EXPERT OPINION
Lisa Schwartz , Director , Product Marketing , AEM
to support the IoT devices that will be deployed in the Smart Building .
The optional test parameters are typically denoted with a (+ or ++) in the test equipment setup and would add measurements of DC Resistance ( DCR ), TCL , ELTCTL as part of the pass / fail criteria .
Additionally , the IoT devices being connected are likely to require a specific level of link speed , be it 2.5 , 5 , or 10Gbps . Your test equipment should have the ability to validate that the link can support these link speeds while under traffic or PoE load , to create as much of a real-world scenario as possible , when validating these link speeds .
The ability to measure both DCR as part of pre-deployment testing and actual power load in support of 802.3 af / at / bt , UPoE is also a critical testing capability , as a high percentage of IoT-connected devices will receive their power from PoE . For those planning to deploy Hybrid Powered Fibre , the ability to simultaneously validate the performance of the fibre optic and measure DC resistance provides a time and cost savings vs . having multiple tools and test routines .
Tell us how your technology has evolved to scale for the likes of 5G front-haul network validation ?
For 5G front-haul networks , it is increasingly common to use PoE or hybrid power to antenna or the remote radio units . AEM TestPro provides capability to test these links including electrical powering . Additionally , AEM ’ s award-winning WideOptix-SR4 technology has evolved to 100Gb fibre optic testing . WideOptix provides testing of multimode MPO cabling , providing assurance of cable quality for this critical component of the 5G cabling deployment .
Talk us through some other use cases for your solutions ?
For enterprise networks , within the laboratories and manufacturing plants of those who design and build Single-Pair and Four-Pair Ethernet , AEM is innovating new way to test bulk cabling and allow for 100 % inspection testing of connectors . Today , only a sampling of connectors such as RJ-45 can be tested , as the test process destroys the connector .
AEM has designed a unique test fixture that allows 100 % testing of the connectors before shipping to the customer , which can be a requirement in a posted bid specification . The bulk cable test fixture allows for a greater number of bare wire cables to be tested at once , enabling a faster manufacturing to production test process .
Are there any emerging trends which organisations should be factoring into their technology strategies ?
The biggest trend we see is the strong growth of Smart Building deployments and what that means with an expanded need to be able to certify and test the cable in such a way that support of all IoT-connected devices , link speed testing and powering technologies is assured .
As part of this trend , Single-Pair Ethernet ( SPE ) will also become more prevalent once the test standards are ratified , as this type of cable is less costly than traditional four-pair cabling , it ’ s lighter weight and can support a variety of IoTconnected devices .
When we think about how the proliferation of the Smart Building impacts the data centre , legacy hardware and software will get swapped out with modern technologies with the goal of better application performance and stability , one must not forget about the impacts this has on the existing DC copper and fibre plants .
It ’ s not uncommon , for example , for a brand-new technology to be implemented within a data centre only to have it be plagued by connectivity issues such as lower than expected speeds and other inconsistencies caused by cabling . Having a physical infrastructure testing plan in place is critical to the overall success of the deployment .
What best practice advice would you offer organisations to enable them to adapt to these new Smart Building requirements ?
It is critical to be mindful of new testing requirements that should be mandated as part of your Smart Building initiative , to ensure the investment being made is not diminished by poor performance . Don ’ t assume that old traditional brands of test equipment can support all the testing requirements needed for Smart Building deployments , as they were developed prior to the proliferation of the Smart Building and therefore cannot support all of the testing needs required , without the need to purchase multiple pieces of test equipment .
Newer test equipment brands such as the AEM TestPro and Network Service Assistant were purpose-built for these modern network environments and provide the full suite of test function needed through their extensible modular design . ◊
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