STRUCTURED CABLING

STRUCTURED
CABLING
SYSTEMS

Product Inventory:
$400 million inventory of products from
the world’s leading manufacturers
On-time Delivery:
Shipment of stocked items within 24 hours
Global Network:
Computerized network of 170 service
locations throughout the Americas, Europe
and Asia/Pacific
THE ANIXTER
DIFFERENCE
Markets Served:
Industrial manufacturing, healthcare,
financial services, public network, educa-
tion, retail, transportation, aerospace,
government, contractors and installers,
among others
Sales Service:
Well-trained, knowledgeable sales repre-
sentatives ready to take your call and meet
with you at your place of business
International Services:
Experienced, multilingual sales and service
representatives to assist with your sales,
logistics and installation needs worldwide
Technical Support:
Consultative systems engineers to help you
design a scalable network infrastructure as
well as keep you updated on new technolo-
gies and products
Network Services:
A complete portfolio of services including
network integration, project management,
design, staging and state-of-the-art 7 × 24
telephone support
Expert Training:
Hands-on training courses addressing
today’s high-technology issues, as well as
specific courses detailing the intricacies
of the products and systems your business
requires
Future
Today’s Structured Today’s businesses require advanced
information technology to maintain a
Cabling Decisions competitive advantage. The ability to
Determine network, or share information, has made
Tomorrow’s the PC as important as the telephone.
Anixter recognizes the influence this has
Business on business and can get you up to speed.
At the same time, a successful enterprise
demands both teamwork and flexibility.
Capabilities
As technology continues to evolve, the Organizations face constant change,

Capabilities
corporate network must support voice,
data, video and multimedia applications.
Rapid increases in processing power, the
growing size of networks and the intro-
duction of higher-speed access methods
create an overwhelming need for reli-
able, manageable structured cabling
systems. Yesterday’s Ethernet and Token
Ring networks will soon be replaced by
today’s 100BASE-TX and ATM switched
networks—and tomorrow’s Gigabit
Ethernet, Fiber Channel and 622 Mbps
ATM technologies.
requiring the movement or relocation
of people, their workspaces and the
services provided to them. As many as
18 percent of employees move within a
building every year.
Designed to accommodate frequent
moves, adds and changes, a structured
cabling system is the foundation of the
modern information network. Through
all the changes and challenges that
confront your business, a structured
cabling system can alleviate the workflow
disruption and network downtime associ-
ated with office restructuring.

No other component in your network has

Technology Evolution
a longer life cycle or requires such close
Millions of instructions per second

consideration. Careful planning will

prevent congestion that can dramatically
diminish your network performance.

Finance 17%

Public Sector 8%

Medical 18%
(AT-286) (386) (486) (586) (P66*) (P100*) (P250*)
1979 1983 1986 1990 1993 1994 1995 1996
Manufacturing 14%

Processing speeds double every 18 months. New technologies are on the horizon.
Service 16%

Technology 16%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

Annual intrabuilding employee moves by sector

* Denotes Pentium, a trademark of Intel. Source: AT&T Report On Office Churn

1
 What Is A structured cabling system provides a universal platform upon which an overall infor-
mation system’s strategy is built. With a flexible cabling infrastructure, a structured
Structured cabling system can support multiple voice, data, video and multimedia systems regard-
Cabling? less of their manufacturer. Wired in a star topology, each workstation links to a central
point and facilitates system interconnection and administration. This approach allows
communication with virtually any device, anywhere, at any time. A well-designed cabling
plant may include several independent cabling solutions of different media types,
installed at each workstation to support multiple system performance requirements.

Infrastructure
A structured cabling system consists of several
building blocks:
• Backbone cable: originates at the main distribution
point and interconnects all telecommunications
closets in a building
• Cross-connect products: provide a means for
terminating cable while establishing a field for moves,
adds and changes
• Horizontal cable: the medium over which com-
munication services are transmitted to the workstation
• Information outlets: the termination point for cable at
or near the workstation
• Patch cable assemblies: connectorized cables that
attach workstation equipment to information outlets—
these make moves, adds and changes quick and easy
Just as the efficient exchange of information is vital to your organization, structured
cabling is the life of your network. No matter how your network grows throughout its
life span, a flexible and reliable structured cabling system will adapt to meet new
demands.

2
 Choosing a structured cabling system is an important decision—one that will affect the
performance of your entire network. Structured cabling’s extended life expectancy
requires you to consider all potential bandwidth requirements for the next ten years.
What will your network be running? 100BASE-TX? 622 Mbps ATM? Gigabit Ethernet?
Although your exact requirements are difficult to predict, the demands on your network
will surely continue to grow at a rapid pace.

1 Building Entrance
2 Equipment Room 4 6
3 Backbone Cabling
4 Telecommunications Closet
5 Horizontal Cabling
6 Work Area

Media 1
(Dashed lines denote media in walls.)

