Communications Cabling Installation Standards

Communications Cabling Installation Standards

2 Contents Purpose... 4 Version Control... 5 Reference Documents... 6 Definitions and Abbreviations... 7 DEFINITIONS... 7 WAN services into DoE Sites... 8 Wireless WAN versus Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)... 9 Acronyms and Abbreviations... 9 BYOD/BYOT... 9 Tie Cables... 9 Structured Cabling... 10 Discrete Cabling... 10 Cable Categories... 11 LAN Switches... 11 Voice Over IP (VOIP)... 12 Fire Over IP (FOIP)... 12 Power Over Ethernet (POE) and PoE Plus... 12 Wireless Access Points (WAPs)... 13 For Schools... 13 For IT Staff... 13 For Contractors/Installers... 13 Data, General cabling rules... 14

3 Backbone and Inter Building Cabling... 14 Horizontal Cabling... 16 Cat 6 Installation Notes... 16 Testing and test results... 17 Copper Patch Cables... 17 Wall Outlets... 17 Wall Outlet numbering:... 17 Racks, Cabinets and Enclosures... 18 Overview... 18 Cooling and airflow requirements... 18 Positioning of enclosures/cabinets and racks... 19 Specifing Racks & Cabinets... 19 Calculating the number of Rack Units required... 21 Power to Racks and Patch Cabinets... 22 Grounding of Racks and Cabinets... 22 Telephones... 22 Lead-in Cables... 22 VoIP... 23 MDF Tie Cables... 24 Example Rack Layout... 24

4 Purpose Note that this document is currently under review. If further clarification is sought please contact the networks team at networks@education.tas.gov.au. This document is intended for use by Agency personnel and other organizations, including contractors, who provide and implement data communications systems and related products for the Agency. The areas it provides guidance on include, but are not limited to: Cabling systems Audio Visual recommendations and minimum requirements Selection of Products and dimension and regulatory guidance for those products Design, testing and installation requirements

5 VERSION CONTROL Date Revision Changes to Document 07/04/2009 Draft 00 Initial Document 08/04/2009 Revision 02 Corrected typo s and Standards references 09/04/2009 Revision 03 Added details provided by Ian Gale (cabling designer) regarding missing standards, fibre connectivity and socket colours. 08/05/2009 Revision 04 Added details provided by David Swan (GHD) from a consultants point of view. 20/05/2009 Revision 05 Added details including numbers of wall outlets, cleared up some typos and grammar. 02/06/2009 Revision 06 Added a Glossary, ACMA grounding Standards and details provided by Mark Bird (AWaY) from an Installers view regarding Cat 6 installation instructions, missing Patch Standard and TCA-1 requirements. 08/07/2009 Revision 07 Removed references to Panduit to make the document more open to other suppliers. 04/08/2009 Revision 08 Added information about VoIP and telephony services 07/09/2010 Revision 09 Added more detail around rack and cabinet requirements and added more detail around VoIP. 10/02/2011 Revision 10 Added more detail to the Telephone Leadin cable requirements. 20/02/2012 Revision 11 Removed the use of OM1 cabling from the standards. 15/08/2014 Revision 12 Updated various standards; option to use OM4, WAPs, wireless bridge installations & further detail around the mounting of communications cabinets.

6 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Standard/Specification/Te chnical Bulletin ARPANSA Radiation Protection Standard ACMA RF Exposure Standard Description Maximum Exposure Levels to Radiofrequency Fields 3 khz to 300 GHz http://www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/rps/rps3.pdf a) ACMA Minimum Separation Distance b) ACMA Maximum Transmitter EIRP Communications Alliance AS/CA S009:2013 Cisco Installation requirements for Customer Cabling (Wiring Rules) Access Point Deployment Guide http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/technolo gy/apdeploy/8-0/cisco_aironet_3700ap.html#pgfid- 73010 AS/CA S009:2013 Australian Standard Installation Requirements for Customer Cabling - 13 http://www.commsalliance.com.au/?a=2884 http://www.commsalliance.com.au/?a=2884 AS/CA S008:201011 http://www.comlaw.gov.au/details/f2005c00298 Australian Standard Requirements for Customer Cabling products http://commsalliance.com.au/documents/all/standards/s008 AS/NZS 3080:2013 Information Technology - Generic cabling for customer premises AS/NZS 3084:2003 Telecommunication installations - Telecommunications pathways and spaces for commercial buildings AS/NZS 3085.1:2004 Telecommunication installations - Administration of communications cabling systems Basic requirements AS/NZS 61935.1:20122012 Information Technology Testing of Balanced and coaxial information technology cabling ( Latest Revision) AS/NZS 14763.3:20122012 Telecommunications Installations Implementation and operation of customer premise Testing of Optical Fibre Cabling ( Latest Revision)

