday, September 21, Cabling Installation & Maintenance held 10GXS Small Diameter
the inaugural Cabling Innovators Awards ceremony at the BICSI Fall Category 6A Horizontal
Conference and Exhibition. In total 14 Silver Level awards, 3 Gold Cable. Among the innova-
tive characteristics of the ca-
Level awards, and 3 Platinum Level awards were distributed.
ble are its space and weight savings,
The awards program was launched to publicly recognize some of the most in-
electrical performance, and low level
novative uses and applications of cabling technologies. The Cabling Innovators
of temperature rise due to PoE use.
Awards program is meant to recognize ingenuity and innovation wherever it is
One specifier of 10GXS explained
found in the value chain of a cabling project.
that when conducting a cost-bene-
Participants in the program were invited to self-nominate their projects or
fit analysis for the end-user organiza-
programs. A judging panel made up of veteran industry professionals screened
tions he represents, one key consider-
entries and determined their level of innovation. Entries were reviewed based on
ation was the cost of cable pathways
the following characteristics.
and related labor and materials.
Innovative approach to project or system design and implementation
10GXSs outside diameter has made
Value to the user, which can be measured by such qualities as return-on-in- 10G-capable Category 6A a possibil-
vestment, loss prevention, or business-efficiency gains ity for many customers that other-
Sustainability, characterized by a projects overall eco-friendliness, its long- wise would be deploying cable with a
term value, lifecycle cost-effectiveness, or other measures less-than-Cat-6-A capability because
Meeting a defined need as a well-conceived, well-executed initiative that fully of pathway space constraints.
met specific user requirements
CABLExpress received a Silver Level
Collaboration, including communication and cooperation throughout
Innovators Award in recogni-
the value chain through which the product or system was procured
tion of the project it completed
and deployed
at WellSpan Health, a central
Impact, which can be identified by describing the difference Pennsylvania healthcare sys-
the project made on the professionals involved, on the produc- tem whose facilities comprise
tivity of its ultimate users, or on society York Hospital, Gettysburg
Herein is a description of each award level, and of the projects, prod- Hospital, Ephrata
ucts and systems that were honored at each level. Community Hospital, and

the WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital. For this ability to resolve test-results-manage-
project, CABLExpress custom-designed a 16-port tap mod- ment hassles that, according to survey
ule that provided the ability to fully duplicate the 32-port data, challenge 83% of cabling install-
line card in WellSpans switches. The tap modules allow ers. LinkWare Live is a cloud-based
WellSpan to run its network visibility fabric and gain valu- service that manages the certifica-
able insight into the real-time systems data flow. tion process, results, and reporting.
The service provides a connection between
Chatsworth Products Incorporated was hon-
testers in the field and the project manager, allowing the
ored for the deployment of what was the
manager to collect test results, control settings, and man-
state of Floridas first free-standing hot-aisle
age projects remotely. Chris Tracy, a project manager with
containment system. The project took place
Skyline Properties and a LinkWare Live user, commented
at the University of Florida Health Shands
that one of its biggest benefits is the ability to upload test
Hospital in Gainesvillea teaching hospital
results from the field so that he can keep his testers in the
that turned 2,200 square feet of storage space
field and generating revenue.
into a data center. Such a conversion required
not just the experience and expertise of many profession- Fluke Networks Versiv Certification System is a Cabling
als, but also the development by Chatsworth Products of a Innovators Award recipient, recognized not just for cutting
custom cabinet and hot aisle containment solution for the down copper and fiber test time, but also, and significantly,
space. The containment system was customized to differ- for addressing head-on the real-world complexities that ca-
ent heights, widths, and depths to accommodate the hospi- bling contractors face every daymultiple simultaneous
tals equipment. jobs, multiple teams on different sites, and testers changing
hands frequently. The Versiv system incorporates an intui-
Clearfield was recognized for the deployment of a passive
tive smartphone-like interface called Taptive, built-in proj-
optical LAN in conjunction with its own plug-and-play as
ect management software, and features like SmartLoop that
well as labor-light product sets in a new building and ware-
allows OTDR tests on two fibers without having to move
house. From network design and research to go-live, the
the tester. Dave Lawes, an RCDD with System Tech Inc., says
project spanned only 100 daysa testament to the simplic-
Versiv allows his technicians to spend more
ity of a passive optical LAN and to the rapid deployment ca-
of their time getting projects done and less
pability of Clearfields installation-friendly products.
of it setting up test parameters, configuring
CommScope received a Cabling label sets, and troubleshooting. Maurice
Innovators Award for the use of its mod- Hayes, operations manager for Foundation
ular data center, called Data Center on Cabling Corporation adds that his com-
Demand, at the University of Montana. panys use of Versiv has resulted in a huge
The university found high capex, two decline in test errors.
years of construction, and a large physi-
Leviton Network Solutions and its customer, California State
cal footprint simply unworkable as a solu-
University, received a Cabling Innovators Award for the de-
tion to consolidate its fragmented, scat-
ployment of the Leviton Intact Intelligent Management
tered data facilities that numbered nearly two dozen. When
System, along with its Atlas X-1 Category 6A connectivity, at
it opted for a purpose-built Data Center on Demand from
the universitys Monterey Bay campus. That campus is the
CommScope, it reduced everything from its design, engi-
former Fort Ord military facility, and today more than 6,000
neering and build time to its Power Usage Effectiveness.
students along with 150 faculty members rely on its network.
From initial planning to full operation, the project took 9
Last year construction began on a 3-story, 60,000-square-
months. Tony Jablonski, the universitys assistant CIO, said
foot Business and Information Technology building, which
the Data Center on Demand strengthens its network and
is a significant first step toward the univer-
IT infrastructure with best-available technology. Since
sity establishing itself as a higher-educa-
bringing the new data center online earlier this year, the
tion technology leader. Through the Leviton
University of Montana has seen data center energy costs
Intact Intelligent Management System,
decline approximately 80%.
the university can easily monitor port sta-
LinkWare Live Certification Management Service from Fluke tus, manage network changes, and diag-
Networks received a Cabling Innovators Award for its nose problems remotely. Justin Clausen,
6 OCTOBER 2015 Cabling Installation & Maintenance www.cablinginstall.com

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RCDD, the universitys physical plant analyst, says Intact is Also honored was Stony Brook
simple to use, flexible, self-contained, easy to install, and it Universitys use of the Siemon TERA
provides the level of accurate reporting he needs to optimize Category 7A connectivity system in
network maintenance. Bruce Ventura, who owns the proj- its new Computer Science building because
ects installation contractor Innovative High Technology, of the innovative use of that cabling and connectivity sys-
says his team loves the Atlas-X1 Category 6A QuickPort UTP tem. In particular, the university employed cable sharing,
connectors and wants them on every job. which is the use of a single four-pair cabling circuit to serve
multiple applications, with each application occupying one
The use of Panduits TurnTell Label within a supercomputer
or more pairs of the cable. The TERA connectors quad-
project in Japan earned a Cabling Innovators Award. A
rant-style design isolates each pair from the others, which
Japanese network solutions provider was build-
correspondingly provides pair-to-pair noise isolation and is
ing the supercomputer for an R&D center, in-
a critical enabling technology for cable sharing. For exam-
cluding hundreds of thousands of network ca-
ple, one outlet at Stony Brook University can support multi-
bles linking huge numbers of servers. Each
ple low-speed applications that take only one or two pairs,
cable in this high-density installation had
while another outlet can support Gig or 10-Gig speeds. Also
to be labeled with to and from informa-
by deploying the fully shielded TERA system, Stony Brook
tion, which proved to be more than chal-
does not have to de-rate its cable runs to accommodate
lenging with very little space between the
higher PoE wattages for applications like 802.11ac wireless,
cables. Installing labels, then being able to
video conferencing, and lecture broadcast systems. (See the
view those labels, looked like an impractical proposition.
full Stony Brook University case study on page 12).
But the Turn Tell Label can be rotated and repositioned on
the cable for easy viewing. When a technician needs to see Specified Technologies EZ-Path Smoke and
the information on the label, the tech twists the label, not Acoustical Pathway, which was introduced
the cable, avoiding possible cable damage. Panduit worked in 2014, received a Cabling Innovators
with the service provider to develop different-colored Turn Award for the manner in which the system
Tell labels so the different cable systems could be eas- addresses the evolution of standards and
ily identified. code requirements to emphasize smoke
and acoustical barriers, particularly in
A project that took place for Royal Caribbean Internationals
healthcare environments where patient
Quantum of the Seas vessel was a Cabling Innovators hon-
privacy is paramount. Its a zero-maintenance cable pathway
oree. The ship has 18 decks, accommodates 4,180 guests, and
thats designed specifically for smoke and sound partitions.
made its maiden voyage in November 2014. But beyond that,
The pathway can be used throughout non-rated barriers, in-
it has also been called the smartest ship at sea, including a
cluding smoke partitions and non-rated smoke-resistant
main data center with 25 cabinets and a secondary data cen-
construction. Designed for both new construction and exist-
ter with 10 cabinets. Guests enjoy IP televi-
ing cable installations, it has extremely low smoke leakage
sion, VoIP phones, CCTV and other IP
ratings and offers acoustical performance while maintaining
services. They also receive wireless ser-
a clean, engineered look.
vice via 03b satellite 600-Mbit/sec con-
nectivity. WiFi access points can serve Fiber cleaning was recognized with a Cabling
6,000 wireless devices throughout the Innovators Award. The Sticklers CleanStixx EB
ship. The ships entire cabling infrastruc- Sticks from MicroCare are engineered to clean
ture converges in the computer room. expanded-beam fiber-optic connectors. While
When the ship was constructed, Royal expanded-beam, or EB, connectors are fa-
Caribbean decided that preterminated copper and fiber sys- mous for their tolerance of dirt and debris,
tems were the best approach. Using preterm systems from they are not immune to the effects of dirt
Panduit reduced the number of people traveling to and from and debris. They are susceptible to particulate caused by fre-
the build site, and for less time. Using the plug-and-play sys- quent matings and unmatings. Even clean lenses can develop
tem allowed the installation of copper and fiber crosscon- a haze from elements in their environment. And because
nects in each rack, which enables Royal Caribbean to avoid of the shape of these connectors, traditional fiber-cleaning
having to bring in a specialist to make changes at the switch tools wouldnt work. MicroCare developed an addition to its
level when the ship is at sea. Sticklers product linethe CleanStixx EB Sticksspecifically

