Archive for low voltage

| December 17, 2013
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Wiring Closet 3.0

Wiring Closet 3.0The lowly wiring closet at the edge of the network is evolving. You know the one’s that IT shares with the custodians or the women’s lav. The neglected place that connects all end-points into the enterprise network infrastructure. Throughout my career we have moved from 3Com SuperStack hubs to 10/100 SuperStack switches to 100/1000/10000 Cisco 2960’a fixed Ethernet devices. In this first edge era, the primary buying criteria was the price per port. Low price was the critical factor. These devices might have had a few network services but they only provided best-effort connectivity services with little to no operational control according to Nick Lippis in the Lippis Report 103: Wiring Closet Switches Gain Strategic IT Value Label.

Baystack stackCommoditized network gear created enterprise networks consisting of equipment from different vendors. Purchases throughout the wiring closets, distribution, and core were based mainly on cost. The article says that equipment from multiple vendors is the hallmark of Wiring Closet 1.0. Wiring Closet 1.0 made effective management difficult. Multiple management systems required that organizations keep a large staff with diverse skills to keep up network functionality.

Wiring Closet 2.0

Most organizations are now in the Wiring Closet 2.0 era. As competition drove margins on edge switches into the single digits, the author states that vendors began to add services to a new breed of device. The new features on 2.0 switches created new ways for the vendors to compete on different (rb- and more profitable) fronts beyond price per port. Mr. Lippis argues enterprise trends are forcing IT executives to check projects, programs, and priorities as they seek to drive down Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) while extracting added value from their enterprise network. Business executives expect their IT departments to meet continually growing demands without significant year-over-year network expenditures. (rb– the ever popular more with less argument) The article says the new realities include new mixed traffic patterns and increased desktop bandwidth requirements for new applications, communications, and data center strategies.

Goddard rocket scientistSwitch vendors recognized these trends. They responded by developing a new type of wiring closet switch. Second-generation switches added significant functionality. The vendors’ goal is to transform the commoditized network edge (rb- low profit) into a strategic IT asset (rb- high profit). The blog says these new switches enable a host of new applications for Wiring Closet 2.0.

  • Quality of Service: Wiring Closet 2.0 switches tag applications like IP telephony and Unified Communications at access to guarantee priority throughout an internal network and active monitoring
  • Power Over Ethernet (PoE): Second generation, wiring closets distribute power over Ethernet cables. POE enables new classes of devices to be powered from the Wiring Closet 2.0. These demands include WLAN access points, video surveillance, and IP phones. As well as specialty devices such as health care instrumentation, point of sale devices and soon even laptops.
  • Security: The network edge Is the first level of defense. Network Access Control (NAC) and application policing have increased in importance. They are needed to protect the integrity of the network, data privacy, and compliance. Wiring Closet 2.0 switches integrate security features and the support of security appliances bolstering defense-in-depth strategies.
  • Wireless Local Area Networking: WLAN integration, which includes access point, PoE, and controller support, increases WLAN coverage. Further common network management interfaces streamline operational support for both wired and wireless networks.
  • Unified Communication (UC): UC support via PoE to power IP phones and UC end-points plus unique UC configuration profiles to ensure reliable and stable UC operation.
  • Application Intelligence: Application intelligence or the categorizing of applications as they enter the wiring closet and either mark them with QoS or discard the application. This enables application policing at the network edge.
  • Layer 3: Full layer 3 forwarding enabling all the value associating with routing including segmentation and aggregation are now included in some wiring closet switches.
  • Total Cost of Ownership: The network edge and wiring closet switches in particular have a TCO breakdown of 20% capital spend and 80% operational spend according to Gartner (IT). Mew wiring closet switches are more expensive from a capital acquisition point of view. However, their operational cost is lower. Thus, the total dollar spend over a three-year period will also be lower while delivering increased value to the enterprise.