7 DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS Definitions Alien crosstalk electromagnetic noise (degrading performance) that occurs on a cable that runs alongside other signal-carrying cables. Building backbone cabling cabling that connects IDFs to MDFs usually fibre optic cable. Category 5 (Cat 5) a performance standard for cable and equipment in the AS/NZS 3080 standard Category 5e (Cat 5e) - AS/NZS 3080 standard Category 6 (Cat 6) a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet, backward compatible with Category 5/5e - AS/NZS 3080 Category 6A a cable standard that has performance improvements around the elimination of alien crosstalk compared to Cat 6 and is capable of carrying 10 Gbps. Minimum standard for the Agency. Category 7 - Category 7a Certified Installer Party or parties responsible for the supply, installation, testing and warrantying of cabling systems. Consolidation Point Distributor Horizontal Cabling - Intermediate Distribution Frame Rack/Enclosure for interconnecting data & telecommunications cable between end user devices and a main distribution frame. Main Distribution Frame PoE Power supplied over Ethernet; typically refers to devices where power is delivered via Ethernet cable up to 15.4W PoE+ - Patch Lead Rack/Enclosure a lockable cabinet which houses equipment and cabling Site Structured Cabling

8 Abbreviations ATX Alien Crosstalk EMI Electromagnetic interference GbE Gigabit Ethernet GPO General Power Outlet IP Internet protocol IDF Intermediate Distribution Frame MDF Main Distribution Frame LAN Local Area Network LC Little Connector SC Square Connector FX - POTS Plain Old Telephone System RFI Radio Frequency Interference SFP Small Form Factor Pluggable SFP+ Enhanced Small Form Factor Pluggable SNR Signal to noise ratio STP Shielded Twisted Pair VOIP Voice over IP WAN Wide Area Network WAN services into DoE Sites DoE Wide Area Network (WAN) services are provided by several different ISPs under the Networking Tasmania Contract. At the time of writing the services DoE buy from Networking Tasmania are supplied by Telstra, iinet, TasNetworks and Tasmanet. WAN services range from NCS Standard, Basic (ADSL 1 & 2), NCS Enhanced HS & NCS Enhanced HS TTL along with NBN variants and other miscellaneous services. Aurora provides the fibre backbone around the Hobart CBD for the Agency s Data Centres. In most cases DoE is not responsible for the equipment that connects the WAN. Basically Networking Tasmania provides DoE with a port on site into which the Local Area Network connects. This is true of every type of WAN connection be it copper based, wireless or via fibre. Services such as ADSL and BDSL are copper based services and enter the site via ordinary copper cable (telephone type) lines. Copper services enter the site from off

9 the street and are connected to a Main Distribution Frame (MDF). From the MDF the cable pairs are cross connected (jumpered) to the point where the device interfaces with the LAN. This may be via a tie cable to a patch panel or some other method. Wireless WAN versus Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Wireless WAN is used by DoE in areas where cabled services are poor or do not meet the Department s needs. Wireless WAN is not something directed at users but a system between two wireless systems. A beam from one wireless is aimed directly at another usually by line of sight. WLANs on the other hand are aimed at connecting users to a Local Area Network using wireless. A series of Wireless Access Points (WAPs) are connected to the LAN in a given site and a user s PC would connect to a WAP using protocols similar to those on the cabled network. 1. MDF An MDF or Main Distribution Frame is the point at which the telephony services from Telecommunications Companies (e.g. Telstra) terminate in a site. It is sometimes called the Network Boundary Distributor. This is the point where the Telco s responsibility ends. At the MDF wires are cross connected (Jumpered) on to a tie cable to an Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) or a Patch Panel. For a more complete explanation see section 3 of the standards http://www.commsalliance.com.au/ data/page/15836/s009_2006r.pdf Acronyms and Abbreviations BYOD/BYOT Bring Your Own Device/Technology POTS Plain Old Telephone System Tie Cables A tie cable is a cable or number of cables from a patch panel or IDF back to the MDF. These cables may be 10 pair, 25 pair, 50 pair or greater depending on the number of phone lines potentially required at the remote end. Each IDF in a discrete cabling design will require a tie cable of some sort. The telephone outlets around a room come back to a distribution frame or box where they are jumpered to a larger cable that goes to a larger frame and so forth to the MDF. This reduces the need for multiple cable runs and makes cabling more manageable.