to be used in conjunction with their cleaning fluid to answer
the problem of EB-connector cleaning. The geometry of the
Gold
Organizations were honored with Gold level awards by
sticks cleaning tip facilitates maximum contact with the lens
demonstrating an innovation that is considered excellent,
face. Of particular note is that these cleaning sticks have ears.
whose benefits are clear, and make a substantial
The so-called ears on the sticks side creates a squeegee-effect
improvement over previous methods employed,
for improved cleaning, and also increase the cleaning radius.
approaches taken, or products and systems used.
The final award in the Silver award category
A Cabling Innovators Gold Award went
went to a company whose name you may not rec-
to EXFO for the capabilities of its FIP-435
ognize quite yet but whose products and innova-
Fiber Inspection Probe. Many user orga-
tions you very likely do. The company we knew
nizations have asked the question why, de-
for a long time as JDSU is now Viavi Solutions. The
spite the automation of pass/fail analysis
companys PowerChek Optical Power Meter has
software based on international standards,
earned a Cabling Innovators Award thanks to sev-
do we still see such variation in test results
eral of its innovative attributesparticularly in-
from fiber inspection probes? One answer
cluding its elimination of test leads when measuring optical
is that the software can only analyze the image of the fiber
power. PowerChek connects directly to the bulkhead. It appeals
endface that the probe produces. If you improve the probes
to the influx of technicians who are new to fiber optics and ap-
ability to focus and produce a clear image, youll improve the
preciate a tools ease of use. It is available with multiple connec-
whole process. Thats what the FIP-435B does, automatically
tor types. The tool is compatible with smartphones and tablets,
centering and focusing. With truck rolls for applications like
and has Bluetooth pairing capabilityall of which increases the
fiber-to the-antenna costing around $250 to $300, avoiding
efficiency of reporting and administration of test results.
those truck rolls is a significant efficiency. Robert Stone of
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General Dynamics calls FIP-435B a game-changer for 10-Gig systemincluding a high-density top-of-rack patch panel,
requirements, and Lester Sebetka of Price Industrial Electric Opt-X Unity OM4+ trunks that offer 288 fibers in a single
says that using the tool, fiber inspection is a breeze. cable that break out into 8-fiber MTP connections, and cus-
tom color-coded MTP array cords and harnesses that help
eBays 40-Gigabit Ethernet data center upgrade
identify polarity changes throughout the system.
using Leviton Network Solutions OM4+ cabling
solution demonstrates the excellent and sub- TE Connectivitys Powered Fiber Cable System brings net-
stantial innovation that is worthy of a Cabling work connectivity as well as power to any location. It in-
Innovators Gold Award. The 40-Gigabit con- cludes a hybrid cable that combines fiber communications
nections to eBays servers, in keeping with the and copper power cables within one housing. The system
companys roadmap, required the creation also includes a power supply, a media converter that en-
of a custom OM4+ cabling solution. They ables PoE, and a PoE extender that allows distances up to
needed to support extremely long multimode fiber runs 3 kilometers. The system is used in applications like small
as lengthy as 750 meters. They also needed to increase fi- cells, WiFi access points, surveillance cameras, digital sig-
ber density to six times the existing design and main- nage and others. Earlier this year Jade Communications of
tain the flexibility to support various equipment vendors. Boca Raton, FL designed the Powered Fiber Cable System
Importantly, eBay needed to implement a system that al- into a golf course. The system allowed
lowed migration to speeds of 100 and 400 Gigabits per sec- the course to turn up a 36-camera sur-
ond, again in accordance with their roadmap. Additionally, veillance system, including cameras that
the network had to be easily managed and maintained. are more than 10,000 feet from the power
To accommodate eBays needs, Leviton provided its source. Jade Communications estimates a
OM4+ Violet Fiber cabling system, but also custom de- savings of more than $140,000 in network
signed and manufactured some of the products in that buildout costs for the project.

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Platinum The final Cabling Innovators
Platinum Award went to Superior
Three honorees received Cabling Innovators Platinum
Essex International for its sustain-
Awards, which have been earned for demonstrating superb
able cable manufacturing processes,
innovation that is characterized by a groundbreaking
approach to meeting a need, or a groundbreaking level of
which exemplifies a groundbreak-
performance, efficiency, or ease of use. ing approach to both sustainability
and transparency in the process of manufacturing copper
Cisco Canadas headquarters at RBC and fiber-optic cables. The process was initiated by con-
WaterPark Place III in Toronto lays claim ducting a lifecycle assessment for 25 copper cable products
to being the smartest building in North and 24 fiber-optic cable products, which enabled the com-
America. It is LEED Core and Shell pany to focus its sustainability efforts on the most signifi-
Platinum. The 31-story building oper- cant sources of environmental impact. Practices the com-
ates a single, converged IP network. pany implemented after conducting the lifecycle analysis
The converged network supports ap- resulted in a reduction in annual energy consumption of
plications like telepresence, WiFi 1.2 million kilowatt hours; saving 500 million gallons of
and Internet connectivity of course, but also water annually through recycling; and diverting 3.6 mil-
building systems like HVAC. But what might be the most lion pounds of waste from landfills. In 2014 the company
groundbreaking innovation at this property is its Power over published both Environmental Product Declarations and
Ethernet LED lighting system. PoE lights run completely off Health Product Declarations for a large number of its cop-
the IP network rather than traditional electrical cables, sav- per and fiber-optic cables. For these as well as other on-
ing significant amounts of energy. Cisco says this is the first going efforts at sustainability and transparency, Superior
building in the Americas to deliver both primary electri- Essex International was deemed worthy of a Cabling
cal power and communication over an IT Smart Structured Innovators Platinum Award. u
Category 6 cabling infrastructure; that infrastructure was
supplied by Panduit. In a nutshell, RBC WaterPark Place III
has achieved groundbreaking innovation by implement-
ing two crucial concepts: The Internet of Things and the
Internet of Everything. The Internet of Things is the intelli-
gent connectivity of physical devices; while the Internet of
Everything is an extension of thatthe melding of mobility,
big data and analytics, social and cloud technologies.
Another superb innovation recognized
was the Rack Studs smart rack-mount- Leviton Receives
ing system, which is a revolutionary re- CI&Ms 2015
placement for cage nuts in 19-inch
Gold and Silver
racks. Rack Studs make it easier to
Innovators Awards
mount gear because they go in from
the front and allow technicians a Gold! Leviton OM4+ fiber
place to support equipment while allows eBay to install 500-meter
spinning the lock nut. They eliminate the need to extended reach 40G networks
balance equipment in one hand while working at the rack. in its data centers.
And they are easily removed and reusable. RackStuds are
Silver! Leviton intelligent
a true example of innovation being born from frustration;
solution allows CSU Monterey
their inventor had his share of difficult, one-handed equip-
Bay to remotely monitor network
ment mounting, wishing someone would invent an eas-
while providing bandwidth
ier way before he finally did so. You can apply the old ad-
needed for future growth.
age that, Its not rocket science, but Mark Miller at NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center recently commented, I just
picked up the package and did some installs. These fit per-
fectly and Im looking forward to ditching the cage nuts. For more information, visit leviton.com/CIMawards

Design
Stony Brook University:

Innovation in network cabling
and computer science
Universitys computer science building capitalized on specialized labs such as digital media,
light dome, sound booth, virtual reality
a shielded cabling system and its ability to support and wireless sensor labs.
multiple applications through cable sharing. Designed to achieve a LEED Silver
certification, the highly efficient build-
BY BETSY CONROY, Siemon ing aims to accelerate Stony Brook
Universitys growth in collaborative re-
search in bioinformatics, smart energy,
cyber engineering, physical sciences and
Situated on a more-than-1,000-acre The facilitys 27,000 square feet of re- the biomedicine field.
campus on Long Islands North Shore, search lab space includes 18 gener-
Stony Brook Universitys Department of al-purpose computer science research Innovative cable sharing approach
Computer Science is consistently ranked labs, two teaching labs and an array of When it came time to design the net-
among the top research computer sci- work cabling infrastructure for the new
ence departments in the nation. With building, the universitys computer sci-
internationally renowned faculty who ence department wanted to deliver giga-
have made significant contributions in bit speeds with the eventual ability to
the areas of visual computing, computer support 10 Gigabit Ethernet to the desk-
systems, networking, cybersecurity, al- top for areas dealing with massive data
gorithms and intelligent computing, the Cabling This article detailing sets. At the same time, the infrastruc-
Universitys Department of Computer Innovators the network cabling ture needed to support a wide range of
Science offers bachelor, masters and Honoree design and installa- lower-speed networking equipment and
doctoral degrees in Computer Science tion at Stony Brook University was hon-
peripherals such as printers, phones
and Information Systems Engineering. and video displays. From the very early
ored with a 2015 Cabling Innovators
Complementing existing technology stages of the project, it was decided that
Award. The awards programs judges
and research space at the Universitys the fully shielded TERA Category 7A
determined that the innovations
Center of Excellence in Wireless and (Class FA) Cabling System from Siemon
described in this article resulted in
Information Technology (CEWIT), con- with a bandwidth of 1.2 GHz per pair
struction was recently completed on marked improvements over other meth- and cable sharing capabilities would be
the new home for computer science ods, approaches, or system use. the ideal solution to support the needs
at Stony Brook. The new three-floor, Congratulations to Siemon and to Stony throughout the facility.
70,000-square-foot facility features a Brook University on this honor. Look for Category 7A is the highest grade of
4,000-square-foot atrium lobby and in- more Cabling Innovators Awards honor- twisted-pair copper cabling currently
cludes faculty and post doc offices, com- ees in future issues of Cabling supported by a published performance
puting practice and work spaces, and Installation & Maintenance. standard. Its a popular choice in Europe,
collaborative learning environments. where the head of our department

travels a lot, and we were familiar with category cabling. Its Category 7A circuit backward-compatible and interopera-
the technology as it had previously been is activated by the insertion of a special ble with Category 6A and lower category
deployed in another computer science non-RJ-style plug that engages with con- cabling via hybrid TERA-to-RJ patch
building on campus, says Ken Gladky, tacts located in the four outside corners cords. Unlike the RJ-style Category 7A
director of computer operations for of the jack. interface, the design of the TERA con-
Stony Brook University. Invented by Siemon and subse- nector offers a standardized interface
Ratified in 2010 by Designed quently chosen as an ISO/IEC that provides innovative cable sharing
the International to achieve LEED 11801 interface, the non- capabilities.
Organization for Silver certification, the three- RJ-style Siemon TERA We looked at both styles of Category
Standardization floor, 70,000-square-foot home connector features an 7A connectors, but had some concerns
(ISO) under for computer science at Stony Brook isolated quadrant with the RJ-style connectors in that
Amendment University includes 27,000 square feet design. It fits into a there is a mechanical component to the
2 of ISO/IEC of research lab space. The new building standard RJ-45 sized jack that seemed like a possible point
11801, 2nd edi- complements existing technology and modular jack open- of failure, says Gladky. Furthermore,
tion, category 7A research space at the universitys ing and is we wanted to do cable sharing. We be-
(class FA) includes Center of Excellence in Wire- lieved the TERA connector to there-
two connector op- less and Information fore be more stable and ultimately
tionsan RJ-style Technology. more flexible.
connector as defined by Cable sharing is the practice of run-
IEC 60603-7-7 and a non- ning more than one application over dif-
RJ-style connector ferent pairs of a Category 7A cable us-
as defined by IEC ing the TERA connector. The ability to
61073-3-104. The RJ- run up to four applica-
style connector features tions over a
internally switched Category single cable
6A and 7A circuits. Its Category
6A circuit is backward-compatible
in that it accepts the 8-position, 8-con-
tact (8p8c) RJ-style modular plug in-
terface used in Category 6A and lower

Stony Brook University: Innovation in network cabling and computer science continued
Shown here is the to be converged onto a single cable, de-

atrium of Stony Brook creasing the amount of cabling and
Universitys computer required pathway space associated
science building. with multiple runs that use lower-per-
All connections forming cabling.
throughout the
building, including Scalable, flexible value-add
computer labs, are With the cable sharing capabilities of
home run via copper the TERA system, a single outlet can
cabling to one main support multiple 1- and 2-pair low-speed
equipment room applications or one 4-pair high-speed
centrally located on the data application like 1000-Mbit/sec
second floor. Instead (1000Base-T) or 10-Gbit/sec (10GBase-T)
of having multiple Ethernet while simultaneously support-
closets, we wanted ing Power over Ethernet (PoE). This al-
everything in one lows outlets at Stony Brook Universitys
central location where new Computer Science Building to sup-
it is easier to make port applications in a less wasteful and
reconfigurations to more eco-friendly mannerthe unused
the infrastructure and pairs that would be present if a 4-pair
manage the operation, channel was dedicated to an application
noted Ken Gladky, transmitting over just one or two pairs
director of computer are eliminated. It also allows for out-
operations for Stony lets running low-speed 1- or 2-pair ap-
Brook University. plications to easily be converted to high-
speed data applications with the simple
is uniquely enabled by both the cable applications to coexist in one cable, the change of a patch cord.
and connector construction. While the fully shielded TERA cabling and iso- How we use each connection is re-
amount of crosstalk in unshielded twist- lated quadrant design of the connec- ally based on the application. We do not
ed-pair (UTP) cabling systems can ad- tor guarantees sufficient noise isolation use cable sharing at every location be-
versely impact the ability for multiple between pairs. cause some use the full connection for
In a cable sharing scenario, all four higher-speed applications, but at others
shielded pairs are terminated to a single we can support a variety of lower-speed
outlet. However, in addition to accept-
ing a four-pair cord for Gigabit and 10
Gigabit Ethernet applications, the TERA
outlet can also accept four 1-pair cords,
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 two 2-pair cords, or a combination of
Outlet positions 1 2 7 8
the twowithout the need for splitters
6 3 4 5 or adapters. These cords are terminated Outlet positions
on one end with either a 1-, 2-, or 4-pair
plug that fits into one, two, or all four 6 3 4 5
quadrants of the TERA connector. The

other end of the modular cord is termi-
RJ-style (IEC 60603-7-7) interface nated to an appropriately wired inter-
outlet contact positions. Category 6A face connector, such as an RJ-11 plug for
and lower uses dashed-line positions. voice or an RJ-45 plug for Ethernet. This Non-RJ-style (IEC 61073-3-104) TERA
Category 7/7A uses solid-line positions. flexibility allows various applications interface contact positions.

