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CONVERGED INFRASTRUCTURE
Network convergence:
cabling for the future
By Oene-Wim Stallinga,
www.nexans.co.uk
With explosive growth in bandwidth
demand, carefully considering network
requirements today will avoid replacing
cabling and components in the near future
Years ago, resources in office networks were set up
as ‘silos’, with sets devoted to a specific function or
technology. IT departments were responsible for data
networks, and facility management would take care of
telephone and building management systems. In the
1980s however, previously discrete telephony and data
cabling systems were brought together over structured
cabling.
More recently, this convergence has been extended to
other traditionally facilities-owned systems. These include
wireless access points (WAPs), energy and environmental
management devices, access control, surveillance,
attendance tracking, electronic control systems, projectors,
alarm systems and so on.
The next level
Convergence at the level of office networks has marked
consequences for building layout. More ceiling ports
may be called for, in addition to traditional floor outlets,
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