LANmark-6 SOLUTIONS - What is a 4 connector channel and why is it important?

GIGAlite II Fibre SOLUTIONS

With 1000 MHz PCs already in pre - production , computing is pushing Local Area Net works to their limits in terms of speed and capacity. Today’s LANs are expected to support a host of new applications for data - hungry users:

Video confe rencing and broadcasting
E-mail, Internet and Intranet
Desktop multimedia
Dumb terminal expansion
Software enhancements and upgrades
CAD / CAM applications

Unfortunately, sluggishness, gridlock and collapse are an all too frequent occurrences for ageing LANs. This has led to declining performance, reduced productivity, and expensive downtimes which few companies and organizations can afford.

The source of the problem?

Your network was not designed to cope with today’s gigabit environment, let alone enter the multi-gigabit age.

If Local Area Networks (LANs) are going to meet the needs of tomorrow's user's, three vital questions need to be resolved by IT managers :

How far can I go with optical fibre?

Conventional wisdom has maintained for years that existing standard multimode optical fibre cables would continue to provide virtually unlimited bandwidth in LAN backbones to handle higher data speeds. However, recent tests have shown that traditional multimode backbones, using a new generation of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser(VCSEL) transmitters operating at 850 nm, simply cannot deliver the requisite bandwidth beyond 275 meters. This falls far short of the 2,000 meters demanded of Fast Ethernet. Nevertheless, there is still a strong argument in favour of multimode at 850 nm. It requires active devices up to three times cheaper than singlemode ones, and is much easier and fa ster to install .

What are my new connectivity requirements?

As network speeds increase, the number of users increases, too. This means more optical fibre and electronics in ever smaller spaces. Thus, connectors must be:

more compact than ST or SC connectors, yet look like popular and reassuring RJ 45 copper connectors
easy- to - in stall on site, even without pre - terminations
capable of low attenuation, meaning low loss for more connections and longer channels
inter - connective and non-proprietary, allowing users wider choice

Is it possible to protect my active port investment?

Although the future will see a migration to fibre-based hubs and switches, as well as lower cost optical network interface cards (NICs), copper ports are still prevalent on much Ethernet and Fast Ethernet base equipment. Although an all fibre, multi-gigabit solution may be inevitable, the existing investment in copper ports must be protected to assure a smooth and economical transition .

Multimode fibre technology helps to keep the overall cost of the network down, including active ports, but have distance limitations.

Single Mode fibre technology provides a long term future-proofing but with higher initial investment compared to Multimode.

Then the choice of a fibre type is a balance between the expected evolutivity of the network, the investment to be made, and the lengths of the channels.

Upgrade or extension of an existing network :

If the distance of the channel is less or equal to 600 m, we recommend to use GIGAlite II 62.5 solutions, which are fully compatible with existing fibre base and enable a partial migration towards Gigabit era.

If the distance of the channel is less or equal to 1000 m, we recommend to use GIGAlite II 50 solutions.

If the distance of the channel is greater than 1000 m, then GIGAlite II Single mode solutions are mandatory.

Design of a new network :

GIGAlite II 50 solutions may be considered when creating a new network, since they offer greater capability, provided that the length of the channel is less than 1000 m.

If the length is greater than 1000 m, then GIGAlite II Single Mode solutions are mandatory.

In a Gigabit wo rld where new technologies can make an entire n et work obsolete, choosing the right fibre infrastructure is critical. As an R&D leader, a global manufacturer and a pioneer in international standards, Nexans has a solution for you. Our patented Advanced Plasma and Vapour Deposition (APVD) fibre manufacturing process radically improves fibre performance.

Moreover, since ultra high-grade fibres are incorporated into GIGAlite™ II passive cabling for campuses, risers, horizontal or collapsed backbone applications, transition to the Gigabit era is smooth, easy and cost–effective.

Nexans cabling solutions have proven themselves worldwide. Nexans references include some of the world's leading corporations, universities, industrial sites, hospitals, government buildings and banks. A LAN system that can grow with the needs of its users has to be designed to do so from the outset, especially if it is to meet rapid equipment upgrades and reconfigurations. Many IT managers are still fully dedicated to existing outlets, servers and connections. As a complement to LANmark Class E solutions, Nexans GIGAlite Fibre Solutions provide them with the best strategy for their Gigabit future.