10 Depending on the cabling and switching design there may be a need to have a tie cable between the MDF each patch panel. For example, if a Voice Over IP (VOIP) solution with local switching is deployed it may only require a tie cable to the communications closet (patch panel) where the VOIP switch is located. If POTS are deployed then a tie cable will be required at every patch panel where telephone services are required. Structured Cabling Structured cabling brings all communications systems back to centralised patch panels. Depending on the building there may be one or more patch panels per floor. In most circumstances it is good practice to have at least one patch panel per floor. To avoid complications at least one patch panel between three floors. There are a number of factors to be considered in patch panel location design including but not limited to: 1. Cable numbers at a location need to be manageable. 2. The cabling standards specify that cables must not exceed 90 metres. 3. The costs associated to horizontal cabling. 4. Electrical ground points within a site. 5. Ease of running cables to the point. 6. Centralising the cabling reducing costs Services connecting at a patch panel may include telephone, data, alarm systems, distributed audio or TV, CCTV et al. One cabling system supplies all. The advantages to structured cabling are huge. Structured cabling systems provide enormous flexibility and manageability. Services can be patched locally without the need of Telco input. (See Discrete Cabling below) Discrete Cabling In discrete cabling a separate cabling plan is used for each type of services. E.g. a telephone would plug into a wall socket that could not be used for any other service. In discrete systems if someone was to move desks from one location to another it would require a visit from a Telco or cabling contractor to move the phone service. In a structured cabling system if both locations are presented on the patch panel it is a simple matter of swapping the patch lead into the outlet where the person is moving to. Discrete cabling is expensive to maintain and does not lend itself to future technologies and is therefore being replaced by structured cabling as the preferred method.

11 Cable Categories The cables used in structure cabling implementations are designed and manufactured based on a number of World Wide standards. There are distance limitations and specific installation and testing requirements. These are laid out in the standards documents. Cables come in Categories depending on the properties of the cable. Each category has a purpose. Cat 3 is old telephone type cable not really much use at all for data or other high speed applications. Cat 4 is old and no longer in use much and probably not available. Not suitable for data or high speed applications. Cat 5 is older style cable installed in many buildings in the mid 1990 s but not installed newly these days. This cable was designed to work up to 100 M/bits/sec. Cat 5E is used in many buildings. It is capable of carrying 1 Giga/bits/sec. Whilst this cable is still fairly current the functionality is starting to become a bit more limited. Where there is a presence of Cat 5E cable it is probably appropriate to continue using it however Cat 6 cable is now common and probably not much more expensive. There is no future proofing using Cat 5E cable these days. Cat 6 designed for Gigabit Ethernet, 250 MHz. This cable can carry up to 10 Gbps but only up to 50 metres. When used for 10/100/1000 mbps the maximum allowed length is 100 metres comprising 90 metres of horizontal run to the patch panel and 10 metres between the panel and device. Cat 6A is capable of carrying 10GBASE-T for distances up to 100 metres and is rated at 500 MHz. Cat 6A may be considered as an alternative for backbone cabling. Cat6A is the minimum standard in green field sites for the Agency. It is recommended that shielded cat 6A be used for all Audio Visual installations. LAN Switches Switches are used to do the work of connected networked devices. Switches come with many different features and uses. For example: A switch may also be the controller for Voice Over IP (VOIP )on a site. Other switches maybe used to carry the phone service and data back to the VOIP controller.

12 A switch may be used to provide power as well as a data connection. For example a Wireless Access Point is powered by the switch using Power Over Ethernet (POE) thereby eliminating the need to install power outlets in the ceiling. POE on a switch also gives far greater control over remote devices. It is for example easy to remotely power cycle a device remotely. Switches come with a variety of port speeds from 10 M/bits/sec to 10 Giga/bits/sec. The discussion on switches is too complex for this paper but suffice to say these are required and the appropriate switch must be selected for a given function. DoE has chosen Cisco switches for is LAN implementations. Voice Over IP (VOIP) VOIP is a method of using the data network and Internet Protocols (IP) to carry telephony services. This can be done using a local VOIP switch with several external lines or it could be done via the WAN to a central server in a remote site. The choice of solution is based on cost, functionality, serviceability. The correct installation and performance of WAN and LAN services becomes critical when solutions such as VOIP or Video over the network are deployed. Fire Over IP (FOIP) FOIP is a method used to send fire alarm messages for DoE sites to the Tasmania Fire Service. Power Over Ethernet (POE) and PoE Plus POE is used to provide power to remote devices using the structured cabling system. Basically a switch with POE functionality connects devices requiring power such as CCTV cameras, alarm devices, Wireless Access Points (WAP s) etc. PoE + can provide nearly double the power of PoE (25.50 Watts to the device).

