Revolutionize Your Network
from the Ground Up
Greg Hinders, RCDD, NTS
Creating a Robust Information Transport
System
• Design the physical plant to become
a foundation that will optimize
network performance
• Standards organizations provide
valuable guidelines
– BICSI TDMM
– TIA/EIA 568, 569, 942, and others
– ISO/IEC
BICSI ITS Standards
• BICSI standards continue to
addresses increasing network
demands and application specific
requirements.
– ANSI/BICSI-001-2009.
Information Transport Systems
Design Standard for K-12
Educational Institutions
– ANSI/BICSI-002. Data Center
Design Standard and
Recommended Practices
IT Infrastructure Support
• Misalignment LAN Cost Breakdown
exists between ITS
capacity, design Servers & Workstations,
and the IT Storage, 54% 34%
equipment it
supports. Workstations
Cabling
LAN Attatchment
Servers & Storage
Network Component Item Life Expectancy: Cabling, 5%
Electronics 3-4 years
Software 4-5 years LAN
Cabling 15+ years Attatchment,
7%
Complete Communications
Solutions
Information Transport Systems Applications
Pathways
Metallic & Non-Metallic
RacNeewtawyork Security Cameras
Poke-through DWeitvhicoerswithout PoE
Floor Boxes HVAC Building Sensors
InCflooonrnSecotluivtiiotyns UTP vs. twisted pair
OWpeonrkSsptaatcioenSooulutlteiotsnsHD Monitors and TVs
Patch panels UTP vs. coaxial cable
Fiber cabinets
Fiber adapTtrearnpsamneislssion Equipment
and patch coMrdesdia Conversion
Racks and caMbeindeiatsTransmission
Building entrancMeultiplexing
andClaWadbidrleelreTPrsrasaocywkienrgon
the Network Alarms
Fire/Safety
acceCsasbpleoints UTP vs. twisted pair
Premise distributioAncocpetiscsalControl
fiber cables Entry Control
Indoor/outdBooiormetric Devices
optical fiber cables
UTP or FTP cables
The OSI Model
• The OSI model specifies seven layers to
consider when designing your network.
The OSI Model
• The bottom layer of this model is Layer One –
the physical layer, which is the structured
cabling itself, but what Layer One does not
include is the physical support, or the
infrastructure, for the cabling.
A New Look at the OSI Model
• Legrand/Ortronics introduces Layer Zero –
The Infrastructure Layer ™, as a new
foundation for the OSI model to address the
critical role that infrastructure plays in network
performance.
Layer Zero™
• Layer Zero™ Physical Infrastructure Solutions
– Maximize Network Performance
– Enable Easier Moves/Adds/Changes
– Provide Scalable Solutions
– Promote Implementation of Physical
Support Best Practices
– Increase Cooling Efficiency
– Reduce Power Consumption
Layer Zero™
• A well designed Layer Zero™ infrastructure
– Maximizes network performance by
minimizing signal loss due to improper cable
support or patch cord routing
– Enables MAC work to have minimal impact
through the use of a strong physical support
foundation
– Assures flexible and scalable physical
support design that will support technology
demands from high frequency transmission
on the physical layer
Physical and Physical Support Layers
Impact on Ethernet Network Performance
• Signal strength is measured CRC Frame Retrans- Fragment
in dBs Errors Errors missions
• Each loss of 3dB represents Termination X X XX
an approximate 50% loss of Practices
signal power X X XX
Installation
• Physical support affects Practices X
both copper and fiber X
performance Crosstalk X X XX
Performance XX
XX
Balance X
Return Loss X
Transmitted over kinked or damaged Cat 6
Transmitted over properly installed Cat6
Advanced Cable Management
• Well-designed physical support foundation
simplifies system maintenance and
extends the useful life of the system and
advanced cable management solutions
maximize system performance
• Vertical manager with switch port
protection
– Prevent stress and damage to the
switch ports even when the vertical
manager is loaded to full capacity
• Bend limiting copper and fiber cords
– Designed to protect cabling, eliminating
kinks and providing the proper bend
radius for fiber jumpers
Maximize Network Performance with
Effective Cable Routing at the Rack
Incorrect Correct
Maximize Network Performance with
Effective Cable Routing at the Rack
• Protecting the network means
safeguarding the switch ports in
addition to the copper and fiber cords
• Estimated cost per copper switch port
is more than $400*
* Cisco Nexus 5000 Unified Fabric TCO Calculator
Cable Pathways
• Cable management considerations impact
total cost of ownership
• Best practice - use bend limiter support
whenever cable exits pathway or makes
transition between two pathways
• Cablofil’s basket tray’s mesh construction
enhances airflow, a critical component in data
center environments
• Properly installed metallic tray also absorbs
electro-magnetic noise, enhancing network
performance
Work Area Cable Routing
Supporting Multimedia
• Existing buildings are often multi-
story structures with limited
pathway access
• Poke-thru fittings and raceway have
been the most effective solution but
may limit capacity if not properly
designed
• Patch cord routing must be a design
consideration
