Testi ng and Measurement Technology

Fault Analysis

Documentati on and Reporti ng

Handbook of Cable Testi ng

h� ps://itnetworks.soft ing.com

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Edi tor ia l

High-quality copper wiring in local area networks form the basis for fast and secure data communication. In the 1990s, users were satisfied with transfer rates of 10 & 100 Mbit/s, which is no longer enough today. Today we are talking in LANs of about 1 & 10 Gbit/s and - especially in the environment of data centers - about 40 Gbit/s over copper cabling. The latest technologies in multimedia environments,

such as Next-Generation Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11ac) and HDTV with high resolutions (4K and 8K), drive the bandwidth - and therefore the transfer speeds - in copper data networks up into new heights. To ensure the system guarantees and the proper function of these high-speed copper data networks, this inevitably involves measurement and testing of these cabling systems. So the field testing technology must be prepared. Meanwhile, we are talking about CAT 8/8.1/8.2 and Class I & II. We will be dealing with these issues in this brochure.

We continue the tradition of summarizing all issues around measuring and testing technology of copper data network cabling in a handy booklet. The first issue on this subject appeared in March 2007. This new edition of “The Handbook of Cable Testing” will easily find its place in the tool box or measuring devices of every data cabling installer: Always at hand, quick to look up, with comprehensive and updated information.

We wish you smooth installations and testing of data cabling installations.

SincerelyDipl.-Ing.(FH) Thomas HueschTechnical Support & TrainingSofting IT Networks GmbH

On the way to new frontiers

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: Retrospective, History6 Evolution of Ethernet

7 Increasing Data Rates

CHAPTER 2: Structured Cabling7 Cabling Standards

7 Structured Cabling

9 Categories and Classes

12 Complex Relationships in Standardization

13 It all began in the USA

13 Standards Applicable at the International/ European Level

14 What do the tables show by comparison?

14 Augmented Connectors

16 Increasing Cable Requirements

18 Consideration of other Transmission Parameters

CHAPTER 3: Measurement Technology

21 Measurement Technology for Copper Cabling – New Challenges

21 Definition of Permanent Link and Channel

23 Is the Wiring (Wiremap) Correct?

23 Direct Current Resistance of Pairs

23 Propagation Delay and Delay Skew

24 Determination of Cable Length

25 Measurement of High Frequency (RF) Properties

26 Attenuation of Pairs

27 Crosstalk of Pairs at the Near End (NEXT)

27 Return Loss of Pairs

27 Crosstalk of Pairs at the Far End (FEXT)

29 Attenuation-to-Crosstalk Ratio Near End (ACR-N)

29 Attenuation-to-Crosstalk Ratio Far End (ACR-F)

30 Power Sum

CHAPTER 4: Documentation/Reporting

31 Documentation of Test Results

CHAPTER 5: Fault Analysis

33 Fault Analysis in Data Networks

33 Wiring Faults, Incorrect Connector Termination

34 DC Resistance Faults

34 Delay Skew between Pairs

34 High Attenuation, Weak Signal?

35 Crosstalk in Data Cables

36 Return Loss Faults

37 ACR Faults

37 PSNEXT (Power Sum NEXT) faults

38 Quality will Decide

CHAPTER 6: Patch Cords

40 Measurement Equipment for Patch Cords

40 What is a Patch Cord?

41 How to Test Patch Cords?

43 Measurement Equipment for M12 Cabling

44 Perspective

44 Smartphones/BYOD

44 Television/Multimedia

45 Automation Technology

45 Wireless Networks

45 Cloud Applications

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BOOKLET OF CABLE TESTING

The use of computers, smart TVs, telephone systems using VoIP technology and building communications systems (door communications systems, alarm systems) has become an integral part of

our modern life. But it is not long ago that separate communication networks were needed to run them: Twisted cables for the telephone, coaxial cables for the television and clumsy data cables (IBM) for the early office PC systems. Today, however, the ``Ethernet´´ has established itself as the dominant standard in communications technology and is thoroughly used by the various disciplines. Nowadays, the term ``Ethernet´´ describes both the physical interface

(cable, connector) and the transfer protocol, providing the basis for the universally known TCP/IP world – the logical functions of the network components. This brochure will focus on the physical Ethernet interface that is well known as ``structured building cabling´´. If you are a skilled measurement technician you will even have to consider it when it comes down to its planning, installation, certification testing and operation. For a better understanding, let us start with the basics of today’s network infrastructure. Everybody is talking about the so-called universal ``structured building cabling´´. What does this mean and which relevant standards do exist?

