FROM THE INDUSTRY
CommScope was chosen for the deployment of the network cabling
The first aspect here is sheer scale. Besides the central terminal structure itself, real-time links are needed between the data centre infrastructure and a variety of connected facilities including freight operations, the air traffic control centre, storage facilities for aviation fuel and other resources, runway operational technology like lighting, and hubs connecting the airport with local and regional ground transportation. Those long-distance cabling links are also often serving safety-critical functions. Radar and air traffic control, of course, demand a zero-failure rate for safe operations. The threats to uptime and reliability common to all networking infrastructure are relevant here, but an airport is also a hazardous physical environment with dangerous or corrosive substances – aviation fuel, in particular – which is a clear challenge for traditional PVC- sheathed cable and may pose fire risks. At the same time, those safety-critical systems are sharing space with services that have high and growing bandwidth requirements. Pervasive digital signage, streaming video applications, multi- user wireless offerings and a rapidly growing range of network applications all place additional pressure on the airport’s outdated network technology infrastructure. Finally, there is the fact that an airport is not, in any real sense, a fixed installation. While the structures may stand for decades, its tenants are in constant flux, as retailers move in and out, airlines reallocate resources and passenger flow changes based on flight cancellations, delays, gate changes, poorly performing security queues and more. All that means that the network must be adaptable, ensuring that all travellers have access to a reliable network that provides the technological speed and efficiency they expect. The endless potential of networking. The basis of these exceptional travel experiences is a stable and smooth communication network and
system at the Beijing Daxing International Airport project. The project encompassed its new airport terminal building and field communication optical cabling, as well as the Information Technology Centre at the heart of the airport’s communication network. Many of those solutions were developed specifically for the unprecedented challenges of the site, including a dedicated indoor/outdoor universal cable solution which is resistant to hazardous liquids, as well as being low-smoke, halogen-free and flame-retardant to meet stringent safety requirements. Likewise, a single-mode fibre system was developed which far exceeds the standards established by the relevant TIA, ISO and CENELEC specifications. Ultimately, of course, the proof of the solution lies in the experiences of users who may not ever consider the networking solutions that are hard at work behind the scenes. The vast majority of Beijing Daxing International Airport’s users, for instance, enjoy a highly automated customs clearance process, eliminating most queuing, baggage handling and security checks – which is only possible thanks to the highly integrated, high-bandwidth communications network knitting systems together. This principle is repeated across customer touchpoints, with everything from self check-in, to electronic boarding, intelligent course lighting, biometric security/entry checks and more being made significantly smoother by background infrastructure that can keep up with how people expect to use airports. What this all demonstrates is that, while trends outside of our control might variously put us in the spotlight or cause us significant resets, networking technology always can evolve and revolutionise everyday experiences – particularly when it is done with a deep degree of expertise in the specific needs of the sites where it is operating.
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Volume 46 No.1 March 2024
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