The six subsystems of a structured

cabling system

3
Cabling for
High-End Over the past several years, the industry
has established standards, including the
Cabling Will ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A Commercial Building
Prepare You For Telecommunications Cabling Standard, to
Tomorrow simplify material choices and installation
practices. These standards create an
“open” architecture that can be used by
any application or access method, ensur-
exist even among systems that meet a
specific standard. This is particularly true
of copper Category 5 systems; many of
these systems just meet the standard,
but some far exceed it. Although these
high-end systems are superior, they are
all considered Cat 5 because a higher-
performance standard has not yet been

Tomorrow
ing consistent system performance, espe-
cially when mixing components from
different manufacturers.
Standards typically develop after prod-
ucts and technologies are created and
introduced to the market. Then, once the
industry adopts a standard, it sets forth
minimum criteria that may meet only
yesterday’s communications needs. Sub-
stantial performance differences can
developed.
Manufacturers continue to improve cable
designs with new methods to insulate,
twist and jacket the cable. These modifi-
cations can achieve superior perfor-
mance, but only with proper installation.
Because traditional installation practices
may yield lower performance levels,
installers must follow stringent guidelines
specifically for high-end installations.

Other 3.5%
CDDI 5.3%
100/155 Mbps ATM 36.3%
25 Mbps ATM 13.3%
Fiber Channel 15.0%
100VG AnyLAN 18.6%
FDDI 35.4%
Switched Token Ring 14.2%
Switched Ethernet 33.6%
Fast Ethernet 52.2%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%

New LAN technologies currently being evaluated and the percentage of organizations considering them
Source: Network Cabling Today & Tomorrow

4
 In addition to advanced cabling products, the market develops new architectures for
the ever-changing workplace. Zone cabling with copper or fiber optics simplifies office
restructuring by reducing both installation time and material costs. A hybrid version of
this architecture, using both high-performance fiber optics and low-cost copper-based
electronics, creates a migration path for implementing Fiber-to-the-Desk (FTTD®)*.
Installing a high-end cabling system can really pay off. An investment in quality compo-
nents that exceed the minimum standards will ensure your network performs at its
intended level and will function under your operating conditions. It also provides the
capacity to accommodate future applications. Extending the life span of your informa-
tion system is worth the modest investment in a high-end structured cabling system.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
CLOSET MULTICONDUCTOR CABLE
SPLICE OR
INTERCONNECT CENTER
MULTI-USER OUTLET
MULTI-USER OUTLET
HORIZONTAL CABLE
HIGH FIBER
2nd floor COUNT RISER CABLE

WORKGROUP HUB
MULTI-USER OUTLET
TELECOMMUNICATIONS PATCH CORD
CABLING
CLOSET

MULTICONDUCTOR
CABLE BUNDLES

FIBER
BACKBONE

1st floor CABLING

PATCH CORDS

INFORMATION OUTLET

ION
IN UT
MA TRIB
DIS TER
Basement E N
C C)
(M
D

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A

Collapsed Cabling

Centralized Cabling

Zone Cabling
* FTTD is a registered trademark of Anixter.

5
Sound
Financial As an investment, structured cabling provides exceptional returns. A structured cabling
system will outlive all other networking components. It requires minimal upgrades—
Benefits and ultimately saves your business both time and money. Many companies are already
considering high-speed access methods like ATM, Fast Ethernet and FDDI. High-
performance cabling can further extend the life of your network at minimal incremental
cost, so it makes good sense to choose a system now that will meet your anticipated
requirements well into the future.

Choosing the right cabling system is critical for performance as well as reliability. Physi-

Investment
cal management problems account for 50 percent of network problems, yet structured
cabling is only two percent of your network investment. Because the cost of downtime
can exceed $50,000 an hour, it’s easy to see the significance of your investment. Anixter
will help you make this important decision.

2% 50%
of your network investment of network problems
is structured cabling. are physical management-
related.
Source: Real Decisions Source: Datapro

Up to
$50,000
per hour
5%
23%
unknown
Over 42%
$50,000 4% $1,000
per hour per hour
26%
$10,000
Cost of downtime per hour
Source: INFONETICS

6
Why Anixter?
Value-Added Service You Can Trust
With the variety of technology available on the market today, it can be difficult to
Capabilities know if you are making the right decision. Anixter is committed to providing you
not only with the solutions you need, but the service that will keep your network
running smoothly.

Anixter is dedicated to training its employees and customers alike on the latest tech-
nologies and products. Workshops are available to familiarize you with fiber optic and
copper-based applications and solutions at Anixter’s facilities or at your site.

Anixter offers a level of service unmatched in the industry thanks in part to 200 Regis-
tered Communication Distribution Designers (RCDDs) certified by Building Industry
Consulting Services International (BICSI)— more than anyone else in the industry.

Anixter can help you every step of the way. We can assist in developing individualized
corporate cabling standards, facility drawings and proposal documentation. On-site
help with product selection and training is available from system engineers who can
design a complete solution with your current and future needs in mind. Anixter can
also provide technical and multisite project support as well as recommend partner
contractors to perform installation.

