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FUTURE-PROOFING
"Choosing the optimal solution needs to be based
on a clear overview of your specific network
requirements, as well as energy consumption,
maintenance, installation and administration"
be made which inevitably makes things difficult. In historical
buildings, for example, floors can’t be raised. A site may have
limited space for cable trays or distributions rooms.
Knowing the intended usage and environmental factors
at different locations help to define solutions that improve
performance where it counts, without compromising in
other areas. Besides functional requirements, you need to
consider available space and pathways, the environment into
which cables will be installed, security and fire performance.
These affect the safety of people and systems and, of
course, the extent to which you are compliant with local and
international regulations.
Performance of network equipment and cabling
can be affected by extreme temperatures, chemicals,
Electromagnetic Interference, crushing, flex, moisture and so
on. This can result in failures in applications where downtime
is least acceptable. Cables used in buildings and other civil
works are assessed with regard to their ‘reaction to fire’. All
copper and fibre power, control and communication cables
are included in the scope of the Construction Products
Regulation (CPR). When choosing a solution, it’s important
to realise that mandatory cable types in specific applications
can differ between regions.
3. Flexibility
How do you ensure your network is flexible enough to
accommodate probable future requirements? The way in
which a building is used is likely to change over time. The
number of people and devices may increase or decrease,
and new applications may be introduced. By making smart
choices at the outset, you can ensure the network will be
able to handle requirements for years to come.
Vast, complex and constantly evolving systems need fully
automated monitoring and control, asset management
and utilisation and deployment of new services. To satisfy
compliance and legal requirements, you will also require
status reports, trend analyses and audit trails. Efficiently
managing a system means tasks need to be automated and
centrally managed. This reduces operational costs, improves
asset management and utilisation, and makes it easier to
deploy new services.
Smart choices
Choosing the optimal, most cost-effective solution needs to
be based on a clear overview and roadmap of your specific
network requirements, as well as energy consumption,
maintenance, installation and administration. You need
to consider the cost incurred by maintenance or moves
adds and changes, reliability, and ease of installation and
maintenance. Selecting the correct type and quality for
each part of the network really pays off in the long run
Determining current and future requirements result
in faster, more efficient rollouts, solutions that perform
exactly as specified, optimised TCO, enhanced energy
efficiency and systems that will remain in business for
years to come. n
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