Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 05 | Page 54

INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Data Centres are part of the first phase of the high-speed migration platform and support current and future high-speed applications: • • • • • MPO connectivity options: 24-fibre connections that ensure lowest first cost duplex deployments with a single connection, 12-fibre to support the seamless expansion of legacy 12-fibre infrastructures and 8-fibre support QSFP technologies, providing for customers utilising this parallel optic configuration. Fibre optic panels: Ultra- and high- density panels that simplify management of duplex and parallel ports for dynamic migration and flexibility. Ultra-low loss (ULL) performance: Ultra-low loss pre-terminated components enable longer link spans with more connectivity options and guaranteed support for attenuation-sensitive applications. LazrSPEED® WideBand OM5: Part of the flagship CommScope SYSTIMAX® portfolio, most recently designated OM5 by the ISO/IEC. It enhances the ability of short-wavelength division multiplexing to provide at least four-fold increases in usable bandwidth while maintaining backward compatibility with legacy multimode fibre. imVision®: The automated infrastructure management system (AIM) that gives oversight and control to SYSTIMAX physical network connectivity solutions. Commenting on the solutions, Kanary says: “OM5 provides a significant advantage over legacy OM3 and OM4 fibres to support SWDM applications. OM5 is designed to support at least four low-cost wavelengths in the 850-950 nm range, enabling optimal support of emerging Shortwave Wavelength Division Multiplexing (SWDM) applications that reduce parallel fibre count by at least a 54 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com www.intelligentcio.com factor of four to allow continued use of just two fibres (rather than eight) for transmitting 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s and reduced fibre counts for higher speeds. OM5 is available globally from CommScope in field- terminated and pre-terminated versions for installations in multiple enterprise environments, from campuses to buildings to data centres.” “With our high-speed migration solutions, we’re able to help data centre managers accelerate the growth of their DC capacity and the speed of their digital transformation initiatives,” said John Schmidt, Vice President of Global Data Centre Solutions at CommScope. “We are quickly moving from 10Gb/s and 40Gb/s to 100Gb/s, 400Gb/s and beyond. The more data consumers and network users need, the more services they expect, the more critical speed becomes. This is a global phenomenon and one of the top challenges that data centre managers will face.” Delivering connectivity resources at scale has become a competitive differentiator, per Jennifer Cooke, Research Director in IDC’s Datacenter Trends and Strategies group. Digital transformation initiatives are built on making data-driven decisions and the ever-increasing need for speed will challenge network and data providers soon. “Preparing to meet this challenge requires not only investment, but a strategy and vision to transition when and where resources are needed,” said Cooke. “CommScope’s high-speed migration services meet a critical need in the market by providing a bridge between current and future demand and supporting a strategic vision for data centre and network transformation.”  High-speed migration for data centres in Africa CommScope’s platform is available in Africa and ready to overcome region-specific obstacles, as Ehab Kanary explains: “Though challenging, this platform will work in lower-connectivity areas across Africa. The roll-out of high- speed mobile connectivity in Africa is demonstrating yet again how emerging economies can leapfrog traditional developmental stages to accelerate their economic growth. With changes taking place in how technologies are used and valued across businesses, organisations across Africa are reviewing all aspects of their IT infrastructure, including on-premise, colocation and cloud solutions. “Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa have been highlighted as leaders in the development of regional data centres while colocation demand across the African continent is increasing two to three times faster than the supply, according to Data Centre Dynamics. CommScope knows when and if a customer is ready for high-speed migration, allowing them to focus on what they do best: run their business. Speed is – and always will be – critical, and CommScope offers the solutions and knowledge required to face any challenge. We understand that customers are in different stages when it comes to their data centre strategies and can provide insight to future data centre ecosystems and technology trends.”  INTELLIGENTCIO 55