INTELLIGENT CABLING
The savings are the result of the fact environments with limited space for cable that network devices are less needed due routing and floor distributors . A passive to simpler network structures with large optical LAN can cover distances of up to 20 installations , that network devices have kilometers and thus gives planners a whole become less expensive and that cabling new range of approaches for connecting has become simpler . Passive optical LAN workstations . requires just one single mode fibre per You should always bear in mind that workstation . It thus replaces up to four all workstations , which are connected to twisted-pair copper cables in floor cabling . an optical line terminal port via a splitter
Passive optical LAN granularity tends , share the bandwidth of this connection . however , to be pretty approximate and , for This is why in practice a splitting ratio optimum capacity utilisation , a network in the optical splitter of no more than interface card in the optical line terminals 1:32 is recommended today for gigabit should be able to operate 256 workstations . passive optical LANs . The guaranteed All connection points envisaged at one transmission performance of a workstation workstation including reserves have to be is thus relatively small in comparison to developed from the outset with passive application-neutral cabling . optical LAN .
A further important fact is energy
This means that a lot of active ports consumption . Passive optical LAN does remain unused . This has to be taken into work passively in signal distribution , in consideration in calculations . Particularly other words does not need any active suitable application areas for passive devices on the transmission link . But the optical LAN are large , extended LAN distributed switches at the workstations installations with a high number of need a power supply . A compact workstations to be connected . Passive infrastructure with a large switch with optical LAN is also particularly suitable for lots of ports is typically more efficient
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• In practice a splitting ratio in the optical splitter of no more than 1:32 is recommended for gigabit passive optical LANs
• Particularly suitable application areas for passive optical LAN are large , extended LAN installations with a high number of workstations to be connected
• Passive optical LAN can cover distances of up to 20 kilometers and gives planners a new range of approaches
• Passive optical LAN granularity tends to be approximate and for optimum utilisation a network interface card in the optical line terminal should be able to operate 256 workstations
• Passive optical LAN is also particularly suitable for environments with limited space for cable routing and floor distributors
• Passive optical LAN promises the availability of the potential of fiber optics at every desk and every end device .
• Passive optical LAN requires just one single mode fiber per workstation and replaces up to four twisted-pair copper cables in floor cabling
• The advantages of passive optical LAN are reduced costs for setting up and operating a system
• Various estimates show that passive optical LAN is up to 50 % less expensive than traditional , application-neutral office cabling to operate than a widely distributed , infrastructure with lots of small switches at remote locations .
The varying life cycles of passive and active passive optical LAN components , which have a symbiosis in the transmission channel , can be disadvantageous . The active devices only support those applications which were implemented at the time of commissioning . Usually , active devices have a life cycle of anything between three to five years , while the cabling , however , can easily last 15 years . When an upgrade takes place , the optical network terminal has to be exchanged at every workstation , which can mean considerable installation effort depending on the implementation . This should also be taken into consideration in terms of cost planning .
With the growing dependence on IT and an increasing number of connected devices , a fast , reliable , and cost-efficient LAN remains an essential business enabler . Implemented correctly , a passive optical LAN can help enterprises and organisations benefit from new communications technologies for years to come . But rather than simply jumping on the bandwagon , you must take the time to determine whether this is the right solution for your organisation .
Matthias Gerber is Market Manager Office Cabling at R & M
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