Mount Prospect Lab

When you need to make sure that your particular solution will work before it is
installed, Anixter has the answer. Our multimillion dollar structured cabling interoper-
ability and active data laboratories can evaluate products and systems in a live, multi-
vendor environment.

Industry Participation
Anixter has shaped many of the current industry standards, and we continue to keep
our customers aware of the latest trends through our participation and membership in
the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the Institute of Electrical and Elec-
tronic Engineers (IEEE), National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the
ATM Forum and BICSI.

7
 Infrastructure Cabling Administration
One challenge to maintaining a complex network is following the rigorous cross-
Management reference methods required by the TIA/EIA-606 Cabling Administration Standard.
and Synopsis
Effective management of your structured cabling infrastructure is made possible by
infrastructure modeling and cable management software. These management systems
combine the power of a database with the graphics capabilities of a computer-aided
design application (CAD). Customized programs incorporate user-friendly features to
organize moves, adds and changes for optimum network capacity.

Crimp for Windows cable

management software

Considerations
Structured cabling is designed to handle a broad range of communications—from
telephone, fax and modem traffic to high-speed data and video. Ultimately, your net-
work’s specific requirements will determine the appropriate cabling choices for your
information system. Here are several points to consider when planning a structured
cabling system:

• Performance and bandwidth requirements

• Future network applications
• Life cycle cost
• Product features
• Support and service
At Anixter, we take all of these factors into account to provide you with a total solution
that meets your structured cabling needs. You’ll get the best possible equipment for
your information system to help your network upgrade go smoothly. In addition, our
top-of-the-line services will ensure that you become comfortable with your new equip-
ment, enabling you to get your point across effectively no matter how you choose to
communicate.

8

Structured Cabling
One of Anixter’s key strengths is a thorough
understanding of the many intricacies of
the cabling system infrastructure. In fact,
we are widely known in the industry as the
Physical Layer Experts. This expertise,
coupled with our understanding of our
customers’ issues and markets, places us in
a unique position to recommend objective
solutions specific to each customer’s
business needs.
Our support of contractors, in particular,
manifests itself in how we help them
support their customers: We provide our
contractor-partners our best-in-class value-
add as well as opportunities to install high-
level, standards-based cabling systems.
By actively participating in the development
of such industry standards as the
ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A Commercial Building
Cabling Standard, Anixter stays at the fore-
front of the cabling system marketplace.
We also partner with industry leaders to
bring you the highest-performing copper
and optical fiber solutions. Many of these
solutions include end-to-end system perfor-
mance warranties.
Why turn to Anixter?
• In our structured cabling interoperability
lab, we evaluate products independently
and within multivendor environments,
running real-life applications, to provide
you with the most informed and objective
solutions possible.
• Our structured cabling technical support
staff can help you with all design, specifi-
cation and application projects for the
physical layer.
THE ANIXTER
A D VA N TA G E
• We offer courses in copper and in fiber
optic solutions and can also customize
training to meet your specific require-
ments.
• By the end of 1996, Anixter will have 200
registered communication distribution
designers (RCDDs)—more than any
other company—committed to providing
you with the quality service you demand.
When you’re looking for solutions and
value for your structured cabling needs,
call Anixter.
Networking
Anixter’s business is devoted to helping
you conduct yours more productively
through the implementation of network
strategies. This includes the development of
cost-effective switched architectures and
migration paths to future technologies.
If you’re running a shared-media system
and are considering a switched architecture
that includes switched Ethernet, Token
Ring, FDDI and/or ATM, we can assist in
the timely design, implementation and
migration of your network infrastructure.
By combining our extensive knowledge
of networking products and multivendor
systems with our expertise in physical
distribution, we can supply total network
solutions on a global basis. With our vast
inventory, networking services and Rapid
Response Service Center at your disposal,
we can help you meet your project dead-
lines—whether immediate or future.
From local to virtual to wide area and
enterprise networking, Anixter is ready to
work for you.
Network Services
At Anixter, we take a unique approach to
network support: We tailor our services to
fit your specific business requirements.
Customers look to us as the multivendor
solutions company for network integration.
They know we put our thorough under-
standing of the physical, data link and
network layers—as well as other aspects of
networking technology—to work for them,
day in and day out. From conception to
implementation, we can guide you through
the complexities of networking.
Some of the high-quality professional
services Anixter provides are:
• Network design
• Staging
• Network integration
• Maintenance
• Extended warranties
• Project management
• Multivendor telephone support
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Consultative support from experienced
network professionals
We’ve designed these services to comple-
ment your in-house resources. So when
you need additional support in network
design, deployment, integration or mainte-
nance, think of Anixter—your first choice
in network services.
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Worldwide Headquarters: Anixter Inc., 4711 Golf Road, Skokie, IL 60076-1278 • 847/677-2600 • http://www.anixter.com

#148374 50K 7/96 Printed in U.S.A. on Recycled Paper © 1996 Anixter Inc.