S TA N D A R D S U P D AT E

struCturEd CablinG standards updatE

Ken Hodge, R&D Manager, Brand-Rex

This report provides a summary of the activities of the International Standardisation committees working in the structured cabling market in the period Q1 & Q2 2009. It provides information on the status of the development of new and revised standards and highlights the key points within each document which should be considered.
QuarTerly reporT New applIcaTIoNS 1. Higher Speed ethernet The IEEE 802.3ba group has moved the project forward without delays and the new standard is still expected to be published to plan in June 2010. The objectives include the provision of 8 new physical layers: 40G - 10km on SMF (a duplex link) - 100m on OM3 (an 8 way multi-lane link using MPO connectivity) - 7m on a copper assembly (a twinax CX4 technology solution) - 1m on a backplane 100G - 40km on SMF (a duplex link) - 10km on SMF (a duplex link) - 100m on OM3 (a 20 way multi-lane link using MPO connectivity) - 7m on a copper assembly (a twinax CX4 technology solution) The original reach target for copper assemblies was 10m but due to technical issues this has been reduced to 7m. Significantly, in the May meeting it was agreed that OM4 would also be recognised as a cabling solution, it offers the advantages of either extending the reach up to 125m or providing a higher optical loss budget on shorter links for the 40G and 100G multi-mode fibre solutions.

2. power over ethernet The final draft of the new PoE-plus standard IEEE 802.3at is now in circulation with publication expected in September 2009. It defines a higher power delivery than 802.3af with 25.5W supplied on two pairs and almost double that level on four pairs. The cabling committee ISO/IEC JTC1 SC25 WG3 has drafted a document (ISO/IEC 29125 currently at pDTR status) which describes the heating effects on cabling caused by different current loads and provides guidance on mating and un-mating connectors whilst under load. CablinG standardisation The ISO/IEC JTC1 SC25 WG3 and CENELEC TC215 committees work closely together in the standardisation of generic cabling. A summary of their current activities is shown in the tables (overleaf ). EuropEan dirECtivEs On the On May 18th 2009 the EC passed Mandate 443 to CEN/CENELEC to prepare standards for the CPD. Accordingly CENELEC have drafted a plan of action to submit back to the EC for approval. The CENELEC cable committees are in different states of readiness on the standards. Whilst the necessary cable test standards are in draft pending approval, and the communications cables committees have product standards which require simple revision to reference the new test standards, the power cable committees position is less clear. Mandate 443 covers three different safety aspects and describes the methods of attestation to conformity required. The parts are: resistance to fire; reaction to fire & dangerous substances. The classification of the reaction of cables to fire has been the most contentious area of debate on this topic. It is estimated that transition to the Directive requirements will take two years from now, adoption of the legislation will be a decision of individual member states. Brand-Rex closely follow developments in standardisation and legislation across the spectrum of bodies directly involved in, and associated with, structured cabling markets. This report does not cover all areas of activity in this field and should not be used as a singular reference.

Summary of cabling Standardisation

Standard ISO/IEC 11801:2002 A1 ISO/IEC 11801:2002 A2 Title Generic cabling for customer premises Generic cabling for customer premises Status Published 2FPDAM2 comment Defines Class EA and Class FA channel performances and references 10GBASE-T It will define Class EA & FA permanent links and components, it will also include OM4 and lower bend loss SMF and it will acknowledge the new 40G and 100G applications ISO/IEC TR 29125 ISO/IEC 24764 Telecommunications cabling guidelines for remote powering of terminal equipment Generic cabling for data centres 2FCD pDTR It will advise what temperature rise can be expected from different types of cabling is under load Will recommend that a minimum of ClassEA and OM3 performance cabling is deployed and it will also introduce the MPO for multi-fibre links ISO/IEC 24702 A1 ISO/IEC 14763-2 ISO/IEC 14763-3 A1 Generic cabling for industrial premises Planning and installation Testing of optical fibre cabling FDAM CD FDAM1 This document will follow the advice in EN50174-2 :2009 -

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Summary of cabling Standardisation

Standard EN50173-1 ed2 A1 EN50173-1 ed2 A2 EN50173-2 A1 EN50173-3 A1 EN50173-4 A1 EN50173-5 A1 EN50174-1 :2009 EN50174-2 :2009 EN50310 ed3 EN50346:2006 A2 Title Generic cabling general requirements Generic cabling general requirements Cabling for office premises Cabling for industrial premises Cabling for homes Cabling for data centres Installation specification and quality assurance Installation planning and practise within buildings Application of equi-potential bonding and earthing in buildings Testing of installed cabling Published Status 2MV 5MP 5MP 5MP 5MP 5MP Published Published 5MP comment Equivalent to ISO/IEC 11801:2002 A1 Equivalent to ISO/IEC 11801:2002 A2, it will also include an OF100 class for the new 40G and 100G Ethernet applications Dimensioning will be updated to include ClassEA & FA and OS2 Dimensioning will be updated to include ClassEA & FA and OS2 Dimensioning of ICT, BCT & CCCB cabling will be updated Dimensioning will be updated to include ClassEA & FA and OS2 and OF100 This document introduces installation complexity levels and significantly revises administration rules This document significantly revises cabling installation guidelines, particularly with respect to cable separation rules -

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