Wiring Closet 3.0

The IT industry is on the verge of a new era at the network edge. New technologies and requirements will disrupt Wiring Closet 2.0.

  • 10Gbps Ethernet: 10Gbps Ethernet is the future of networking. If the past is a guide to the future, then over time more and more 1 Gbps Ethernet ports will upgrade to 10 Gbps. This will place a strain on wiring closet packet processing performance while driving up 10Gbps port density requirements plus downstream distribution and core switch capabilities.
  • Software-defined networking (SDN): The holy grail of SDN is to separate the network control plane from the data plane. The model I carry in my head is wireless networks. There is a central controller that tells the WAP’s what to do and they do their job without any help from the central controller. This implies that the network devices can be dumber and cheaper.
  • Network Management: Consistent network management means leveraging the same supplier for the network edge, distribution, and core.
  • True Layer 3 Support: To support all the above-mentioned trends and unforeseen applications, wiring closet switches need to support full layer 3 forwarding.
  • Support of UC, Mobility, and Security: This basis of competition is one of the most important attributes to the new network edge. Wiring closet switches need to support both standard interfaces and services for UC, mobility, and security so that mixed vendor solutions may occur.
  • IPv6: If you have wiring closets full of perfectly good Layer 2 switches, there’s no reason to replace them just because you can’t manage them with IPv6. If they work today, they’ll work until they break, and you don’t need to worry about (or budget for) swapping them out any sooner.

IPv6

IPv6

Dan Campbell, President, Millennia Systems, Inc. suggested in a recent CircleID post that to manage the move to an IPv6 enabled Wiring Closet 3.0. Organizations should strive to use theIPv6 dual-stack migration strategy. This is where IPv6 is added to the existing systems so they can simultaneously function with both IP versions. Tunneling and translation techniques should be used when the dual-protocol configuration is not possible. The mantra of “dual stack where you can, tunnel where you must” is the order of the day.

He advises that starting today, don’t buy another box unless it supports dual-stack operation or offers a clear, well-defined upgrade plan. It doesn’t matter if the manufacturer is “up and to the right” in the latest Gartner (IT) report; anything you buy from now on that is IPv4-only is a waste of valuable resources.

Mr. Campbell tells network administrators that while LAN switches function mainly at layer 2. They forward Ethernet frames regardless of whether the packet inside is IPv4 or IPv6. There are some functions on a switch that works at layer 3 or higher. They include:

• Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI).
• DHCP Snooping.
• Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) Snooping (the IPv6 equivalent of IGMP Snooping).
• Quality of Service (QoS) marking for upstream Differentiated Services treatment.
• Access Lists (e.g., VLAN or regular ACLs).

He explains that these features need layer 3 or upper-layer information; Layer 3 is needed to inspect the packet header or payload inside the Ethernet frame. These features may not be things you are doing now, but you never know when you will. Security requirements and hardening guidelines are recommending things like DAI, DHCP Snooping, and ACLs at the access layer.

The more streaming video gets moved to IP networks, the more the need for multicast. MLD Snooping is necessary to improve performance. Finally, the continued convergence of voice, video, and other rich media and interactive applications to IP networks is furthering the need for QoS. It is always best to mark traffic as close to the edge as possible.

Related articles

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: low voltage | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
| February 26, 2013
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Cables Carrying Fake UL Marks

Cables Carrying Fake UL MarksUnderwriters Laboratories recently warned that two communications cable products carried “counterfeit UL marks.” Neither cable has been evaluated by the laboratory for safety. In addition, UL claims that the two cables do not contain required flame-retardant elements, so they both pose fire hazards. The first warning regards a StarTech product while the second carries the brand name Monoprice.

StarTech communications cableBack in January Underwriters Laboratories (UL) issued a public notice that identified StarTech communications cable as being mislabeled. According to an article in Cabling Installation & Maintenance, UL stated that the cable, “bears a counterfeit UL Mark for the United States and may pose a fire hazard.” The safety organization states, “The communications cable has not been evaluated by UL to the appropriate standard for safety in the United States, and is not authorized to bear the UL mark or any reference to UL.”

