CONVERGENCE
being equipped with IP addresses. How big could the
‘Internet of Things’ that needs to be supported be? Ericsson
predicts the Internet may connect 50 billion IoT enabled
devices by 2020. IT, telecom and consumer technology
analyst IDC gives a far higher number – some 212 billion.
Cisco predicts that by the year 2021, there will be 4.6bn
global Internet users and 271 billion connected devices.
82% of all IP traffic will be video.
IP Convergence is a fact, and emerging technologies
will place more pressure on enterprise networks. In just a
few short years, the connected office will experience an
explosive growth in bandwidth demand, an evolution in
wireless technology and a threefold increase in the amount
of power transmitted through IP networks. The problem is,
networks everywhere are already struggling with existing,
and growing, bandwidth requirements.
Getting the most from convergence
The physical network is increasingly becoming an essential
asset. For companies, institutions and operators, it’s
essential to ensure this is managed and maintained long
after the initial installation and investment have been
delivered. During the 10-15 year lifespan of a structured
cabling system, many changes will occur. Documentation
has to be flawless and up-to-date to avoid downtime and
errors. However, traditional methods such as spreadsheets,
Visio, SharePoint and software documentation tools
don’t guarantee the efficiency and 100% accuracy of
the updated physical layer documentation provided by
Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM). This ensures
the network manager is completely aware of how the
network is physically laid out and can manage and control
the network remotely, improving performance in identifying
errors and Mean Time to Repair. Various studies show that
up 15% to 25% of network failures may be attributed to
Human Error. AIM can significantly reduce this.
Although convergence may initially add a degree of
complexity for IT departments, by introducing a well-
specified AIM system, things can actually become easier.
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Three interrelated market drivers
pushing new technology
Wireless devices and new wireless standards require more, significantly faster
Wireless Access Points (WAPs). A new standard in development – IEEE 802.3ax –
expected to reach the market in 2020, will probably allow for a fourfold increase
over the current standard of IEEE 802.11ac of up to 27 Gbps when fully rolled out.
However, faster WAPs mean shorter reach and the need for faster uplink ports. This
leads to the second driver: increased bandwidth. Wireless bandwidth consumption
has already driven wireless access point speeds beyond 1 Gbps and will probably
move beyond 5G by 2019.
In response, the IEEE started a new technology initiative to enable 2.5G and 5G
transmission over Cat 6. That may not be enough as 10G uplink ports have already
arrived. Bandwidth-hungry applications such as WAPs and HD Video require Cat
6A (10G). Eventually, even 25G may be needed requiring Cat 7A. The third driver is
next-generation of PoE. A new generation of PoE technology will allow a threefold
increase in the amount of power transmitted through IP networks (up to 90W).
IP networks will be able to connect and power increasing types of devices such as
digital signage and TV monitors.
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