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CONVERGED INFRASTRUCTURE
Converged applications (CA) scoring helps
define cabling requirements now and in the
future. Using highly realistic scenarios, it shows
how network infrastructure will perform against
future demand and converging applications.
more intelligent functionality, unlimited by the speed of
network connections. To provide multiple users with a
seamless experience, speeds of one Gbps and higher are
necessary. Wireless bandwidth consumption has already
driven Wireless Access Point (WAP) speeds beyond 1Gbps,
making 1Gbps Ethernet backbone a bottleneck.
The first WAPs supporting the IEEE803.11ac standard
are already available, enabling wireless transmission of up
to 1.3Gbps. WAP speeds will probably move beyond 5Gbps
by 2019. Deploying high performance cabling networks
capable of supporting the 2.5, 5, and 10Gbps data rates
appears to be the best way of ensuring that the explosion
in ‘intelligent’ devices can be supported well into the
future. However, all these intelligent devices also need to
be powered – which also adds the need to simultaneously
support growth in high power PoE.
Photo William Beaucardet
evolution in wireless technology, and a threefold increase
in the amount of power transmitted through IP networks.
Infrastructure design and technology will have to
accommodate these future demands. This means that
simply checking whether components have the right
bandwidth specifications will no longer suffice, as the more
complex requirements of a converged environment need to
be taken into account.
Smart choices need to be made to support current
network requirements and offer enough scope for later
expansion without under or overspecifying. Carefully
considering network requirements today will definitely save
a great deal of replacement cabling and components in
the (near) future. There’s no one size fits all answer, but
we propose answering three sets of questions to arrive at a
practical answer:
1.
2.
3.
Consequences for infrastructure
The connected world will soon experience a convergence
driven, explosive growth in bandwidth demand, an
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People and devices: what type and level of
performance do you require? Not just today, but
also in the future.
Building conditions: which specific conditions
exist in your building(s)? Which distances need to
be bridged? Are there specific requirements with
regard to functionality or practical limitations?
Network flexibility: how flexible does your
network need to be to accommodate probable
future usage requirements? How do you ensure
this is the case?