VOL. 5 ISSUE 3 MAY / JUN 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

UPCOMING EVENTS

Leviton Champions BIM Adoption Through NEW Standard, Enhanced Solutions

Small Diameter Patch Cords for Gigabit Networks

Connections

Tech Tips

News You Can Use

Ask The Experts

JUNE 17Datacenter DynamicsSanta Clara, CA

SEPTEMBER 9 - 11AFCEA TechNet AugustaAugusta, GA

SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 2BICSI FallAnaheim, CA

LEVITON.COM/CROSSTALK 1

Your Source for Industry News & Insight

Leviton Champions BIM Adoption Through NEW Standard, Enhanced Solutions

By Kirk Krahn, Senior Product Manager, Copper

Small Diameter Patch Cords for Gigabit Networks

Copper patch cords with a smaller outside diameter (OD) offer big advantages in commercial networks. However, they do come with some limitations, and these limitations need to be understood by consultants, design professionals, and building owners in order to maintain the best network performance.

Common applications for the small OD patch cords include data center interconnects, both for end-of-row (EoR) and top-of-rack (ToR) installations. They can also alleviate congestion and improve airflow in high-density areas such as telecom rooms and equipment rooms in hospitals, hotels, government, data centers, and other large facilities. And since the cords support PoE+, they can be used to power IP cameras, VoIP devices, and AV equipment in addition to carrying data to these end devices.

However, in order to meet requirements for category ratings per ANSI/TIA 568-C.2, patch cords must be constructed with four balanced twisted pairs of 22 AWG to 26 AWG, but smaller OD cords on the market today are between 27-28 AWG. Also, the standard specifies that the conductor diameter with insulation needs to be between 0.032"- 0.035", and most of the small OD patch cords are on the very low (marginally compliant) end of this range.

In addition, ANSI/TIA 568-C.2 specifies a channel length of 100 meters, which includes 10 meters of patch cords. When using the small OD patch cords, total channel length is limited to about 98 meters. If using the 10 meters of patch cords recognized by TIA standards, total channel length is reducedto 93 meters. Therefore, these patch cords cannot be true category compliant cords, by definition.

continued on pg. 2

While BIM is not a new concept, our industry has lagged in adopting it. Companies in the electrical, aircraft, and other trades have been using BIM for many years to support larger projects, creating scheduling and project management tools associated with BIM. But over the past several years, more projects have specified BIM for network cabling infrastructure. In January 2014, BICSI published a new BIM standard, the ANSI/BICSI 003-2014, Building Information Modeling Practices for Information Technology Systems.

Chaired by Leviton Specification Engineer David Pomierski, RCDD/CSI, the BICSI committee gathered manufacturers, consultants, and end users to provide a baseline of best practices for using BIM. “We were seeing a growing number of consulting firms being asked to provide a BIM response for multibillion dollar projects, with the only directions of ‘we want it in BIM,’” said Pomierski. “You can imagine the unbelievable amount of risk that would be shared by all parties in the development stream with such minimal direction, and interpretations with such little detail. We needed some standards and guidance in place.”

continued on pg. 2

By now, if you haven’t used Building Information Modeling (BIM), you’ve likely heard of its advantages. Projects using intelligent 3D modeling generally have fewer costly

change orders, resulting in fewer conflicts and disputes. Owners have the ability to see the end product before projects are built, ensuring the design

matches their vision. After projects are completed, they have a living data record for reference during the lifespan of the building.

On the cabling infrastructure side, using BIM allows users to identify specific details, such as an individual data connector in a specific port of a particular wallplate. Users can build logical relationships between components, as each connector, adapter plate, or cassette occupies a space in the three-dimensional world

of BIM. Each has its own individual properties, and is associated with a wallplate, patch panel, or equipment rack with these same properties.

Leviton Champions BIM Adoption Through NEW Standard, Enhanced Solutions • continued from pg. 1

Leviton High-Flex HD6 Patch CordsLeviton introduced high-flex small OD patch cords back in 2010, and since then they have been adopted for use in data center applications. Leviton HD6 cords are an effective solution for data centers that have maximized the capacity of their cable management systems, have limited space in their cabinets, or minimal clearance for cable bend radius. The cords allow better airflow to active equipment in panels and racks by reducing the size of cable bundles.

