Data Centre Solutions

Data Centre Solutions

Introduction

Data Centres are at the core of

Corporate and Internet business and

are foundations of the world economy.

Data Centres exist to satisfy a growing

demand to support mission critical

applications with reliable, robust and

flexible network infrastructures.

Complex issues impacting a Data

Centres operational efficiency must be

addressed in all aspects of Data Centre

design to ensure optimum performance

and improved return on investment.

Ultimate service reliability is essential

as downtime costs money, and new

technologies must be embraced to

maximise network performance,

availability and business continuity.

Essentially Data Centres house and

process information. Government,

Industry or the public at large may

own the information. Whomever the

owner there are common demands,

such as instant access to current and

accurate data 24/7, on demand and

without disruption, 365 days a year.

The reliable operation of the Data

Centre is second only to the security

and integrity of the information held

and processed there. The availability,

or ‘uptime’, of the Data Centre is assured

by the performance and quality of

all of its critical parts, not least of

which is the cabling infrastructure.

The IT cabling infrastructure in the

Data Centre provides: a transportation

path for the reliable transmission

of data, flexibility to support the

churn experienced with MACs

(Moves, Adds and Changes) and

future proofing to allow simple

upgrades to the next transmission

technology as and when required.

In the Data Centre environment

a well designed cabling system

provides the reliable foundation for

the IT network and also improves the

operational efficiency of the facility.

The right system can provide the

facility stakeholders with a competitive

advantage to support their business.

Challenges In the Data Centre envIronment ..............................4

Data Centre CablIng & open InternatIonal stanDarDs ........... 5

Data Centre CablIng solutIons ........................................................6

Data Centre proDuCt range ...............................................................6

branD-rex Copper CablIng solutIons ............................................8

optICal FIbre CablIng solutIons ......................................................9

IntellIgent InFrastruCture management systems .................10

raCKs & CabInets ...................................................................................10

Classificationsite InfrastructureIt infrastructure

Component redundancyavailability

Tier IBasicSingle distribution path

N (need)99.67%

Tier IIRedundant componentsSingle distribution path with standby components

N+199.75%

Tier IIIConcurrently maintainableDual diversely routed distribution paths, one active and one on standbyN+199.98%

Tier IVFault tolerantDual diversely routed distribution paths, both active

Minimum of N+199.99%

1. reliability The key attribute of a Data Centre is Operational Resilience; business operations must always be available and services should be uninterruptable. (According to the Data Centre Institute the cost of downtime in larger organisations can be greater than £3 million per hour). The Uptime Institute developed a 4 tier system (Table 1.) to classify Data Centres in terms of resilience that is widely supported in the industry.

A company that uses IT to make their business operations more efficient and who have a passive web presence are likely to run a Tier 1 rated facility, whereas Tier 4 Centres would be owned by organisations who use the web and their IT operations for their competitive advantage. In Data Centres high reliability and short time to repair and maintain equipment are key characteristics of all the systems employed.

2. space efficiency Space in resilient, secure, environment controlled Data Centres is expensive. Space in the Data Centre for housing processing and storage equipment is at

a premium, technology advances such as lower power processors, blade servers and virtualisation are improving space utilisation, but the growth in demand for data storage space is unabated. Efficient use of space taken by the cabling infrastructure is essential in the Data Centre. High density patching is generally preferred at distributors to maximise rack space for active equipment and cable pathways are designed not only to accommodate the interconnection cabling but also to minimise effects on cooling air flows.

3. modularity In the constantly evolving and changing environment of the Data Centre, the infrastructure needs to offer flexibility and scaleability. Modularity helps through all stages of the Data Centre life. Modular components offer advantages during initial build and live operations by assisting the installation through use of common parts, providing a platform for the logical addition to or expansion of existing plant and by simplifying operational moves, adds and changes (MACs).

4. excessive heat and power The very high concentration of powerful IT equipment mounted in racks and frames in the Data Centre means that keeping it at the correct temperature requires environmental control. Cooling is provided to the equipment by moving chilled air through the cabinets using room or cabinet based chillers. The operational costs of providing power for IT equipment and chillers are so significant that tools such as Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling are used even in smaller projects to optimise the design of the cooling systems. In this environment ensuring that cooling air flows are not, and will not be in the future, blocked or impaired by cabling pathways is one of the key design considerations.

table 1. the uptime Institute Data Centre Classification system

Challenges In the Data Centre envIronment

4

Brand-Rex has been involved in Standardisation activities within the cabling industry for decades and has closely followed developments in the LAN applications committees for a similar period. The Company actively supports the development of International Standards, which ensure the interoperability and compatibility between products and ensure that the performance levels required are delivered.

