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 FOR PROFESSIONALS MANAGING THE CABLE AND WIRELESS
APRIL 2021 SYSTEMS THAT ENABLE CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS

Fusion splicing
FORGES AHEAD PAGE 9

IN DEPTH PAGE 14

What’s new
in testing?
DESIGN PAGE 13

When wireless meets

bonding and grounding
DATA CENTER PAGE 4

Management’s critical
for mission-critical data

w w w.c a b li n g i n s t a ll .c o m

2104CIM.indb 1 4/1/21 4:39 PM

 A New Direction ffo
or
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2104CIM_USConec.indd 1 3/16/21 2:02 PM

FEATURES
4 DATA CENTER
Structured cabling solutions
are key to addressing increasing
demands on data centers
ANDREAS SILA
9 INSTALLATION
Fusion splicing becomes more
efficient and accessible
PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
DEPARTMENTS COO Patrick Rains
2 EDITORIAL
A virtue worth keeping
Facebook
CablingInstallationANDMaintenance
2104CIM.indb 1
CONTENTS A P R I L 2 0 21
vol. 29, no. 3
ABOUT THE COVER
Thanks to technological
advancements, fusion splicing
is no longer a specialized
artform mastered by very few.
By U.S. Department of Agriculture - 20150409-RD-LSC-0439, Public Domain
SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 9.
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13 DESIGN (603) 891-9262; mvincent@endeavorb2b.com
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with wireless-antenna standard
PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
www.endeavorbusinessmedia.com
14 IN DEPTH EDITORIAL OFFICES
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 EDITORIAL

A virtue
W H AT 'S N E W AT
www.cablinginstall.com

worth keeping
Recently I had the opportunity to speak with a
professional in the ICT industry whom I’ve gotten
DATA CENTER to know a little bit by working together on some
100G shipments projects over the past few years. In this eye-
surpass 10G opening conversation I learned this individual is
in a difficult spot professionally. Their employer
NETWORK CABLE continues to grind them for increased produc-
Molex acquires tivity without offering a path for upward mobil-
Fiberguide Industries PATRICK McLAUGHLIN ity and without a compensation increase. This
pmclaughlin@endeavorb2b.com person expressed to me, with a notable sense of
despair, that their loyalty has worked to their dis-
advantage. Loyalty, it seems, is a fool’s virtue.
The answer seems simple. Don’t be a fool. Don’t be loyal to an employer,
and don’t hang around long enough for that employer to prove their disloyalty
CONNECTIVITY to you. We all know plenty of people who embrace that attitude. Several peo-
When will we get to Terabit? ple I’ve encountered in my career embrace it and have had much professional
success. But the world is an interesting place because of the various person-
alities in it, and that’s also true of our industry. It takes all kinds of people to
make up a culture.
And I think for a moment about the types of people who might find them-
selves in my friend’s situation. Who holds on to an ideal for a little longer than
it’s wise to do so? Who continues to believe in someone, or something, when
logic tells them they probably shouldn’t? Who feels a sense of obligation to con-
WIRELESS tribute to something larger than oneself? Or to continue making an often-
5G rollouts surged in 2020 thankless effort because several others directly benefit from it, and many more
indirectly benefit? Who does that? Many do. And I dare say that type of attitude
or personality can be found in the volunteer groups, committees, and organiza-
tions that enhance the ICT profession daily. They’re among the people who put
immeasurable effort into producing the standards, manuals, and educational
material that serve as the foundation for the work that gets done on an ICT
project. For many, that spirit of loyalty and giving is etched deep into the per-
DESIGN INSTALL sonality. And yes, there will be times when that trait will manifest as a person
treating another person, or an organization, better than is deserved.
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the character Polonius says, “This above all: To
thine own self be true.” Many interpret that as a statement against loyalty,
amounting to the attitude, “Take care of yourself; forget others.” I disagree. To
me, the word “true” in that quote is critical. Be true to yourself. Be authentic.
If you are an authentically loyal person, and you suffer the slings and arrows
Uh-oh, cable messes resulting from that loyalty like my friend is enduring right now, then I hope you
take heart in knowing that the world needs more, not fewer, people like you.

2 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 2 4/1/21 4:39 PM

 EDUCATE YOUR WORKFORCE.
ELEVATE YOUR
BUSINESS.

Become a member in our Contractor CAP program

We’ve been accelerating the pace of innovation in the cable industry for more than 50 years.
When you become a member in our Contractor Corporate Alliance Partners (CAP) program,
you’ll give your workforce access to our elite training programs—and give your business a boost.

Much more than training

You’ll be able to offer your installers, technicians, and engineers access to all our interactive
online courses, including the new and improved Broadband Premises Installation (BPI) and
Service course that covers Safety, Customer Service, and Fundamentals. Plus, your workforce
will benefit from the VirtuLearn® suite of learning tools, SCTE•ISBE professional Certifications
and discounts on partner certifications such as Cisco, CWNP, CompTIA and others.

In addition, get access to our unrivaled professional network—70 chapters worldwide,

which collectively host more than 50 vendor days a year that provide additional training
opportunities. Plus, you get exclusive opportunities and discounts at the industry’s biggest
annual event, Cable-Tec Expo®.

Rise above your competitors

All of these benefits—training, certifications, networking opportunities—will help your
workforce rise above the rest, help your business grow existing business relationships and
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2104CIM.indb 3
2104CIM_ScteSocietyofCable 1 4/1/21 4:39
3/19/21 9:24 PM
AM
 data center

Structured cabling solutions are

key to addressing increasing
demands on data centers
Innovative cable management solutions profitability, these systems should not
be an afterthought.
ensure the right system is implemented in the
right location, for the right application. Early considerations
The data center environment is
BY ANDREAS SILA, Huber + Suhner changing rapidly and there is extreme
pressure for facilities to run seam-
lessly, as any downtime or human er-
ror can come at a huge cost. With
As the transition to a digital world overlooked. But to address and over- some operators wary of moving fibers
continues, the pressure is on for data come the challenges that operators are and causing damage, others are focus-
centers to meet the increased connec- facing in terms of space, efficiency and ing on revenue-generating equipment.
tivity challenges this transition brings.
Data centers must be scalable, faster
and more efficient, which is driving
the development of fiber-optic cable
management systems. The Internet of
Things is creating unprecedented de-
mand on fixed networks, while the rise
in cloud computing traffic, content
delivery networks and edge comput-
ing are also having a significant im-
pact. These are generating more data
than ever before, putting businesses
under extreme pressure to have the
right solutions in their data center to
cope with the demand. With the ev-
er-changing environments, data center
operators must be investing in technol-
ogy that will grow alongside them.
The main focus is on revenue-gen-
erating equipment, so it is no surprise
that the supportive, yet critical, ca- Strategic structured cabling planning and implementation strengthen
ble management systems that are in performance and expand connectivity options with clear, simple and versatile
play in the background often can be structured cabling solutions. Huber + Suhner

4 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 4 4/1/21 4:39 PM

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 Structured cabling solutions are key to addressing increasing demands on data centers continued

Difficulty accessing fibers, costs, and lack of resources are For the majority of operators, revenue-generat-
other common issues that data center operators are cur- ing equipment is the priority, so space is a critical fac-
rently facing. tor that must be considered when selecting a fiber man-
When implementing the principles of the structured ca- agement solution. If you do not have much space to work
bling approach, it is important to adhere to national or in- with, a solution that takes up as little space as possi-
ternational standards, such as TIA-942-B, EN 50173-5, or ble is vital. However, maximizing space cannot compro-
IEC 11801-5. Of course, not everyone has the in-depth ex- mise performance, cost, accessibility, or reliability, with
pertise that is required. Therefore, it is important to have a many solutions in the market offering some of these ben-
strong partner to help guide operators to the most suitable efits, but at the expense of others. To overcome space is-
structured cabling solution for their data center, as there is sues, a high-density solution
no “one solution fits all.” is required that provides ex-
Different fiber management systems are suit- cellent organizational sup-
able for different environments. These in- port for cable systems, as
clude the main distribution area, more fibers can be stored in
zone distribution area, hori- a smaller space, leaving more
zontal or intermediate room for the active, reve-
distribution area, nue-generating equipment.
equipment Accessibility is another
key consideration when it
comes to fiber management.
As data centers and the num-
ber of fibers they contain
grow, any movement or ad-
End-to-end structured justment of the cables open
cabling needs to up the risk, and associated
cover a variety of costs, of human error. There
environments including are varying levels of accessi-
main distribution area; bility provided by cable man-
zone, horizontal or agement solutions in the
distribution area, external network interfaces, and building intermediate distribution market, including rear, side
entrance facility as well as all the cables and relevant con- area; equipment and front access. Depending
nectivity. When it comes to making this decision, identify- distribution area; external on the chosen connectivity
ing the most suitable solution for a data center depends on a network interfaces and solution, such as splice, patch
range of factors. building entrance facility. or transition, there could be
The first step for operators must be to develop a struc- Huber + Suhner certain cable management
tured cabling strategy. This approach takes into consid- solutions that are more suit-
eration the current business needs, as well as future de- able for a particular data center than others.
mands too, to ensure any solution meets the relevant A structured cabling solution can give complete peace of
criteria. Getting the strategy right will save time and mind that once implemented, operators can be confident that
costs later on. it can be left alone to work effectively. However, flexibility is
important in fast-moving environments, and changes must
Industry challenges be able to be actioned where necessary. By having a solution
The typical lifecycle of a structured cabling system is be- in place that instills confidence, valuable resources can be
tween 7 to 10 years, but during this time networking tech- spent elsewhere in the business, where it is truly needed. This
nologies may evolve several times. To save time, resources should also be a factor when it comes to the installation of a
and costs, operators should look at implementing a properly fiber management solution, as a system that can be installed
designed system that will serve modern technologies and be quickly and effectively, with little or no specialized staff, helps
capable of supporting future applications. to keep costs low and resources at a minimum.

6 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 6 4/1/21 4:39 PM

 Make white space
work harder
For colocation or multi-
tenant operators, it is im-
portant that the chosen solu-
tion for the white space is
seamlessly connected to the
meet-me room (MMR) and
the fiber backbone. If the
end goal is to build the foun-
dation for an efficient data
center that maximizes up-
time, you must first comply
with standards and allow for
an easy upgrade path as the
business evolves. The MMR
should enable efficient cross-
connects and the overall ap-
pearance should invoke trust
and pride with a pristine
and organized entry point to The meet-me room enables efficient crossconnects and provides a pristine entry point
connectivity. The fiber back- to connectivity. Huber + Suhner
bone should be preplanned
to easily scale up to meet growing needs.
In the end, this full package will allow operators to of-
fer best-in-class connectivity solutions for network services,
network providers, internet service providers, cloud pro-
viders and data center interconnects. Adding an all-opti-
cal switch for remote and automated operations or network
transport systems for bandwidth expansion solutions to the
mix enhances the overall capabilities and possibilities to
drive even further growth and opportunities.
While connectivity is of course important, colocation op-
erators also provide other services that must be taken into
account. These include providing access to cloud resources,
building structured cabling systems, providing network ser-
vices, and renting out hardware resources. A seamless, inte-
grated structured cabling strategy using a comprehensive
solution portfolio will ensure that all connectivity and ser-
vice requirements can be met at all times—now and in the
years to come.