Fast. Accurate. Reliable.
applications and peripherals, says Gladky. While we would
have deployed the same number of connections if we had gone
with Category 6A, with the TERA system, we dont expect to
have to run any more cables for future use. This will save us in
DataScout 10G
the long run and prevent any disruptive recabling.
According to Gladky, having the budget and goal of future-
GO BEYOND
proofing from day one made the TERA Category 7A cabling
system the only choice. We looked at Category 6A as an op-
TEST AND
tion, but once we realized we could afford to deploy Category
7A , we knew it was the right choice. The benefits we see down
MEASUREMENT.
the road and having expandability in place for the next 10 to
15 years gives me the confidence that we will see our return
on investment within five years.
INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND SIMPLIFY
PROVISIONING & ASSURANCE. Meeting the need for distance

The DataScout 10G integrates a rugged Android The cabling infrastructure design for the new Computer
based tablet and multiple test interfaces into a single Science Building at Stony Brook University is far from the
simple to use, fast to learn network analyzer. norm in that all connections throughout the building, includ-
The DataScout 10G is capable of testing everything ing computer labs, are home run via the copper cabling to one
from 10Gb Ethernet, DS3/DS1/DS0/Datacom, TIMS main equipment room centrally located on the second floor.
and network timing. Its all-in-one rugged design is The use of the TERA cabling system with its higher perfor-
ready to test 3X faster* and eliminates carrying or mance was the key factor in ensuring that the cabling could
losing bulky modules. Made for service provider, support the distances.
utility, mobility and enterprise network
While some channels are close to the maximum, all of
testing, the DataScout 10G meets the
our cabling distances are within 100 meters, says Gladky.
demands of your next job.
Instead of having multiple closets, we wanted everything
in one central location where it is easier to make reconfig-
*As compared to competitive network
analyzer models. Subject to change. urations to the infrastructure and manage the operation.
Deploying the higher-performing TERA system gave us the
1.800.642.2155 confidence to use this approach and be able to maintain head-
www.greenlee.com room and maximum data rates to the full 100 meters.
The fully shielded TERA system is also ideal for the uni-
versity to support 30W and higher remote powering applica-
tions to the maximum distance. Its well understood that ap-
plications like Power over HDBase-T (POH), upcoming 60W
and 100W 4-pair PoE and the Type 2 PoE needed to support
the latest generation of 802.11ac WiFi wireless access points
can cause 10 deg. C (18 deg. F) and sometimes even higher
temperature rise within cable bundles. This increase in oper-
ating temperature results in increased cabling insertion loss,
which has the potential to cause bit errors that result in net-
work retransmissions. Accordingly, industry standards specify
a de-rating factor that reduces overall channel length at tem-
peratures above 20 deg. C (68 deg. F) to compensate for addi-
tional insertion loss. Due to its heat dissipation properties, the
fully shielded TERA Category 7A system is the only balanced
twisted-pair copper system that does not require any length
de-rating to support remote powering currents up to 600 mA
2015 Greenlee Textron Inc. is a subsidiary of Textron Inc.
over a full 100-meter channel in envi- listed Category 7A cabling as part of their 7A system with larger cable diameters.
ronments up to 70 deg. C (150 deg. F). offering, says Gladky. This limited our To help bring ICAS technicians up to
We are deploying 802.11ac wireless selection and was at first a concern, but speed, Siemon technical experts con-
and anticipate future applications with ICAS was up to the task. ducted a seminar on proper termination
higher PoE such as video conferenc- While ICAS had plenty of experi- of the cable.
ing and lecture broadcasting systems. ence deploying shielded cabling systems, The new Computer Science
With everything home run to our one the Stony Brook University Computer Building is a state-of-the-art facil-
main equipment room, we needed the Science Building was their first experi- ity, and Category 7A is very fitting. But
Category 7A cabling to ensure that we ence installing a fully shielded Category its not your everyday network cable.
would be able to support higher power
with less loss to achieve the maximum
distance, says Gladky.
A collaborative team effort

The new Computer Science Building was
OUR BLADE GIVES
also unique in that unlike other build-
ings on the Stony Brook University cam-
YOU THE ULTIMATE
pus, the general contractor was not
responsible for the network cabling in-
frastructure. Instead the computer sci-
PROTECTION.
ence department managed the design
and installation themselves, work-
ing closely with Loring Consulting Innovatively designed.
Engineers (loringengineers.com) out of Extensively tested. Its what
New York City. makes Procyon Blade
We have our own specific ideas System enclosures the
about the cabling infrastructure, and new standard in ber
while the funding comes mostly from connectivity for multi-building
the state, we asked the general contrac- complexes such as hospitals,
tor to leave the cabling out of the proj- corporate centers, government
ect so we could handle that ourselves, facilities and universities.
says Gladky. We worked with the con-
sulting engineers to make sure that they Maintains superior connections for
planned the proper-size pathways to inter- and intra-building cable runs
support the Category 7A cabling. Splicing-centric installation architecture
One of the challenges was finding a improves signal integrity
quality state-contracted installer with Simple access for easy installations
the experience and expertise to install Versatile congurations for maximum density
the TERA Category 7A system. In the
end, the university chose to work with STRONG. INNOVATIVE. COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS
.
Interface Cable and Assembly Services
Corporation (ICAS; icascorp.com), a
highly reputable leader in the design, en-
gineering and implementation of infra- 800-622-7711
Canada: 800-443-5262
structure technology.
We were using state funds and occfiber.com
found that while there are plenty of in-
stallers on state contract, only a handful

While the fully shielded cable required patching, cable management and power
some extra planning, that is a nature distribution, VersaPOD frees critical
of this higher quality technology, says horizontal equipment mounting space
Matthew Bonfitto, founder and chief ex- and provides dedicated, high-capac-
ecutive officer of ICAS. If the Siemon ity and easily managed cabling areas.
TERA system were a car, it would be a The VersaPODs recessed corner post de-
Lamborghini. sign enables highly accessible, high-ca-
While a fully shielded channel in- pacity vertical and horizontal pathways
stallation typically takes longer than for cable routing and slack manage-
an RJ-45-based UTP system, Siemons ment between cabinets, eliminating ca-
ALLPREP termination tool made pre- ble routing constraints associated with
paring the fully shielded cable sim- self-contained standard cabinet designs.
ple and easy. The same tool is used to The sturdy nature of the TERA ca-
strip the outer jacket and simultane- bling combined with the ample space of
ously score all four shields around each the VersaPOD cabinet and the diligence
of the ICAS crews allowed for more than
1,500 cables that come into the main
equipment room to each be easily traced
from the entrance straight into the back
of the VersaPOD cabinets.
It was tight because we were install-
Shown here is the back of a VersaPOD ing a lot of cable, but I am very proud of
cabinet with TERA Category 7A how our technicians were able to dress
cabling fed in. Stony Brook University the cabling into the back of the cabi-
leveraged the vertical space between nets so neatly, says Juan Ruiz, lead tech-
bayed cabinets and at the end of nician for the project. With the an-
row for zero-U patching, cable gled TERA patch panels and the ample
management, and power distribution.
twisted pair. Once this is done, each

pair is inserted into its correspond-
ing color-coded quadrant for a press-
fit termination. This, combined with
the ability to deploy fewer outlets due
to cable sharing capabilities, signifi-
cantly reduces installation time of the
TERA system.
The TERA Category 7A fully shielded
cabling system installed within the A cabling work of art
computer science building includes To accommodate the larger bend radii
angled patch panels, as shown here. and cable diameters, and improve cable
Juan Ruiz, lead technician on the management, the university chose to de-
project, commented, It was tight ploy Siemon VersaPod cabinets for ca-
because we were installing a lot of bling in the main equipment room; the
cable, but I am very proud of how university procured the cabinets them- Each port of these TERA Category
our technicians were able to dress the selves through distribution. By lever- 7A patch panels contains the TERA
cabling into the back of the cabinets aging the vertical space between bayed interface (IEC 61073-3-104) quadrant-
so neatly. cabinets and at the end of row for zero-U style jacks.

space of the VersaPODs vertical cable for the cable, says Richie Sacco, senior put us on the leading edge of something
managers, the patch cables also flowed project manager with ICAS. We also ran we can brag about.
very nicely. into one situation where we had to come With Stony Brook University stu-
We really like the way the up with a different route to stay within dents working on massive data sets, vol-
VersaPOD cabinets can be bayed to- the 100-meter distance. Thankfully our ume virtualization, computer learning,
gether to make use of the zero-U space, technicians are skilled at determin- network security, algorithms and data-
which we are using for incoming fiber ing if a cable run is within the correct base optimization at the new Computer
connections, adds Gladky. The abil- distance before they terminate so that Science Building, it was critical to install
ity to open the doors in both direc- we dont run into problems later on. It a high-performing, reliable system like
tions gives us better accessibility, and
these cabinets give us the space we
need to properly manage and maintain
the bend radius of Category 7A cabling.
The extra space and channels that al-
low for running cables from the front to
the back of the cabinet were very help-
ful for terminating the cable. ICAS did
an amazing job with this installation,
and the VersaPOD cabinets look like a Modular cords
work of art. was also a little cumber- supporting cable Siemons Category 7A TERA
Siemon V600 cabinets were used to some in that there were nu- sharing can be System that offers com-
house servers and other equipment in merous other trades work- terminated with 1-, plete peace of mind and im-
the main equipment room and two ad- ing on the building. With 2- and 4-pair plugs proved productivity while
ditional equipment rooms that support our lead technician Juan that fit into 1, 2 or lowering cost.
specific laboratories in the building. For having a great personality, all 4 quadrants of Having the highest-per-
superior efficiency, the cabinets are de- and a company-wide atti- the IEC 61073-3-104 forming copper system in
signed using a cold-aisle containment tude of being client-based Category 7A TERA place is less expensive than
approach with in-row cooling. and there to do our job, we connector. running fiber to the desk,
The cold aisle containment system didnt have any problems which also would have lim-
is highly efficient in that we dont have working around the other trades. With ited our ability to support additional
to cool the entire roomjust the equip- so many other trades, the schedule for applications like PoE, says Gladky. It
ment itself, explains Gladky. We also completion of the project did however has also really helped the productivity
like that the individual cabinets used become a moving target, but the cabling of both students and staff. With the ca-
for specific functions can be locked plant was ready. ble sharing we have plenty of connec-
since multiple students are access- According to Bonfitto, the entire tions for the equipment we need to sup-
ing the labs. project implementation was extremely port, while the advanced performance of
well executed and ultimately a huge suc- the shielded system allows the student
A well-executed implementation cess. The cooperation between ICAS, to connect their equipment and get the
While the cabling plant installation was Siemon and the distributor made for a data rates they need without worrying
a success with all links passing certifi- very smooth project with no friction, about where the equipment is located.
cation testing, it wasnt without chal- and we now have some great relation- In computer science, we are pushing the
lenges. Having one central main equip- ships, he says. You can buy the most boundaries and this system gives us the
ment room for the entire building, larger expensive, highest-quality instrument, capability to do that. u
cable diameters and numerous other but if you cant play it, you wont make
Betsy Conroy is global marketing communica-
trades on site required some key strate- music. The ability of our crews to ef-
tions manager for Siemon (www.siemon.com).
gies and cooperation. fectively install the highest-perform- She has been involved in the cabling industry for
We had to work around a few con- ing TERA system was a key factor in the 15 years as a technical writer, editor and market-
duits that were not quite sized correctly success of this installation, and it has ing consultant.