Further, the notice states that the cable “is missing required flame retardant elements. This may cause an increased risk of fire.” The box bears the brand name StarTech and has the terms “ISO 9011,” “UL,” “ETL,” and “IECQ” printed on it. According to UL’s notice, the cable jacket includes the following: “CMR Type 4PR 24AWG 75C (UL) E151955-A CSA LL79189 ETL Verified TIA/EIA-568-B.2 CAT 5E UTP 350 MHZ Patch Cable B-8A1004 ROHS Compliant.” The UL alert says that the cable was sold at overstock.com and may have been sold at other locations.

In a February article at Cabling Installation & Maintenance, there is a similar problem with cable sold by Monoprice. The UL issued, an alert to the public that Monoprice cable uses the UL mark without authorization and lacks certain fire-retardant materials. The UL alert says this cable is known to be also sold at www.greenconnectionsusa.com

The Fiber Optic Association has a YouTube video that demonstrates the fire dangers of counterfeit communications cable.

The StarTech response to the UL warning shared with Cabling Installation & Maintenance seemed more concerned about their ISO certification than correcting the problem. StarTech issued the following statement on January 24: “StarTech.com has been an ISO 9001 registered company since 1998 and is currently certified as ISO 9001:2008 compliant. As such, we take this matter seriously and have issued an internal corrective action report (CAR) and are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident. Based on the outcome of our investigation, appropriate action will be taken.”

Unbeknownst to usMonoprice’s response to Cabling Installation & Maintenance came from company rep. Chris Apland. The firm claimed they did not know about the misleading and dangerous cat 5 cables. He claims they did not know what their vendor was doing. “Unbeknownst to us at the time, Monoprice’s former vendor for the product in question was inappropriately labeling our product certifications.”

He goes on to claim the firm is sorry and has changed its ways. “Monoprice terminated our relationship with the vendor in question … We apologize to both UL and to our customers for any confusion this may have caused.” Mr. Apland added in the firm’s response that Monoprice’s “new vendor provides a higher quality Cat 6 bulk cable that includes the critical fire-retardant material called for in the UL complaint … we have since been in contact with UL through our China office…”

rb-

In order to prevent safety problems on your job site, the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA) recommends the best practice is to buy proven quality, name-brand cables and patch cords for known vendors.

Other recommendations include:

  1. Check for the UL holographic label on all boxes or reels of cable.
  2. Verify the UL mark and cable type on the cable jacket.
  3. Consult the UL online certifications directory to find if the manufacturer has a UL listing via the UL file number (the E number).
  4. Verify the authorized UL marks and correct terminology appear in cable specifications (cut sheets)
  5. Weigh the box of cable. Substantially less weight may indicate non-compliant copper clad aluminum (CCA) conductors were used in place of solid copper

The CCCA has developed the Cable Check™ App to help check these best practices. Download the app from Apple’s (AAPL) iTunes to detect cables carrying fake UL marks on your job.

Related articles

 

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: low voltage | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
| March 27, 2009
Comments Off on Copper Prices Headed Up Again

Copper Prices Headed Up Again

Copper Prices Headed Up AgainCopper prices are on the upswing again and could be taking the cost of low voltage cabling with it. According to an article from MarketWatch. Copper (Cu)  finished 2008 at about half the price it started with, but lately, it’s been rising thanks to China’s 4 trillion yuan ($585 billion) stimulus plan. The Chinese stimulus plans are expected to kick in later this year and through to 2010 in “massive infrastructure projects,” according to Martin Hayes, an analyst at BaseMetals.com. Those projects “will use significant tonnage of base metals, including copper.”