There are two published standards which cover Structured Cabling for Data Centres, TIA 942:2005 and EN 50173-5:2007 and a further document currently in draft in IEC (IS 24764). The European standard deals specifically with the cabling for Data Centres whereas the TIA standard covers cabling but also includes Architectural, Mechanical and Electrical aspects. The TIA standard references the

Uptime Institutes’ tiering system as the classification method for Data Centres.

The new Standards have introduced terminology to describe the functional areas of Cabling within Data Centres; Figure 1. shows the EN version:

The Data Centre is the building or portion of a building whose function is to house a Computer Room and its support areas; the Computer Room accommodatesthe processing equipment. The space in a Computer Room where the main cross-connect is located is termed the Main Distributor and the Zone Distributor contains a horizontal cross-connect. If a zone outlet or consolidation point is used in the system it is termed a Local Distribution Point (LDP). The equipment outlets are located in the equipment racks or cabinets.

The published standards recommend that a minimum of Class E performance copper cabling and OM3 fibre is installed in the Data Centre. The draft IEC standard currently recommends that the new Class EA performance is installed as a minimum (the Class EA performance level is not yet standardised in IEC). These high performance levels for copper cabling are recommended because it is expected that cabling systems installed today will be required to provide transmission paths for 10GBASE-T technology within their lifetime.

Brand-Rex support staff and business partners can provide more detailed information on choosing the cabling media required for installations on request.

For details contact: [email protected]


DISTRIBUTOREN50173-1

EQUIPMENT OUTLETRack / Cabinet



DATA CENTRE

Horizontal cabling

EXTERNAL NETWORK INTERFACECarrier equipment

MAIN DISTRIBUTORRouters, backbone LAN/SAN switches

ZONE DISTRIBUTORLAN / SAN / KVM switches

LOCAL DISTRIBUTION POINT

Backbone cabling

Backbonecabling

CARRIERSFigure 1. Functional areas of Cabling within Data Centres

Data Centre CablIng & open InternatIonal stanDarDs

5

Brand-Rex products are engineered to provide the ideal cabling solution for the Data Centre environment. The extensive range also includes:

om3+ Fibre optic technology Multi-mode fibre with very high, laser optimised, bandwidth

low loss optical connectorsHigh quality and reliable multi-mode connectors with lower optical insertion loss than standard products

enhanced Fibreplus A high quality, modular, ‘plug and play’, pre-connectorised optical cabling system based on MPO connector technology

‘v12’ technology patch panels A range of patch panels designed for use in high density patching distributors

10gplus patchcords A new, Class EA performance, patchcord designed for use in high density patching areas

10gplus and Cat6plus modularTool-Free termination, connectivity

mixed-media Fibre and Copper panelsFor use at the Local Distribution Point or Equipment rack

high density Fibre patch panels For use in distributors

rack Cable managersFor main distribution areas

Data Centre CabinetsFor main and horizontal distribution cabling areas and for securely housing server and storage equipment

Data Centre CablIng solutIons

Data Centre proDuCt range:

brand-rex 10gplus

A range of premium Class EA

performance level shielded and

UTP structured wiring cabling

products designed to transmit

10GBASE-T technologies

brand-rex Cat6plus A wide range of Category 6 performance structured wiring cable products which support all Class E applications

brand-rex Fibreplus An extensive range of Optical Fibre cables and connectivity designed to support the requirements of the LAN market

brand-rex blolite+ A future proof air blown fibre system uniquely designed for the LAN environment with the ability to blow fibre through tortuous routes

brand-rex smartpatch An industry leading intelligent infrastructure management system

6


Enhancements and additions to

the Data Centre cabling range:

Distributors: • High Density Patching ‘V12’

technology Copper Patch Panels

• Next generation 10GPlus patchcords

• High Density Patching optical

patch panels

• Rack Cable Managers

backbone and horizontal cabling: • Modular, tooless termination

Copper connectivity

• Pre-connectorised MPO based

Optical Fibre cabling system

• Micro – distribution optical cables

• High performance multi-mode

optical fibre products

local Distribution points and equipment outlets: • Multi media Copper and

Optical Fibre panels

equipment racks: • Data Centre Cabinets

7

Figure 2.

Brand-Rex is a leading manufacturer of shielded and UTP cabling systems. Brand-Rex’s solutions are used extensively in all market sectors of the industry in general office, industrial and Data Centre environments. The product set offered includes Voice, Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6A performance products, whilst both the Cat6Plus and 10GPLUS ranges are suited to the Data Centre environment, the 10GPLUS product is recommended.

reliability The Brand-Rex standard Copper product sets are all designed with performance, regulatory compliance and ease of installation in mind. The products are designed to meet and exceed the electrical performance levels specified in the International Standards and also to provide competitive advantages to the installer, user and owners alike for the life of the product set.