13 WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS (WAPS) For Schools The Agency uses an enterprise wireless network provided under the Networking Tasmania contract. WAPs can be purchased through the online shop. IT staff can provide advice on the number and locations of WAPs for sites as well as lifecycle management. Schools need to discuss their WIFI requirements with their local IT support staff. For IT Staff Floorplans of coverage areas shall be submitted to Telstra by the Networks Team, to enable WAPs to be managed via Cisco Prime. Site predictions should be undertaken in Prime to assist with proper placement of WAPs where coverage areas have obstacles which may impede signal strength and reach. For larger sites where required wireless coverage is more complex, Telstra can undertake an on-site physical survey at a cost to the School which can be negotiated via. WAPs should be connected to PoE+ compatible switches. The online shop provides further information on feature sets of current model WAPs and their requirements. It is recommended that WAPs not be connected to multiple power sources (eg a PoE+ switch and an injector) as this may cause the WAP and the upstream switch to shut down. In this instance 802.11ac enabled WAPs should continue to connect to standard PoE switches without the use of a power injector. The use of outdoor WAPS should be discussed with as additional network and physical requirements are necessary to support this infrastructure. For Contractors/Installers It is commonplace for many existing installations to be Cat 5 (Cat 5e), but where new cabling is required for WAP installations it shall be a minimum of Cat6. A labelled socket at the WAP end shall be provided - this will enable the WAP to be repositioned, if required, via the flexibility of a patch lead. Note that new cabling installations must be tested and installed by a Certified Installer. There shall be a minimum clearance of 30 cm from any surface of the WAP to nearby persons and where the WAP has integrated antennas it shall be mounted horizontally unless an appropriate bracketing system is used. It is recommended that access points and wireless network antennas be mounted in elevated positions, at or near typical

14 ceiling height where possible. This is to enable ease of access (taking OH&S into account) and to minimize the potential for both radiation exposure and vandalism. At a minimum where external WAPs are mounted on roof tops or other exposed locations (which may be subject to lightning strike) each antenna will require earthed lightning protection. Please refer to the list of Australian and International Standards referenced in this documentation as a minimum accepted standard for Wireless mounting standards within the Department. DATA, GENERAL CABLING RULES All data cablers performing work for the Agency must be registered with an ACMAaccredited registrar and data cabling carried out in accordance with the Telecommunications Act 1997; adhere to: AS/CA S009:2013 Australian Standard Installation Requirements for Customer Cabling - 13 http://www.commsalliance.com.au/?a=2884 http://www.commsalliance.com.au/?a=2884 AS/CA S008:201011 http://www.comlaw.gov.au/details/f2005c00298 Australian Standard Requirements for Customer Cabling products http://commsalliance.com.au/documents/all/standards/s008 AS/NZS 3080 :20131 Telecommunication installations - Generic cabling for customer premises AS/NZS 3084:2003 Telecommunication installations - Telecommunications pathways and spaces for commercial buildings AS/NZS 3085.1:2004 Telecommunication installations - Administration of communications cabling systems Basic requirements AS/NZS 61935.1:20122012 Information Technology Testing of Balanced and coaxial information technology cabling ( Latest Revision) AS/NZS 14763.3:20122012 Telecommunications Installations Implementation and operation of customer premis Testing of Optical Fibre Cabling ( Latest Revision) A completed TCA-1 form or the equivalent notice on an invoice must be provided for all cabling installations. These cabling Installation Notes are to be read in conjunction with the project Technical Specification. Backbone and Inter Building Cabling