Copper’s “often called ‘Doctor Copper’ because it takes the temperature of the global economy,” said Sean Brodrick, a natural-resources analyst at UncommonWisdomDaily.com. “According to Doctor Copper, things are improving, mainly due to Chinese demand.” Already, China’s imports of copper and alloys climbed 55% in February from January, said, Brodrick.

On 02-27-2009, copper prices climbed to a four-month high of nearly $1.90 per pound on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.

CU 60 day trend

Brent Cook, the author of the investment letter Exploration Insights, argued that the recent gains in copper prices may not be fundamental demand driven by consumption. “The global building and construction market is not improving,” he said. “If anything, [it] is still getting worse — ditto automobiles.” Cook goes on, “I believe we are seeing a combination of a bear market rally, short-covering rally, and restocking by the Chinese who have a real incentive to turn their U.S. dollar into hard assets.”

RB –

It was not that long ago that China’s rush up to the Beijing Olympics drove commodities such as steel, concrete, and copper way up. As I pointed out the last time Cu took off, it impacts the cost of telecommunications cables and the cost of new projects. I believe that Exploration Insights Cook is right that this current run-up is part of the Chinese effort to convert the one trillion of US debt they own to something else.

China’s premier, Wen Jiabao, recently expressed concern about the safety of China’s $1 trillion investment in American government debt, the world’s largest such holding, and urged the Obama administration to give assurances that its investment would keep its value in the face of a global financial crisis. “We have lent a huge amount of money to the U.S. Of course we are concerned about the safety of our assets,” Wen told reporters. “To be honest, I am definitely a little worried.” (www.uncommonwisdomdaily.com/)

At least this run-up is not accompanied by a surge in oil prices like in 2007. For all of our sake’s let us hope that Cu is a leading indicator of a growing economy.

 

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: low voltage | Tags: , , ,
| April 27, 2007
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Low Voltage Cable Costs Rising

Updated – 03-05-08 – Military tensions in South America are driving the costs of copper and oil up even more.

Low Voltage Cable Costs RisingLast year, there was a large jump in copper telecom cable costs as manufacturers passed along raw material price increases in copper and petroleum. These price increases have affected all wire and cable products including plenum and non-plenum products; Cat 3, Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 6a, multi-pair cables, outside plant cables, and all low voltage electronic wire. Despite a market correction at the end of 2006, copper and petroleum prices used to manufacture cable are headed up again-meaning copper telecom cable will be following suit soon.

[Most Recent Quotes from www.kitco.com]The fundamental cause for increasing copper telecom cables is the continuing global demand for copper and petroleum. China and Asia lead the demand for Copper. The U.S. demand is for copper is down due to the collapsing housing market, however, if the U.S. housing market ever takes off again, more demand pressure will drive copper prices higher.

China which is the world’s largest consumer of copper accounting for 20% of the world’s supply imported 61% more copper in March 2007 than in March of 2006. The U.S. consumes 13% of the world’s copper. Demand for copper has reduced the worldwide supply of available copper to less than four days of global use.

[Most Recent Quotes from www.kitco.com]The upward pressure on copper telecom cables will follow technological globalization. The per capita demand for copper rises as GDP per capita rises. BaseMetals.com indicates that Japan consumes around 12kg per capita, North America consumers around 10kg per capita, and Europe around 9kg per capita. The large populations of China, India, Eastern Europe and South America are consuming less than 2kg per capita.

WTI crude oil pricesIn addition to copper price pressure, the cost of oil also impacts telecom cable prices. George Bush’s war in Iraq and declining world oil production have led to price increases in gasoline and petrochemicals such as PVC resins and polyethylene which are derivatives of crude oil and used in the manufacture of telecom cables. Escalating crude oil prices have also increased transportation costs leading to increased freight charges and other transportation costs across the value chain.

The dual price pressures of copper and petroleum will continue to push up the cost of all cabling.

Related articles
  • BT denies it is sitting on a ‘copper mine’ worth £50bn (telegraph.co.uk)

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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