The Brand-Rex cabling systems are manufactured in ISO9001 & ISO14001 approved facilities with quality assured by design, process control, quality assurance systems and independent third part testing. The renowned, industry leading, Brand-Rex warranty system further assures the quality of the installed products.

space efficiency The efficient use of space in the distributors and cable pathways is critical in the Data Centre. Brand-Rex solutions include:

• One of the smallest diameter UTP Class EA performance 10G cables available on the market with the innovative 10GPLUS UTP cable

• Optimised diameter shielded 10GPlus cables

• A new ‘V12’ technology patch panel for UTP or shielded products which increases patch density in a distributor cabinet by 33% or more by removing the need to use horizontal managers

• Multi-media panels for use at the equipment outlets. 19" panels which accommodate a mix of both copper ‘snap in jacks’ and optical fibre connectors reducing the space used in racks for connection to equipment

• A new 10GPLUS patch cord that provides a small connector footprint and an anti-snag latch mechanism to be compatible with high density equipment connections

modularity Brand-Rex have also introduced tool-free UTP and shielded connectivity in the 10GPlus and Cat6Plus series that enable quick and simple termination on site. When used with ‘Snap-In-Jack panels’ these connectors offer the ideal pre-terminated assembly solution, and are the perfect choice for the modular build of the connectivity in a distributor.

branD-rex Copper CablIng systems

8

Brand-Rex is a leading manufacturer of Optical Fibre systems. Brand-Rex’s solutions are the systems of choice for numerous international organisations operating in a wide range of markets. The set offered in LAN market includes the industry leading Blolite+ range and the conventional FibrePlus ranges, each range offers OS1, OS2, OM1, OM2 and laser optimised OM3 & OM3+, fibre types. The enhanced FibrePlus range with laser optimised multi-mode fibre types are recommended for the Data Centre environment.

reliability The Brand-Rex optical cabling systems are manufactured under the same rigorous quality control as the Copper systems and the warranty assure the performance of the installed products.

The product strongly recommended for the Data Centre environment is the high bandwidth OM3+ laser optimised fibre that reduces the risk of bandwidth and power budget limiting a link. Further enhancing the range is a low loss multi-mode fibre connector set is introduced which improves the reliability of optical links by reducing the power loss contribution of connectivity. The high performance offered allows the designer more flexibility when planning connectivity solutions and provides a more reliable platform for current and future high-speed applications.

space efficiency Fibre Optic Cabling systems take up less space than Copper Cabling due to the smaller size of cables and increased number of channels which can be connected per U of rack space. Brand-Rex’s range includes:

• A new range of Fibre Optic panels which offer high density of Fibre Optic connections per U of space (up to 72 fibres per U) and the option of having integrated cable management on the front face, removing the need for horizontal cable managers and increasing utilisation of rack space.

• A new ‘micro-distribution cable’ suitable for backbone or horizontal cabling zones, it is flexible and robust and has a small outer diameter (<4mm for up to 12 fibre) which saves considerable space and weight in cable trays compared to conventional fibre products.

modularity The Brand-Rex FibrePlus product set can be installed conventionally with splicing of pigtails on site, or with one or both ends pre-terminated to enable faster installation on site.

To shorten installation times further, and provide a system which can be simply extended and changed to suit the demands of the Data Centre, Brand-Rex introduce the enhanced FibrePlus ‘plug and play’ Optical Fibre system.

This new system comprises of a full set of factory terminated & tested MPO and LC fibre connector based products for the end to end construction of optical channels in backbone, main and horizontal distribution areas in the Data Centre.

The new system has the advantages of high quality optical performance assured by 100% testing of factory terminated connectors, a high density of patching per U of rack space (up to 72f ) and a modular construction which enables simple build, MACs and repairs. The Mean times to repair or maintain (MTTR or MTTM) figures for such systems are lower than conventional fibre systems and improve the reliability of the links.

optICal FIbre CablIng solutIons

0.05 0.10 0.20Loss (dB) 0.25

Low loss Standard product

Figure 3.

9


SmartPatch is the market leading IIMS solution from Brand-Rex. It’s compatible with both fibre and copper infrastructure and it is the ideal solution for the Data Centre.

SmartPatch uses a combination of software and hardware to monitor and manage physical network connections. A topology of scanners and intelligent patch panels, send and receive connectivity updates into the SmartPatch for the Enterprise (SP4E) software application, providing real-time data and automatically updated records that remove the need to rely on traditional off-line methods.

To date, over 3 million ports worldwide are managed by this technology, equating to over half the market in terms of share by both volume and value.

