Enterprise Solutions are the Driving Force Behind Panduit

By Susan J. Campbell
TMCnet Contributing Editor

With Google (News - Alert) Fiber currently making its beta debut in Kansas City, the biggest area for fiber-optic systems remains squarely in the data center industry. As the need for more powerful data centers expands, the benefits that come with using a fiber optic system are perfectly suited for the data center, drawing more investments in enterprise solutions.

According to a Panduit report, the costs associated with fiber have become less of a horror story. In fact, in some cases, they are nearly on par with the traditional copper cable approach. The needs of the data center have also been a catalyst for change in fiber systems, as data centers demand a mission-critical solution for the applications that drive data center performance.

Enterprise solutions increasingly include the use of fiber optics systems, and data centers are no exception. The field-installed system of yesterday is being replaced by more modern and efficient technologies.

Data centers are also driving alternative connection designs. Traditionally, the fiber optic connections relied on a cable with a high fiber count mounted to fiber enclosure through connectors. In the newer method, however, connectors are substituted with a fusion splice in a “fiber pigtail” method of field termination.

In 2005, the Telecommunication Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers further rendered a guideline for design in the cabling systems of data centers. The document dictates that cabling systems must use a “building blocks” approach, which includes nine elements of a TIA (News - Alert)-942 layout.

Fiber optics will find steady deployment in the main distribution and the horizontal distribution areas, mostly because fiber optics can handle products that are pre-terminated and quick-deployment.

Pre-terminated systems, according to data center managers, are more reliable than other systems in the factory termination setup.

These pre-terminated systems can save time and money in the modular design, especially compared to traditional systems. This occurs mostly through the ability of fiber optics to avoid the confusion and performance issues that befall traditional systems. At the same time, the process is more efficient because pre-terminated systems utilizing fiber optics can better manage cassette patch-fields and label more precisely.

Another value-added quality of pre-terminated fiber optics systems is that companies achieve something everyone is looking for today – scalability. Companies increasingly require enterprise solutions with the flexibility to handle the ebb and flow of business and changing markets as well as the dynamic changes in available technology.

Panduit’s line of intelligent data center solutions includes fiber optic elements that are driving the most modern data centers today. Mission-critical facilities need enterprise solutions that can make them stand out over competitors and Panduit’s line is uniquely situated to offer just that.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO Miami 2013, Jan 29- Feb. 1 in Miami, Florida.  Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.

Edited by Braden Becker