Data Transmission Technology:STANDARDS – INSTALLATION – MEASUREMENT FUNDAMENTALS OF NETWORK TECHNOLOGY This brochure takes a closer look at data transmission tech-nology starting with the evolution of networks, standards, certification testing and troubleshooting to re-porting and documentation. Did you know that the popular and widely used Ethernet celebrated its 40th anniversary and that IEEE 802 began the standardization of Ethernet as early as 30 years ago with the first 802.3T standard?

BOOKLET OF CABLE TESTING

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Chapter 1: Retrospecti ve, History

EVOLUTION OF ETHERNETLet me quote Bob Metcalfe (Figure 1), the inventor of Ethernet, who is now a professor of Innovati on at the University of Texas in Austi n, for some historical data. He commented during the event in 2013: ``On May 22nd, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the inventi on of Ethernet at Xerox PARC. Now, on June 23rd, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ethernet´s standardizati on by IEEE 802.´´ Of course, Ethernet has been standardized many ti mes by IEEE 802.3 since 1983 to incorporate the rapid innovati ons from 2.94 Mbit/s to 100 Gbit/s, from thick to thin coaxial cables to

Figure 2: Increasing demand for bandwidth in networks and data centers – Source – IEEE802.3

Figure 1: Ethernet inventor

Bob Metcalfe is today professor for innovati on

at the University of Texas in Austi n

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BOOKLET OF CABLE TESTING

twisted-pair and to optical fiber cables and Wi-Fi, from CSMA/CD bus networks to switches and ultimately wireless access points whilst assuring a high degree of backward compatibility. ``By 1983, there were people buying Ethernet whom I did not know personally. By 1985, there were people whom I did not know inventing Ethernet. And they continue doing so today with great success using the open standardization processes of IEEE. Congratulations, and thank you´´. Metcalfe continued (Source: IEEE SA).

INCREASING DATA RATESThe same is true for the data rates which were and are increasing dramatically (Figure 2). The development of balanced twisted-pair cabling systems that are used today has advanced rapidly over the last decades. Whereas in 1995, networks with transmission speeds of 100 Mbit/s were installed and operated, network speeds have increased by the factor 100 to date. Since the year 2000, copper-based networks with transmission rates of 1 Gbit/s have been installed and operated, at first in data centers, followed by work place installations. For some years now, CAT 6A/ClassEA

networks with 10 Gbit/s speeds have been installed and operated. These networks are initially found mainly in data centers to connect high-performance servers to switches and storage systems. But just like this kind of developments was repeatedly observed in the past, the servers of today will be our desktops of tomorrow – and this will hold true for both the performance of computers and the network connectivity required. On June 17th 2010, another milestone was set. ``IEEE 802.3ba – 40 Gbit/s and 100 Gbit/s Ethernet Task Force´´ published the standards for 40 Gbit/s and 100 Gbit/s transmissions over optical fiber cabling.

Chapter 2: Structured Cabling

CABLING STANDARDS Currently IEEE 802.3bq is working on the standardization of 40 Gbit/s over copper cabling. And that’s not all, IEEE 802.3 has already tackled the next objective. On April 2nd 2013, the ``400 Gbit/s Ethernet Study Group´´ was formed to develop an Ethernet standard with transmission speeds of 400 Gbit/s in the course of their activities. The above mentioned standards on an IEEE 802.3 compliant transmission technology describes how data have to be transmitted to meet the requirements set by the Ethernet standard. The so-called cabling standards, however, address the underlying infrastructure. They specify infrastructure design and transmission characteristics based on the transmission requirements defined by IEEE 802.3 structured cabling. Also known as generic building cabling, in a unified construction plan of cabling used for different services such as voice, data, video, controls, etc. With regards to structured cabling, the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) ratified the international standard ISO/IEC 11801 for generic cabling systems which are published in the English language. In North America, cabling design is in line with the North American ANSI/TIA 568 C standard specifications, in Europe cabling design is in line with the European EN 50173 standard specifications.

STRUCTURED CABLINGStructured cabling forms a critical part of the technical infrastructure of a campus and is subdivided into three cabling subsystems - campus backbone cabling, building backbone cabling and horizontal cabling.

From the inventors of CAT 8 Testi ng.

CAT 8 since 2010.When will it be your turn?

CAT 8 since 2010.CAT 8 since 2010.When will it be your turn?When will it be your turn?

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