Addressing current and future needs

Data center operators are looking for solutions that meet the
needs of today, paying only for what is required at a given mo-
ment. Yet to avoid having to start the process all over again
when demands change, operators should consider scalable
solutions that offer upgrade options when needed. Operating

www.cablinginstall.com Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 7

2101CIM_FiberdyneLabs 1 1/20/21 8:31 AM

2104CIM.indb 7 4/1/21 4:39 PM

 Structured cabling solutions are key to addressing increasing demands on data centers continued
The fiber backbone includes internal and external cabling for connecting different
areas designed to be quickly and easily scaled up. Huber + Suhner
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2104CIM.indb 8
in a fast-moving environment can
be extremely challenging, and of-
ten costly, so implementing a cable
management system that can grow
alongside the business is key.
By only paying for what is
needed in the moment and upgrad-
ing when the time is right, opera-
tors can negate the need to invest
up front. This means that costs can
be kept to a minimum, ensuring
more capital and resources can be
invested in the products and ser-
vices that drive revenue. Every need
is different and when a standard
approach is not sufficient, a cus-
tomized solution should be con-
sidered. By working with a pro-
vider that offers the flexibility to
make even complex modifications,
a cable management solution can
be designed that meets the ex-
act requirements.
A solution that ticks all the boxes
With so many factors that must be considered when it
comes to cable management solutions, operators need a
structured solution that overcomes the key challenges
when it comes to space, efficiency, resources, accessibility
and profitability. Innovative systems can ensure that op-
erators are implementing the right solution, for the right
specifications, for the right location. A high-density, reli-
able, easy-to-manage and space-optimizing solution will
drive performance, while keeping costs and human error
to a minimum.
By working with a specialized expert such as Huber +
Suhner, data center operators will receive the right support
when looking to implement a structured cabling solution.
In collaboration with the right partner, operators can
have confidence that the chosen system meets the needs
of the business, allows for hassle-free operations and will
grow alongside them. The digital demands placed on data
centers mean that connectivity challenges will continue to
become apparent, and having the right system to manage
this will be key to success. u
Andreas Sila is vice president market management, data center, with
Huber + Suhner.
3/19/21 10:18 AM
4/1/21 4:39 PM
 installation
Fusion splicing becomes more
efficient and accessible
Improved capabilities coupled with lower
equipment costs have made fusion splicing an
attractive and popular termination option.
BY PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
Fusion splicing once was a special-
ized task mastered by very few, who
were highly skilled at using the com-
plex and expensive equipment re-
quired to fuse optical fibers together.
Over the past several years, the evolu-
tion of fusion-splicing equipment has
opened the process to more profession-
als and more network owners. One as-
pect of that evolution is the declining
cost of splicers.
“Electronic and electro-mechan-
ical component prices have dropped
substantially in the past decade,” ex-
plains Lucas Mays, applications engi-
neer with AFL. “The continued rise of
the smart phone, smart homes, cars,
etc. has proliferated electronics in
much more of our society than ever be-
fore. This has greatly increased the vol-
umes of these parts to the global mar-
ket, therefore decreasing the cost of
said components. Single fiber splicers
have experienced the largest price con-
cessions. Core-alignment splicers spe-
cifically have seen the largest percent-
age drop, even though they are not the
lowest-cost splicer. The competition
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 9
leaders is US$4,000 to US$5,000 for
a 4-motor clad splicer, US$8,000 to
US$10,000 for a 6-motor core splicer,
and about US$10,000 to US$12,000 for a
mass or ribbon splicer. There are several
contributing factors to this.
“The degree of cost-effectiveness will
be based on your splicing history. While
splicer prices decline slightly from year
for single fiber splicers is greater— to year, you will recognize a more dra-
there are far fewer mass fusion splicing matic decline if you were pricing one 15
OEMs in the world compared to single, years ago. Most will remember the days
hence greater reductions. of splicing being a very skilled and man-
“Mass fusion seems to be more triv-
ial than core alignment to some, since
the V-grooves do not move, but repeat-
ability of a high-quality mass-fusion
splice where each of the 12 fi-
bers is heated evenly over
thousands of splices, is no
trivial task. Not to men-
tion the accuracy needed
when manufacturing
splicer V-grooves so each
one is perfectly aligned
with its adjacent and oppo-
site V-groove. The cost and
technology barrier for mass
fusion splicing is higher, The Swift K33 is a
hence less competition.” standalone core-
Brad Everette, gen- alignment splicer from
eral manager of America America Ilsintech. ual process, and will also
Ilsintech adds, “Yes, splicer remember the splicer be-
prices have come down over the years, ing the size of a suitcase and costing
but the expansion of splicing technol- $25,000. The initial dramatic decrease
ogy drives a lot of economics also. North was realized in the alignment technol-
American price points among industry ogy that greatly reduced the size and
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 9
4/1/21 4:39 PM
 Fusion splicing becomes more efficient and accessible continued

increased the portability of fusion splic-
ers. Top-tier manufacturers continue
to identify ways to reduce production
costs in a way that does not compro-
mise product quality.
“Although splicer technology has
progressed, the related components—
strippers, cleavers, cleaners—have re-
mained relatively consistent and be-
come more commoditized, leading to
lower kitted costs,” Everette contin-
ues. “Volume commitments from ma-
jor service providers and contractors
have allowed improved economies of
scale at the manufacturing level. The
user with 10 or fewer machines
benefits from the company that
buys hundreds or thousands of
units annually.”
Joshua Seawell, director
of product management with
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave,
observes, “In the industry we’ve
seen the rapid deployment of op-
tical networks with strict time-
lines, and especially since 2020,
stricter budgets. This all plays
into fusion splicer pricing trends.
When looking at the cost of a fu-
sion splicer, it is important to con-
sider the tradeoff between a low-
er-priced unit to a higher-priced
one. Typically, when considering
a single-fiber splicer, a clad-align- splicing professionals align 200-micron fiber
ment unit will be significantly
lower priced than a core-align-
ment unit. What also comes into
play is what the splicer is used for. A
clad-alignment splicer is typically used
where higher loss is acceptable or leg-
acy fiber is not spliced. A core-align-
ment unit is considered when it is es-
sential to identify the fiber core and
splice with the lowest possible loss
to not compromise signal integrity.
At Sumitomo Electric we offer a wide
range of high-performing fusion splicer ers consider their splicing equipment
models for every budget.
“When we look at mass or ribbon
splicing, as the industry continues to
demand splicing efficiency in relation
to speed and splicing results for 200
µm fibers and various ribbon struc-
tures—conventional flat and pliable—
the cost aspect is analyzed based on
product quality. Our engineering ex-
cellence is driven by the highest qual-
ity materials. Although we know we
do not carry the lowest-priced splicers
in the industry, our quality is reflected far-reaching effects of cost sav-
in our machines—everything from the ings associated with fusion splicing.
V-grooves to the microscopes to the
subcomponents of our motors to cre-
AFL offers ribbon fiber holders that can assist
with 250-micron fiber.
ate a workhorse, which our technicians into multimode applications as well.
can continue to use for years t come.”
America Ilsintech’s Everette echoes tablishes itself as an alternative to pre-
those sentiments about quality: “To
debunk a thought that would mis-
takenly seem obvious, one would in-
correctly expect ‘economic alterna-
tives’ to be impacting price points in
the splicer market. Market feedback
and reporting indicates that custom-
to be among their mission-critical
hardware. They demand quality and
performance consistent with top-tier
manufacturers. Installers are seldom
willing to compromise the quality, ser-
vice and support they receive at this
level. Market-share reports support
this commitment showing little mar-
ket growth by lower-tier participants,
or participants who consider splicers
an add-on to their product lines.”
Everette further explains the
“Expansion of products using fusion
splicing as a connectivity method is
expanding the utilization of splicing
beyond the traditional outside plant
world,” he says. “Contractors can now
utilize their splicing equipment to
terminate fusion splice-on connec-
tors and rack-mounted cassette mod-
ules in their enterprise and data cen-
ter segments, which offers a broader
return-on-investment calculation
for the splicer purchase. Depending
on performance expectation and ca-
ble construction, this could involve
active clad, core, and/or rib-
bon splicers.
“Improved network perfor-
mance is increasing the value of
fusion splicing,” Everette adds.
“There was an initial surge in
singlemode applications—pri-
marily in APC but also in UPC—
which has now found its way
The performance of fusion splicing es-
terminated solutions, further expand-
ing the use of fusion splicers and the
ROI calculation.
“Also, the durability of fusion splic-
ing versus mechanical contributes to
the long-term economics. Realities like
temperature cycling and aging of index
matching gels cause mid-term failures
to mechanical splices and connectors.