15 Where a cable run exceeds 90 metres, Optical fibre cable must be used a minimum of 8 core shall be use and each segment must be continuous without joints. This should only occur as backbone cabling between racks. (Horizontal cabling runs must not exceed 90 metres.) Where cables are run between racks tying back to different electrical grounds Optical fibre cable must be used. Optical fibre cable must be used between buildings. The only exception is where buildings are connected via a Wireless Bridge. The use of Multi Mode or Single Mode fibre will be dependant upon the distance and the cable run s application. Each case needs to be considered separately. As a rule of thumb a cable run over 250 Meters Single Mode must be deployed.) the distance for OM3 is too short, Panduit and Blackbox both recommend 300 m for 10-GbE Where Multi Mode fibre is to be installed OM3 or OM4 50/125µm micron cable must be used which is capable of supporting 10GB Ethernet (850nm) over a minimum of 300m NOTE: All Optical Fibre Cabling Between building must be Indoor /Outdoor Rated Distribution style Cable. Where copper is used as backbone cable at least two Cat 6 cables must be used. It is recommended that enough copper backbone cables are provisioned to allow each switch to connect directly over the backbone. (This avoids the need to cascade switches enhancing overall throughput.) Outdoor Wireless Bridge Installations When connecting buildings via Wireless Bridges the Manufacturer s Guidelines must be followed and consideration given to adequate lightening protection and the appropriate positioning of radio and antenna equipment. Patch Panels, Fibre Enclosures and Cable Management The maximum density to be used is 24 ports per 1 RU. Patch panels shall be provided with integrated rear cable management units so as to provide cabling support. Where this is not possible then an alternative form of cable support should be provided. 24 port Modular Flat patch panels are to be used. Modular patch panels are used to take a variety of coloured jacks.

16 NOTE: Black modular Cat 6 jacks to be used at Patch Panels, White modular Cat 6 jacks at Field Outlets. Green modular Cat 5 or Cat 6 jacks are to be used for Telephone Tie Cables Red modular Cat 6 Jacks shall be used to Terminate Cat 6 Copper Back bone Cables Modular Optical Fibre Panels are to be used for fibre with sockets clearly colour coded (OM1, OM3 or OS1). OM1 Beige; OM3 Aqua; OS1 Dark Blue. Modular Optical Fibre Panels must be used to enable variety of fittings to be fitted to one panel. The connector type for Optical Fibre will be: ST for OM1; SC for OS1 and LC for OM3/OM4. Sockets must be clearly labelled to indicate the remote end Rack, RU, and Socket. 1RU horizontal cable managers are to be used. Patch panel numbering should be followed as detailed in Section 4. Horizontal Cabling A minimum of Cat 6A cable is to be used in all new installations (green field sites) and major redevelopments. The only exception is where minor upgrades occur in existing Cat 5e patch panel strips. Cat 6 Installation Notes Plastic cable ties must not be used under any circumstances. Where fluorescent lighting fixtures and devices which incorporate inductive motors exist then a minimum clearance of 300 mm must be provided from cables. Where this is not possible a suitable method of screening the cable shall be used. All surface/wall cabling shall be enclosed in compliant conduit. Cables must not be loosely bundled and laid in a random manner. Cabling must be fully supported by independent cable support systems and shall not be laid onto other services or ceiling surfaces. All cabling shall be secured to support structures via a hook and loop style cable ties (Velcro or similar). Bundles must be fixed using a minimum of 6 mm Velcro tapes no more than 350 mm apart for the entire length of the cable run. (Cable trays excepted). Bundles must not exceed 24 x 8 core cables. Where building penetrations are made to route cabling then a minimum of 20% spare capacity must be included. Cabling installed through penetrations must be protected. All cabling runs should be continuous.

17 Permanent Link (Fixed) cable runs must not exceed 90 metres. NB. The twist in the cable pairs may make the cable up to 4% longer than the sheath measurements this must be included in the 90 metres. Channel Length (Permanent Link + Patch Lead + Patch Lead) must not exceed 100 Metres. NB. The twist in the cable pairs may make the cable up to 4% longer than the sheath measurements this must be included in the 100 metres. Testing and test results All cabling must be tested in accordance with AS/NZS 61935.1 LR Permanent Link and certified using approved test equipment. For example, a Fluke DTX-1800 - DSP-4000 or similar tester. All cabling test results must be presented as delivered by the testing device in an electronic format such as Linkware and also in PDF format. Copper Patch Cables All copper patch cables be tested to comply with: AS/NZS IEC 61935.2:2006 - Testing of balanced communication cabling in accordance with ISO/IEC 11801 - Patch cords and work area cords. Wall Outlets It is recommended that double wall outlets be installed by default. This provides the flexibility required in many school environments for future devices, for a level of redundancy in the event of a cabling failure. For Wireless Access Points a single outlet mounted on the ceiling is recommended. In office or staff room situations triple outlets should be installed. It is far better to over provision wall outlets rather than to under provision. Wall Outlet numbering: The wall outlet numbering will be Rack Name Rack Unit Number Patch Panel Socket number e.g. Rack A Rack Unit (RU) 27 Socket 7 will be labelled as A-27-7. If this is not clear please contact networks@education.tas.gov.au. Rack Units are usually designated from the bottom of a rack up. However some racks have numbering already from the top down. It is fine to use the existing numbering. Where no numbering exists racks should be clearly numbered from the bottom up.