Manufacturing
The journey to zero waste

A firsthand account of a cable manufacturers use millions of gallons of fresh water
and deposit millions of pounds of waste
investment in sustainability
to landfills over the course of a single
year. For manufacturing facilities han-
BY WILL BRYAN, Superior Essex dling hazardous substances, such as ca-
ble manufacturing plants that handle
plastics for their cable jacketing, the po-
tential to negatively impact the environ-
Superior Essex Inc. has long been in- According to the Environmental ment is even greater.
vested in sustainability. Before green Protection Agency, approximately 7.6 To those within the cable manu-
evolved from a color to a means of ex- billion tons of solid industrial waste, or facturing industry, or those who have
pressing environmental responsibility, waste that is produced during manu- been inside a cable manufacturing fa-
the company was already making moves facturing, is deposited into U.S. land- cility, these environmental risks and re-
to become more efficient with its nat- fills each year. Manufacturing is also source expenditures are not surpris-
ural and material resources, and to re- responsible for a large portion of domes- ing. Manufacturing of any type on a
duce waste in its manufacturing facili- tic energy and water usage, and it has a global scale is complex and requires
ties through recycling, reuse and waste significant carbon footprint. Even a sin- large amounts of power, water and other
diversion. These steps, though incre- gle cable manufacturing facility can natural and synthetic resources. While
mental at first, would eventually lead to this may never change, the way we use
tremendous breakthroughs in sustain- these materials and resources can, and
able manufacturing practices, and allow probably should.
Superior Essex to not only lead its indus-
try in sustainability, but to become an A decade of effort
example of responsible manufacturing In 2006 Superior Essex made environ-
across industries worldwide. Cabling We invited Superior mental sustainability a top priority and
Manufacturing is one of the larg- Innovators Essex to author this set an objective to achieve the highest
est sectors in the world economy. In Honoree article describing its levels of performance in its industry as
the U.S. alone, manufacturing contrib- efforts and achievements at sustainable
well as among manufacturers world-
utes more than $2 trillion to the econ- wide. Since that time the company has
cable manufacturing because the com-
omy and supports an estimated 17 mil- continuously improved its environmen-
pany was honored with a 2015 Cabling
lion jobs. Manufacturing is also a major tal record and has established many
Innovators Award. The awards pro-
user of energy and other environmental firsts for its industry. The Superior Essex
grams judges determined that the com-
resources, and is one of the leading con- Hoisington, KS facility has reduced its
tributors to CO2 emissions and waste panys sustainable-manufacturing initia- annual energy consumption by 1.2 mil-
to landfill. As sustainability steadily tives exemplify a groundbreaking lion kilowatt hours. By developing and
rises to the forefront of our culture and approach. We offer congratulations to implementing new ways to use and recy-
global consciousness, manufacturing Superior Essex on this honor. Look for cle water, the company saves an average
industries have also become the sub- more Cabling Innovators Awards honor- of 500 million gallons of fresh water an-
ject of increasing scrutiny from govern- ees in future issues of Cabling nually. In 2014 Superior Essex published
mental organizations and environmen- Installation & Maintenance. the first sets of Environmental Product
tal watchdogs. Declarations and Health Product

Did you hear that your
Declarations for its portfolio of premises copper and optical-fi-
current cable certier
ber cables, making Superior Essex the first cable manufacturer
to contribute toward LEED building certification.
is obsolete?
These are just a few of the environmental milestones Superior
Essex has reached in recent years. But perhaps the companys
most notable accomplishment has been its Zero Waste to Landfill
BEST
certification, which the company achieved this year. CHOICE
Zero Waste to Landfill certification is a means of recogniz-
Proposed 40GBASE-T
Your Current Tester
ing the achievements of a 100-percent landfill waste diversion
Class FA, Level V
WireXpert 4500
Proposed CAT8
A New Tester
rate. Landfill waste diversion, defined as the prevention and re-
10GBASE-T
duction of generated waste through source reduction, recycling,
CAT6A
CAT6
reuse, or composting, has been characterized as one of the best
ways manufacturing companies can demonstrate genuine envi-
250 400 500 600 1000 1600 2000 2500
ronmental responsibility. Certification as Zero Waste to Landfill
Frequency MHz
marks an improvement from the 98-percent landfill waste di-
version rate that Superior Essex achieved in 2013.
The journey to zero-waste status took nine years for Superior
Essex, and required several wholesale manufacturing changes
within the company. A true zero-waste facility accounts for the
potential waste created throughout its entire downstream pro-
cess, including that of third parties that are involved in the re-
cycling and reuse of waste materials. For Superior Essex, this
means it has ensured and continues to ensure that the compa-
nies it uses to recycle scrap metals, wood, plastics and other ma-
terials are also not sending their waste byproducts to a landfill.
One example is how the company handles the recycling of plas-
tic waste that is created in many different manufacturing op- Dual-control system enables operation from both local and
erations. A decade ago, most of this plastic waste was sent to remote units with full color graphics
a landfill. Today each variety of plastic waste is kept separate Intuitive 5" touchscreen user interface
from each other and is re-processed into new plastic pellets that Fast CAT6A autotest in 9 seconds
can be blended with virgin plastic for new cable production or 1GB internal storage, good for a weeks worth of test data
used for other non-cable product purposes.
A large selection of detachable adapters covers current and
In order to ensure its environmental claims were future testing needs
both accurate and true, Superior Essex chose to have
First tester to support MPO/MTP testing
GreenCircleCertified LLC, a prominent certifier of environ-
Approved by all major cable manufacturers worldwide
mental claims, verify and award its Zero Waste to Landfill
certification. Annie Bevan, a certification and operations
manager of GreenCircleCertified, states, Achieving Zero
Did You Know?
Waste to Landfill is no easy feat; very few companies can ac-
tually accomplish this to make this claim. The commitment to WireXpert is the rst Level V Major cable vendors use
sustainability that Superior Essex has demonstrated is unpar- cable tester WireXpert in their labs for
characterizing next-generation
alleled in its industry, and receiving third-party certification The majority of Class FA
cabling, including CAT8
installations worldwide are
allows them to communicate this story with confidence.
tested with WireXpert Field-updateable design protects
your investment dollars
Toward an efficient future WireXpert supports CAT8
draft and beyond to 2.5GHz
In 2015, Superior Essex is on track to prevent nearly 4 mil-
lion pounds of waste from going to landfills. This accomplish-
ment requires commitment at all levels of the organization,
www.cablinginstall.com For more information: www.softing.us wirexpert@softing.us

The journey to zero waste continued
but especially on the factory floor. When When waste materials are thrown into themselves, then for others through the
asked about their newly awarded certi- the proverbial corporate trashcan, it of- process of recycling and reuse.
fication, Tony Szot, plant manager of the ten costs more to manage and dispose While Zero Waste to Landfill does of-
Hoisington facility, had this to say: This of the waste than it would to implement fer cost-savings potential, it should not be
achievement is the result of many years a comprehensive reuse/recycle process. the only reason for pursuing a zero-waste
spent devising new ways to continuously Simply put, inefficiency and waste man- manufacturing facility. A manufactur-
reduce waste, and a testament to the agement are expensive. ers customers, community, and the pub-
dedication and hard work our Hoisington Zero Waste to Landfill certification lic at large all have a heightened aware-
plant employees exhibited in reducing offers manufacturers a path to reduce ness of the importance of environmental
our environmental footprint. Over the those costs. In order to achieve Zero sustainability. It is imperative for manu-
last few years, through these continued Waste to Landfill certification, manufacturers to take responsibility for their
efforts, we have kept tens of millions of facturers must learn to be more efficient environmental impacts and to make sub-
pounds of waste from reaching landfills. with their resources and their materi- stantial improvements, not just small in-
For many organizations the primary als, which in turn reduces waste genera- cremental gains in order to check a green
goal of Zero Waste to Landfill certification, as well as excessive overhead costs box. As Superior Essex president, Tim
tion is to reduce negative environmen- for utilities like water and power. With Waldner, stated years ago, Sustainability
tal impacts. But there are a number of the reduction in waste material, man- is more than just a company objective. Its
other goals coinciding with this larger ufacturers are no longer paying third an ethical responsibility to our communi-
achievement that can support busi- parties to manage that waste, either. In ties and to future generations. u
ness initiatives and reduce overall costs. some cases, manufacturers might also
For many businesses, waste can ac- find that the materials they once con- Will Bryan is vice president of marketing for
Superior Essex (www.superioressex.com).
count for a portion of bottom-line losses. sidered waste do have value, if not for
SKEW+SNR+BERT 1 GIGABIT ETHERNET

))
*)* **
TRUE GIGABIT )*()* * *(!"#*!$
) *% )*
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Data Center
Category 8 questions answered