10 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 10 4/1/21 4:39 PM

 Many specifiers are demanding fusion
splicing as a long-term economic pro-
tection against service truck rolls.
“In short, while the pricing has
come down on the machines them-
selves, it is the expanded use of fusion
splicing and the performance benefits
that are increasing the cost effective-
ness of the equipment. Fiber installers
understand this trend and are finding
their fusion splicer to be one of their
best tool investments.”
One-stop shop
An installer or technician who con-
ducts fusion splicing must be trained
and familiar with several processes, in-
cluding proper cleaving, cleaning, and
other practices. It is advantageous for
these professionals to have a one-stop
shop, to the extent possible, for the
products and the processes involved
from the beginning to the end of the
fusion-splicing process. Fusion-splicer
providers are accommodating.
Everette points out, “Swift-branded
splicers from America Ilsintech are
sold in kit form to ensure the custom-
er’s expectations are met upon arrival.
Kits are configured during the con-
sultation and quotation process to in-
clude the stripping, cleaning, cleaving,
splicing, and sleeving tools required by
the customer to suit their splicing and
connectivity application intentions.
Our kitted options are available for ac-
tive clad, core, and ribbon splicing and
come in two forms. All-in-one splicers
have all functions built into the unit.
This assures that all tools are where
they need to be at the time of use. The
all-in-one design offers several benefits
from site organization to an often-rec-
ognized safety factor. From a design
standpoint, each step and function has
been located to maximize efficiency
and encourage repetition leading to
workflow consistency.
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 11
“America Ilsintech also offers stand-
alone kit options that meet the tradi-
tional kit configurations that include
manual strippers, pump cleaner fluid
bottle and manual cleaver to accom-
pany the splicer selected.”
Seawell notes, “Our fusion splicer
kits come equipped with all the com-
ponents required to splice from the
moment the case is opened. In essence,
the kit having essentially required ma-
terials is a one-stop shop. While other
manufacturers have combined plat-
forms for fusion splicing and cleav-
ing, for example, Sumitomo Electric
considers the machines as separate
products. Our methodology is, if the
machine is independent of the acces-
sories, the splicer kit components are
able to be independently serviced,
which further reduces downtime while
a replacement unit can be provided for
the product under repair.
“When a new technician is utilizing
a Sumitomo fusion splicer for the first
time, we want to offer as many learn-
ing resources as possible. We facilitate
training by offering hands-on demon-
strations, classroom seminars, 24/7/365
technical support on all our product
lines, including user tips and guidelines,
printed and digital manuals that can be
downloaded from our website, and pre-
loaded videos on our fusion splicers to
aid technicians in all the essential steps
of the fusion splicing process.
“Our flagship Q102 Series Type-
Q102-CA+ AI Optimized HDCM Core
Alignment Splicer, Type-Q102-M12
and Type-Q102-M12-200 Ribbon Fiber
splicers include a complimentary fea-
ture SumiCloud, which provides ad-
ditional training resources via help
videos, integrated software updates,
essential splicer maintenance re-
minders and tips, splicer health mon-
itoring, and splice data manage-
ment—including splice images and
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021
report function—all at the opera-
tor’s fingertips.”
“What makes AFL unique is the
end-to-end solutions we provide,” says
Mays. “Not only do we have splicing
kits, but we sell our own line of clean-
ing products for both fiber and con-
nector cleaning. To go along with splic-
ing and cleaning, we offer a full line of
test and inspection products so the full
breadth of equipment needed for any
cable repair or installation can be ac-
quired at our one-stop shop. AFL man-
ufactures everything from fiber-optic
cable to connectivity, and we are avail-
able 24/7 for technical support.”
Splicing high-fiber-count cables
The deployment of extreme high-fiber-
count cables is shining a spotlight on
fusion splicing. These cables incorpo-
rate many ribbons and in total include
thousands of fibers. To minimize ca-
ble diameter, many manufacturers are
using 200-micron fibers rather than
250-micron fibers in these cables. In
some cases, these 200-micron fibers
are spliced to 250-micron fibers, creat-
ing a potential challenge. Splicer man-
ufacturers are taking several measures
to help installers meet and overcome
this and similar challenges.
“Ribbon splicing, by nature, can be
finicky and detailed work due more
to the fiber preparation and han-
dling than the splicer itself,” explains
America Ilsintech’s Everette. “With
that I consider it a specialized art
within an expertise. When selecting a
ribbon splicer, special attention should
be paid to the training and support
made available from the manufacturer.
When splicing ribbon fiber, and espe-
cially high-fiber-count ribbonized ca-
bles, installers should align themselves
with a manufacturer based initially
on product performance and configu-
ration, but just as importantly on the
11
4/1/21 4:39 PM
 Fusion splicing becomes more efficient and accessible continued
application expertise, local product
support and related products available.
“In splicing 200-micron ribbon,
top-tier splicer manufacturers have
product options that use V-grooves
at the proper pitch to splice the fi-
bers in the same manner as 250-mi-
cron. Some manufacturers require a
separate splicer purchase for this type
of splicing, while others have an op-
tion for field modification to an ex-
isting splicer.
“Top-tier manufacturers offer a ‘fi-
ber holder’ option that spaces the
200-micron to a 250-micron pitch,
thereby aligning the fibers for ter-
mination in legacy ribbon splicers.
In this case, the standard termi-
nation practices apply. However,
this opens the door to another
application environment, which is
splice-on MPO connectors. If ter-
mination of MPO connectors is part of
a company’s needs, we highly recom-
mend that this be considered as part
of the splicer selection process. Most
top-tier splicer manufacturers offer
splice-on MPO connectors as part of
their product offering but understand-
ing the intricacies of the 200-micron-
to-250-micron termination should
be part of their application expertise.
Consideration of this expertise along
with local product support and access
to related products should all be part
of the purchase criteria.
“This points to another area shar-
ing the spotlight in splicing, which is
fusion splice-on connectivity [FSOC].
FSOC is the fastest-growing segment
of fiber connectivity in today’s market.
This includes LC, SC, ST, FC and MPO
connector types in singlemode and
OM 1-5. Fusion splicers related to the
termination of these connectors rep-
resent the market growth in this cat-
egory. This connector technology is
the primary component in the use of
12 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 12
fusion splicers outside the traditional
splicing applications.”
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s
Seawell says, “Our Type-Q102-M12
Ribbon Fiber Splicer is capable of splic-
ing 200-micron to 250-micron fibers
utilizing our patented FHM-PCH-12
Pitch Conversion holders. These hold-
ers facilitate the transition from
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s
Type-Q102-M12 Ribbon Fiber Splicer
is capable of splicing 200-micron to
250-micron fibers using patented
pitch conversion holders.
200-micron to 250-micron archi-
tectures. For a network demanding
200-micron fusion splicing, Sumitomo
has a broad offering of custom-tai-
lored solutions including a dedicated
200-micron fusion splicer with a rapid
11-second splice time, 35-second
heater time, and 0.05-dB average splice
loss per 12-count ribbon. Key features
of the Type-Q102-M12-200 include
the patented ACAS [Auto Clamping
Adjustment System], which dramati-
cally minimizes fiber offset and deliv-
ers a repeatably low-loss splice. It in-
cludes our signature dual independent
ovens, reducing heating time by 17%.”
Mays of AFL states, “If possible, the
best solution is to avoid the situation
altogether. AFL offers 200-micron
fibers at a 250-micron pitch, so they
are spaced the same as traditional
250-micron ribbon, yet retain the
lighter weight, smaller outside diam-
eter, and other benefits of 200-micron
fiber. This allows for backwards splic-
ing compatibility with no new equip-
ment or processes. If and when you
do find yourself in need of splicing
two different 200-micron construc-
tions or 200-micron to 250-micron
with differing pitch, AFL has vari-
ous solutions depending on the sit-
uation at hand.
“We offer a selection guide to
help show a user what’s needed
for the different splicing combina-
tions of 200-to-200 micron, 200-to-
250 micron, etc. Also, depending on
the holder/ribbon, there are different
techniques for some that can be found
in the selection guide. 200-micron has
certainly complicated splicing, requir-
ing even veteran splicers to learn new
tricks. Not every OEM has solutions for
every situation, so be sure you can ac-
quire what’s needed before bidding on
that splicing job.
“The most common 200-to-250-
micron splicing we see today is in
stranded fiber cable, where the 200- to
250-micron fibers are not in a ribbon
and must be ribbonized to be spliced.
AFL has a unique glue-less ribbon-
izing tool that collects the fibers in
the proper color-code array and loads
them directly into the fiber holder.
This process can be used with 200- or
250-micron using the same tool, just a
different fiber holder. The holder used
for stranded 200-micron fibers, con-
verts the pitch, or spacing, from 200-
to 250-micron in the holder, to be eas-
ily spliced in a traditional splicer to
250-micron fibers.” u
Patrick McLaughlin is our chief editor.
4/1/21 4:39 PM
 design

Addendum to TIA’s bonding and

grounding standard will harmonize
with wireless-antenna standard
The addendum to ANSI/TIA-607-D is a bonding busbars includes the follow-
ing: “The external bonding busbar is
collaborative effort between two different installed at the point where the an-
TIA standards-development committees. tenna transmission lines and other
telecommunications cables enter the
building or shelter. It is connected di-
BY PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
rectly to the grounding electrode sys-
tem using 2 AWG or larger uninsu-
lated, solid or stranded, tinned or
An addendum to the ANSI/TIA-607-D formed at that September 2019 meet- untinned copper conductor.” In the
standard, commonly referred to as the ing, which includes members of both draft addendum, the words “tin con-
bonding and grounding standard, will committees, collaborated through ductors are recommended” are added
harmonize the document with a sep- much of 2020 to harmonize the two to the end of that statement.
arate Telecommunications Industry standard documents by identifying Elsewhere in the draft, the use of
Association (TIA) standard addressing changes needed to each standard and tinned conductors is recommended
wireless antenna support systems. The also identifying where each standard in sections addressing ground radial
TIA-607-D standard, developed by the should reference the other. electrodes, tower grounding, wooden
TIA TR-42.3 Committee, is officially At TR-42.3’s October 2020 meet- structures such as poles, building/
titled Generic Telecommunications ing the committee reviewed the task shelter and outdoor cabinet ground-
Bonding and Grounding (Earthing) for group’s efforts, specifically including ing, generators, satellite dishes, and
Customer Premises. It has an infor- recommended changes to TIA-607-D’s bonding to the external ground elec-
mative Annex D that addresses towers Annex D. The committee approved a trode system.
and antennas. project authorization request (PAR) for The section of the draft addendum
A different standards-development Addendum 1 to ANSI/TIA-607-D. that addresses self-supporting metallic
committee within TIA, TR-14 Structured The committee’s next meeting took towers also has undergone noteworthy
Standards for Communication and Small place in February 2021, during which a revision from what was originally pub-
Wind Turbine Support Structures, devel- draft of the addendum was introduced. lished in TIA-607-D Annex D. The revi-
oped and updates ANSI/TIA-222-H At that meeting, TR-42.3 authorized sions primarily deal with the width of
Structural Standard for Antenna Support an industry ballot; that ballot remains a monopole tower’s base, and based on
Structures, A​ ntennas and Small Wind open until mid-April. that width, the number of ground rods to
Turbine Support Structures. Of the several changes in the draft which the tower should be connected.
The collaboration between the two addendum, the recommendation to We will continue to follow the prog-
committees began in 2019. At TR-42.3’s use tinned conductors in grounding ress of this addendum and report on its
meeting in September 2019, a represen- systems is most prominent. For ex- ultimate publication. u
tative of TR-14 provided an overview of ample, current wording in the exist-
the TIA-222-H standard. A task group ing TIA-607-D Annex D concerning Patrick McLaughlin is our chief editor.

www.cablinginstall.com Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 13

2104CIM.indb 13 4/1/21 4:39 PM

 in depth

Trends and future

directions in network
infrastructure testing
Organizations at the forefront of cabling-system test technologies
describe what they see on the horizon for this essential function.

BY PATRICK McLAUGHLIN

We recently had the opportunity to gain insights and opinions from several providers of test-equipment
products and systems serving the cabling and information and communications technology (ICT) industry.
We used the opportunity to get information from them on their portfolios of products and technologies, as
well as their views of what is driving change and evolution
in testing processes. Specifically, we asked each participant
the following questions.
3. Storing and managing test results is a
practice that has been made much more

1. For many in the ICT trade, testing is closely associ-

ated with certifying that an installed cabling system
meets specific performance requirements spelled out in a
standard. Very often, such standard compliance is required
to obtain a manufacturer’s warranty. However, over the past
several years the value of other types of tests, such as qual-
ification and verification, has become clear. Please use ex-
amples from your product portfolio to describe your com-
pany’s approach to serving users’ needs for certification,
qualification, and/or verification testing.
efficient in recent years thanks to programs and
capabilities from test-equipment manufacturers.
Please describe what type of test-result manage-
ment program(s) you offer. Feel free to discuss what-
ever capabilities the program offers in addition to
results management.
We received information from the following com-
panies: AEM, EXFO, Fluke Networks, NetAlly,
Softing, and Trend Networks (formerly Ideal
Networks). The text that follows contains each

2. Can you tell us about an emerging or growing

technology that is driving, or will drive, the de-
velopment of new test capabilities or test equipment?
(Please use any example that you believe to be compel-
ling.) You may provide information about what your com-
pany is doing or planning to do to serve the need created
by this technology.
company’s response to our three questions. Where
a specific individual within the organization pro-
vided the answers, we identify that individual.
We hope you find this Q&A exchange helpful in
your everyday tasks and in your planning for the
future. Send your comments or suggestions for
future articles to pmclaughlin@endeavorb2b.com.

