INDUSTRY FOCUS REICHLE & DE MASSARI
infrastructure manager, and facilities manager.
as many as is the case with 4G/3G antennas. The considerable bandwidth requirements of each individual antenna add up and must be supplied and discharged via a high-performance network. Today this is only possible with a fibre optic connection to the antenna. The transmission to the backbone network is also done by means of fibre optics. If fibre density in the access area is too low, connecting and operating Macro & Small Cell antennas will be difficult or impossible. The antennas will not be capable of handling vast data traffic volumes fast enough without a dense optical fibre backhaul network consisting. Connecting 5G base stations using radio links will no longer suffice - antennas must be integrated into fibre networks and connected to edge data centres. 5G’s bandwidth and latency potential can only be realized by bringing FTTx networks closer to the wireless connection point. REMOTE POWER Introduction of Remote Power categories in the EN 50174 series of installation standards will impact planners and end users. When specifying new network cabling and devices, it’s important to bear these in mind. RP categories define the capability of an entire installation to support the different types of PoE. Each individual channel that meets EN50173-1, using connectivity according to IEC 60512-99-2, will support the highest level of PoE (4PPoE with 90W). However, if multiple channels are bundled together in a cable tray interaction between the channels could lead to overheating problems, requiring meticulous planning and installation. TACKLING NEW TRENDS Arriving at the best possible solution for your specific application can be challenging in the light of all these developments. For manufacturers and developers, it is vital to share expertise and engage in a dialogue with different target audiences. After all, there’s no single ‘one size fits all’ solution.
requires ordering servers, storage, load balancers and network gear in plenty of time. You can ensure fast rollout in two ways: by placing functionality in the cloud or building it yourself. That means you have to be pro-active in creating capacity without over-specifying or overspending. At all times, you will also want to know for sure how quickly you can switch on new services or functionalities. DCIM and inventory management are vital to keeping track of infrastructure and ensuring that when something new is switched on, it works as intended right from the start. What’s more, installation managers need to be absolutely sure each port is connected exactly how they think it is to prevent security issues and ensure compliance with relevant standards. Rollout speed, density and building management are increasingly important in the Data Centre market. This requires up-to-date, accurate knowledge of available infrastructure and the ability to demonstrate interconnections, which is also essential for compliance and audits. Virtualization of workloads and smarter storage is bringing greater operational efficiency. Many DCs are looking for the best approach to modernization: the first step would be to obtain visibility into the DC and create an inventory using systems that help you know exactly how infrastructure is connected and managed. Step Two would be to plan up to five years ahead in terms of space and bandwidth requirements, as well as CPU and network capacity, and plan for servers transitioning from 25 to 100 to 400 Gb. Once you’ve implemented a system that helps keep track of automation, workflow management, patching, can be planned more effectively. In order to minimize downtimes or to detect errors in the network quickly, AIM / DCIM systems are increasingly used for automatic network documentation. Ideally, automated documentation systems recognize and document changes to the network in real time. Redundant data lines will also become increasingly necessary in order to ensure fast network switching in the event of an error. Fast detection and fault finding is crucial to a successful business model. Automated workflow can guide technical staff through processes and make Moves, Adds & Changes (MACs) easier, which is especially practical for Edge DCs in remote areas. Automation can also provide support in smaller DCs that don’t have a separate IT manager,
When it comes to MACs, human error and poor record keeping are the main cause of issues. The more you automate, the easier, faster, and more fault-tolerant your work becomes. If you can optimize MAC processes and records, you can improve availability, uptime and Time to Capability for organisations and expand in a modular way. However, this requires special focus on automation and a proactive approach to infrastructure rollouts and future capability. DEVELOPMENTS IN TELCO/FTTX Methods of rolling out networks, especially on the access side, vary strongly across regions. Variations in legislation, permits, (legacy) technologies, requirements and solutions introduce significant complexity for providers. New tech solutions need to be localized, which requires manufacturer and installer support. Mobile operators rolling out 5G are also facing a lot of new complexity. 5G isn’t just ‘next-generation’ 4G – it’s a new type of technology in many ways, requiring much higher fibre density, fibre close to antenna towers and an increasing number of access points. Data and power cabling and equipment needs to be housed in ever-smaller cell sites. Resulting demand for larger fibre counts also introduces high quality requirements. Performance associated with 5G, such as low latency, high capacity and reliability depend on having sufficient fibre. Inherent limitations of wireless solutions mean that fibre and high-density architectures are needed to cable and connect billions of sensors and enable extremely high, uninterrupted, low- latency symmetrical bandwidth. Due to the reduced range of the high bit rate antenna signals, more antenna locations are necessary – five times
Michiel Panders R&M General Manager Europe excl. GAS
Andreas Rüsseler CMO, R&M
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INDUSTRY FOCUS 2021/2022
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