SmartPatch benefits include: • Real time infrastructure management

• Improved troubleshooting and reduced MTTR

• Optimisation of asset utilisation

• Automated provisioning capability

Within the data centre, IIMS solutions have been proven to reduce server service provisioning time by up to 80%, whilst simultaneously reducing the number of incidents caused by poorly executed change. If incidents do occur, for whatever reason, IIMS solutions can dramatically reduce mean time to repair (MTTR) by up to 45%.

Integration Capability – SmartPatch is available with a range of modules for integration with CAD, PBX, HPOV etc. For further details please contact: [email protected]

rack Cable manager (rCm) The RCM from Brand-Rex is a feature rich cable management system designed for the Computer Room cabling environment. It can be used stand-alone or in multiples. It is an ideal solution for the main distribution area.

It offers the user a simple, modular and easy-to-install system featuring smart, effective cable management options and built-in flexibility to cope with copper or optical cabling.

Also, reconfiguration and modification of the RCM system is done easily in the field after the system is installed, which makes the RCM a great choice for cable management needs now, and in the future.

Cabinets The Cabinet range from Brand-Rex is suitable for deployment in all locations in the Data Centre. The product set can be configured as an open frame to manage the cabling at the distributors or as a closed cabinet to safely secure servers and storage equipment.

The logic of the modular, flexible systems are the key benefits of this range, the product set is the best in class cable and equipment management system. The features also include vented and glass door options, side panels and top panels with cable access. These Cabinets have an unparalleled level of flexibility, providing the end user with the right cabinet for the right application.


IntellIgent InFrastruCture, raCKs & CabInets

10

brand-rex lan products Brand-Rex offers one of the widest portfolio of LAN products in the marketplace and has been an established player in the market since LAN technology was introduced.

The Brand-Rex product sets today are leading technology solutions that are tailored to the needs of general office and the Data Centre environments. Brand-Rex continue to innovate and lead the industry by providing high quality, high performance solutions into the market which are built for ease of use, operational reliability and longevity.

the brand-rex 25 year system Warranty Brand-Rex provides the security of a 25-year system channel warranty to assure the reliability of installed structured wiring systems. The warranty applies to installations that have been carried out by approved Brand-Rex Channel Partners that use 100% Brand-Rex products.

Brand-Rex has an established global network of resellers, distributors and installers to make the products available worldwide. The installers are trained to the highest standard, by Brand-Rex, to maintain a consistently high level of system performance worldwide.

brand-rex pre & post sales service Brand-Rex offers support to customers in the design stages of programmes, all stages of the bid process and from product supply to installation and post installation audit. Brand-Rex boasts a team of highly experienced sales and engineering staff. Brand-Rex are a customer focused company who aim to provide ‘best in class’ service to all its customers...

brand-rex head office viewfield industrial estate

glenrothes, fifeKY6 2RS

united kingdom

tel: +44 (0) 1592 772124fax: +44 (0) 1592 775314

web: www.brand-rex.com

brand-rex london72 cannon street

london EC4N 6AE

united kingdom

tel: +44 (0) 207 489 7631fax: +44 (0) 207 113 2239


brand-rex france 120, rue jean jaurès

92 300 levallois perretfrance

tel: +33 (0) 1 70 98 78 25fax: +33 (0) 1 70 98 78 36


brand-rex asia pacific17/F prosperity centre

77-81 container port roadkwai chung

NThong kong

tel: (852) 3620 2603 fax: (852) 3621 0018


brand-rex IMEAPO box 123908

M-3 mezzanine floorsheikha sana building

sheikh zayed roadal wasl, dubai

tel: +971 4 321 7525fax: +971 4 321 7535


brand-rex italy via giovanni da udine, 34

20156 milano italy

tel: +39 02 3809 3271 fax: +39 02 3809 3275


brand-rex nordicmånskensvägen 14A

44340 gråbo sweden

tel: +46 (0) 8 604 8188fax: +46 (0) 8 604 8188


brand-rex central & eastern europe millennium tower

handelskai 94-96A - 1200 wien

austria

tel: +431 24027 510 fax: +431 24027 66510


brand-rex germanybunsenstraße 5

D-51647 gummersbach

germany

tel: +49 (0) 2261 814176fax: +49 (0) 2261 807036


brand-rex spain avenida de la vega, 1

edificio 3. planta 2. oficina 11 28108 alcobendas

madrid spain

tel: +34 914 905 919 fax: +34 916 573 331


brand-rex portugallagoas park edifício 8 – piso 0

2740-244 porto salvo portugal

tel: +351 21 421 4133 fax: +351 21 421 4135


L i t e r a t u r e R e f : D a t a C 1 0 0 / S F / U K / 1 0 8 / 0 7

The information contained in this document is valid and correct at the time of issue.However, we reserve the right to modify details without notice in the light of subsequent Standard / Specification changes and ongoing technical developments.

Technology

Data Centre Solutions