14 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 14 4/1/21 4:40 PM

 AEM
■  On certification, qualification, verification: AEM pro-
vides solutions in these “traditional” categories, which we
will outline. However, we also recognized that modern net-
work infrastructures require new ways of testing and trou-
bleshooting, which mandates the need for a broader set of
test functions. To meet this testing need, users unfortu-
nately need to purchase two or even three different types
of test equipment spanning the traditional categories, in
order to meet the full range of required testing. Most orga-
nizations don’t have the budget to support that, and end up
foregoing some of their desired testing needs. To that end,
AEM took an innovative approach to create a new category,
Qualification+, which bridges the gap between verification/
qualification and certification testing, in a single hybrid
test solution.
The TestPro is a modular test system that spans
Verification/Qualification/Qualification+/Certification
depending on which test adapters are used.
•  The TestPro CV100 – K30 is a Qualification+ tester. This
kit provides signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) based multi-giga-
bit link speed testing while under both traffic and PoE load
if a PSE is present. It reports link speed and per pair head-
room for 2.5, 5, and 10 GigE. This test as well as others
such as PoE, are performed into a switch, which means the
two TestPros that come in a kit can be independently de-
ployed, thus doubling testing capacity. However, if a switch
is not present, the two test platform that comes in the kit
can perform this measurement connected on each end of
the cable and testing into each other. For PoE support, the
TestPro supports 802.3 af/at/bt, and UPoE with load test-
ing, PSE configuration detail and external load monitor-
ing. Additionally, a DC resistance unbalance measurement
can be made either as a standalone test or as part of the
Category Autotest, ensuring the physical cable can sup-
port the required PoE application. Wired network connec-
tivity testing including switch and VLAN detail, traceroute
and ping can be performed. Using an optional Edimax du-
al-band WiFi adapter, wireless AP troubleshooting can also
be performed to understand available SSIDs, their signal
strength, ping and traceroute. Lastly, a fully standards com-
pliant bidirectional cable certification test for Cat 3 to Cat
6A can also be performed, with view-only test results. This
is a good option for IT organizations and system integrators
that need to know if the cabling system passes traditional
cable certification, but don’t require printed reports.
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 15
•  The TestPro CV100 – K50 and K60 are Certifiers, and pro-
vide standards compliant bidirectional testing with the
ability to store over 10,000 test results in memory, but can
offload to the TestDataPro Cloud service while testing, or at
a later time with TestDataPro PC based software. The chan-
nel and permanent link autotest can be run with standard
test parameters, or configured with “+” parameters, such as
TCL, ELTCTL, DC resistance unbalance, ACRN and more
and still maintain a 6 second autotest time for Cat 6A, even
with every possible additional test parameter activated. The
TestPro is also a 3-GHZ platform, ensuring headroom for fu-
ture growth in the standards. The K60 is a complete smart
building test system with all capability noted above for the
K30 in addition to copper certification. The K50 is dedicated
to copper certification. However, to note, all TestPros can
support wireless testing and access through use of an op-
tional Edimax USB wireless adapter.
•  TestPro also offers the K11, K51, K61 which add single-
mode and multimode fiber optic testing capability.
•  The new Network Service Assistant (NSA), with Certi-Lite
was the catalyst for the Qualification+ designation. Using a
small passive terminator on the remote end, it can provide a
standards-compliant single-ended cable test and provides a
pass/fail indication for Cat 3 to Cat 6A. This test includes all
RF parameters called out in ANSI/TIA-1152-A. The NSA pro-
vides SNR-based multi-gigabit link speed testing while un-
der both traffic and PoE load if a PSE is present. It reports link
speed and per pair headroom for 2.5, 5, and 10 GigE. For PoE
support, the TestPro supports 802.3 af/at/bt, and UPoE with
load testing, PSE configuration detail and external load mon-
itoring. Wired network connectivity testing including switch
and VLAN detail, traceroute and ping can be performed.
Using an optional Edimax dual-band WiFi adapter, wire-
less AP troubleshooting can also be performed to understand
available SSIDs, their signal strength, ping and traceroute.
This is a good option for IT organizations and system inte-
grator that just need to know if the cabling system meets the
test limits specified for each category as defined in 1152-A.
The NSA allows storing and printing of autotest results, and is
supported by TestDataPro PC based and TestDataPro Cloud
results management applications.
■ On emerging technologies driving change: The first topic
to highlight is Power over Ethernet, because as intelligent
building deployments continue to grow in popularity, PoE
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 15
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 Trends and future directions in network infrastructure testing continued
is a core technology for these deployments. AEM’s testing
capabilities provide users with multiple ways to verify sup-
port of this technology for their given applications. In short,
we support “RealPower” PoE load testing for 802.3 af/at/bt
and UPoE, DC resistance unbalance and external load mon-
itoring including per pair SNR.
As either a standalone test or as part of a cable certifica-
tion autotest, the tester can initiate additional “+” param-
eters to execute a DC resistance unbalance measurement.
When a cable is used for PoE, it is important to ensure that
DC resistance of all wires is closely matched. Differences of
resistance between pairs, or between wires within a pair
can cause degradation which could inhibit the ability to
provide full power needed over the link under test. TestPro’s
6-second autotest includes full characterization of DC resis-
tance parameters, including all combinations of loop resis-
tance, pair-to-pair resistance unbalance, and wire-to-wire
resistance unbalance as well as all of the standard tests
required for certification compliance, and in accordance
with cable manufacturer warranty programs.
For actual PoE testing, think of the test equipment as
taking the place of the end device that requires power, by
emulating that device. The user would unplug the device from
the network and plug the AEM tester into that jack. A user
then tells the tester what level of PoE is needed to support the
device, i.e. 802.3 af/at/bt, UPoE, and the tester begins nego-
tiating with the PSE and demands that level of power from
it. This full test provides users with not only the basic PSE
configuration information such as PSE type, pairs used, and
what the allocated power is, but it takes it to the next level to
give users the ultimate piece of information they really need,
which is how much power is available at the jack under load
to support a given PD. This is reported in Current/Wattage/
Voltage to show “RealPower” available at the jack.
Finally, our test equipment also supports sustained load
monitoring. This is very useful to view and identify inter-
mittent power drops, by being able to sit in-line between
the PSE and an external power load set to the amount of
power required by the PD. The TestPro or Network Service
Assistant will then monitor power fluctuation to help iden-
tify intermittent power issues as well as changes in SNR
values by pair.
The second topic to highlight is Single Pair Ethernet, a
topic very close to AEM as we have been supporting this tech-
nology in automotive wiring harness testing for a number of
years. AEM is part of the IEEE committee writing the 802.3cg
standard, and we have created test adapters for our modular
TestPro CV100 cable certifier to supporting field testing of this
16 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 16
technology. AEM is also an active member of the TIA SPEC,
and Ethernet Alliance with a focus on SPE technology.
In the world of 5G, our WideOptix-SR4 provides an objec-
tive validation of multimode fiber-optic cable bandwidth
to ensure performance of MPO cables to meet the require-
ments of the 100GBase-SR4 standard using eye-diagram
analysis. The WideOptix SR4 would be used by the service
provider prior to cable deployment to ensure cable quality
prior to install. This helps in faster troubleshooting should a
problem arise. Traditional Tier 1 multimode fiber certifica-
tion does not suffice for these types of high-speed cable. The
WideOptix-SR4 ensures 100Gig per second over MPO, by
testing 25 Gig per channel on each of the 8 channels, provid-
ing assurance the cable can support the application, some-
thing simple loss measurement cannot adequality do.
■  On test results storing and management: AEM includes access
to TestDataPro Cloud and TestDataPro PC based results man-
agement applications. We offer two methods as some custom-
ers prefer to be able to upload test results as they are testing to
the cloud with either a wired or wireless internet connection,
while others prefer to keep test data within the tester and then
connect to PC. A great benefit of our cloud service is the ability
to get help from a more senior project manager, if a technician
is having a problem getting a cable to pass in the field. The proj-
ect manager can easily view details of test files from anywhere
to help the technician troubleshooting and resolve the issue.
TestDataPro allows users to organize test results into a
hierarchy including building/floor/room/rack/etc. or just a
simple list for each project.
Users have several options with regard to how they might
want their reporting data: native format, .pdf, or .csv. Results
are provided in a summary report (a single report with a
high-level summary at beginning and induvial detailed pages
for each test), or an individual report for each test.
For those supporting intelligent buildings, the summary
report showing copper certification data, fiber certification
data, and multi-gig link speed and PoE results is one of the
more popular report formats. This allows the user to provide
to the customer a complete infrastructure support report
that includes all aspects of connectivity and link speed.
Once in a while a technician may inadvertently run a
Cat 6 test configuration, when they were supposed to be a
Cat 6A test configuration. It could be a costly endeavor to
have to go back and retest. But TestDataPro is able to recer-
tify the link through software by using the stored test files.
This could represent thousands of dollars in savings by not
having to go back out on site and retest.
4/1/21 4:40 PM
2104CIM.indb 17
2104CIM_AEMInternational 1 4/1/21 2:29
3/4/21 4:40 PM
PM
 Trends and future directions in network infrastructure testing continued
Predefined labeling is often desired to ensure accuracy
once on site. Users can create their labeling scheme in Excel
and import it into TestDataPro, which can then export that
labeling scheme into TestPro.
Custom test limits are also supported and can be con-
figured outside the system in .csv, imported into the
TestDataPro, and then into TestPro.
EXFO
■ On certification, qualification, verification: Fiber optic test-
ing no longer commands a one size fits all approach as today’s
practices are finely tuned to suit the demands of a given sit-
uation. A national communication service provider (CSP)
is faced with a very different reality to that of a data center,
or a small enterprise LAN. To address these demands CSPs
have long favored reflectometry products such as EXFO’s
MaxTester OTDRs and Optical Explorer whereas enterprise
and data centers have looked to optical loss test sets (OLTS).
OLTS provide high-speed testing collecting results which
are then compared to limits specified within standards
bodies such as ISO, IEC and TIA. This practice is often called
certification, but lines have blurred in recent years as users
also select light source/power meter and OTDR products
offering similar capabilities to address factors such as cost,
complexity, fault finding and MPO. New enterprise applica-
tions such as distributed antenna systems for 5G, or passive
optical LANs are also impacting tester choice with users look-
ing to solutions such as PON Meters and iOLM based OTDRs.
Although a one size fits all solution will never be sufficient
alone a new category in test is gaining universal appeal and
that is the Optical Fiber Multimeter. This new breed in fiber
verification and fault-finding provides a comprehensive set of
measurements with the ease of operating a power meter.
■ On emerging technologies driving change: An emerging
technology in the fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) segment is the
use of unbalanced or tapered splitters in rural fiber broad-
band deployments. In sparsely populated regions, distances
between dwellings are longer, requiring passive optical net-
work (PON) designs best suited to long fiber runs. In the
balanced splitters used in metro areas, the split levels are
symmetric. For example, in a balanced 1x8 power splitter,
each leg receives 1/8 or 12.5% of the input power level. In the
unbalanced power splitter world, manufacturers offer a range
of options to network designers, for example from 60%/40%
18 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 18
Keeping the test equipment up to date with the latest
software is important, and TestDataPro allows an easy
method to obtain the latest firmware updates for importing
into the test equipment.
Lastly, pdf. files of user manuals are also kept in
TestDataPro for easy access at any time. This also ensure
the very latest version are easily accessible.
to 98%/2% in typical 1x2 products. Unbalanced splitters are
generally smaller than balanced splitters, allowing them to be
pole-mounted to reduce construction costs.
EXFO’s iOLM intelligent Optical Link Mapper v8.34 on the
MAX-730C and FTB/FTBx-730C has support for time domain
reflectometry testing of PONs using unbalanced splitters.
iOLM has support for up to 12 spliced or preconnectorized
tapered splitters per fiber link, using any power split ratio,
with intuitive tapered splitter icons. This makes it easy and
efficient to certify and troubleshoot unbalanced splitter net-
works, futureproofing EXFO’s 730C OTDR test set as fiber
broadband deployments increasingly move into rural areas.
■  On test results storing and management: As new fiber
networks are rolled out to meet the capacity and speeds
required by access technologies and high-value services,
ensuring quality installation is crucial. In challenging field
testing environments, test process automation is one of the
most valuable tools available to reduce human errors and
improve compliance with network operators’ standards.
Telecom providers know what performance and capac-
ity they need to get out of their networks, whether the fiber
use centers around fiber-to- the-home (FTTH) residential
or enterprise installations or fiber-to- the-antenna (FTTA)
or distributed antenna systems (DAS) for wireless fron-
thaul. Most operators have detailed documentation on how
to construct and validate fiber links to their own specific
requirements and network design strategies. These meth-
ods and procedures documents, or M&Ps, are often updated
and changed to reflect evolving best practices, making it
difficult to ensure that all technicians and project teams
are working from the most current version. They are also
lengthy, typically more than 50 pages. This makes them
unwieldy to use on-site and difficult to reference in the field,
and it is all too easy for required processes to be missed or
only partially completed.
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 M&Ps also establish labelling regimes and testing thresh-
olds that are unique to each operator and can differ across
installation types. FTTH deployments are highly variable
and require technicians to accurately enter even more data.
Technicians try to avoid mistakes, but repetitive data entry
is a difficult task in the field: tests may need to be performed
with multiple test sets that have multiple user interfaces,
M&Ps cross-checked, and so on. A significant percentage of
test results have data-entry errors, from results not being saved
or being lost, to tests being skipped, performed to the wrong
threshold or associated with the wrong fiber, cable or location.
EXFO’s TestFlow turns an inefficient and highly manual
field-testing approach into one that is consistent and sim-
plified, and makes the best use of valuable time with the fol-
lowing functionality:
1. M&P-based are digitized job definitions with predefined
test-point IDs (e.g. for fiber/bulkhead connectors), re-
quired tests (e.g. fiber-connector inspection) and appli-
cable test configurations with design pass/fail thresholds
for techs to successfully complete on-site work.
2. Managers or the system (via API) distribute jobs to techs’
test instrument and mobile devices.
Fluke Networks
■  On certification, qualification, verification: The type of
cable testing needed is tied to the individual’s time horizon.
Certification testers such as our Versiv System make sense
for a building owner who wants to know their installation
will support many applications into future decades. Versiv
automates much of the process, which is great for customers
such as installation contractors performing high volumes of
testing. Qualification testers such as our CableIQ are good
for the network manager who wants to know if their current
application (for example, 1000Base-T) will run. Verification
testers such as our MicroScanner PoE are best for the tech
who wants to fix the problem that showed up this morning.
Some vendors today are offering what could be called
“functional” testing, where the tester makes an Ethernet
connection and generates maximum-bandwidth traf-
fic. This sort of testing can be useful in the hands of a net-
work engineer but can be dangerous on a live business
network. More important, these sorts of testers show only
that the specific transceivers (or network interface cards /
NICs) within the tester can communicate at that moment.
They do not actually measure the performance of the cable.
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 19
3. Technicians run consistent job-specific test sequences
using an all-in-one intuitive test-unit / mobile-de-
vice application with a single user interface and sup-
port for multiple tests and measurements without
the need of other applications or manuals – auto-
mated step-by-step tasks and job closeout with dy-
namic test-sequence reporting and test / task-sensi-
tive instructions.
4. Technicians automatically upload test results with pre-
