Data Centers Re-Enforce Best Practices To Assure Optimal Installation Quality and Maximize Margins For 10GBASE-T"

Transcription

1 Data Centers Re-Enforce Best Practices To Assure Optimal Installation Quality and Maximize Margins For 10GBASE-T" Christian Schillab Product Manager InfrastructureSuperVision Fluke Networks Europe Member British Standards Institute Working Group TCT 7/-/1 & CENELEC TC215 WG1 PTH und PTT

2 AGENDA CERTIFICATION 1. Requirement for data centers differs from office cabling 2. Relevant standards 3. Test interfaces and test regimes 4. Ensuring a compliant channel after Adds/Changes/Moves 5. Significance of the test plug and accuracy requirements for field testers RESULTS MANAGEMENT 1. Update on relevant standards for results management 2. Statistical tools can help to improve and maximize performance margins 3. Integration of certification records into other systems

3 Justifications For A Certification? 1. The contractor documents a correct installation 2. The manufacturer issues a warranty 3. The end-user gets a documentation about the cabling plant and the performance which allows for. a. Integration Asset-Management System b. Integration into Network Management / Trouble Ticket System c. Integration into a Performance Monitoring system d. Essential Information for the operation of a data-center: e.g.: calculation of the insertion loss a Patched Channel

4 Data Center versus Office Space Fundamental Differences which effect test regimes Data Center Channels connect and transit zones accessed by different organizations / teams Active Equipment to connect zones provide maximum flexibility but adds to power consumption Additional connections in the channel are typically required to connect and transit zones Applications are typically mission critical Office Space n/a n/a Typical link Telecom Room (TR) Telecom Outlet (TO) without a Consolidation Point (CP) Applications are important but rarely mission critical

5 Standards support the redundancy / flexibility required ISO/IEC 2nd FCD Title: Information technology - Generic cabling systems for Data Centers In comparison the structure for the office per floor or even building is simple Functional elements In addition to the distributors specified in ISO/IEC 11801, this standard specifies the following functional elements and interfaces of generic cabling: 1. external network interface (ENI) 2. main distributor (MD) 3. zone distributor (ZD) 4. local distribution point (LDP) 5. local distribution point cable (LDP cable) 6. equipment outlet (EO). 2nd FCD ISO/IEC 24764:

6 Power consumption increases with > 4 connections If active equipment is required to reach from EQP to EQP the power consumption doubles Switch / mediaconverter / repeater

7 Effects on field test requirements Channel Test Interface Test Interface Flex Part Fixed Part Flex Part Only the Fixed Part can be pre-tested < = Permanent Link > Flex Part will be added/configured as needed and consists of compliant equipment/patch cords to build a channel This scenario and the significance of the Fixed Part = Permanent Link makes it an essential part of a relevant test regime Future Add/Changes/Moves common in data centers require compliant cords and can build on A Compliant Permanent Link as a solid foundation

8 Certification of a Cat.6 / 6A or Class E / E A Cabling System Certification of the permanent link is a solid foundation for the total transmission Channel The budget assumes sufficient head room to accommodate an optional consolidation point or cross-connect and patch cords of varying length The plug is of primary significance for the relevance of the test result The property of the plug will heavily affect the test results This equally applies for the permanent as well as channel measurement

9 Certification of a Cat.6 / 6A or Class E / E A Cabling System Certification of the permanent link is a solid foundation for the total transmission Channel The budget assumes sufficient head room to accommodate an optional consolidation point or cross-connect and patch cords of varying length The test plug is of primary significance for the relevance of the test result This equally applies for the permanent as well as channel measurement The property of the patch cord s plug will heavily affect the test results

10 Example: Certification of E A Channels today Manufacturer A und B are in the top WW 10. Both are active in the development of international standards and known for their technical competence System Solution 0.0 Mix & Match

11 Findings from the early days of Cat : Each system wanted to be tested with a special Patch cord / Adapter Cat.6 Jack + Plug NEXT at 100 MHz (Pair 3,6/4,5) for 4 different Jacks Cat.6 Jack + Plug Class E Jack + Plug Cat.6 Limit(54/52.5db at 100 Mhz) Cat.6 Jack + Plug Cat.6 Plug Range 39 Plug - NEXT

12 2002: Pyramid-Tested becomes the synonym for interoperability Mix & Match becomes reality Jacks are optimized for a common centered test plug Also the patch cords are adapted towards a 37dB-Plug Cat.6 Jack + Plug NEXT at 100 MHz (Pair 3,6/4,5) for 4 different Jacks Cat.6 Jack + Plug Cat.6 Jack + Plug Cat.6 Jack + Plug Cat.6 Grenze(54/52.5db at 100 Mhz) Cat.6 Plug Range 39 Plug - NEXT

