Futureproofing Matters

A next wave of data explosion has just about kick-started and enterprise networks must get geared to ward off potential bottleneck woes in future

As the need for speed reaches new levels on the back of next-generation mobile and Wi-Fi access technologies, enterprises are already recognizing that upgrading their structured cabling backbones is not something that could be delayed any further. The ongoing datacentre convergence as well as the government initiatives like Digital India and Smart Cities are other reasons why capacities in the structured cabling infrastructure must be augmented.

No wonder, the market has been wit- nessing good times, and after remaining somewhat subdued in the recent years, is back on the growth trajectory again.

The perception of what makes a good cabling infrastructure has been changed. Today’s organizations demand quality infrastructure with reduced operating costs and minimal security threats. For any enterprise, a robust structured cabling system is really critical to ensure zero downtime and maximum uptime. A good structured cabling system should also ensure that the employees within the organization have a smooth access to all forms of voice and data connectivity.

The demand for structured cabling solutions is largely being pushed by a growing urgency to meet the bandwidth needs of data centers, both captive and third-party ones. As the hunger for bandwidth grows among end-users, who are fast getting adjusted to an always-on internet culture, the datacentres and enterprise networks are facing increased pressures to meet the new-found demand for bandwidth. It goes without saying that the older structured cabling infrastructures that managed to meet the needs of data centers and enterprise premises are no longer able to cope with the exponential rise in end-users’ bandwidth demands that are further emboldened by the newer breeds of ultra-powered smartphones.

Technology Trends

The cabling solutions landscape continues to evolve. To satisfy the appetite of the bandwidth hungry users, the players have invested in a mix of cabling technologies. The solution suites comprise a motley of software and hardware offerings that are aimed at delivering more and more business benefits.

The uptake of Cat6a, which is a major upgrade over the Cat6 standard, however, remained limited in India. This is due to a considerable higher cost of maintenance generally associated with the standard. Poor awareness levels around the technology also lead to the muted response, despite the fact that the standard offers capabilities to support up to 10G speeds in the 100 meter configurations.

Many experts, however, are of the view that the Cat6a and Cat8 cabling with