defined filenames to TestFlow’s centralized servers for
results-to-metrics processing and immediate close-
out-package audit for completeness.
5. Managers analyze user-defined testing metrics from the
centralized TestFlow database using web-based analyt-
ics dashboards and reporting tools to verify compliance
and review work.
Field test process automation with TestFlow means more
productive use of both techs’ and managers’ time, improved
compliance with operator standards and more accurate and
timely data from the frontline, leading to better, faster net-
work deployments.
Further, there’s no consideration of “margin.” For example,
will the performance degrade if the temperature changes?
Our testers use standards-based measurements, which
include appropriate margins to ensure that tested links meet
performance requirements and that compliant devices can
communicate over the link under a variety of conditions.
■ On emerging technologies driving change: PoE is driving
the adoption of new test capabilities. The resistance prop-
erties of cabling channels take on a new importance when
you’re delivering power. Both the bulk resistance of the wire
pairs (loop resistance) and the relative resistance of indi-
vidual conductors (resistive balance) become important for
cabling certification.
When it comes time to install PoE-powered devices the
immediate challenge is to make sure the power require-
ments for the device can be met by the servicing switch
port. New testers coming to market recently facilitate a
quick verification of the switch port capabilities and reduce
any need to engage the IT department for configuration
info. And while it’s not a test technology, the new Ethernet
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 19
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 Trends and future directions in network infrastructure testing continued
Alliance PoE certification program will make installing
devices more trouble-free than ever.
SPE applications and cabling will drive the development
of new test capabilities. What is showing itself to be the
most broadly applied and primary volume driver for SPE is
the 10Base-T1 application. The slowest of the SPE applica-
tions, it also has the longest reach. Cabling systems, being
standardized as we speak, are defined for 400 m and 1,000
m reach. These lengths require new performance capabili-
ties for test equipment. Additionally, the slower 10Base-T1
application operates in a lower frequency band that goes
down to 0.1 MHz. Combined, these attributes challenge test
equipment manufacturers to maintain their certification
quality accuracies. The good news is that it will be at least
a year before those technologies begin deployment, giving
vendors time to develop solutions.
■ On test results storing and management: Our LinkWare
solution has provided results management for our testers
for over twenty years with trusted reporting accepted by
over 30 cabling manufacturers. We support two versions of
NetAlly (Responses provided by James Kahkoska, chief technology officer)
On certification, qualification, verification: While NetAlly has
focused primarily on live network testing (wired Ethernet
and 802.11 WiFi), we recognize the need among ICT pro-
fessionals (from contractors to field service/MSP teams
and end-users at enterprise organizations) to understand
the quality of their media infrastructure as measured by
the quality of data frame transmission from one end of the
media to the other. Cable certification is a bit “theoretical”
– it posits that if a particular cable run meets the paramet-
ric requirements of the TIA standard (it is “certified” to that
standard) then it will carry certain IEEE communications
protocol frames, such as IEEE 10GBase-T, error free.
Note: there is a distinction between “ frames” and “pack-
ets” – packets are units of data in the Network Layer
(layer 3, or IP), frames are units of data in the Link Layer
(Layer 2, Ethernet).
Cable certification tools require complex, expensive cir-
cuitry and algorithms to test the parametric parameters
like NEXT, FEXT and alien crosstalk as required by the TIA
standard. A practical alternative to this is to saturate the
media with actual network traffic for a designated time
to ensure that all frames are transported error-free. While
20 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 20
the offering. First, the original PC-based version (LinkWare
PC) boasts tens of thousands of users and provides a tam-
per-proof “flw” format that guarantees authenticity of
results. Second, the cloud version (LinkWare Live) was
launched in 2015, and just surpassed the milestone of 50
million test results uploaded. Aside from results manage-
ment, LinkWare Live provides:
•  Remote setup of multiple testers, reducing errors
•  Management of cable identifiers across multiple testers
and labelers
•  Automatically organize multiple results from multiple tes-
ters across jobsites
•  Access to job progress and results from any smart device
•  Tracking of tester location, software version and cali-
bration status
LinkWare Live integrates with solutions from Brady,
Brother, Dymo and Epson, for fast, error-free labeling.
Our latest integration allows users of the Planet IRM
Infrastructure Management platform instant access to
cable test results in LinkWare Live for the industry’s first
“network map to wire map” offering.
there are some advantages and warranty requirements for
TIA certification at the time of installation, the reality is
after “day zero” installation, that there are many benefits
to media qualification using high volumes of real frames
rather than parametric substitutes. For example, when
upgrading to newer access points that require 2.5G links, it
can be determined if the existing installed cabling is already
capable of carrying 100% utilization of 2.5GBase-T traffic for
24 hours, saving an expensive cabling upgrade.
NetAlly uses the name LANBERT™ for this technology,
and we are pleased to announce its availability next month
(May 2021) as a software upgrade for the EtherScope® nXG
Portable Network Expert analyzer and the LinkRunner®
10G Advanced Ethernet Tester. The LANBERT Performance
Test App provides a flexible, easy way to validate the qual-
ity of “dark media” and media components, such as SFPs,
wall and patch panels, and patch cables. LANBERT sends
network traffic between NetAlly testers, devices capa-
ble of Layer 1 loopback, or a media physical loopback (fiber
or 10/100 Ethernet). Owners of these instruments will be
able to upgrade their software free of charge to add this
new capability.
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 In a single hour, over 53 billion frames (at 10G) are
sent and received from both ends, full duplex; LANBERT
can detect if even a single bit is corrupted. An additional
advantage is that unlike the temporal TIA certification
where competitors compete based on minimum test time,
LANBERT can be used to “soak test” the media over many
hours. A 24-hour test (over 1.28 trillion frames at 10G) may
reveal that a conveyor belt static buildup corrupts the media
every couple of hours or when the humidity is low, for exam-
ple. Seeing the errors graphically trended in time, with the
ability to zoom in on any error with 1-second granularity is
a valuable tool in getting to the root cause of the corruption.
In operation, external events such as ESD discharges,
EMF pulses from motors, noise, even movement of the
media can not only cause bit errors but may prevent certain
technologies from linking at the designated speed causing a
downshift to the next lower rate. In addition to monitoring
for bit errors, signal to noise ratio (SNR) and delay skew are
simultaneously monitored to further understand the avail-
able SNR margin on the cable as the current link speed.
Additionally, LANBERT can be used on fiber links when
troubleshooting or adding capacity. For example, when
deploying additional strands of fiber in an existing bundle
between floors, or buildings on a campus, or even metros
up to 80km, LANBERT can be used to qualify the media
for error-free operation. Unlike optical fiber certifica-
tion, the actual SFPs that will be deployed in the switches
can be used in the tester to ensure the entire ecosystem,
a viable alternative to fiber inspection. Likewise, direct
access cables (DAC) can be qualified prior to data center
usage. LANBERT can even be used with a simple fiber
loopback dongle to qualify a dubious 1G/10G SFP+ prior
to deployment.
It is important to note that while testing a media plant
with LANBERT (or other tools that offer similar function) is
a good way to validate the foundation of the infrastructure,
it is not sufficient to ensure proper live network operation.
The qualification of key network services from PoE to link
speed/duplex, VLAN configuration, DHCP/DNS services –
and even the actual end user response time of pulling a
web page – is essential to confirm the operational aspects
of a network.
Additionally, it is critical to understand that BERT-style
testing is not sufficient for characterizing the overall qual-
ity of packet transmission across a production network
(either during turnup or when fully operational), through a
switched (Layer 2) and routed (Layer 3) infrastructure. For
this purpose, testers capable of IP-packet transmission at
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 21
line rate, with appropriate L2 and L3 controls (VLAN and
QoS configurations) and multiple packet streams of varying
configuration are necessary.
Every NetAlly wired Ethernet tester provides basic
cable “verification” – which seems to be understood in
the industry as testing to determine whether a particular
cable or link is wired properly, that is, no miswires, opens,
shorts, split pairs or other physical impairments as deter-
mined through TDR (time-domain reflectometry) testing.
Additionally, the testers can conduct pin-to-pin continu-
ity testing (“wire mapping”), and office/jack location identi-
fication by way of a cable terminator. Most are also capable
of injecting a digital or analog tone for cable tracing. These
tools include the EtherScope nXG, the LinkRunner family of
products, AirCheck G2, and LinkSprinter.
■ On emerging technologies driving change: The progres-
sion of technology is a constant challenge for network pro-
fessionals. As a valued partner, NetAlly is always tracking
technology developments, and offers solutions for the inevi-
table problems that come with those changes. Trends of the
past will continue (new wired and WiFi speeds and stan-
dards, the use of the network for power distribution, and so
on) and our customers can expect new products and prod-
uct updates to meet those developments.
■  On test result storing and management: Serving as a secure,
centralized test results, analysis, and tester management
system, NetAlly’s free Link-Live™ Cloud Service transforms
team workflows with the ability to quickly and easily log,
document, and report test activity from all NetAlly hand-
held network testers and analyzers. Once the instrument
is connected to the Link-Live Cloud service, test results
can be automatically uploaded to the dashboard for proj-
ect management, analysis, collaboration, and reporting
(test results done during “offline” use are buffered for later
upload, when a network connection is available.) Users
have the option of uploading additional files, screenshots,
images, profiles, packet captures, location information, and
comments anytime. Also, certain NetAlly instruments with
AllyCare Support can receive firmware updates “over the
network” from Link-Live as they become available. In addi-
tion, AllyCare enables access to certain advanced features
in Link-Live.
Installers, systems integrators and MSPs appreciate
that there is no licensing or fees associated with the use
of Link-Live, and that there is no limit to the number of
people accessing the data, organizations (a way of grouping
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 21
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 Trends and future directions in network infrastructure testing continued
testers), and test results, making it a valuable reporting and
collaboration tool.
Most importantly, Link-Live is the cornerstone of
NetAlly’s AirMapper Ecosystem – an interoperable set of
products for the survey, validation, and troubleshooting of
WiFi installations. As the first WiFi heatmapping service in
the cloud, AirMapper allows any technician to conduct site
data collection from a NetAlly AirCheck G2 or EtherScope
Softing
■  On certification, qualification, verification: The funda-
mental concept of certification (as provided by Softing’s
WireXpert) is that it is testing the physical properties of
the cable – things like insertion loss, crosstalk and so on,
against a defined standard (for example from TIA or ISO). A
good example of this would be the 2.5-Gbit/sec and 5-Gbit/
sec Ethernet standards. You could have a building with
a certified Category 6A installation that was done years
before those Ethernet standards were invented, but because
those applications are designed to run on Category 6A
cables, you know with certainty that you can buy the new
5-Gbit/s switches and it will work.
Qualification (as provided by Softing’s NetXpert XG
range) on the other hand is based on testing the application
that you actually want to run. The advantage is that you are
directly proving that (for example) 2.5-Gbit/sec Ethernet is
actually running on the link. This type of test can be run
with almost no training and can be easier to explain to IT
technicians in troubleshooting situations, as compared to
the rather abstract-sounding numbers contained in a cer-
tification report. If you have a bit error rate test (BERT)
with zero errors on the application that interests you, this
can be more reassuring than a crosstalk number in dB. A
smart application tester such as the NetXpert XG provides
easy-to-interpret results and even the ability for a colleague
or second opinion service to connect remotely and help with
a challenging problem or in cases of plant restrictions or
area lockdowns.
Verification (as provided by Softing’s Cablemaster range)
refers to simple testers that establish correct wiring. These
are very useful as an initial check for errors when a link is
installed. With good quality cables and connectors, most
installation failures will be due to simple errors where the
wires are connected to the wrong pins, or a short circuit has
been caused by careless wire stripping. Softing also offers
22 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 22
nXG. Once uploaded, a centralized expert can analyze the
site, freely collaborate with others inside or outside the orga-
nization, and generate reports.
Link-Live also can be used to automatically generate
network topology diagrams from network discovery data
gathered by certain NetAlly test instruments. This capa-
bility provides a way to have “up-to-the-minute accurate”
network maps.
enhanced verification testers that can detect more subtle
faults such as split pairs where the pins are connected cor-
rectly at each end, but using the wrong pairing inside the
cable. Such links will fail certification later in the process.
Because verification testers are low cost, it makes sense for
anyone installing cables to use one to check for the obvi-
ous errors right away, so that time is not wasted later during
the more lengthy and expensive certification or qualifica-
tion process.
■ On emerging technologies driving change: Power over
Ethernet (PoE) is now very widely deployed and continues
to grow in importance. Any new installations will typically
need to be tested for PoE use, which means testing against
the very stringent requirements for DC resistance unbalance
both between pairs and within a pair. Softing provides this
capability with enhanced test adapters for the WireXpert. A
key benefit of this approach is that it can be used with any
WireXpert model purchased since 2009, so there is no need
to buy a whole new tester to support PoE testing.
The rapid growth in bandwidth demand over WiFi has
created new challenges in copper testing. High-performance
WiFi access points demand faster copper connections back
to the core network switches, and this area is where we
see a lot of interest in proving 2.5-Gbit to 10-Gbit Ethernet
speeds using the BERT test with the Softing NetXpert XG.
Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) is clearly a hot topic now
across multiple industries and applications, and Softing
is active in the standards committees that are currently
working to create practical and useful standards for SPE.
These developments are particularly important for the fur-
ther development of applications such as smart buildings
and Industry 4.0 where there is a demand for very large
numbers of IP-connected sensors and devices at a low
installed cost.
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 ■ On test result storing and management: Data management
is an essential part of a test system – the installer or system
integrator needs to be able to present his or her client with a
clear and concise report either on paper or electronically, that
is standards-compliant and proves that the work done meets
the required specification. Achieving this on real-world,
multi-tester projects requires a comprehensive set of data
management tools that deal with the practical difficulties.
For example, if a link fails and is then rectified, the client
only wants to see the good result in the right place in the
report. On-site, all the technicians may not have followed
the same naming conventions or project hierarchies, despite
the best efforts of the project manager. Softing’s eXport
software provides flexible features to help assemble all the
results from multiple source files into a well-structured and
professional final report. In extreme cases it is even possible
that the wrong test limit was used on-site, in which case the
eXport software is able to recertify the raw test data against
the correct standard.
Cloud-based data services have their conveniences but
issues such as monthly fees for hosting the service, the risk
of getting “locked in” to an endless contract with uncertain
future costs, and the legal challenges when storing client
data on third-party servers outside the company’s control
often limits their adoption. Softing’s cloud solution allows the
installer to run the cloud server in-house, under the control of
the company’s own IT department. This avoids any recurring
costs and provides complete control over the data security.
Another clever approach to project management is the
ability to reassign local testers to behave as remote tes-
ters. That means, because of the Dual Control System from
Softing, you can have one local tester in a main distribution
frame while 3 other testers are reconfigured as remote tes-
ters. The remote testers are now walking around the build-
ing or campus while the local stays put at the MDF. This is
a huge time saver and only possible because you have iden-
tical screens and identical main processors at both ends
of the cable.

