Network infrastructure, specifically cabling, is often not recognized publicly for its value. This is probably because a great infrastructure is designed and installed, so cabling is out of sight, out of mind and out of the way. Most industry talk today is of wireless and its growing ubiquitous availability, and by the very definition of the term, suggests “less wire.” However, I think focusing on the savings in cabling is a distraction from the true advantages of wireless, and is a little misleading. There is still a lot of wire in wireless.
In fact, there will be a need to “wire more to wireless,” as wireless networks transform to smaller and smaller cells to achieve the capacity and coverage users and devices require. And with the much heralded advent of the Internet of Things, the number of connections required will only increase.
Regardless
of the talk of a future wireless world, such a place will still be highly dependent
on a network infrastructure based on cables, albeit a large part of it being
optical fiber rather than wire. As such, all infrastructure considerations must begin with a structured approach
to cabling. Structured cabling is the accepted way of dealing with the
proliferation of interlinked electronic devices. Because a single type of copper
and/or optical fiber cable is able to meet a variety of communications needs,
the wide adoption of structured cabling will continue as applications expand from voice, data and video to
include building automation systems,
security systems and other control networks. However, different cabling
types have restrictions on their applications and specific capabilities. Design
teams will need to evaluate the choice carefully with the building use and longevity in mind.
Hopefully
very few building developers today would dream of specifying a new office
without adequate vertical ducts, generous floor-to-ceiling heights or access
floors. Also, simpler design strategies for rehabilitating older buildings are
becoming routine. Designers are finding ways to achieve simpler, cheaper and
neater architectural solutions to problems associated with accommodating
networks. Also, it is now far more common for clients, IT specialists,
facilities managers, and all of the many and varied members of building design
teams to “be on same page” during the design and building process.
The
process of diffusing networks throughout organizations is not – nor ever will
be – complete. Wherever, whenever and however connections arrive, there always
will be trouble and change. There is no doubt organizations are increasingly
dependent on communication networks and, therefore the relationship between
networks and building design is simply far too important to the survival of
many organizations ever to be forgotten or ignored.
Do
you want to learn
more about how to wire more for wireless? I bet you do.
