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Introduction
The history of data communications is closely linked to the developments in cabling and connecting hardware. High performance data networks and local area networks (LANs) cannot perform well without appropriate cables and excellent connectors.
When we take a look at high-speed data networks like 40 Gigabit and 100 Gigabit Ethernet, it’s hard to imagine that data networks descended from telephone networks. Telegärtner has set quite some trends from the early beginnings..
Here we would like to give you an overview of the basic knwoledge of data network technology.
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Evolution of Data Networks
The Ethernet version 10Base-2 was running over coaxial cable. With Telegärtner’s uninterruptable EAD outlets, computers could be added or removed while the network was running. Soon, the screened version scEAD followed, and even 2010 there are still some coaxial networks with EAD/scEAD outlets in use. Evolution of LAN technologies: Ethernet has become the dominant technology for local area networks (LANs). Most common are Fast Ethernet with 100 Mbps and Gigabit Ethernet with 1 Gbps. For high speed networks, 10 Gigabit Ethernet offers 10 Gbps, and 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet will soon offer even higher data rates. The evolution of Ethernet still continues, leading to everhigher data rates. 10 Gbps over a 100 meter link of copper cable and 25/40 Gbps over up to 30 meters are possible, and 25 Gbps over 50 meters look quite promising.
EAD / scEAD and TAE Outlet
Evolution of LAN Technologies
Ethernet has become the dominant technology for local area networks (LANs). Most common are Fast Ethernet with 100 Mbps and Gigabit Ethernet with 1 Gbps. For high speed networks, 10 Gigabit Ethernet offers 10 Gbps, and 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet will soon offer even higher data rates.
Structured Cabling
The demand for vendor independent and neutral cabling led to the international standard ISO/IEC 11801 on which the European standard EN 50173 is based. These standards define a structured cabling which shall be designed independent of the use or dedication of rooms or any network technology. The standards also contain performance specifications for components and links, as well as appropriate testing methods.
Horizontal cabling, building backbone and campus backbone
Structured cabling consists of the horizontal cabling, the building backbone, and the campus backbone. The campus backbone runs between buildings on the same campus. Apart from telephone cables, only fiber optic cables are used to connect the buildings to a central campus distributor.
The cabling to connect the floor distributors to the building distributor following a star topology is called building backbone. According to the standards, each floor should have at least one floor distributor. However, it is also possible to use one floor distributor for several floors should they be sparsely populated.
The horizontal cabling runs from the floor distributor to the outlets. Mainly twisted-pair cabling is used here, but fiber An example for sturctured cabling Example for a RJ45 outlet by Telegärtner optic cabling might offer some advantages depending on the size of the network and the details of the individual cabling project. In a lot of projects the data cabling is also used for telephony.
Telephones need another pin assignment than Ethernet, but when all pins of a jack are connected to the cable, the outlet can be used for either telephone or data. Telephone and data over the same cabling is called a converged network.