Trend Networks, formerly Ideal Networks (Responses provided by Dan Barrera, global product manager, data cable testers)
■ On certification, qualification, verification: For custom- whether existing cabling can be upgraded with multigig to
ers who need performance reporting that doesn’t have to extend capability without the need for recabling.
comply with the requirements of formal cable certifica- In addition to qualifying cabling and networks
tion Trend Networks (formerly Ideal Networks) offers the for available bandwidth the active LAN versions of
SignalTEK line of transmission testers, sometimes known
as qualifiers. Transmission testers work by sending Ethernet
frames through the transmission medium, retransmitting
them from the far end, and counting the return frames. The
common term used for this is a bit error ratio test (BERT),
though for simplicity our testers report the number of lost
frames rather than the sum of the bits that are lost. The
great part about transmission testing is that the pass/fail
determination is easily quantifiable because the limits
are specified in the IEEE Ethernet standards, much like
TIA creates performance standards for cable certification.
Transmission testing is the norm used by every telecom
company and we’ve simplified it for use in the LAN.
Trend Networks now offers transmission testers in
1-Gb and 10-Gb versions called the SignalTEK NT and the
SignalTEK 10G. Within each range there are variants that
test copper cable only, copper and fiber, or copper and fiber, SignalTEK 10G from Trend Networks (formerly Ideal
plus active network transmission testing. Additionally, Networks) is an example of a transmission tester. It
SignalTEK 10G also supports the new multigig standards qualifies cabling and networks for available bandwidth.
for 2.5G and 5G testing, so it can definitively tell users Trend Networks

www.cablinginstall.com Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 23

2104CIM.indb 23 4/1/21 4:40 PM

 Trends and future directions in network infrastructure testing continued
SignalTEK can also perform a wide range of network
diagnostic and troubleshooting tests, further increasing
their use case.
Lastly, transmission testers are much more afford-
able than certifiers, starting at about one fifth of the cost
of a certifier. Certifiers are designed to provide the capa-
bility and near-accuracy of a $100,000+ laboratory vector
network analyzer packed into a durable handheld field-tes-
ter. As such, the designs are one-off high-frequency analog
instruments and are exceedingly expensive to manufacture.
Transmission testers utilize off-the-shelf digital communi-
cations components that simplify the design and manufac-
ture, leading to lower costs to measure the same grade of
cable as a certifier.
■ On emerging technologies driving change: There are sev-
eral new or advancing technologies that Trend Networks is
addressing with new products such as Multigig/NBase-T
and Type 3/Type 4 PoE. Multigig and NBase-T began as
competing technologies that sought to increase the band-
width that could be delivered over Category 5E and 6
cabling for the purposes of giving network owners a second
option to recabling to support new applications. They have
since been ratified under a common standard called IEEE
802.3bz and it essentially allows 10Gb Ethernet to “down-
shift” to 5Gb or 2.5Gb on cabling that cannot support 10Gb
at 100 meters (328 ft).
Our SignalTEK 10G is a new Ethernet Bandwidth tester
that will perform a series of tests including a Maximum
Bandwidth test to determine the exact bandwidth that
cabling, or an active LAN channel, can support. We do
this by using a process called a binary chop, which starts
by flooding the link with 10 Gbits/sec and testing for lost
frames. Then it reduces the speed by 50% and if no frames
are lost, it will increase the speed by 50% and continue this
process until it zeros in on the maximum error-free sus-
tained bandwidth to a resolution of 1% of the link speed.
Another new standard to address is IEEE 802.3bt, which
is the specification for high power PoE, commonly called
HPoE or PoE++. This specification allows for up to 90 watts
of power delivery over a Category 5e (or better) cable -
enough power for next generation wireless access points,
video displays, computer terminals, lighting, and many
other applications.
An issue faced by installers and integrators is the
ability to determine whether new or existing cabling and
the PoE network devices can deliver the expected power
over a data line. Merely detecting the advertised power is
24 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 24
not enough. The system must be checked under load to
ensure all the components are working together to meet
the requirements of the IEEE 802.3bt specification. To
solve the question of PoE compliance, Trend Networks
offers the PoE Pro, which provides an immediate pass/fail
indication based on the type of PoE source detected. For
example, when a Class 6 PoE source is detected the PoE
Pro will put a load on the line and verify that the delivered
power is between 51 and 60 watts. The user does not need
to remember the power range for each of the 8 classes; the
tester will display a Pass if the power is within limits and a
Fail if enough power is not available.
■  On test result storing and management: Trend Networks
launched AnyWARE Cloud, which is a complete project
management and reporting system that is entirely cloud
based and can be used with a web browser on Windows,
Mac, Android, and iOS devices. The system works with our
new generation of cable certifiers and transmission testers,
allowing project managers to create projects and test con-
figurations in the office while field technicians sync the
projects to the tester via the internet. This process virtu-
ally eliminates the most common field-testing errors, which
are incorrect IDs and test setups. Completed tests are trans-
ferred back to the cloud where full analysis of the test tables
and plots can be done as well as attaching photos, plans and
other supporting documentation.
After verification of results, test reports are easily cre-
ated and emailed to customers directly via the cloud or
project files can be sent to cabling manufacturers for war-
ranty verification.
Connected test equipment also makes technical sup-
port faster and easier because our latest testers can be
remotely viewed and controlled using the Team Viewer
Live Support feature. Suppose a field technician is get-
ting unexpected failures and needs assistance diagnosing
the problem. They can get help from a remote colleague
or Trend Networks’ technical support team by connecting
to a WiFi hotspot and letting the remote support person
see what is on the screen, and even run additional mea-
surements to troubleshoot the cabling or network issues.
Remote access has changed the way field support is
offered and eliminates the headaches of trying to describe
what test results are displayed. After all, a picture is worth
a thousand words and remote access eliminates many
thousands of words. u
Patrick McLaughlin is our chief editor.
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 PR

S
CU
OD

FO
UC
T
PATCH PANELS

Legrand HDJ shielded patch panel

Legrand says its Shielded Clarity patch panels combine performance
and modularity to deliver a dynamic high-density rack-mount solution.
“Industry-leading protection against EMI is provided when paired with
Shielded Clarity High Density Jacks, including up to 22 dB of alien
crosstalk headroom,” Legrand says. Available in white or black, the
company’s flat or angled HDJ shielded patch
panels work with icon-ready modules to deliver
high visibility port identification or segmentation.
Rugged rear cable management is supplied to
support best cabling practices. Options include
high density 48 port/1RU, or standard density
24 port/1RU and 48 port/2RU versions.
Legrand, https://legrand.us/