Standards experts provide insight into the forthcoming could use either unshielded twisted-pair
(UTP) or shielded cable construction,
specifications details, likely applications, and
Category 8 will require shielded ca-
relationship to the work of other standards bodies. bling. The most likely cable construc-
tion for Category 8 will be 22-AWG S/
COMPILED BY PATRICK McLAUGHLIN FTP cabling.
Category 8 is also unique in that the
ISO standard will recognize two dif-
ferent classes of product. (This topic is
As the Telecommunications at which the signal is transmitted covered in greater detail later in this
Industry Association (TIA) TR-42.7 over the cable. article.) Class I is based on the tradi-
Subcommittee works diligently to- Category 7/7A offers a 100-meter tional RJ45 connector, while Class II
ward finalizing the specifications for 4-connector channel using shielded ca- will accept non-RJ45 connectors simi-
Category 8 twisted-pair cabling systems, bling, and has been designed to trans- lar to Category 7/7A. While both solu-
we asked several members of the sub- mit signals at a frequency of 1000 MHz. tions will offer backward compatibility
committee to answer some questions Even though Category 7/7A operates at in terms of transmitting the lower cat-
about Category 8. the higher frequency, there is no corre- egory data rates (1G or 10G), the Class
sponding improvement in data rate over I solution offers a migration path using
Q: Can you provide a summary of how Category 6A because 10GBase-T is still the RJ45 connector platform. For exam-
a Category 8 cabling systems capabili- the fastest twisted-pair-based data rate ple, a customer might install a Category
ties compare to those of previous-gener- recognized by IEEE 802.3. Therefore, 8 jack-to-jack link now, but continue to
ation twisted-pair cabling systems, such even if a Category 7/7A cabling system is use Category 6A patch cords until the
as Category 6, 6A, 7, 7A, etc.? Please ad- installed, any available active equipment active equipment is upgraded. While the
dress bandwidth, channel configuration, and would be limited to 10-Gbit/sec perfor- ISO standard includes both classes, the
channel distance, as well as other performance. Category 7/7A is not a recognized TIA Category 8 standard will only recog-
mance characteristics you deem appropriate. category by TIA. nize a Class I solution.
Please describe how, if at all, the TIA is ap- Category 8 is a significant departure
proaching backward compatibility between from previous systems in that it uses a Q: Given Category 8s capabilities, where
Category 8 and previous-generation twist- frequency of 2000 MHz, and is limited to and how is it most likely to be deployed (e.g.
ed-pair systems. a 30-meter 2-connector channel. Unlike in a data center vs. a corporate LAN, top-of-
Answer provided by Mark Dearing, Category 5e through Category 6A, which rack vs. end-of-row architectures)?
senior product manager with
Leviton Network Solutions: Attribute Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 7/7A Category 8
Frequency 100 MHz 250 MHz 500 MHz 1000 MHz 2000 MHz
Since Category 5e was intro-
25GBase-T
duced in 1999, one of the con- Maximum Data Rate 1000Base-T 1000Base-T 10GBase-T 10GBase-T
40GBase-T
stants in structured cabling Distance 100 meters 100 meters 100 meters 100 meters 30 meters
has been the 100-meter, 4-con- Number of Connectors
4 4 4 4 2
nector channel. As data rates in Channel
have increased, one of the pri- Cable Construction UTP or Shielded UTP or Shielded UTP or Shielded Shielded Shielded
mary differences between cat- Class I: RJ45
Connector Type RJ45 RJ45 RJ45 Non-RJ45
egory systems is the frequency Class II: Non-RJ45

Category 8 questions answered continued
Answer provided by Masood Shariff, Q: Can you explain the relationship be- cabling systems are well harmonized
engineering senior principal with tween the TIA and ISO/IEC groups work- between TIA and ISO/IEC, there are a
CommScope: Category 8 cabling is de- ing to define Category 8 cabling specifica- few differences that stand outmost
signed to support emerging IEEE tions? Specifically, how are the two groups notably the naming convention for
25GBase-T and 40GBase-T needed as efforts similar and how do they differ from these cabling systems. In ISO/IEC stan-
server-to-access-switch interconnect each other? Observers of the standards-cre- dards, structured cabling components
applications. This need has been iden- ation processes see terms like Class II, (e.g. cables, connecting hardware, and
tified and available, or under develop- Category 8.1, and Category 8.2. The patch cords) are characterized by a per-
ment, over optical fiber links for longer meanings of these terms are not necessarily formance category and are mated to
reach (up to 500 meters), or twinax links self-evident. form a permanent link or channel that
for short reach (up to 7 meters). Answer provided by Valerie Maguire, is described by a performance class.
The opportunity for balanced twist- director of standards and technology In TIA standards, components and ca-
ed-pair as a cost-effective viable me- with Siemon: The Telecommunications bling are both characterized by a per-
dia option for the intermediate distance Industry Association (TIA) TR-42 formance category. ISO/IEC and TIA
needs between 5 and 30 meters, suffi- Telecommunications Cabling Systems equivalent grades of cabling, arranged
cient to serve 20 cabinets or racks in a Engineering Committee and the joint in order of increasingly more stringent
data center, led to the initiation and de- technical committee of the International transmission performance, are shown
velopment of both the IEEE 802.3 ap- Organization for Standardization and in the table.
plication standards and the associated the International Electrotechnical Note that, although ISO/IEC Class I
TIA as well as ISO/IEC Category 8 ca- Commission (ISO/IEC JTC 1) share sim- and TIA Category 8 cabling systems are
bling standards. ilar missions
of developing, ISO (cabling) ISO (components) Corresponds to TIA (cabling and components)
Q: What communication or collabora- maintaining, Class D Category 5e Category 5e
tion is taking place between the TIA and and promot- Class E Category 6 Category 6
the IEEEparticularly the 802.3bq Task ing standards Class EA Category 6A Category 6A
Class I Category 8.1 Category 8
Forceto ensure the TIAs Category 8 spec- related to in-
Class FA Category 7A No equivalent
ifications are in concert with the IEEEs formation and
Class II Category 8.2 Class II*
40GBase-T and 25GBase-T specifications? communica-
*TIA has substantial component-related work that needs to be done related to the specifications of Class II
Answer provided by Masood Shariff: tions technol- channels and the naming convention for components is unknown at this time.
The IEEE 802.3bq Task Force is collab- ogy. However,

orating with TIA TR-42.7 and ISO/IEC/ while TIA standards represent the con- specified to 2000 MHz, they will not be
JTC 1/SC 25/WG3 to ensure consistency sensus positions of their North American electrical supersets (i.e. exhibit superior
and compatibility of the cabling specifi- corporate constituents, ISO/IEC JTC1 performance) of ISO/IEC Class FA ca-
cations within the link segment spec- standards represent the consensus posi- bling up to 1000 MHz.
ifications in IEEE 802.3bq applications. tions of their member countries. As a re- Both the ISO/IEC JTC1 and TIA TR-
Liaison letters to clarify requirements or sult, voting within these organizations is 42 are developing requirements for the
provide additional information are gener- also different, with TIA recognizing one balanced twisted-pair media that will
ated at most meetings and latest drafts of vote per member company and ISO/IEC support the 25GBase-T and 40GBase-T
the TIA and ISO Category 8 specifications recognizing one vote per member coun- applications that are currently under
are sent to the IEEE 802.3bq commit- try (i.e. North America only has one vote). development by IEEE 802.3. ISO/IEC
tee, where they are posted in a private, A voting practice that accommodates re- is developing requirements for Class
password-protected area for members gional preferences is the key reason why I cabling constructed from Category
to review and comment. The relation- there are additional shielded options, 8.1 components, and Class II cabling
ship between IEEE 802.3bq and its com- such as Category 7A/Class FA speci- constructed from Category 8.2 com-
panion cabling standards organizations fied in ISO/IEC standards compared to ponents. TIA is developing require-
has been very positive and constructive, TIA standards. ments for Category 8 cabling con-
with several common members attend- While specifications for same-band- structed from Category 8 components
ing the meetings. width balanced twisted-pair copper and is also undertaking an initiative

Category 8 questions answered continued
to develop Class II cabling require- a 5-meter patch cord, or any combina- that bandwidth. Externally, they will be
ments that will harmonize with ISO/ tion that adds up to 6 meters or less. about the same form and fit as prior cat-
IEC. Class I and Category 8 cabling For top-of-rack topologies, the 3-me- egory jacks. This makes sense, as they
specifications support modular RJ45- ter reach should be more than sufficient need to work with the same patch pan-
style connectors. The performance as- to cover any direct switch-to-server els, switches, and other equipment with
sociated with Class II cabling can links, especially if the data center had which users are familiar today.
only be realized when Category 8.2 been using technologies like SFP+ that Category 8 will be field-terminable.
cables are used in conjunction with have a reach limit of about 5 meters. Now given that Category 8 is shielded,
non-RJ45 interfaces such as the Siemon field-terminable, and with a very high
TERA connector. Draft ISO/IEC Class Q: How similar can we expect Category 8 bandwidth, expect there to be at least
I and II, and TIA Category 8 cabling products to be compared to jacks and plugs some improvements made to how
specifications, are mature and cur- existing in the market today? Will products jacks are terminated in the field to
rently circulating for industry com- be field-terminable? And with Category 8 both meet this new bandwidth and to
ment and review. being a shielded technology, are there any ensure a good bond with the shield.
Note that Class I, Class II, and anticipated concerns for installers? For many contractors, the biggest
Category 8 cabling is characterized to Answer provided by Frank Straka: change will be going into a shielded
2 GHz and intended to support 30-me- Category 8 products are anticipated to system and ensuring that the cable is
ter cabling channels that contain no be significant upgrades over existing properly grounded. If we connector
more than two connectors. These chan- Category 6A products due to the 4-times companies do our job right, ground-
nels and the emerging 25/40GBase-T ap- increase in bandwidth. However, these ing the Category 8 cables and connec-
plications that they support are specifi- upgrades will primarily occur internally tors will be a seamless process for the
cally targeted for deployment at the data to the jack and plug in order to meet installer. u
center edge, where server-to-switch
connections are made. Data center de- THE TINIEST PATIENTS IN A CHILDRENS
signers who can arrange their rack and HOSPITAL DEPEND ON CONSTANT
cabinet layouts to support maximum
COMMUNICATION. THE HOSPITALS
30-meter channel connections at these
COMMUNICATIONS DEPEND ON SNAKE TRAY!
locations today will be well-positioned
to migrate to 25/40GBase-T when the
technology becomes available.
Q: What steps can a customer take today

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to design their facilities in such a way that the full story!
they are future-ready to install Category 8
when product becomes available?
Answer provided by Frank Straka,
product development manager with
Snake Canyon
Panduit: Category 8 is a 30-meter chan-
nel, comprising a 24-meter permanent
link and up to 6 meters of patch cable.
Therefore, when planning data centers
with end-of-row or middle-of-row topol- Mega Snake
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OR MAXSPACE CONSULTATION
PERSPECTIVE
BRUCE
ROBERTSON is
founder of Kingfisher
International (www.
kingfisherfiber.com).
How far can a VFL valuable to make the effort and

risk worthwhile.
go for singlemode Laser safety is determined by the max-

imum possible VFL emission, with no
fiber testing? coupled fiber. With pen-style VFLs, this

is a specific safety issue because of the
very short fiber stubor lack of a fiber
stub at allin these units. The uncou-
Will opting for an unsafe rather pled emission is often about 6 dB higher
than the fiber-coupled emission quoted
than a safe VFL offer performance on the specification.
Because of this issue with uncou-
gains that are worth the risk? pled VFL eye safety, a well-designed in-
strument-style VFL can go about 6 dB
(or 1 km) farther than a pen-style VFL
BY BRUCE ROBERTSON, Kingfisher International
that lacks a fiber stub, for the same eye-
safety rating.
There is much lively debate about what from possible eye damage, which could
useful distance range to expect when be to a child if that child picks up an un-
using a visual fault locator (VFL) for safe VFL that was accidentally left be-
testing singlemode fiber installations. In hind on a work site. With broader fiber
this article I will provide my perspective deployment, it is no longer safe to as-
and with it, a methodical analysis. sume that a VFL will always be used in a
These days 650-nm high-power VFLs restricted work environment.
are inexpensive and readily available, Multiple power levels/limits
so legislation related to laser eye safety are available.
is the primary limit on power levels. We The Class 1 limit (+3 dBm/2 mW) is
assume the widely accepted IEC 60825- intrinsically safe in all circumstances
2:2011 Safety of Laser Products Part 2: and is the only class that never re-
Safety of Optical Fibre Communications quires special site precautions or
Systems (OFCS). user training.
Using different safety standards The Class 2M limit (+10 dBm/10 mW)
does not yield very different VFL per- is the highest legally allowed, re- Shown here is a total emission safety test
formance results, as we will find out. quires special site signage as well on a VFL pen using a power meter with
a large-diameter optical detector. This
However, failing to comply with local oc- as special operator safety training,
VFL has a fiber stub; its total emission
cupational health and safety standards and achieves about 1 kilometer more is -1.5 dBm, but it couples approximately
exposes organizations to malpractice useful range than Class 1. That ex- 3 dB less into a fiber. This is a Class
and bad corporate imagequite apart tra kilometer would have to be very 1 unit; the Class 1 limit is +3 dBm.

