The importance of cabling standards

Reliable cable networks are vital to IT operations. Being able to simply forget the cable plant after installation is the optimum, as this means it is doing its job of supporting the active equipment that is often the main focus for those managing it. Standards provide a way to simplify the design of reliable cable networks – these have been the foundation of the structured cabling network for more than two decades and have enabled it to grow, adapt and respond to ever-increasing bandwidth demand.

What are cabling standards?

They are essentially a collaborative effort among a number of different stakeholders, from users to consultants and manufacturers, each one adding their own perspective to the challenges and solutions on the table. This creates the ideal melting pot for standards that take into account everything that structured cabling needs to cater to. For example, some will be focused on optical or electrical performance while for others it will be mechanical reliability that is the most important element. Relative cost is another key issue that will be essential where defining cabling standards is concerned. The process of debating all of these separate considerations creates an ultimate compromise that can be incorporated into cabling standards. Once the standard has been established then applications can be defined that will operate over them.

Examples of the process at work

One recent example that demonstrates the importance of cabling standards relates to OM4, which is the next generation of 50-micron fibre. OM4 will deliver additional bandwidth that can be used for upgrading, for example when it comes to longer distances or additional connectors. In terms of the standard itself, the debate arose around how to measure and report bandwidth – as this was all about providing a higher bandwidth product it was going to be essential to agree on the process necessary to determine that value. This shows one of the multiple details that goes into creating every standard and how much discussion can take place around it in order for consensus to be reached. The terms that are used in the standard can also create a lot of debate – for example, with respect to OM4 this arose around whether an important attribute should be called effective modal bandwidth, or calculated modal bandwidth.

The importance of cabling standards

These standards are vital to structured cabling for a number of key reasons:

• Clear terminology, that is well understood, ensures proper implementation 
• Consistent measurement and naming allow for product comparisons and comparing vendor performance
• Standards ensure that products meet certain levels but don’t stop businesses from producing “better than standard” versions, going above and beyond
• No single business controls the standards – they are the result of industry collaboration, which is why they are always relevant and accurate
• The standard provides the end user with security for future application growth 
• When standards are being met this introduces reliability that means cabling can simply function well in the background

Cabling standards help to ensure consistent implementation of structured cabling and provide an opportunity for industry co-operation that can help the sector to evolve.