Author
LeaAnn Carl
Today, our buildings are getting “smarter.” Additional demands on the network are driving the need for more efficiency along with additional demands like:
- Building security
- HVAC
- Audio/visual
- Lighting and building management systems
- Internet of Things (IoT) and Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices
As this explosion shows no sign of abating, how are you going to manage all of this? How to keep up with simply documenting all this connectivity? Well, what if your structured cabling was smart too?
CLICK TO TWEET: Visibility into the smart building structured cabling network and the knowledge of the end devices connected to the network is essential.
The projected increase of IoT devices within the smart building and the applications and services connections associated with these devices will require advanced monitoring and tracking. Many of these IoT devices are PoE capable. Since this gives the ability to connect and power simultaneously using a single copper cable, many building owners and tenants are finding this beneficial because access to AC power outlets and cabling are not required. Twisted-pair category cabling is the delivery mechanism for both data and power-to-the-end devices.
Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) continues to gain traction because it brings simplicity to all of this increasing complexity. The SYSTIMAX imVision solution is an AIM system with integrated hardware and software that is compliant with ISO/IEC 18598 and ANSI/TIA-5048 standards. imVision tracks and documents connectivity at the physical layer with alarm notifications, providing real-time visibility of any unauthorized or accidental changes.
Helping to make our networks smarter, faster, and more efficient, CommScope recently enhanced imVision System Manager with a series of PoE features (System Manager v7.4). imVision is now able to provide unique standards-based management of cable bundle sizes, which has become increasingly important as higher power PoE standards are being developed. Tracking and tracing which ports and outlets are PoE enabled is now possible. CommScope recently hosted a webinar on this topic alongside Cisco.
Visibility into the smart building structured cabling network and the knowledge of the end devices connected to the network is essential. Documenting connectivity using spreadsheets and manual tools is laborious and prone to human error. The consequences of outages caused by human error nowadays can be catastrophic. You don’t want your building to outsmart your network so as the building gets smarter and smarter, your network needs to become more intelligent.