18 Numbering shall be sequential and indicated on the As Constructed drawings. Drawings are to be provided in hard copy and electronic format. Racks, Cabinets and Enclosures Overview Communications cabinets and/or enclosures have a requirement to house racks that comprise patch panels, cable management, switching equipment, power. Racks and/or cabinets/enclosures may also be required to house equipment including but not limited to servers, VOIP Switches, power supplies and UPS systems. It is therefore vital the rack, cabinets and enclosures are designed with this functionality in mind. Wall outlets, telephone tie cables and the like all terminate on patch panels mounted on the front rail of the rack. Switches are also mounted on the front rail of the rack. Patching of end devices including but not limited to end devices such as phones, PC s, printers, scanners, fax machines. CCTV devices, WAP s, other switches, servers, various alarms and security device may take place between switches and patch panels or patch panel to patch panel within the rack. Typically a patch cable is some 1.5 to 3 metres in length and will go from a switch port through cable management to a socket that leads to a wall outlet. A patch cable carries data and or power using POE to the end device. Note that in any cable carrying current there will be some heat transfer. Therefore, the more cables in a confined area the more heat generated. Historically a Cat 6 cable had a diameter of 8mm and the standards calleded for a bend radius of not less than 32mm. Given the amount of outlets racks and therefore cabinets may be required to house 100 s of cables it is vital to allow room for cable management. There is now available a new small diameter patch cable offering for both Cat6 and Cat 5e which utilizes 28 AWG conductors as opposed to the 24 AWG conductors typically used in Cat 5e. This allows for higher density installations and better cable management, improved air flow, flexibility and a tighter bend radius of 15mm. However where running PoE or PoE+ the bundle size is limited to up to 40 cables per bundle due to heat dissipation. This must be strictly adhered to where small diameter patch leads are used in a PoE environment. Cooling and airflow requirements Switches housed in racks will most likely have cooling fans, some switches particularly those with POE generate quite an amount of heat. The use of switches with POE is increasing as the growth of devices that can be powered by POE increases. Devices that can be powered by POE includes but is not limited to CCTV Cameras, Phones, WAP s, some switches and the standards are coming out for devices such as tablet

19 computers et al. There must be enough room in the cabint/enclosure to allow good airflow. Where servers are housed in a cabinet a fan for cooling and/or heat extraction also needs to be considered. Similarly where a rack is mounted in a small room airflow and cooling must be considered. Positioning of enclosures/cabinets and racks IT staff need to access the equipment housed in the racks. Cabinets, enclosures and racks should be designed with a high degree of safety being a major consideration. The safety is for both staff accessing the rack and the equipment housed in a rack. For example, racks mounted above head height require ladders or similar to gain access thus making them less safe than a rack within easy reach. Racks mounted too low or in confined places can become difficult to access and cause injuries. Racks mounted in areas storing chemicals such as cleaning equipment can be hazardous to both staff and equipment. The weight of cables and equipment can become very high. For example Cat 6 cable is approximately 20 Kilograms per 300 metres. It is not unusual for each cable terminated in a rack to be 1 2 metres (assuming the weight of most of the cable in on correctly mounted cable ladder and not bourne by the rack). Patch leads have an average of 2 metres length (being bourne by the front of the rack. Switches can weigh as much as 5 Kg 7 Kg. Therefore it would be reasonable to expect a rack connecting 100 devices to be well in excess of 50 Kg 60 K not including the rack which could be as much as another 120 Kg with most of the weight being at the edge away from the wall. Other than the issue of weight is the sheer volume of cables coming into the back of racks and cabinets. Each patch panel has 24 outlets it is therefore not uncommon for 200 + cables to enter the back of a rack (even on a wall mounted 24RU rack). Each cable having a diameter of 8mm it is very easy to have a block of cables 80mm x 150mm entering a rack (more by the time you include air gaps, Velcro cable ties and bends). This often makes cabinets next to impossible to keep hard against the wall. This is especially true of wall mounted cabinets/enclosures that allow rear entry, these become extremely difficult to close. IT staff often come across wall mounted racks that are literally falling off the wall. Ensure cabinets are mounted using the screws/mounting brackets supplied with the cabinet and that the cabinet is affixed securely to the wall at all times. Specifing Racks & Cabinets

