PoE testers can help electricians to cost-effectively conduct quick, accurate PoE validation, eliminating guesswork while getting the job done faster. In just a few short years the use of PoE has migrated from IT devices into building systems like lighting, HVAC and access control. However, the growth of PoE presents issues for electricians, who may have never had cause to work on anything other than traditional electrical cable infrastructure.
Viavi Solutions has reached an agreement with Ingram Micro Inc. for U.S. distribution of some of the former’s test instruments for fiber and cable MSO networks as well as performance management offerings for enterprise networks.
Delay happens for all signals across all cable types, and propagation delay is the amount of time it takes for a transmitted signal to be received at the other end of the link or channel. The propagation delay in a twisted-pair copper cabling such as Category 6 or 6A is related to the nominal velocity of propagation (NVP), as well as the length of the cable and the operating frequency. You might remember from our previous blog on reading the top of a LinkWare™ report that NVP is used by your tester to calculate the length of the cable.
The seamless interconnect of data center facilities is needed to deliver lightning-fast speeds, and yet internet content providers (ICPs) have grown at such a rate there has barely been enough time to create the rigorous testing regiment necessary. Add the rising cost of cabling infrastructure and the array of interoperability protocols to the mix, and the scale of the challenge becomes even more overwhelming.
The easiest way to test shield integrity is with a DC continuity test. Put a voltage on the cable at the near end, and if it shows up at the far end, it is assumed to be connected properly. While that is true for the conductors in the cable, it’s not necessarily true for the shield. That’s because the shield is connected to the exterior of the connector, and the connector is in physical contact with the rack panel.
Experts agree that monitoring is essential for maintaining overall network performance, health, and security. But exactly which features should a network monitoring tool offer, and how should the technology be used to achieve maximum effectiveness? As both networks and network management goals advance and evolve, these questions are becoming increasingly difficult to answer, making it challenging to locate and deploy a monitoring technology that covers all of the essential bases.
Fluke Networks demonstrated a prototype single pair Ethernet (SPE) adapter for its DSX-8000 at the Rockwell Automation Show. SPE is making waves in the industrial-automation world as a potential replacement for fieldbus architectures. The adapter is being made in very limited quantities and is currently only available to industrial automation and cabling manufacturers for their use in labs but has been released with the expectation that SPE will become widely adopted.
Fiber connectivity is essential for the physical infrastructure in any enterprise or data center network. While it certainly has advantages, there are also challenges that come along with fiber. Contamination is the #1 cause of troubleshooting in fiber networks, so it is critical that anyone working with fiber is aware of and implementing best practices when handling, installing, or testing fiber connections. During this one-hour session, we will take a closer look at fiber connectivity and educate attendees on the impact that contamination has on fiber connections and network performance. We will also provide guidance on best practices and standards that are in place to ensure clean connections.
Maybe you have heard that bidirectional testing is required for certification when using an OTDR, but do you know why? Check out this article to see what the standards have to say on the topic.
Jake and Linus wire up his house for full 10GbE networking for less than $1000. Thanks to Fluke for lending us one of their DSX cable testers.