In the world of VFL use, its the be about 650 nm. The highest-powered blinking light, so all our tests used a
worksite operator, not the VFL manufac- 635-nm VFLs now available are only about flashing VFL.
turer, who is responsible for laser safety. -2 dBm. Therefore, what follows discusses Bending a fiber to check continu-
Again, anything other than a Class 1 VFL 650 nm only. ity. The worst fluoro lit bend sensitiv-
requires particular site signage and staff Eye sensitivityThis seemed quite ity was on 3-mm yellow patch lead, at
training. At Kingfisher International, our consistent among a number of people. -16 dBm. The best sensitivity was on
research shows a very modest perfor- The most significant variations relate 900- (uncolored) fiber, at -20 dBm with
mance improvement in exchange for all to ambient light, plastic pigments in ca- cupped hands. Shifting between 3-mm
this effort. It is our position that a VFL bles, what people are trying to do, and yellow patch lead and 900- fiber only
that meets Class 1 specifications without exactly how they do it. caused a 4-dB (<1 km range) variation
a coupled fiber is the clear default option. In strong ambient sunlight, light of- in our bend-sensitivity tests. However,
ten cannot be seen leaking through the some other patch-lead pigments can ac-
How to determine VFL performance side of the fiber bend at all, so using a tually absorb all the red light. Shifting
The performance, or range, of a VFL is VFL for fault-finding in daylight may not from fluoro to cupped hands ambient
determined by the VFL coupled output produce a useful result. We conducted light caused about 4 to 7 dB of variation.
power (as described in the previous dis- our tests in a typical office environment Certainly there is some operator error
cussion about eye safety), the fiber at- with fluorescent lighting. We either used here, and thats only to be expected be-
tenuation, eye sensitivity, and other fac- just this fluorescent lighting, or cupped cause an exact bend radius is rarely re-
tors. Well look at each of these. our hands over the fiber to provide rea- peated. We bent pretty hard!
Fiber attenuationThis is always go- sonable shade. Looking at connector end. This is
ing to be an uncertain factor. The chart This procedure raises some interest- a practical way to check continuity. We
in this article, from fiber-optics.info, ing points. For example, trying to conduct used two methods: 1) naked eye, and 2)
shows a spread of values. Based on the fault finding on outside plant cabling a microscope with no visible wavelength
graph, the very likely values in the 650- would benefit from having a hut over the filter. Actually, this raises an important
nm window (which is just off the graph to expected problem area to provide shade. issue: A microscope with no visible filter
the left) would be 5 to 7 dB/km. Note that If trying to find a fault indoors, it is help- is highly dangerous for any VFL above
loss for typical fiber is not usually speci- ful to turn down the lighting. Class 2 (5 mW). So we would not recom-
fied for operation at this wavelength. The eye is better able to pick up a mend users to use such a scope, but we
Additionally, we at did this for the sake of completeness. For
Kingfisher measured a Optical loss safety, wed recommend that scopes be
3rd window 4th window
10-kilometer drum of fi- (dB/km) (the C-band) (the L-band) fitted with a red safety filter so that us-
ber made in the year 8 ers eyes are protected from any VFL.
1st
2000 and got a 6.3 dB/ window The difference between using the na-
7
km measurement. So we 2nd ked eye and using a microscope was ap-
6 window
will use 6 dB/km as our proximately 7 dB, which translates to
baseline. Previous tests 5 roughly 1 km of range. With the na-
Early
produced quite simi- 1980s ked eye, the sensitivity was 57 dBm.
4
lar results. Note this is Although we did not test it, it is easy
many times the loss at, 3
Late
to deduce that a blob of light from
for example, 1310 nm, 2
1980s a break will be theoretically visible at
so this light cannot about this level, minus 4 to 7 dB of plas-
1 Modern
go very far. tic absorption. However, this is an ex-
Fiber
One other important 0 tremely weak level, which would be
0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0
point: High-power VFLs Wavelength (m) too hard to see in practice if users are
are available only at 650 searching around a wiring closet, etc.
This chart, obtained from fiber-optics.info, shows four
nm, not 635 nm. Any dis- wavelength regions of optical fiber. The dashed, dotted, So we put a vague number of about -40
cussion of so-called long- and solid lines correspond to optical fiber manufactured at dBm on this one, because it may be hard
range VFL must usefully different times (early 1980s, late 1980s, and more recent). to shade the cable run.

Other factors Once you understand the implica- eye, fluoro light and shading with the
A number of other variables should be tions of 6-dB/km attenuation, a lot of of- hand, with an instrument-style unit
considered, such as: ten-confusing side issues can be safely going the extra distance.
The exact attenuation of fi- ignored. The resulting best-case perfor- Maximum performance of unsafe (and
ber under test mance is summarized here. Actual per- illegal) VFL
Ambient light condition formance may be a lot worse in many Add 1.7 km to the Class 2 range for
User actions cases, but its highly unlikely to be a 50 mW/19.9 dBm VFL (the highest
Test type much better. power we could find).
Cable pigments absorbing light Maximum performance of eye-safe
Class 1 (max +3 dBm) VFL Some VFL manufacturers claim 20-, 30-,
These are all essentially unknowns, and Up to 4-5 km for continuity testing and 50-km range. However, the farthest
all they are ever going to do is degrade using a sharp bend, fluoro light and a 50-mW VFL can go is approximately
performance. In practice this means shading with the hand, with an in- 13 km when looking at a connector tip.
that trying to use a VFL toward the strument-style unit going the ex- Our final conclusionand it is quite
limit of its theoretical range discussed tra distance. obvious to usis that there is really
here may be an unrewarding experience. Up to 6-7 km for break location in a not very much practical performance
Given that fault finding is usually not an patch lead or closure, fluoro lighting difference between a safe and unsafe
easy task, this is perhaps not altogether and shading of the cable run, with an VFL. Furthermore, for distances above
unexpected. It does, however, mean that instrument-style unit going the ex- a few km, youd do best to switch to
youd want some alternative fault find- tra distance. some other technology like a fiber iden-
ing tools available if needed, such as a Up to 9-10 km for continuity testing tifier, with a range close to 200 km
clip-on fiber identifier or an OTDR. looking at a connector tip with the at 1550 nm. u
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technology
Outside plant cabling

products and tools aim to
ease design, installation
New product introductions make the layout can be used in most environments in
place of flat drop optical cable, where
and installation of OSP cabling systems conduit or microduct is being used.
a less-burdensome endeavor.
Lightening labor
BY PATRICK McLAUGHLIN Clearfield says StrongFiber is the first
900-micron OSP drop cable, explaining
the user may specify standard connec-
tors or FieldShield Pushable Connectors
In recent months a number of prod- that enable FieldShield StrongFiber to
uct introductions have been aimed at be easily pulled through FieldShield
the design and installation of out- Ruggedized Microduct. Teamed
side plant (OSP) cabling systems, with spooling technology in-
intending to make those pro- corporated into Clearfields
cesses less time-consuming and SmartRoute Deploy Reel,
more efficient. StrongFiber drop cables of up to
In February Clearfield 300 feet are shipped in a 4.5x1-
Inc. announced FieldShield inch reel with integrated bulk-
StrongFiberan OSP-rated head and premated adapter
ready-for-in-duct-placement that can be easily mounted into
900-micron optical fiber that the a small-form-factor fiber manage-
company said, delivers exceptional ment element of choicefrom cus-
pull strength in a small form factor. tomer wall boxes, demarcation points,
Teamed with other elements within the pedestals and cabinets in SFU/MDU
FieldShield product line, StrongFiber re- Teamed with spooling technology environments.
duces the cost of fiber deployment with incorporated into Clearfields The company adds that StrongFiber
reduced installation time, material SmartRoute Deploy Reel, StrongFiber can be used as an inside-plant (ISP) ca-
weight and slack-storage requirement. drop cables of up to 300 feet are ble as well and when deployed in the
Matt Brigham, product marketing shipped in a 4.5x1-inch reel with ISP, it reduces pre-engineering and
manager for Clearfield, added, To re- integrated bulkhead and premated on-site installation time for MDU
duce the cost of broadband deploy- adapter. [multiple-dwelling unit] and riser
ment, we need to reduce not only the deployments.
skill and time required for site installa- be deployed in any environment with- The high variability of MDU archi-
tion, but also the extent of the pre-engi- out concern for drop lengths chosen. tectures has made FTTp [fiber-to-the-
neering required. The size and strength Teamed with other elements of the premises] deployments within those
of StrongFiber allow for the product to FieldShield product line, StrongFiber structures a challenge, Clearfield

explains. Extensive engineering has that large sizes are available. Utility The Reel Caddy is also quick and simple
been required to ensure proper cable reels supported include the Corning line to use, requiring only one hand to set up.
lengths. With StrongFiber, pre-engi- of FlexNap cable drums, the company The unit is lightweight and folds flat for
neering is minimal because the 4.5-inch said. It can also handle a load capacity compact storage.
SmartRoute Deploy Reel, upon which of up to 1200 pounds. The units frame is
StrongFiber is shipped, can be mounted constructed of durable two-weld, rect- Conduit bending program
at the destination site and the desired angular steel members. It is designed to A software program that Greenlee in-
length simply pulled from the wheel to withstand the rigors of outdoor use and troduced in August increases produc-
the access point. The small form fac- is treated to resist weather corrosion. tivity, reduces scrap, decreases rework,
tor of the 900-micron fiber makes slack The unique and versatile design allows and lowers inventory for conduit bend-
storage minimal and easy to accommo- it to act as a reel transporter and a reel ing jobs, the company says. BendWorks
date. The exceptional pull strength of stand, GMP said. is available for Autodesk Revit and Revit
StrongFiber makes it craft-friendly and MEP. The company says the program
easy for the technician to handle with- helps designers optimize conduit runs
To reduce the cost of broadband
out fear of fiber damage. more efficiently [by combining] electri-
deployment, we need to reduce cal trade knowledge and Greenlee bend-
Easing the pull not only the skill and time ing parameters to ensure error-free and
In July, General Machine Products intro- export-ready conduit runs for prefabri-
duced reel-handling accessories for the required for site installation, cation or on-site bending.
aerial and underground placement of fi- but also the extent of the pre- BendWorks programming splits
ber-optic cable. These components conduit runs to produce the fewest cuts
The Pole Mount Spindle, the Reel Buck,
engineering required. and segments, reducing scrap, Greenlee
and the Reel Caddyare uniquely engi- said. The process continues as cou-
neered to make fiber-optic cable instal- It also explained that to trans- plings are added to the models, and seg-
lation safer and more productive, the port reels, users stand the reel up on ments are uniquely labeled for trace-
company said. All of the accessories fea- both flanges and slide the spindle bar ability on the jobsite. Error-checking is
ture durable steel construction for years through the reel. Then, attach both han- performed for each conduit segment,
of rugged use, and a bright powder-coat dles so that when they are lifted, the reel and export data may be transferred to
finish for safe visibility and corrosion becomes the wheel similar to a wheel- a programmable Greenlee bender, or in-
protection. barrow. The sturdy frame allows one structional files can be printed for oper-
The Pole Mount Spindle features person to easily maneuver reels around ators to have a step-by-step outline for
a tough ratchet binder that employs a a jobsite, GMP noted. Once the reel is non-programmable benders.
2-inch-wide web that provides a secure, in place, flip the handles over the reel so The company added that the soft-
yet temporary, attachment to the pole, that they serve as a sturdy base to sup- ware package offers an extensive toolset
the company explained. The unit is en- port the reel above both flat and un- for CAD designers, allowing selection of
gineered to accommodate the specific even ground. The raised base allows ca- various conduit types and sizes to create
requirements of FiOS/VATS cable reels. ble to be pulled off easily and securely in new runs or convert existing runs that
Two sizes are available. One can sup- one direction. automatically fit parameters specific to
port reels 9 inches wide and a 1.5-inch The Reel Caddy can be used to sup- several Greenlee benders.
spindle diameter. The other can support and dispense drop cable. GMP said In its announcement introducing
port reels up to 24.5 inches wide and a the product is lightweight and folds BendWorks, Greenlee estimated that
2.5-inch spindle. The small pole mount flat for compact storage. It is fabricated applying the conduit bending software
spindle weighs 11.3 pounds and the from durable, painted steel tubing that package will increase design productiv-
large pole mount spindle weighs 24.2 will provide years of dependable ser- ity by 15 percent, reduce scrap by 15 per-
pounds, GMP added. vice. The Reel Caddy supports reels up cent, decrease rework by 25 percent, and
The Reel Buck can support any util- to 30 inches in diameter and easily ac- lower inventory by 10 percent. u
ity reel up to 36 inches wide and up to commodates Multiport-type deploy-
50 inches in diameter, GMP said, noting ments using cardboard or plastic reels. Patrick McLaughlin is our chief editor.