MPO fiber marshalling system

Phoenix Contact has introduced a new series of multifiber data
connectors. The company says its new M17 MPO fiber-optic
connectors are ideal for real-time data transmission in intelligent power
grids, where reliability, signal integrity and uptime are critical. “The
robust interfaces feature high-quality fiber optics, which provide stable
bandwidths over long transmission
distances,” the company points out. The
manufacturer’s full, plug-and-play M17
MPO platform comes complete with fully
assembled trunk cables, distribution
boxes, and breakout cables. Trunk
cables are available in standard lengths
up to 200 meters. Distribution boxes
with one or two MPO connectors and
up to 72 LC duplex front connections
enable quick and easy installation
without additional tools, Phoenix Contact
adds. Breakout cables are also offered for custom configurations or
use in alternative enclosures, such as control cabinets. The breakout
cables are designed for front-mounting of one M17 MPO connector on
the panel, with breakout IP20 LC or ST cables inside the enclosure.
Phoenix Contact, www.phoenixcontact.com

www.cablinginstall.com Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 25

2104CIM.indb 25 4/1/21 4:40 PM

 EDITOR’S PICKS
£ O PPORTUNITIES IN
CONNEC TED LIVING

£ D ATA CENTER
CABINET GOES ZETA

£ H IDING FIBER
BEHIND THE WALL

News, products and trends for the communications systems industry

COMPILED BY
Matt Vincent
mvincent @ endeavorb 2 b . com

audio paths for speakers and head-

phones, as well as ambient light,
human presence, temperature and
orientation sensors, and support for
standby and low-power modes with
auto wakeup. The unit’s Cat 5E con-
AUDIOVISUAL nection to the main PC does not con-
sume HDMI on the PC; integrated
AV-over-IP touchscreen HDMI capture boosts productivity.
Mimo’s Anderson added, “Elevating
controls Ethernet-connected conference rooms through innovation

HDMI conference room display

and convenience, this groundbreak-
ing touchscreen solution maximizes
usable space and enhances produc-
Small touchscreen display specialist Mimo Monitors recently tivity. By requiring less complicated
announced the launch of its Mimo Myst Link 10.1-inch display, cabling while increasing the ease of
designed with today’s conference room in mind, and billed as the long-distance installations, we truly
first AV-over-IP display with HDMI capture capability. Eliminating believe this kind of solution represents
extraneous cords for a streamlined setup, the company says its a new era for conference rooms.” u
Mimo Myst Link unit provides conference room flexibility and min-
imizes the need for additional extenders, and the hassle of ongo-
ing IT maintenance.
Able to connect seamlessly over and Ethernet connection (Cat
5E minimum) and be recognized by the PC as a regular display, the
Mimo Myst Link provides flexibility in the conference room space for
movable furniture configurations and simplifies long-distance instal-
lations. The most sophisticated Mimo display to-date, the company
notes its Myst Link also has a sleek, elegant, low-profile design, and
is both durable and reliable to stand up to consistent use.
“With video conferencing becoming increasingly crucial to busi-
ness’ success, we saw an unmet need that this type of innova-
tive solution could fill. Although AV-over-IP displays aren’t currently
mainstream in UCC spaces, we knew that an Ethernet connected
display would provide unparalleled benefits for flexibility and cost
savings,” said David Anderson, CEO of Mimo Monitors.
The Myst Link complies with Microsoft and Zoom specifica-
tions and features integrated cable management, two separate

26 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 26 4/1/21 4:40 PM

 CABLE INSTALL ATION
Three new Ferret inspection cameras aid cable installation
Ferret Tools, a company that has rebranded from the
Cable Ferret company, continues to assist system install-
ers see behind walls, above ceilings, and in other difficult
places through the use of its inspection cameras. When
announcing three new inspection tools, the company said
it has “used a unique perspective to solve frustrating
visual inspections, cabling installations and maintenance
problems in a different way.”
The company’s Ferret WiFi—a combination compact
wireless rechargeable inspection camera and cable pull-
ing tool introduced in 2018—was a platinum-level honoree
in our 2019 Cabling Innovators Awards program.
The company recently introduced its next generation
wireless inspection cameras: Ferret Lite, Ferret Pro, and
Ferret Plus. “As a direct response to ongoing customer
needs and market insights, the Ferret team have contin-
ued to design and innovate, and are now excited to intro-
duce the next generation wireless inspection cameras,”
the company said when introducing the new trio.
Ferret Lite is a general-purpose inspection camera that
gives an installer eyes inside hard-to-reach locations. It
includes all the features of the original Ferret WiFi, with
the addition of the always-up viewing mode to help with
intuitive inspections. “If you like to keep things simple and
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 27
don’t need all the bells and whistles, the Ferret Lite is the
ideal cost-effective solution to help on the job or at home,”
Ferret Tools explained.
Ferret Pro is a professional, durable inspection tool,
according to Ferret Tools, designed and engineered with
the Ferret WiFi’s award-winning features plus an app-
controlled variable focus lens and a quick charge time. The
company describes Ferret Pro as purpose-designed to help
provide easier, faster, and safer visual inspections. It is
ideal for those needing to locate and pull in cable or to get
their eyes on something out of reach, Ferret Tools added.
Ferret Plus includes built-in (on board) memory, and
Ferret Tools characterizes it as the first-ever non-contact
voltage detector that is not handled to help detect live
cables from a greater reach than ever before. It has all the
features of the Ferret WiFi, and helps ease tasks such as
visual inspections, cabling installations and modifications.
Ferret Plus is suitable for electricians, plumbers, build-
ers, HVAC contractors, lighting installers and other trades,
Ferret Tools concluded.
All Ferret cameras are designed and engineered to
attach to a glow rod/fish stick, and have a wireless range
of up to 50 feet. The cameras are not tethered like tra-
ditional borescopes. A free app allows users to record
and take videos/photos. All models include: a built-in
WiFi hotspot, built-in rechargeable battery, an IP67 (dust-
proof, waterproof) rating, high-resolution 720p HD real-
time streaming to an Apple or Android device, adjust-
able bright white LEDs, digital zoom capability, always-up
viewing mode for intuitive inspections, and interchange-
able hook and magnet attachments for pulling in cable or
retrieving metallic objects that are difficult to reach. “We
are passionate about designing and engineering reliable,
useful, durable inspection cameras packed with the latest
technology to support our customers with easier, faster,
and safer inspections, cable installations and repair work
for either on-the-job or at home,” Ferret Tools said. “Our
new range provides even more choice, including accesso-
ries to assist the use of the Ferret. We are so proud of the
commitment of all our team to be able to keep our goal of
launching this new range during what has been a challeng-
ing year for all.” u
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021 27
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 EDITOR’S PICKS
£ WIRELESS/5G

Future hyperconnectivity era portends is expected to reach $327 billion by

‘connected living’ gold mine opportunity
Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis
report, entitled Future of Connected
Living, reveals that the device-to-
person ratio will exceed 20 to 1 by
2030, as the world enters the era
of hyperconnectivity and catapults
organizations’ digital transformation.
According to the analyst, the
number of connected devices glob-
ally is projected to increase from
30.4 billion in 2020 to 200 billion in
2030 at a compound annual growth
rate (CAGR) of 20.7%. The research
forecasts the convergence of con-
nected cities, homes, and workplaces
will result in ubiquitous connectivity
and the emergence of new product
applications, business models, tech-
nologies, platforms, and services.
Vinay Venkatesan, program man-
ager, TechCasting at Frost & Sullivan,
comments, “The future home will
become a ‘central hub’ for connected
living. The demand for connected
living solutions soared as a result of
the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, as
it allows homes to evolve into on-
demand workspaces and much more.
Continued advancements in connec-
tivity technologies such as cloud ser-
vices, Internet of Things (IoT), video
conferencing, mobility, robotics, and
artificial intelligence (AI) will create
innovation frontiers for connected
technology and service providers.
The convergence of 5G and WiFi 6
will be a crucial enabler for connec-
tivity as they will improve communica-
tion network speed, customer experi-
ence, and long-term cost efficiency.”
According to Frost & Sullivan, the
demand for connected living will be
primarily driven by advanced soft-
ware technology, widespread con-
tent streaming, and network integra-
tion. The rising demand is projected
to quadruple smart and connected
home penetration over the next five
years to reach over 18% by 2025.
Spending on the smart city sector
2025, up at a strong CAGR of 22.7%,
and will lead to higher adoption of
technologies such as AI and 5G.
Frost & Sullivan’s Venkatesan
adds, “To succeed in the connected
era, companies cannot do it alone.
Enterprises need to establish new
partnerships, engage with a broader
ecosystem, and explore new busi-
ness models to deliver a unique
value proposition. While connected
living drives digital resilience, it also
carries major risks such as data inse-
curity and vulnerability to cyberat-
tacks. Therefore, organizations are
encouraged to develop a detailed
cybersecurity strategy that will align
with their goals and facilitate the pro-
vision of secure connected services
to customers anywhere.”
The Future of Connected Living
report is the latest addition to Frost &
Sullivan’s TechCasting research and
analyses available through the Frost
& Sullivan Leadership Council, which
helps organizations identify a contin-
uous flow of growth opportunities to
succeed in an unpredictable future.u

THE C-SUITE

Graybar names new VP of strategic accounts

Graybar, a North American dis-
tributor of electrical, commu-
nications and data networking products and provider of
related supply chain management and logistics services,
announced on February 17 that Andrew C. Ipson has been
named the company’s vice president of strategic accounts,
effective April 1, 2021.
Ipson has nearly 22 years of industry experience.
He previously served as director of electrical sales in
Graybar’s Southwest U.S. district, with responsibility for
growth throughout the state of California.
“We congratulate Andy on his promotion,” said Graybar’s
senior vice president of sales, David G. Maxwell. “Andy
is highly respected for his leadership and his ability to
achieve positive results for Graybar and our customers.
I look forward to working with him to grow our business by
providing exceptional service and bringing innovative solu-
tions to our strategic account customers.”
Ipson started his career in 1999 with Consolidated
Electrical Distributors and has advanced through
several leadership roles with Graybar since joining the
company in 2008. u

