using new advancements in cabling also requires tools that can validate connectivity and power delivery for both deployment and troubleshooting purposes. One example is single pair Ethernet (SPE). The IEEE 802.3cg standard can transmit and receive Ethernet frames at 10 Mbps full duplex capacity using just a single pair of copper. While a 10 Mbps maximum throughput rate may seem low, it is often sufficient for low-bandwidth IoT use cases. Additionally, as SPE technology evolves, it can be expected that the standard will soon reach 1 Gbps over a single pair. SPE can be an ideal choice for IoT projects that require hundreds or thousands of sensors to be placed across a campus. The small and light cable footprint with the ability to extend very long runs with power
delivery is quite impressive and useful in campus environments. Hybrid powered optical fiber is another emerging cable technology example where universities require cabling types that may differ from the norm. A hybrid optical fiber cable consists of two optical fiber strands for transmit and receive bundled with a pair of copper wires for power delivery to a remote device. These cables can be used in situations where networking equipment or endpoints, such as outdoor UHD surveillance cameras, are required at a location on campus where power is unavailable. Increased Use of High-Power PoE The need for high-power PoE on college and university campuses is growing exponentially. Examples include
the deployment of the latest Wi-Fi 6 and 6E access points, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) surveillance cameras, and numerous public safety and smart building IoT devices. Administrators often struggle to deliver sufficient power over copper data plants that have been around for a decade or longer. To avoid deployment challenges, test tools should be used that can verify sufficient power can be delivered to a PoE endpoint up to IEEE 802.3bt standards, and also that it can continue to deliver the same amount of power over a sustained period of time as the copper wiring heats up. In addition to confirming power delivery at the end point, the ability to perform in-line pass-through testing and troubleshooting of the PoE link with test equipment connected between the power sourcing
equipment (PSE) and the end device can help resolve many issues (Figure 2).
The Need for Modular and Portable Troubleshooting Tools Finally, many college campuses around the country can span thousands of acres. For IT administrators troubleshooting in the field, having the right tools with them is an absolute must. Cable test tools come in a host of form factors and capabilities. In many cases, multiple tools are needed to test and troubleshoot the various copper and optical fiber cables and connectors. Because of this, having to carry multiple test tools can become a problem from a mobility perspective. There are modular test tools that cover the entire range of cable types, tests, and result information that any university IT technician might require. Some tools even include features that serve as portable wired and Wi-Fi testers (Figure 3, page 32). • Capabilities within this modular toolset include: º Ping/Traceroute. º Switch discovery information (e.g., make/ model, port, VLAN). º Certi-Lite in-depth twisted pair cable testing. º Subnet/VLAN visibility. º Network traffic generator. º Wi-Fi authentication, Wi-Fi signal strength, Wi-Fi roaming verification. Thus, for higher education environments, it is not only about the test capabilities of the tool, but also the modularity and overall ease of portability while in the field. HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTS Healthcare IT is unique compared to other enterprise verticals for a few reasons. The heavy reliance on wired copper and optical fiber connections, combined with clinical, patient, and guest Wi-Fi needs, means that IT operations (ITOps) staff must be ready to quickly troubleshoot and resolve network access and performance issues at a moment’s notice. As a result, troubleshooting a healthcare network can demand more effort than normal and require the right troubleshooting and analysis tools. The next section
FIGURE 2 : Examples of PoE power delivery tests. Source: AEM
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