20 Open racks may be used in lockable computer rooms that do not have general or general staff access. In all other cases a lockable cabinet or enclosure shall be used. The cabinet should be fully enclosed with lockable side panels and doors. Standard industry 19 cabinets must be used and must be of a suitable height and depth. Enclosures must allow room for cable management and provide access to either the sides and/or rear of the rack. The minimum depth for communications racks is 600mm. All the switch types presently used by DoE will fit into a rack 600mm deep (some switches require a minimum depth of 600mm). The depth of a rack is measured from the front rail of the rack (mounting bracket) to the rear of the rack. The 600mm must be free of cables at both the sides and rear. Note this is the size of the rack not the enclosure. The sides of the enclosure must allow room for vertical cable management. As discussed above, 200 cables require more than 80mm x 150mm even in a packed environment. Patch leads however often need tracing, removing, replacing or rerouting so much more room is required for patch leads. The management of patch cables is one of the prime functions of a patch rack (enclosure). Where rack mounted servers are to be deployed racks must have a depth of 800mm. Cabinets and racks must allow for vertical and horizontal cable management and there must be a minimum of 120mm (150mm preferred) from the front patch panel rail to the closed door (this is to allow for cables and cable bends). At a minimum, 1 x 1 RU horizontal cable management panel must be used for every 2 x 24 port patch panels (a ratio of 1:1 is preferred). A cable management panel must be allowed for between every switch. For racks where horizontal cable count exceeds 200, a DoE designed rack layout is required. In large racks (24 RU and over) or exceeding a horizontal cable count of 200 vertical cable management rings must be large enough to cope with the patch cabling to be run. As a rule of thumb allow for 2 patch cables per user in office areas and 2 per user in classroom environments (this should provide enough spare capacity to allow free movement in the vertical). In smaller racks (less than 24 RU) the use of Velcro straps for vertical cable management is acceptable. Vertically mounted enclosures may be used where 3 or less patch panels and only 1 or 2 switches are required. This type of enclosure mounts the switches vertically and provides a much more efficient use of wall space.

21 Note: Plastic or metal cable ties must not be used to tidy patch cables under any circumstances. Consideration must be given to the size and weight of cabinets, switches, panels and cabling therefore the use of wall mounted patch cabinets should be avoided wherever possible. Where racks are 24 RU or over they must be floor mounted. Calculating the number of Rack Units required Each 24 wall outlets require one patch panel strip and one cable management strip so basically we need 2 RU per 24 wall outlets. Switches come in 8, 12, 24 or 48 ports plus Up ports and usually require 1 RU. However, it is not safe to assume 48 port switches will be used where between 24 and 48 ports are required. For 40 users for example the rack migh have 1 x 48 port switch or 2 x 24 port switches depending on functionality required in the switches. However, it is reasonable to assume a 24 port switch for every 24 users. Note that the port number required is not the same as the number of wall outlets. Patch panels are based on the number of wall outlets, switch ports are based on user and device requirements. The number of other likely devices and or RU s required need to be calculated. For example a power rail may take up one or more RU. If there are other devices such as power supplies required then a shelf taking up 5 or so RU s may be required. A VOIP switch will require at least 1 RU and maybe two or more, a UPS built into the rack may take up 3 RU s. For safety once the likely number has been calculated add ad least 50% more RU s for growth. For example: An area has 30 work stations each with 3 outlets. There is a requirement for 3 x WAP s and 2 x CCTV cameras, a router for the WAN Link and a VOIP system. There will be a FAX (not in the VOIP). A 25 pair tie cable to the MDF. The site requires a UPS to hold up the VOIP system and cameras. I x RU for the telephone MDF tie Cable 4 x RU for wall outlets 2 x 24 port switches 2 x RU for VOIP system 1 x RU power rail 5 x RU shelf for the router and small UPS 9 x RU cable management At this point we have filled a 24 RU rack and have no room at all for expansion nor do we have a fibre tray that might be required to connect other buildings. We need to allocate room for growth and/or devices we may have missed. Experience shows that growth and/or alterations will occur. So another 12 RU or so should be set aside. Making the rack now 36 RU (probably better off with a 42 RU floor standing rack).