PR
S
CU
OD
FO
UC
T
ADAPTERS
Stackable
OTDR bare fiber adapter kit adapters
Testing bare fiber just got easier and faster, according to Fiber Plus
Amphenols MPO and LC
International. The companys Divot Bare Fiber Adapter Deluxe Kit
Stackable Adapter Systems
allows you to quickly connect unterminated (bare) fiber to your OTDR.
are an innovative way to
Connect the patch cable included in the kit to your OTDR and insert
aggregate a high number
a cleaved bare fiber into
of MPO or LC Connections
the Divot Module, the
into a small footprint. The
company says. The
stackable adapters are
system uses cartridges
modular and allow network
filled with matching gel
and equipment designers
to allow for quick low-
loss connections. Each
cartridge typically yields
500 insertions. The kit
includes 6 cartridges,
which allows for a
minimum of 3000
insertions.
to improve fiber density for
Additional cartridges
applications that require
can be purchased separately as needed. The kit includes a patch
higher densities. The
cable with your choice of connector style (FC, ST, SC, FC/APC, SC/
stackable adapters have a
APC, LC or LC/APC) and fiber type (singelmode, multimode 62.5/125
track system for alignment
or multimode 50/125) and includes a magnetic desktop mount, vial
and a permanent locking
of clean-out wire, clean-out wire guide and a carry case. Additional
feature that prevents the
patch cables can be added in order to test different fiber types.
adapters from coming loose.
Fiber Plus International, fiberplus.com All Amphenol Fiber Optic
Products ensure the highest
quality, the company says;
the stackable adapter
system is for use with all IEC
Stackable LC adapters 61754-7 and EIA/TIA 604-5
SENKO LC stackable adapters are introduced to meet the challenges compliant industry standard
and mechanical requirements of highly dense system design while MPO or LC connectors. The
maintaining industry standard footprints. 45-degree angled ear end
You can use the LC stackable adapters to adapters enable directional
create a staggered array to assist with cable routing of the installed
fiber management in densely populated MPO or LC assemblies.
panels. Users can stack, vertically and Amphenol Fiber
horizontally, as many as are needed. Optics Products,
Senko, senko.com amphenol-fiberoptics.com

Fiber adapter panels
Black Boxs Fiber Adapter Panels and High-Density Fiber Adapter Panels
enable users to make fast, snap-in connections in fiber enclosures,
cabinets, and patch panels. The company explains, These made-in-
the-USA, TAA-compliant panels feature ceramic sleeves for better core
alignment and performance. Standard panels are for use in traditional (low-
density) applications. High-Density Panels are designed for connections
with blade servers and other equipment in congested racks and cabinets.
OM3 10-GbE panels are also available. The panels come with LC, ST, SC,
and MTP MPO-style connectors and can be used with either multimode or
singlemode cable. They include a lifetime guarantee.
Black Box, blackbox.com
Opt-X Fiber Adapter Plates Aqua LC fiber adapters

Leviton explains its Opt-X Fiber Adapter Plates fully Siemon aqua LC adapters deliver superior low-loss performance in
integrate fiber connectors with the adapter plate a wide variety of multimode fiber configurations, the company says,
to provide a solid, secure, and reliable network including high density data center connectivity and work area outlets.
connection for fiber patch cords Available in a range of modules and adapter plates for use with
and trunks. Made from a durable Siemon LightStack Ultra High Density Fiber Plug and Play System,
polycarbonate material with zirconia as well as in Quick-Pack Adapter Plates for use with Siemons
ceramic sleeves, they are eight times comprehensive family of wall-mount and rack-mount fiber enclosures,
stronger than metal adapter plates. these LC adapters feature high-quality ceramic alignment sleeves
Plus they are one-piece precision that deliver tighter tolerances and greater durability than traditional
molded to eliminate the rattling and phosphor bronze sleeves for optimum core-to-core alignment
loose feel typically associated with between mated pairs and improved
traditional metal plates. wear resistance.
Installed in Opt-X panels or enclo- Siemon Ruggedized Second
sures to connect backbone-to-back- Generation (G2) LC adapters now
bone or backbone-to-horizontal fiber come standard with ceramic align-
cabling, Opt-X Fiber Adapter Plates exceed optical ment sleeves, providing a robust,
performance standards for added peace of mind high-performance fiber connec-
and performance assurance, the company adds. tion with an IP66/IP67-rated seal
And, as with all of Leviton Core fiber and copper for protection in laboratories, hos-
systems, Opt-X Adapter Plates are made in the pitals, food processing and other
U.S. for faster turnaround, dependable inventory, harsh environments. The adapters aqua color helps distinguish
and high quality. OM3/OM4 laser-optimized 50/125m fiber.
Leviton, leviton.com Siemon, siemon.com

EDITORS PICKS
News, products and trends for the communications systems industry

WIFI AT OK
FAIRGROUNDS
ULTR A-HIGH-
DENSIT Y FIBER
ENCLOSURE
COMPILED BY
Matt Vincent
ci m @ pen n well . com
we know the Forum now uses approxi-

mately 60 percent less energy with six per-
cent fewer lighting fixtures. In Singapore,
we anticipate saving almost $100,000
USD during our first year of occupation.
This has enabled us to make great strides
toward our 2019 energy and sustainabil-
ity targets.
CommScope notes that the deployed
Redwood system operates through a high-
density sensor network providing real-time
reporting by fixture, group, floor and build-
ing. The LED lighting can be controlled
INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS using the online Redwood management
software or through a mobile device, offer-
Asias Standard Chartered opts ing occupants the option to digitally inter-
for CommScopes Redwood act with the building.

We see many organizations working
intelligent building platform very hard to find ways to increase their
operational efficiency, and its amazing to
The international bank Standard Chartered announced that see the reaction when we tell them that a
it chose CommScopes Redwood building intelligence plat- probable solution can be found right above
form within two new office buildings in Asia to achieve sig- their heads, says Ispran Kandasamy, vice
nificant energy savings, improve the workplace experience, president of Enterprise Sales, Asia-Pacific,
and capture advanced occupancy data. According to a press CommScope. By using the data set obtain-
release, after an exhaustive vendor search, project teams able from the Redwood sensor network,
at Standard Chartered locations at Changi Business Park II in organizations can streamline their light-
Singapore and The Forum in Hong Kong found the Redwood ing, HVAC and occupancy usage within the
building intelligence platform to be the best option to provide building ultimately seeing a significant
energy savings through efficient LED lighting. reduction in operational costs.
CommScope says the Redwood system provides sen- When collecting temperature, light
sory network data that enables the bank to better understand and motion data from the Redwood sen-
both its office space occupancy and energy usage. Part of sors, organizations can gain valuable
our brand promise focuses on the legacy we leave behind for insight into the occupancy of the build-
future generations and that is more than just wealth, avers ing as well as other building systems. For
Denis McGowan, global head, Workplace, CRES, Standard example, Standard Chartered uses the sen-
Chartered. Since the Redwood solution has been operational, sors to turn audio-visual systems on and

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priced them like metals and plastics, not as high tech gadgetries! So when the cable
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EDITORS PICKS
off in certain conference rooms at can accomplish significant savings to optimizing the sensors to better
the Forum. The bank is already using in our lighting energy consumption manage our HVAC, and using the
the sensor data at the Forum to mon- and gather the vital data needed to motion sensing technology as another
itor space utilization and is in the pro- make better decisions about optimiz- layer of building security.
cess of deploying Redwood desk-level ing our environmental footprint, con- Standard Chartered selected
sensors in Singapore as part of its cludes Standard Charters McGowan. CommScope-certified PartnerPRO
strategy to make better-informed real We have just started down the path Network provider Xin Networks
estate and workspace decisions. of seeing the outcome of our work to design, install and maintain the
With the Redwood solution, we with Redwood, and we look forward Redwood systems in both locations.
WIRELESS
Oklahoma State Fair Park upgrades

to Arubas 802.11ac WiFi
Aruba Networks, an HP company, mobility and couldnt keep up with
announced that the 435-acre State the needs of the organization, said
Fair Park (SFP) in Oklahoma City, an Aruba Networks representative.
Oklahoma, is using Arubas Gigabit For internal operations, SFP needed
wireless infrastructure to bring high- to allow employees to remain pro-
speed mobility to over two million visi- ductive as they move throughout
tors and vendors of the approximately the organizations 435 acres and 28
200 events it manages each year. structures. SFP also needed reliable
Best known for the Oklahoma State wireless connectivity to enable the
Fair, the SFP facility also acts as a ticket office to scan tickets at the
large public venue for tourism, hosting gates, allow food service operations
numerous events each week for a vari- to conduct point-of-sale (PoS) trans-
ety of vendors and their visitors. actions and connect guard shacks for
The SFP is a significant contribu- security operations. SFPs event ven- the companys 7200 Series Mobility
tor to Oklahoma Citys economy, gen- dors and visitors were also increas- Controllers, Mobility Access Switches,
erating more than $300 million in ingly demanding reliable, high-speed AirWave network management suite,
direct spending for the city. For the wireless connectivity, and the orga- and the ClearPass Policy Management
802.11ac WiFi upgrade, Oklahoma SFP nizations previous system required platform. The organization also imple-
is using a full suite of Aruba solutions, visitors to walk to the SFP offices to mented Arubas Meridian Mobile App
including the Aruba ClearPass Policy obtain an access code for the net- platform to create the Oklahoma State
Management platform, which provides work, which was both inefficient and Fair App, which gives visitors State
secure authentication and onboarding inconvenient for the guests. Fair Park information and enhanced
of mobile devices for SFPs employ- Working with partner RFIP, Inc. capabilities including navigation to
ees, vendors and guests, as well as of Oklahoma City, SFP evaluated a direct them to areas of interest such
the Meridian Mobile App Platform for number of solutions and ultimately as concessions.
SFPs new mobile app, launched in selected Aruba Networks for a com- With our new Aruba infrastructure,
September of 2014. plete network upgrade. For the proj- we now have reliable, high-speed cov-
SFPs previous infrastructure, ect, SFP deployed Arubas 220 erage across all of our buildings and
which combined multiple, dispa- Series indoor and 270 Series outdoor a large portion of our grounds and
rate systems, wasnt conducive to 802.11ac access points, as well as barn facilities, said Jason Eddy, VP of