28 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 28 4/1/21 4:40 PM


TESTING
AFL’s compact, long-range
VFI4 Visual Fault Identifier
tests up to 10-km fiber
AFL has launched its VFI4 Visual Fault
Locator, billed as an essential trou-
bleshooting tool for fiber installation
and maintenance technicians. Per
the manufacturer, the compact unit
injects a high-powered red laser light
that provides exceptional brightness
and range for locating defects in sin-
glemode and multimode fibers.
“As with all of our tools, the VFI4 is
designed for real-world field testing,”
explains Arun Jain, director of product
marketing for AFL. “The VFI4 is small
enough to fit on a keychain, yet has
enough power to reach up to 10 km.
It’s a must-have tool for any techni-
cian working on fiber-optic networks.”
According to AFL, the light gener-
ated by the VFI4’s eye-safe Class 3R
laser “leaks out” from sharp bends
and breaks in jacketed or bare fibers,
as well as poorly mated connectors,
enabling technicians to quickly spot
faults. The company says target uses
for the VFI4 include quick continu-
ity checks, fiber tracing, splice ver-
ification and pass/fail validation for
mechanical connectors.
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 29
DATA CENTER
Chatsworth Products unveils
ZetaFrame data center cabinet
Chatsworth Products (CPI) recently
introduced its ZetaFrame Cabinet,
billed as a highly engineered data
center cabinet solution that the com-
pany says provides “quick-turn, built-
to-order configurability, combined
with industry-leading load capacity
and scalability.”
“The introduction of ZetaFrame is
the culmination of CPI’s 30-year his-
tory delivering highly engineered
cabinet platforms that provide broad
customization capabilities in a rapid
build-to-order manufacturing model,
which in turn optimizes our cus-
tomers’ IT infrastructure
deployments,” said Ted Behrens,
executive vice president of global
engineering, product management
and marketing at CPI.
Suited for a wide variety of infra-
structure applications, the ZetaFrame
cabinet provides a superior level of
configurability and customization,
contends the company. Power, elec-
tronic access control and cable man-
agement accessories are all fac-
tory-installed, so cabinets arrive at a
customer’s facility ready to be pop-
ulated and deployed. A wide range
of standard configurations and com-
u plimentary consultation services
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021
EDITOR’S PICKS
allow customers to create a tai-
lored solution that meets their exact
requirements.
The ZetaFrame cabinet’s roll-
formed, tubular and fully welded steel
frame architecture supports 5,000 lb
(2268 kg) static and 4,000 lb (1814
kg) dynamic loads. Seamless inte-
gration with optional power and air-
flow management accessories under
a single part number ensures quick
deployment. The cabinet’s doors and
panels bond to the frame through
hinges and contact points, eliminat-
ing the need for attaching separate
grounding straps to cabinet com-
ponents. Finally, the ZetaFrame’s
simple and versatile cable man-
agement accessories can be
used independently or in com-
bination to accommodate a
wide variety of applications.
CPI notes that the
ZetaFrame cabinet maintains
the same footprint as exist-
ing CPI cabinets, including
the GF-Series GlobalFrame
Gen 2 Cabinet System, F-Series
TeraFrame Gen 3 Cabinet and
F-Series TeraFame HD Cabinet, but
delivers a significant increase in
capacity and efficiency.
“In our always-on world, speed
of deployment is arguably one of
the most important aspects of data
center operations,” commented Duke
Robertson, senior product manager
of cabinet solutions at CPI. “Whether
customers are planning for a rack-and-
stack or rack-and-roll application, in
large cloud/enterprise or smaller edge
data centers, ZetaFrame provides
robust support for any equipment
requirement an operation needs.” u
29
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 EDITOR’S PICKS
DATA CENTER
Pluggable multiplexers
boost edge/core
transport, DCI networks
ADVA recently expanded its
MicroMux series of pluggable
devices with two new models. The
company says its MicroMux Nano
and MicroMux Quattro devices
enable network operators to maxi-
mize the value of existing aggrega-
tion devices both at the network’s
edge and in its core. The two high-
density multiplexers focus on helping
customers reduce operational com-
plexity, lower capital expenditures
and fully exploit the potential of their
existing hardware, says ADVA.
THE C-SUITE
R&M Americas announces
new management
Reichle & De-Massari AG (R&M)
announced that it has appointed its
long-serving, experienced senior
manager Paulo Campos as new
executive vice president of R&M
Americas and managing direc-
tor of R&M USA, Inc. effective
February 1, 2021.
As stated by the company: “Paulo
Campos successfully positioned
R&M Iberia in the market from 2010 –
2015 and over the last six years has
just as successfully established R&M
in Latin America, with its own pro-
duction plant. During this time, R&M
became one of the leading play-
ers in Brazil. The facility in Santa
Rita do Sapucaí in Minas Gerais has
30 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 30
The ADVA MicroMux Nano fits into
10-GbE sockets and fans out ten
1-GbE interfaces, raising flexibility
and efficiency at the network edge.
At the other end of the scale, the
MicroMux Quattro converts 400-GbE
client ports into four 100-GbE ports,
continuously been expanded to meet
the demands of new businesses
generated in the telecom and data
center sector. With his new roles as
MD R&M USA, Inc. and
executive vice president
R&M Americas and with
the merge of the two
regions, Campos’s main
focus will be on the con-
tinuous further develop-
ment of R&M’s business
and positioning in North
and South America.
He will be relocating to California
with his family.
“The new managing director for
R&M’s South America business is
reducing cost and complexity at the
core. The company says the stan-
dards-compliant multiplexers pro-
vide a way for network operators to
affordably scale data center access
and transport networks while meet-
ing legacy needs. u
Edison Castro, who is based in São
Paulo, Brazil. He is an accomplished
and proven general manager with sig-
nificant experience in driving sales
and building teams in the data com-
munication industry. He has held var-
ious senior management positions in
the industry over the last 15 years.
Most recently, Castro
was the sales director
LatAm for Prysmian’s
multimedia solutions
business. Prior to this,
he was in charge of
sales for Prysmian’s
telecom and high volt-
age business.”
Both North and
South America are important stra-
tegic growth markets for R&M,
the company noted. “We are very
pleased to appoint two proven senior
4/1/21 4:40 PM

Stephan Rettenberger, SVP, mar-
keting and investor relations, ADVA,
comments, “Our comprehensive port-
folio of multiplexers in a plug enables
a fresh approach to expanding infra-
structure. It empowers operators to
balance current requirements with
tomorrow’s demands, protecting
previous investments while ensur-
ing futureproof growth. With our
MicroMux series, there’s no need to
replace entire systems or add expen-
sive and bulky equipment. Operators
are free to easily convert 10-, 100-,
or 400-Gbit/sec interfaces into mul-
tiple lower-speed interfaces with zero
footprint increase.”
The ADVA MicroMux Nano is billed
as the first device of its kind specifi-
cally engineered for the network edge.
Requiring no additional equipment,
managers to continue our growth
strategy in this important region,”
said R&M’s CEO Michel Riva.
“R&M is already well positioned
in both markets,” com-
mented Paulo Campos.
“I am excited to merge
the two regions and to
take them to the next
level. There are many
synergies we can make
use of and from which
our customers across
the two continents can
benefit. I am fully committed and
motivated to further grow the R&M
business in this region. It is a great
opportunity for me and my family to
move again to a new country and to
get to know another new culture.”
Edison Castro commented, “It is
an honor to be part of R&M, to lead
www.cablinginstall.com
2104CIM.indb 31
the Layer 2 Ethernet multiplexer
easily slots into existing SFP+ client
ports, turning 10GbE into ten 1-GbE
interfaces without inflating costs.
Next in size is the original MicroMux.
With over 10,000 deployed in com-
mercial networks, this QSFP28
module delivers scale and flexibil-
ity to global cloud and internet ser-
vice providers, ADVA claims, by con-
verting 100GbE to ten 10-GbE chan-
nels. At the core of the network
where much higher data rates are
required, the ADVA MicroMux Quattro
aggregates four 100-GbE streams
into a 400-GbE QSFP-DD plug with
no increase in footprint. Citing ease
of deployment, ADVA contends that
all three MicroMux plugs “provide a
major boost to client port density
without waste, ensuring no stranded
the team and to contribute to the
success in this growth region.
I am completely committed and moti-
vated to be part of R&M’s further
growth path in South
America by supporting
our customers with our
high-quality products
and solutions.”
Based in Wetzikon,
Switzerland, R&M is a
globally active group
of companies in the ICT
sector. The company
develops, manufactures and sells
future-ready products and systems
for communication and data net-
works, now covering the entire con-
nectivity range alongside network
cabling, including LAN, telecom-
munications, fiber-to-the-home and
data centers. u behind the wall and using the compa-
Cabling Installation & Maintenance  APRIL 2021
EDITOR’S PICKS
bandwidth and no loss of total
system capacity.”
“Our MicroMux range is the result
of close collaboration with leading
transport network and DCI opera-
tor customers looking to meet both
legacy needs and future demands,”
explains Ross Saunders, GM, optical
engines, ADVA. “Our MicroMux tech-
nology makes it easy to upgrade a link
without having to replace the whole
system. They also deliver superb
energy efficiency. What’s more, the
whole family comes in several vari-
ants to accommodate all distances
and fiber types. So, whether it’s
single or multimode fiber over short,
intermediate or long-reach links, net-
work operators have the tools avail-
able to optimize space, power and
operating costs.” u
CONNEC TIVIT Y
OFS unveils InvisiLight EZ-Hide
behind-the-wall module
OFS has launched its InvisiLight
EZ-Hide Behind-the-Wall Module,
designed for enabling virtually invis-
ible optical fiber installation inside
homes and multiple dwelling units,
or for passive optical LAN applica-
tions. The manufacturer says the new
module can further reduce the foot-
print of InvisiLight ILU installations by
up to 50% by hiding the cabling spool
ny’s InvisiLight 600µm buffered fiber.
31
4/1/21 4:40 PM
 EDITOR’S PICKS
The company notes its original InvisiLight ILU Solution,
launched in 2012, offered an innovative yet simple pro-
cess to reach indoor ONTs by adhering a 0.9-mm-diame-
ter optical fiber into the crevices along ceilings and walls
or moldings and walls. The InvisiLight EZ-Hide Behind-the-
Wall Module uses an even smaller 0.6-mm optical fiber and ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES
installs with the same simple installation process and tools
MAIN OFFICE INTERNATIONAL
as the original. 61 Spit Brook Road AUSTRIA, EUROPE, GERMANY,
Suite 501, Nashua, NH 03060 NORTHERN SWITZERLAND
OFS says its EZ-Bend fiber with its class-leading 2.5-mm (603) 891-0123 Holger Gerisch
minimum bend radius is used in the InvisiLight EZ-Hide +49-(0)8847-6986656
VICE PRESIDENT/GROUP hgerisch@endeavorb2b.com
module and all other InvisiLight products to easily handle PUBLISHER LIGHTING &
TECHNOLOGY ISRAEL
the many sharp corners typically encountered when con- Steve Beyer Dan Aronovic
forming fiber neatly to a building, with no concerns for (847) 532-4044 +972 9 899 5813
sbeyer@endeavorb2b.com aronovic@actcom.co.il
bending loss. The compact EZ-Hide spool can dispense
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ ASIA
up to 40 meters of fiber as it is moved along the deploy- SALES, REPRINTS Adonis Mak
+852 2 838 6298;
ment path to the ONT location yet still fit inside a common Capel States
(917) 647-6418; Fax: +852 2 838 2766
behind-the-wall gang box. u cstates@endeavorb2b.com adonism@actintl.com.hk

JAPAN
BUSINESS SOLUTIONS MANAGER
Jean Lauter Masaki Mori
(516) 695-3899 +81 3 3219 3561
jlauter@endeavorb2b.com mori-masaki@ics-inc.co.jp

TAIWAN
DIRECTOR, LIST RENTAL
Ms. Rebecca Tsao
SAFET Y Kelli Berry
+886 2 23965128 ext.203
(918) 831-9782
Fax: 886 2 23967816
UL gives Claritronix cable kberry@endeavorb2b.com
rebecca@arco.com.tw

the thumbs down MARKETING SOLUTIONS

For assistance with marketing strategy or ad creation, please contact:
Kaci Wheeler, (918) 832-9377; kwheeler@endeavorb2b.com
UL recently issued a public notice warning consumers
not to use riser-rated (CMR) cable from the manufacturer
Claritronix. "The communications cable does not comply
with UL's safety standards and is not authorized to bear the
UL mark for the United States or Canada," UL said in its
notice. The product name is Claritronix Cabling Solutions,
Type CMR Cable. INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Despite not being authorized to bear the UL mark, the
AEM International LLC.............................................................................17
box of Claritronix cable that accompanies the notice does
indeed include the mark. Cabling Installation & Maintenance......................................................C3
"The communications cable does not meet the flammabil-
ity requirements of the safety standard, which may cause SCTE.........................................................................................................3
an increased risk of fire," UL explained. "UL recommends
Ferret Tools.............................................................................................. 5
that this cable not be used and removed from service."
In addition to using the UL symbol on the box,
Fiberdyne Labs Inc.................................................................................. 7
Claritronix printed wording on the cable jacket indicating
the cable meets the riser (CMR) rating. IDEAL Networks North America..............................................................C4
Other wording on the cable jacket indicates the product
meets the TIA-568-B standard, which has been obsolete US Conec................................................................................................C2
since the TIA published its successor, TIA-568-C, in 2009. u
The index of advertisers is published as a service, and the publisher
does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.

32 APRIL 2021  Cabling Installation & Maintenancewww.cablinginstall.com

2104CIM.indb 32 4/1/21 4:40 PM

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