22 Note this is purely an example of what might need to be considered and is presented purely to show the complexities of designing a rack. It clearly demonstrates the need to design the rack in consultation with staff. Each site and application is a case on its own. A classroom, for example, might not have a VOIP switch, a router or a need for a UPS and require only 2 outlets per work station. Power to Racks and Patch Cabinets There must be a dedicated power feed into racks/cabinets. The power must be surge protected and reliable. In areas where critical services run a second power feed must be installed. An UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) must be installed where FOIP passes through a rack. Power within the rack must be distributed via a rack mounted power distribution unit. The size and type of PDU will depend on the size and usage of the rack/cabinet. Please contact networks@education.tas.gov.au for any clarification. Grounding of Racks and Cabinets All racks, cabinets, cable trays and catenary wires must be connected to the building protective earth as specified for each case in AS3000 and AS/ACIF S009 (latest revision). Telephones Lead-in Cables The following are some but not all rules and conditions of lead-in cable installation: As with any utility service (electricity, gas, water sewerage) ensuring the appropriate telephone lead-in cables are in place is a part of the building construction process and as such the resposiblity of the project manager. Leadin cables are not the responsibility of. However, will assist in specifying the appropriate size of the lead-in. Telstra should be contacted by the project manager and/or the project engineering company for the latest rules on the entry cable requirements. See: http://www.telstra.com.au/smartcommunity/mybuilder.html. The project manager is responsible for the appropriate forms and signoffs. Telstra outsource work to Service Stream therefore all lead-in work must comply with the requirements of Service Stream and Telstra. (this includes but is not restricted to Pits, Entry Ducts and MDF). Contact with Telstra on the installation

23 of lead-in cables often require a Service Stream work order number. It is the responsibility of the project manager to ensure the appropriate forms and compliances are complete. See http://www.servicestream.com.au/ and http://www.telstra.com.au/smartcommunity/mybuilder.html. Sites with multiple buildings (for example, a CFC being installed on a present school site) having an existing lead-in cable can be set up with a secondary leadin. This must be arranged through Service Stream and Telstra by the project manager. There will be costs associated to do this. In some cases it may be more prudent to use existing services into the site. Service Stream and Telstra will point to the original title therefore Service Stream and Telstra must be provided with a clear and accurate entry point not just a pointer to the site or it will be assumed the new serice is going to the original site title address. All greenfield sites will require copper lead-in cables for telephony purposes. In the coming years this may be replaced with fibre optic cabling but until we have greater clarity around NBN and network services on offer and an understanding of the recurrent cost associated with these services all new greenfield sites need an appropriate copper lead-in cable. It may be initially that only a copper lead-in cable is required but future use of fibre optic through the conduit should be planned. Some sites may require both copper and fibre optic lead-in cables depending on WAN network services required at the site. will assist in making recommendations on the size of the lead-in cable if required. However, in order for to determine the appropriate size of a leadin cable require the potential number of users and agency mix, the likelyhood of VOIP rather than discrete services, alarm requirements (Fire, burglar etc.), Fax Services and potential WAN link services. VoIP DoE has gone through a tender selection process for Small Site VOIP solutions. The successful tenderers were Cisco (via Anittel) and Samsung. The contact details are: Samsung: Craig Snowden csnowden@tazict.com.au PH: 0413441995 Cisco: Anittel Shane Springer Shane.Springer@anittel.com.au Ph: 6210 9875

24 Mobile: 0419120330 All VOIP solutions must be provided by either of the two successful tenderers. The School Consultant must be notified and involved in the selection process of any VOIP solution. The design of a VOIP solution also impacts on the selection of switches for a site. MDF Tie Cables Telephone tie cables should be placed towards the top of the rack with a cable management strip above the MDF Tie Cable where only one RU is used for the tie. Where 2 RU s are used for the MDF tie a cable management panel must be used above and below the two patch panels. Where more than 50 pairs are installed a cable management panel is to be used on top and a cable management panel is to go below every two RU s of the MDF Tie. Voice Tie Cables are to be terminated on Green Modular Jacks, 1 Pair per RJ45 (Pins 4+5) mounted in 24 Port 1 RU Modular Patch Panels. For example: Cable Management MDF Tie MDF Tie Cable Management MDF Tie MDF Tie Cable Management Spare Spare Cable Management Wall Outlet. Example Rack Layout Rack A Rack Unit Task 42 Cable Management 41 Phone Tie 40 Phone Tie 39 Cable Management 38 Wall outlets 37 Wall outlets 36 Cable Management 35 Wall outlets

25 34 Wall outlets 33 Cable Management 32 Wall outlets 31 Wall outlets 30 Cable Management 29 Wall outlets 28 Wall outlets 27 Cable Management 26 Wall outlets 25 Wall outlets 24 Cable Management 23 22 21 20 Cable Management 19 Switch 18 Cable Management 17 Switch 16 Cable Management 15 Switch 14 Cable Management 13 12 11 10 Fibre Tray 9 Fibre Tray 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Power 1 Power Notes: Power may be vertically or rear mounted depending on the rack to be deployed. This example shows a 42 RU Rack a similar approach is to be used for all racks. Vertical cable management must be provided..

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