While these cords do not meet every parameter for a TIA category rating, they offer similar electrical performance to category-rated cords, but with higher attenuation leading to the need for shorter channels; mentioned above. They also support all IEEE requirements for delivering 1G Ethernet performance. Leviton has verified that the normal application for the cords can be a substitution for CAT 6 or CAT 5e cords in 1 Gigabyte Ethernet installations. The most concise way to mark and identify these cords is to call them IEEE 802.3 1G application grade cords.

• Small 0.15" OD is a 31% reduction in cable OD compared to typical CAT 6 patch cords made from 24-AWG conductor cable

• Twice the cable capacity in pathways and cable management systems

• Reduces the bend radius requirements from approximately 1" for typical CAT 6 patch cords to only 0.60", improving cable installation and routing in confined equipment cabinets and racks

• A 50% reduction in cable weight improves handling and strain relief, and reduces transportation costs

• They are IEEE 802.3 1GbE compliant and are qualified to IEEE 802.3at PoE+ requirements to support power requirements of devices such as wireless access points (WAP)

Future of BIMWith the new standard and enhanced BIM content from Leviton, the industry has a great foundation for integrating BIM into projects. “In my mind, even though there were some early adopters of BIM, Leviton’s involvement and understanding of its importance has helped kickstart a race to improve BIM offerings,” said Pomierski. “And with standards in place and the top-tier manufacturers already producing BIM content, we’re on the right track. We will continue to see enhancements to models and more attributes to help designers. The next step will be to find ways to reduce the size of BIM files, which will improve file sharing and productivity. And every round of updates to the BICSI standard will continually improve BIM content.”

Pomierski, along with other manufacturers, consultants, and end users on the BIM committee, developed a standard that provides detailed information about BIM content models and object parameters. It also addresses integrating BIM into projects, and identifies information communication technology items that often enter into spatial conflicts with other areas of construction.

Leviton Takes The Lead Leviton Network Solutions began offering BIM solutions five years ago, spearheaded by Fiber and Data Center principal Applications Engineer Dennis Manes. Since then, Network Solutions has undertaken a large initiative to develop advanced BIM content that makes it easy for contractors, consultants, and others to create and share the most accurate information for their projects.

“Much of the BIM content offered today from manufacturers delivers the most basic data and functionality, creating extra work for users trying to integrate products into their designs,” said Ryan Moore, an industrial designer at Leviton Network Solutions. “Our content includes much more metadata and model properties.

“For example, say you are working with a family of patch panels in Revit® and you want to modify a Leviton patch panel model to include identification windows,” said Moore. “Choosing that specific option from our family of panels will automatically change the part number and update the finished-goods schedule. Having that part number, with the ability to export it, eliminates a lot of work. Put simply, Leviton engineers have done 90 percent of the work so users don’t have to.”

In addition, BIM solutions from building product manufacturers are often outsourced to third parties to develop. Leviton’s BIM offering is developed in-house, where the same development engineers creating Leviton products are creating BIM content. This is important, as those engineers have an in-depth knowledge of the product and a better understanding of who will be using the content.

For more information about BIM, please visit www.leviton.com/BIM.

Small Diameter Patch Cords for Gigabit Networks • continued from pg. 1

You must weigh the benefits and limitations when using these cords to ensure the value of tighter bend radius, reduced cable fill, and better airflow outweigh the shortened permanent link and channel length limitations. Remember, a permanent link includes patch cords, so installing small OD cords into a channel when not part of the intended design may lead to reduced performance of the network.

High-Flex HD6 Patch Cords, At-A-Glance

Learn more at www.leviton.com/HD6.

Note: Leviton also offers standard and SlimLine boot cords.2 LEVITON.COM/CROSSTALK

Email: crosstalk@leviton.com

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? IDEAS?We want to hear from you!

INDUSTRY40GbE ports are finding success in the data center, with shipments more than doubling in 2013, according to Infonetics Research. 40GbE port shipments are expected to triple this year, hitting 1.5 million.

Starting in July 2014, BICSI will expand its design-training program around the globe. The design-training curriculum will now be available through training organizations that are licensed and approved through the BICSI Authorized Design Training Providers (ADTP) program. This helps to bring training closer to BICSI members worldwide. Learn more at bicsi.org.

T568A & T568B Wiring Standards IDC Color Assignments

For some cables, wires for jack pin numbers 2, 4, 6, and 8 may have a white stripe. This is equivalent to cables with solid wires for the same pin numbers.