13 Test-Plug-Labyrinth from 2001 This was the answer for testing Cat.6! What is needed respectively available for Cat.6A? 2004? The Missing Plug

14 2009: Certification with the correct test plug Centered test plug for development in a R&D lab certification by an independent test house Centered test plug for. certification in the field relevant & reproducible results The Pyramid for Cat.6A

15 A tested and compliant link can be solid foundation Compliant Link Link + Compliant Cord Cord = Compliant Channel Test paradigm: 1. Test the permanent link 2. If PASS, add compliant cords to complete the end-to-end channel connection (.. Add/Move/Change) 3. This channel will be compliant without recertifying in the Channel configuration Requirements: The PL test needs to be accurate The test plug must centered

16 10GBASE-T is demanding and limits are tight 1000BASE-T allowed plenty of Room for Error or Optimism db db NEXT Anforderungen NEXT Anforderungen NEXT Requirement TIA Cat.6a TIA 10GBASE-T Cat.6a 10GBASE-T Cat.6 CH Cat.6 Cat.5e CH CH Cat.5e 1000BASE-T CH 1000BASE-T 10GBASE-T gives little Room for Error MHz MHz Restrictive length assumptions suggest that margins are tight A re-certification after Adds/Changes/Moves may be advisable

17 10GBASE-T is demanding and limits are tight 1000BASE-T allowed plenty of Room for Error or Optimism db db NEXT Anforderungen NEXT Anforderungen NEXT Requirement TIA Cat.6a TIA 10GBASE-T Cat.6a 10GBASE-T Cat.6 CH Cat.6 Cat.5e CH CH Cat.5e 1000BASE-T CH 1000BASE-T 10GBASE-T gives little Room for Error MHz MHz 1. Tight limits call for highly accurate measurements 2. Is there a standard which defines the accuracy requirements for field testers? This slide needs some rework to become easier to understand -Christian

18 Summary: Certification 1.The test plug is essential for the relevance of the test results 2.The test plug is (sufficiently) specified and this part of the standard can be considered stable 3.Patch cords will over time use plugs close to a centered test plug

19 Complementing the test data with configuration and connectivity information Examples: Installation of the structured cabling system and system integration (or parts of) are single sourced (one stop shop) WLAN Access Points VOIP Terminals with POE Zoning: voice and data switches serve area in large offices

20 Integration of cable test result into other systems Other systems can significantly benefit from cable test results or even depend on them Asset-Management System e.g.:. ATC-VM.7 Trouble Ticket Systems Performance Monitoring & Management Systems The challenge: Exchange / Interface for import into other Systems PDF: The information is only available as an image CSV / MS-Excel: 255 Column Limit; Import-Filter need frequent updates when the report format changes XML: Exact format defined in EN-50346; eliminates 255 Column Limit Can be viewed with any browser solve problems when users are not permitted to install results management software e.g.: LinkWare

21 EN defines.xml Export Exact definition of format by referencing ISO/IEC External systems require only a single import filter Compatible with any web browser Eliminates MS-EXCEL 255 column limit

22 Statistical Analysis Of Test Results When & Why? 1. When many results need to be view 2. The statistical distribution allows for conclusion about anomalies and deficiencies 3. When data is needed from a reference implementation for a quality plan 4. To montior the installation quality while an project/installation is still ongoing One can t see the forest because of all the trees

23 Which Information May Be Hidden In A Histogram? The margins for NEXT show a normal distribution In this case the distribution of NEXT margin is abnormal Material of different quality? Different installation teams deliver different quality? Did one team use a damaged/poor test adapter or is a calibration imminent?

24 It might be necessary to dig deeper Comparing results from different viewing angles can allow for additional conclusions Group by Project Building Installation Team Material Link Length Building progress Etc.

25 Which information is hidden in the frequency domain? Die Information smallest margin for RL at higher frequencies - hints that the connecting hardware is the limiting factor. consistent for pair 78 further supports the assumption with modern cable and Cat.6A (500MHz) this would not be surprising The pattern (78) does not exclude the cable as the source for the problem: Comparison with a reference implementation would provide certainty

26 Dynamic Links From An Asset Management System Asset-Management System allows directs access to results and graphs from a cable results database Example: ATC VisiPatch Management System User Boromir and Link 1-SK-S1-PP.29-DD

27 Summary 1. The relevance / result greatly depends on the test plug 2. While standard are in flux a re-certification in SW prevents the cost to retest or to wait for the final version 3. Statistical tools get additional value out of a test results database 4. Export to external operational support systems once again provides additional value from existing data a. International standards specify details for an export in.xml format b. Dynamic Links from support system allows access to all details in the results database

28 I want to thank you for your kind attention! It will be my pleasure to answer any questions. I hope that I am still standing! christian.schillab@flukenetworks.com