INTELLIGENT CABLING
Time to consider passive optical LANs in your enterprise
If you need to manage a number of workstations with minimum cable connectivity and fibre speeds , passive optical LANs may be your solution , explains Matthias Gerber at R & M .
The concept of the passive optical LAN promises gigabit speed to the end device . It is being sold as a cost saving , alternative to traditional structured and application-neutral LAN cabling . Passive optical LAN promises the availability of the potential of fibre optics at every desk and every end device . The excitement is growing . Installation solutions are already available .
Surveys by manufacturers and market researchers have predicted a passive optical LAN boom . British building industry associations are expecting growth rates of 40 % to 100 % per annum until 2018 . Other analysts have predicted average growth rates of over 19 % until 2020 . IT system providers are investing in passive optical LAN solutions and offering corresponding portfolios .
R & M ’ s market surveys would , however , suggest that the technology is actually only being used in a few cases . We therefore do not expect the imminent ousting of application-neutral cabling which is why before you start investing , there are aspects of passive optical LAN that have to be taken into consideration .
Passive optical LAN is based on fibre optic access networks of the carriers and their technologies . In a way , it is a private fibre optic access networks that works with a passive optical network resulting in passive optical network planning regulations and network topologies . The infrastructure of the passive optical LAN is essentially based on single mode fibres , distributors and passive optical splitters , outlets as well as the corresponding active components - optical network terminals and optical line terminals .
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 . Current calculations are , however , often based on the optimal capacity utilisation of the passive optical LAN devices , something which is not always possible in practice . This is why it is recommended you check the expected or promised savings extremely carefully in each particular case as part of your planning procedure .
36 Issue 04 INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS