| In today's business climate, it is expected that the | | | | built with 568-B in mind to have a lifespan of 10 |
| commercial buildings that we occupy will be able | | | | years or more. A similar TIA standard for |
| to support our voice and data networking needs | | | | Category 5 cable, widely used for these types of |
| today and in the future. Why is this important? | | | | applications throughout the 1990's, had a life span |
| Improperly designed networks can manifest a | | | | of about 9 years. During that time, network |
| variety of symptoms, including hum, noise, | | | | performance increased ten fold. About 5 years |
| crosstalk and poor voice quality over phone lines, | | | | ago TIA updated their standard to specify that |
| or low data transmission speeds, failed print jobs, | | | | only Category 5e cable be used because of the |
| and bottlenecks over data lines. When situations | | | | advent of Gigabit networks which are only now |
| such as this arise, your phones and computers | | | | becoming prevalent in most business |
| become a competitive disadvantage, causing | | | | environments. |
| unnecessary frustration and higher service costs. | | | | Utilizing 568-B (and other related standards), it is |
| In addition, your business will be in poor position to | | | | possible to build integrated structured cabling |
| adopt new technologies that could give you an | | | | systems for commercial buildings and campus |
| edge over the competition as they become | | | | environments involving multiple buildings. Cable |
| available. | | | | types, connectors, distances, architectures, |
| To help businesses ensure a strong, reliable | | | | terminations, performance metrics, installation |
| networking infrastructure, the Telecommunications | | | | requirements and testing methods are all outlined |
| Industry of America (TIA) and other standards | | | | in 568-B. Subsets of this standard address the |
| organizations have teamed up to develop | | | | specific issues relating to special cable types. |
| standardized methodologies relating to the | | | | It's best to insure that your structured cabling |
| installation of structured cable networks. There | | | | adheres to these standards from the point of |
| are standards established relating to wiring | | | | initial building design through completion. A good |
| buildings, creating pathways and spaces in the | | | | architect can design the building to include |
| building design for network cable, and managing | | | | equipment rooms, server closets, and cable |
| the network cable throughout the building as | | | | pathways that meet the TIA standards. With a |
| needs change. Together, these standards provide | | | | building plan in mind, an infrastructure engineer can |
| a "blue print" to architects, contractors, and | | | | then design your structured cabling around your |
| network installers so that you will have a network | | | | business objectives and a structured cabling |
| that will work with any product from any vendor. | | | | specialist or electrician should be able to efficiently |
| These standards are used as requirements for | | | | install the cabling. Because many building codes |
| Federal, State, and Local Government buildings, | | | | apply to low voltage cabling, it's important to |
| and you should require them for your projects as | | | | ensure that all parties involved are aware of |
| well. | | | | these regulations. One example is the requirement |
| The most important standard to know about is | | | | to use fire retarding plenum coated cable in |
| TIA 568-B.1-2000, the Commercial Building | | | | environments like open ceilings. |
| Telecommunications Wiring Standard. It was | | | | Because it's much easier to wire a new building |
| developed through a consortium of more than 60 | | | | while the walls are open versus after building |
| contributing organizations, so the support for this | | | | completion, it's in your best interest to make sure |
| standard is very broad. This latest revision to the | | | | that the job is done correctly the first time. You'll |
| 568 standard defines the technical and | | | | want to plan for plenty of extra capacity while |
| performance criteria for creating a strong, reliable | | | | establishing the design requirements of your |
| network capable of supporting voice, data, and | | | | structured cabling, because adding a cable drop |
| video. The goal of this standard is to provide:o A | | | | later will cost you much more. Serious |
| generic telecommunication wiring system for | | | | rehabilitation of structured cabling is usually |
| commercial buildingso Defined media, topology, | | | | possible, but will cost many more times the price |
| termination and connection points, and | | | | of the initial installation in time, materials, and lost |
| administrationo Support for multi vendor, multi | | | | productivity. |
| product environmentso Direction for technology | | | | Once you have a strong, reliable network in place, |
| migration and future design of telecommunications | | | | your business will be in great position to adopt |
| products | | | | technologies as they emerge. The physical layer |
| The intent of this standard is to provide best | | | | upon which these devices and applications run will |
| practices for the design and installation of | | | | be ready to go when you are. This will reduce |
| systems that will support a wide variety of | | | | future project completion costs, add more value |
| services from many vendors, while giving a good | | | | to your technology investments, and create a |
| likelihood that your network will support future | | | | competitive advantage over others in your |
| technologies as well. You can expect networks | | | | industry. |