Flexibility a vital consideration when building networks

Industry expertDavid Landphair participated in the conversation by pointing out that safety and standards compliance are always paramount, but there is room for both continuous solutions and non-continuous options. In most cases, areas where large bundles of cables, be they copper or fiber, will need cable trays to support the weight of the wires and offer future flexibility. However, changing requirements at workstations, include a move to support more Wi-Fi networks and distributed antenna systems, are making J-hooks and other non-continuous options ideal for getting cables out to workstations.

Extending flexibility to the actual cables
Organizations can also benefit from creating cabling diversity within the network. Fiber-optic cabling prices have dropped to a point where using them strategically in certain parts of the network is a realistic option. At the same time, basic copper solutions are still workable in many settings. Fiber to Ethernet media converters enable organizations to mix and match cabling types as needed to create a more flexible, efficient network.

Switching between fiber and copper can work alongside strategic cabling support strategies to create a much more flexible network that is more adaptable to future change. Making effective choices in combining different solution types can keep capital costs under control, establish a framework for future upgrades and ensure smooth maintenance operations.

Perle has an extensive range of Managed and Unmanaged Fiber Media Converters to extended copper-based Ethernet equipment over a fiber optic link, multimode to multimode and multimode to single mode fiber up to 160km.