Let’s Look at the Data Center
Demands Of The Next Generation
Data Center
Data Center Power Drivers
Electricity Lighting IT Equipment
Transformer or UPS 7% 46%
10% Servers Network
25% 8%
Air Movement
12% Storage
17%
Cooling
25%
Demands Of The Next Generation
Data Center
• The Rack is drawing more power than ever
– Average kW per rack
2000: 1kW
2006: 6–8kW
• Demand for higher density in the rack
– Average: 20 servers per rack by 2010
– Up 50% from 2002
2010: 20kW+
Source: IDC - The Impact of Power and Cooling on Data Center Infrastructure
Infrastructure Solutions
• Critical to network performance
• Scalable and flexible for future data
center design changes, computing power
and technology upgrades
– Migration from Catalyst Series to
Nexus 7000 Series
– Top of Rack or End of Row switching
environments
• Protects customer investment in Cisco
equipment
• Lower Total Cost of Ownership
Server Racks & Cabinets
• Designed to maximize the benefits
for the Nexus 7000 Series switches
– Passive cooling capabilities for
high density server environments
– Advanced cable management
system integration to reduce
cable congestion and protect
signal integrity
– Localized power at the rack level
Rack Solutions
• Thermal Management
– maintain cold-aisle/hot aisle airflow,
regardless if the network equipment is front-
to-back, bottom or side venting
• Innovative Design
– Side rails and baffles redirect airflow to
maintain hot-aisle cold-aisle integrity
– Cable management options improves airflow
inside the server rack and/or cabinet
• Density
– Equipped to handle the density of today’s
high performance networks
Open Rack Airflow Management
• Typical
EIA relay
rack with
vertical
cable
manage-
ment
• Vertical
mgt and
airflow
baffles
Open Rack Airflow Management
• Typical
EIA relay
rack with
vertical
cable
manage-
ment
• Cable
manage-
ment rack
with
vertical
mgt and
airflow
baffles
Total Cost of Ownership
• Data center managers can save 4 percent in energy
costs for every degree of upward change in the
ambient temperature, according to Mark Monroe, the
Director of Sustainable Computing at Sun
Microsystems
• To achieve the same exhaust temperature, in this
case 83°F, the typical EIA rack solution, needs intake
air at 40°F, where the solution using baffles to
manage passive airflow needs intake air at 55°F
• 55°F - 40°F= 15°F, therefore 15°F X 4% = 60%
reduction in energy costs for cooling
“Open Rack Approaches for Maximizing the Efficiency of Equipment in Cold-Aisle/Hot-Aisle Data Center Environment,” June 2008
Passive Cooling in the Cabinet
• Nexus 7018 passive Plan view of three ganged cabinets
airflow management
study
• Cabinet environment
– Three cabinets
– One Nexus 7018 in each
cabinet
– Comparison
Side panels installed
between panels
No side panels between
cabinets
Airflow baffles
between cabinets
Passive Cooling in the Cabinet
• Fluid dynamic
analysis of
passive airflow in
cabinet
environment
• Three ganged
cabinets with no
side panel
separation
Passive Cooling in the Cabinet
• Three ganged
cabinets with side
panels installed
Passive Cooling in the Cabinet
• Three ganged
cabinets with airflow
baffles and no side
panels
Passive Cooling in the Cabinet
• Airflow baffles can reduce
exhaust temperature by 20°
• 20°F X 4% = 80% reduction in
energy costs for cooling
Summary
• A well designed physical support infrastructure
– Maximizes network performance by minimizing signal loss
due to improper cable support or patch cord routing
3db loss in signal strength represents approximately 50%
loss in signal power
– Enables MAC work to have minimal impact through the use
of a strong physical support foundation
Protecting the network means safeguarding the switch ports
in addition to the copper and fiber cords
– Assures flexible and scalable physical support design that
will support technology demands from high frequency
transmission on the physical layer
“The goal of a pathway component is to accommodate all
standards-compliant cabling and the potential need for
change during the life cycle of the cabling system and
building.” *BICSI TDMM 12th Edition
Summary
• A well designed physical support
infrastructure….
– Promotes implementation of best practices and standards
compliance in critical environments like data centers
Provides maximum utilization of server cabinets by enabling
patching outside of the cabinet
– Increases cooling efficiency in the data center through
proper airflow management, cooling network equipment
more efficiently
Data center managers can save 4 percent in energy costs for
every degree of upward change in the ambient temperature,
according to Mark Monroe, the Director of Sustainable
Computing at Sun Microsystems
– Reduces data center power consumption with efficient
passive cooling design within racks, cabinets and
cable management areas
Based on the temperature analysis, Layer Zero™ passive
airflow baffles can lower a customer’s energy bill for cooling
by 60% when compared to a EIA comparable solution
“The New Role of the Network
in Data Center Transformation”
Thank You
Questions?