EDITORS PICKS
Information Technology for SFP. Many A good example of where we 200,000 square feet of contiguous floor
of the issues we were having went could utilize push notifications is the space, as well as kitchen and catering
away, public usage of the network has Oklahoma City Home and Garden facilities, a lobby, box office and meet-
increased, and I rarely get any sup- Show, notes Scott Munz, VP of mar- ing rooms. According to Munz, the new
port calls now. keting and public relations for SFP. Its building will allow SFP to house a new
Eddy also noted that the AirWave managed by a national company that level of tradeshows and flat-floor shows.
suite is critical for SFPs one-person IT does home and garden shows across The building is already under construc-
department. While we still have assis- the country and has hundreds of ven- tion and SFP plans to expand their cur-
tance from our partner, RFIP, on the dors. It would be great if one of their rent Aruba network into the new space.
management front, I use AirWave for vendors could push notifications out Ultimately, we want to provide a
visibility into network usage to deter- to visitors as they enter the specific state-of-the-art experience at State
mine if theres a load on the system, building where the vendor is located, Fair Park, said Munz. To do that, we
where and how people are connect- offering 10 percent off all purchases if need to provide specific amenities and
ing and which devices are being used. they come in and buy within a specific meet certain expectations. The Aruba
I love the visual RF and being able to timeframe. Thats just one example infrastructure has definitely delivered
quickly log in and see all of the APs of where we can take the mobile app the foundation we need to accom-
and how many devices are connecting now that we have the Aruba infrastruc- plish this. By providing high quality
to them, and to detect any rogue APs. ture in place. WiFi, ensuring secure device onboard-
AirWave is really where I spend most In late Spring 2016, SFP also plans ing and offering better engagement
of my time. to open a new 290,000-square-foot through the mobile app, were well on
Aruba says the SFP has also found expo center which will include just over our way to achieving our goals.
its ClearPass technology to be a cru-
cial tool for securely onboarding and
authenticating devices on the network
and in particular, allowing guests to
connect without the inconvenience of
obtaining a login code from the SFP
offices. The organization currently
offers different levels of access, and
different plans for vendors and exhib-
itors who typically require access for
substantial periods and for the
public, who typically just need access
for a few hours.
Future plans include better mobile
engagement options for visitors. SFP
recognizes the potential of its mobile
app to provide visitors with valuable Hot & Cold Aisle
information, and is considering the
addition of the Aruba Beacons exten-
Containment from Simplex
Hot aisle/cold aisle containment systems from Simplex enable you to
sion to help deliver more location and improve the PUE of your data center. Lower energy costs and increase
contextual information. The SFPs capacity. From corner basements to prestigious showroom data
operators are also evaluating how the centers, Simplex has systems for your configuration and budget.
combination of Arubas ClearPass and Curtain Divider Systems | Ceiling Containment
Meridian Mobile App platforms can End-of-Aisle Doors | Expandable Filler Panels | Modular Wall Panels
allow for advertising and push notifi-
cations, specifically as value-add for
800-854-7951
www.simplexis.net
their vendors.

EDITORS PICKS
SHOWCASE
Thinking around
the corner.
<) 90
Cable entry
in 4x90 steps
DataVoice
MFP8-4x90 Cat.6A
Field assembly RJ45 plug with variable cable entry
For CCTV, security systems, 4K, industrial applications...
Assembly without special tooling
Locking of the cable entry in four 90 steps possible
Multiport compatible thanks to its compact design FIBER-OPTIC CONNEC TIVIT Y
Solid and stranded conductors AWG 2227
Cable diameters 5.510 mm
Fully metallic plug housing Leviton unveils Opt-X
www.telegaertner.com
Telegrtner Inc. Tel: (630) 616-7600 E-Mail: sales@telegaertner.com
UHDX fiber-optic
enclosure system
To meet the needs of data center and IT managers,
Leviton has released its new Opt-X UHDX fiber-optic
enclosure system.
The company contends that data centers, equip-
ment rooms and central offices increasingly require an
ultra-high-density interconnect or cross-connect solu-
tion that minimizes rack space in a frame or cabinet,
but maintains network manageability. [Such] operations
[may] require: ultra-high-density connectivity, with up to
144 fibers with LC connectors or 1,728 fibers with MTP
connectors, in a 1RU enclosure to maximize available
rack space; easy access to patch cord connections in
dense applications without interfering with surrounding
fibers; accessibility to rear cable pathways and trunks
for simple maintenance and reconfiguration; clear
port identification with ID labels that are easy to apply,
remove and update during moves, adds and changes;
and a user-friendly design that supports one-person
installation and operation.
Leviton says the Opt-X UHDX Enclosure meets all
of these requirements and is available in 1RU, 2RU
and 4RU sizes. Engineered with individual sliding trays,
hinged doors, clear front and back port identification,

one-handed operation of trays and ultra-high-density system lets you faster with the flexibility of a system
cassettes, and refined cable manage- optimize space while easing man- that can grow or scale to meet emerg-
ment capabilities, the UHDX enclo- agement of cable assemblies. ing business needs.
sure supports network manageabil- Leviton notes that the UHDX com- The HDX cassette used in the Opt-X
ity in ultra-high-density enterprise ponents enclosures, cassettes, UHDX Enclosure is the same cassette
and data center envi- used in the Opt-X HD Enclosure and
ronments, the com- HDF3168 Fiber Patching Frame, so IT
pany asserts. managers and administrators can
The UHDX is an work with the same form
extension of our pop- factor throughout their
ular Opt-X HD fiber- entire network, adds
optic system, using Levitons Yuen.
Leviton HDX cassettes to Whether its in the
provide the highest fiber den- main distribution area
sity for data center patching, with the HDF3168 patch-
says Tony Yuen, Levitons senior cords, cable management and trunk- ing into spine switches, or in the hor-
product manager, fiber systems. ing accessories are engineered to izontal distribution area or equip-
Yuen adds, Additionally, when com- work together for a consistent solution ment distribution area with Opt-X
bined with the Berk-Tek Micro Data in all areas of the network. The sys- UHDX enclosures patching into leaf
Center Plenum (MDP) fiber trunks, tems is designed to allow IT manag- or top-of-rack switches, the HDX cas-
which use the industrys small- ers to maximize rack space, minimize settes offer complete reliability and
est outside diameter cable, this cable pathways and deploy networks coverage. u
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
AFL............................................................ CV4
Corning Optical Communications LLC..... CV2
ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES
Crenlo LLC...................................................10
MAIN OFFICE INTERNATIONAL
Diamond Ground Products Inc................... 38 98 Spit Brook Road LL-1, AUSTRIA, EUROPE, GERMANY,
Nashua, NH 03062-5737 NORTHERN SWITZERLAND
Dymo Corp...................................................15 (603) 891-0123 Holger Gerisch
Greenlee Textron.........................................16 fax: (603) 891-9245 +49-(0)8801-9153791
Fax: +49-(0)8801-9153792
GROUP PUBLISHER
Hyperline Systems Canada Ltd. ....................9 Alan Bergstein
holgerg@pennwell.com
ICC Premise Wiring ...............................7, 35 (603)-891-9447 ISRAEL

alanb@pennwell.com Dan Aronovic
Ideal Industries Inc. ................................... 29 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/
+972 9 899 5813
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER aronovic@actcom.co.il
Leviton Mfg. ................................................ 11
Ed Murphy ASIA
Optical Cable Corp......................................17 (603) 891-9260 Adonis Mak
fax: (603) 891-9245 +852 2 838 6298; Fax: +852 2 838 2766
Senko Advanced Components Inc.................4 edm@pennwell.com adonism@actintl.com.hk
Siemon Company...........................................2 REPRINTS JAPAN
Ed Murphy Masaki Mori
Simplex isolation Systems ..........................37 (603) 891-9260 +81 3 3219 3561
fax: (603) 891-9245 mori-masaki@ics-inc.co.jp
Snake Tray...................................................25 edm@pennwell.com
TAIWAN
Softing Inc...................................................21 DIRECTOR, LIST RENTAL Ms. Rebecca Tsao
Kelli Berry +886 2 23965128 ext.203
T3 Innovation LLC ...................................... 22 (918) 831-9782 Fax: 886 2 23967816
Telegartner Karl Gartner GmbH ................ 38 kellib@pennwell.com rebecca@arco.com.tw
TVC Communications ................................. 26 SHOULD YOU NEED ASSISTANCE CREATING YOUR AD, PLEASE CONTACT MARKETING SOLUTIONS
VICE PRESIDENT Paul Andrews
The index of advertisers is published as a service, and the 240.595.2352; pandrews@pennwell.com
publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.

INFRASTRUCTURE
INSIGHTS
Tenants ability to much higher given the weakening euro dragged on revenue in EMEA,
Cruz noted, adding, However, if assessing the market in terms of
connect creating space added, which grew by 90,000 square meters in just one quarter,
it is quite clear that the MTDC market is a fast-paced one with strong
vertical-specific multi- potential for future growth.
tenant data centers On the topic of crossconnects, Cruz said, Retail colocation data
centers in particular find their ability to offer direct crossconnects
between customers to be a driver for not only new cus-
IHS recently found that crossconnects
tomers but also increased revenue per kilowatt
between customers, and with
from existing customers. It is a way for these
carriers, accounts for about 10
companies to differentiate and increase rev-
percent of all revenue among
enue from existing tenants without hav-
multi-tenant data centers.
ing to invest in more space or power.
Through IHSs Multi-
However, the appeal of a data center
Tenant Data Center
dense with customers ripe for cross-
Intelligence Service,
connects eventually leads to more
IHS analyst Liz Cruz
customers wanting to collocate at
recently reported
the same campus, therefore requir-
on the growing phe-
ing more investment.
nomenon of crosscon-
She also pointed out that this
nects between custom-
direct-connect ability among industry
ers within multi-tenant
peers has created vertical-specific data
data centers (MTDC), and
center environments. She noted that in Lon-
between tenants and carriers
don, Frankfurt, and New York, many financial
within those same data centers.
institutions group in certain data centers to more-ef-
This is where physical cables are used
ficiently make trades and link to exchanges. In
to make direct connections between differ-
Non-recurring California, some data centers are geared
ent customers and/or carriers within a data g
r r in toward digital-media companies that
center, Cruz explained. This reduces cu use crossconnects to deliver con-
re
latency and costs given that communi-

io n
9% tent to partners within the same

4.
ct
cation does not have to go through an

nne
7%
facility, she noted.

outside Internet Service Provider. IHS
Interco
h
wt
The ability to offer a deep
currently estimates that slightly less
g ro interconnection environment
u e
than 10 percent of all multi-tenant n
ve is a major barrier to entry
data center revenue comes from re
DC for new vendors because it
crossconnect fees. MT
-Y Other
requires a diverse network of
Overall, global multi-tenant data O
Y- recurring carriers and a large data cen-
center revenue grew 4.7 percent, as
ter with a robust tenant list, with
measured in U.S. dollars, in Q2 of 2015
which potential customers see value
compared to the same quarter last year.
in peering, Cruz observed. This kind of
Accounting for currency effects, growth is
business can take years to build. u

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Limited Time to Complete Your

With EDGE8 solutions, less really is more.

2015 Corning Optical Communications. LAN-1960-AEN / September 2015

ABOUT THE COVER

Group Publisher Alan Bergstein

FEATURES Senior Illustrator Dan Rodd

5 SPECIAL REPORT 20 MANUFACTURING FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES:

23 DATA CENTER Cabling Installation & Maintenance

and computer science 30 TECHNOLOGY Vice Chairman Frank T. Lauinger

DEPARTMENTS Christine A. Shaw

3 EDITORIAL 32 PRODUCT FOCUS

27 PERSPECTIVE 34 EDITORS PICKS

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Q: What steps can a customer take today

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