TCIL

FIBER TO THE DESK (FTTD)

INTRODUCTION

A Government of Kuwait owned institution intended to have its own building. The objective was to bring them all under a single roof, with required infrastructure, with the state-of-the-art networking and other facilities. Needless to say selected the best in the business, not only from Kuwait but also from different parts in the world, which comprised of consultants, contractors and equipments. TCIL became an obvious choice in the field of telecom and data installation because of the excellent reputation earned in Kuwait.

MEDIA SELECTION

Media selection was a contentious issue. In the recent past we have seen technology developments, from contention to connection-based, from routed to switched, from low-speed to high speed data connection and we find that, the change is phenomenal. Tomorrow’s networks will run faster, support a greater number of applications and provide service to an increasing number of geographically diverse users. With network requirements changing constantly, it is important to employ a cabling system that can keep up with the demand.

One media that provides utility-like service is optical fiber as the transmission backbone on fiber, can meet the challenge of future with only changes of terminal equipments. In the local area network (LAN), fiber cabling has been deployed as the primary media for building the backbone links, offering high-speed connections between diverse LAN segments. Today, with increasingly sophisticated applications, it is time to consider optical fiber only as the primary media to provide data services to the desktop.

Fiber –To-The-Desk (FTTD), used for Data Communications, to interconnect workstations in the premises with the servers and among themselves is the technology, used in building. This is one of the best networks of its kind under the same roof, and the largest such network – connecting 4000 workstations in the Middle East.

A typical Telecom Closet

Multi mode optical fiber cable was deployed for this network. The idea was to connect the user directly from the desktop, or, workgroup to the centralized network electronics. There are no active components at floor level. Connections are made between horizontal and riser cables through splice points or interconnect centers located in a Telecom Closet (TC).
Also, multi-fiber cables (24, 12 etc fibers) are used to support multiple users, providing backbone connections to workgroups in a modular office environment.
There are a total of 24 floors at the building.
A Telecom closet (TC) is designated, mostly, to cater to the requirements of few floors. All the horizontal cables – cables from work station outlet to the TC are brought through hose pipe, then to a cable tray in the raised floor.

Cable trays with OFC beneath the raised floor

REASONS FOR USING TELECOM CLOSET (TC)

A centralized cabling network design provides the benefits of a collapsed network—condensed electronics and more efficient use of chassis and rack spaces. By providing one central location for all network electronics, maintenance is simplified, troubleshooting time reduced and security is enhanced. Movements, additions and changes are addressed easily for any modification in the network and equipment.
Centralized cabling is described by the Technical Service Bulletin, TIA/EIA TSB 72, which recommends a maximum distance of 300 meters to allow Gigabit applications to be supported.

The horizontal cables are spliced to vertical cables, which run into Server Farm room. The vertical cables are run from different Telecom Closet (TC) Rooms to Central Farm Room, not in a single path but in, two different paths, around the two ends of the building. The purpose is to save half of the network, at least, in the event of any unforeseen hazards, for example fire, and ensure a fail safe mechanism.

All the vertical cables, brought to Server Room, from two different directions, are spliced and terminated on patch panels.

Server Farm Room Fiber Concentration

EVOLVING STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

Over the past years, several new products have been developed that will aid in the deployment of optical fiber-to-the-desk. Till date, the standards committees are evaluating new, higher performance optical components that offer increased performance, and ease of installation at lower costs. Among some of these exciting developments are Small-Form-Factor Connectors (SFFC), Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSEL) and next-generation fiber. Advancements in fiber connectors are continuing to make fiber as a flexible and viable solution as copper. Traditionally, fiber systems required twice as many connectors as copper cabling—crowding telecommunication closets with additional patch panels and electronics. Recently, manufacturers have introduced small-form-factor connectors that provide twice as many connectors in the same space as previous fiber connectors.

These mini-fiber connectors hold the send and receive fibers in one housing. This reduces the space required for a fiber connection. More importantly, it decreases the footprint required on the hubs and switches for fiber transceivers. The net result is a cost reduction nearly four times to that of a conventional fiber system.

Complimenting the Small–Form-Factor Connectors (SFFC) components are new vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL). This fiber optic transmission source combines the power and bandwidth of a laser at the lower cost of a light-emitting diode (LED). VCSELs, when integrated into SFFC transceivers, allow for the development of higher-speed, higher-bandwidth optical systems, further extending the reach and capability of the FTTD cable system.

Ebene Cyber city Project Mauritius

TCIL has successfully executed a cabling infrastructure work in State – of – the art Information Technology Knowledge Park in Mauritius called “Ebnene Cybercity”. The network in the Cyber City has been built by TCIL with 55 KMs of Optical fibre cables absolutely splice free. Direct connectorisation technique has been used to connectorise over 4400 nos of ‘SC’ type optical connectors. On site optical connectorisation of this kind, perhaps, is the first in any technology parks in the world. This technique not only replaces the conventional pigtails but also achieves an extremely low connector loss thereby providing a comfortable power budgeting.

CONCLUSION

Structured cabling systems that employ fiber for horizontal links as well as the backbone, offer network designers significant advantages like more flexible designs, less space consumption, increased security and easier troubleshooting. Fiber’s low attenuation and immunity to electromagnetic interference make it the ideal media for today’s network. Its high bandwidth provides a path for the cabling system to expand as network demands dictate—without recalling.

Recent developments in fiber optics include:

• Enhanced glass design to accommodate high-speed transmission
• Smaller-size connectors that save space and lower cost
• Vertical cavity surface emitting laser technology for high-speed transmission over longer distances at low cost
• A vast array of new support hardware designed for Fiber Zone Cabling for FTTD, (Fiber-to-the-Desk) is a cost-effective design that utilizes fiber in today’s low-speed network while providing a simple migration strategy for tomorrow’s high-speed connections. Fiber-to the- desk combines the best attributes of a copper-based network (low-cost electronics) with the best of fiber (superior physical characteristics and upgradability) to provide unequaled network service and reliability.

TCIL has mastered this technology by designing and implementing the Fiber to the Desk (FTTD) solution for the most prestigious landmark in Kuwait and look forward for many such projects in the Middle East.

TCIL hope to do more projects in coming years in such type of ultra modern and intelligent buildings.