PIN # T568A WIRE COLORS

1 White/Green

2 Green

3 White/Orange

4 Blue

5 White/Blue

6 Orange

7 White/Brown

8 Brown

PIN # T568B WIRE COLORS

1 White/Orange

2 Orange

3 White/Green

4 Blue

5 White/Blue

6 Green

7 White/Brown

8 Brown LEVITON.COM/CROSSTALK 3

COMPANYLeviton is committed to the responsible sourcing of materials in our products, and actively supports its customers’ social responsibility programs. Leviton has been and continues to take steps to trace the country of origin of relevant metals through its supply chain. A full company statement to our customers regarding conflict minerals can be found at www.leviton.com/sourcing.

Leviton is excited to announce the construction of our new high-tech, 7,000 square-foot showroom, Leviton-LIVE NOLA, in New Orleans, just a few blocks from Bourbon and Canal Streets. Customers can see the real-world applications of many Leviton products. Leviton’s new showroom will be available for tours this summer!

T568A or T568B Which One Should You Choose?

While TIA-568-C “Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard” lists both wiring configurations, T568B is the most prevalent for commercial installations. The TIA-570-B “Residential Telecommunications Cabling Standards” recommends T568A.

• If the installation is residential, choose T568A unless other conditions apply.

• If there is pre-existing voice/data wiring (remodel, moves, adds, changes), duplicate the existing wiring scheme on any new connection.

• If project specifications are available, use the specified wiring configuration.

• If components used within the project are internally wired either T568A or T568B, duplicate this wiring scheme. Leviton residential applications use T568A in all of their circuit boards.

PRODUCTLeviton has expanded its line of single- and dual-gang Angled Stainless-Steel QuickPort® Wallplates to support optimal cable management and ensure proper bend radius compliance. Featuring double stainless-steel material in an elegant designer styling, Leviton wallplates are ideal for environments that demand a more durable, sanitary, easy-to-clean solution. For more information about the new Leviton Angled Stainless-Steel QuickPort Wallplates, please visit www.leviton.com/quickport.

Network Solutions Applications Engineers and Technical Support Representatives work closely with customers to provide product-specific recommendations and guidance in solving field-installation problems. They are integral in supporting the design, installation, and maintenance of mission-critical networks.

For example, the department recently played a vital role in assisting a major online retailer with optimizing the network performance of their new data center. Specifically, the customer was having difficulty achieving the required optical performance from their network’s multi-fiber trunk cables. After a thorough assessment, a Leviton Applications Engineer developed a specialized training program to address proper inspection, cleaning, installation, testing, and troubleshooting. The Applications Engineer then traveled to four different customer sites across the U.S. to deliver this training. Almost immediately, the customer saw a reduction in overall installation time and a significant improvement in network performance.

In addition to providing exceptional technical and customer support, the department is continually looking for ways to better convey customer needs across all facets of Network Solutions operations. Applications Engineers maintain close, collaborative relationships with Leviton thought leaders and regularly assist our project development teams, providing field input to support new product design and improve existing products.

“One of the department’s primary goals is to provide customers with a holistic solution to meet their needs,” says Scott Robinson, Leviton Senior Director of Technical Services. “Whether that means creating network mockups to ensure alignment with customer specifications, or making recommendations that include a mix of Leviton and other manufacturer’s products, we want to be sure we are providing the best solution possible. It is just another example of why working with Leviton is the smart choice.”

Leviton Network Solutions Applications Engineers

YESTERDAY’S NEWS1971: Intel invents the 4004 processor, allowing computers to be miniaturized for the first time.

WEBWe recently held a CrossTalk Live webinar on preparing for future network traffic with 10GBASE-T. You can see this presentation and others at www.brighttalk.com/channel/8401.

• Landscape or Portrait?

• Color or Black and White?

• White text or Color/Black and white text?

• Recycled logo/percentage? (if applicable)

Which FSC logo should I use?

The actual FSC logo will be chosen based on the type of paper being used. In general all the logos look similar to these. Printing Control will choose the correct logo to use based on stock, we just need to know what style of logo you want.

ASK THE EXPERTSQ: What’s the difference between macro-bending and micro-bending in fiber cable?

A: Macro bends occur where the bend radius of the fiber cable is violated, where micro bends are tiny lateral bends from excessive pulling tension or overly tight tie wraps. Both types of bending can cause unwanted light loss (attenuation) and reflections.

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CROSSTALKVOL. 5 ISSUE 3 MAY / JUN 2014

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