Three major concerns of data center wiring

The builders of Data Centers (DCs) will focus more on servers, storage and other IT equipment, even for the builders concerned about infrastructure, power distribution, refrigeration will also become their focus, integrated wiring often become a supporting role, or even become a "crowd actor", the result is the data center of the "whole scene" are devoid of vitality.

High return on investment in a large background

Market consultancy Canalys data show that the global data center infrastructure reached $26.2 billion trillion in the third quarter of 2011, a 2.7% increase from the previous quarter. Market analyst Gartner data show that 2011 Global Data center hardware expenditure reached 99 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 12.7% per cent, 2012 is expected to reach 106.4 billion U.S. dollars.

These two figures show a strong growth in the data center market (although there are some data indicating a slowdown in the global data center market, but in the "BRICS" market, which is still growing rapidly, moving into active phase), The data Center Working group of the Information and Communication Professional Committee of China Engineering Construction Standards Association has conducted two surveys on the construction of China's data center in 2010 ~2011 years. From the statistical results, the data center room area showed a significant growth momentum, the Chinese data center market investment ratio is also increasing. Based on the analysis of the data Center construction Investment analysis in the next five years, the data center is generally growing in the construction investment in the next few years, and the basic annual growth rate is about 5%~10%.

In the face of fast-growing data centers, Internet data centers and cloud computing have become the most active hotspots in the world today. High-speed Ethernet, energy-saving, cloud computing and virtualization have become the main actors in the IT industry. In particular, cloud computing has been given a "third IT industry wave", more doomed to its strong vitality.

Cloud computing is based on data centers. The construction of data center will lead to the development of key it equipments, such as server, network, storage and so on, the physical support (such as power distribution, refrigeration, cabinet, fire fighting, wiring, monitoring, etc.) which is needed for the safe operation of these key it equipments becomes the key physical infrastructure of data center. Which for distribution and refrigeration is the most builders concern, on the one hand, for the distribution system for all equipment in the data center to provide power support, reasonable distribution system design and implementation of the data center is a safe and reliable operation of the foundation, air-conditioning system for direct and data center heat dissipation, airflow organization related to energy conservation, So it becomes more and more of a concern; On the other hand, from the investment, power distribution and refrigeration will occupy the key physical infrastructure of data center, while the integrated wiring in the data center of the overall investment budget accounted for less than 5%, cabling system virtually by the data center builders despise. But compared to other devices that we are more familiar with (such as servers, switches and active devices, integrated wiring provides the highest return on investment (ROI), the integrated wiring in its life cycle (10-15 years) to support at least 2~3 generation of network switching equipment upgrades, 3~5 PC hardware upgrades. Moreover, as an important part of the physical infrastructure of data center, the integrated cabling plays an irreplaceable role in the reliable operation of the data center.

Three key words for data center cabling

Small investment, big return. The value and significance of the data center wiring system can be described basically. So, which cabling technology will be accompanied by the construction of data center to achieve rapid development? million Gigabit copper, intelligent management, high-density become three key keywords.

High growth of Wan Xiaotong cable

Data center users in the selection of cabling system, the current 6 types of systems are still mainstream. However, we can not ignore the development of the million-gigabit copper cable system so far, the popularity of the increasing year. Especially in the 40g/100g era (the standard was released in June 2010, the technology has matured), we have no reason not to believe the arrival of the Wan Xiaotong cable era.

In fact, cabling system, as an information and communication infrastructure, should take into account the development law of the network in line with Moore's law. For the data center, from domestic and foreign standards (Ansi/tia 942, EN 50173-5, ISO/IEC 24764, GB 50174-2008) are required to meet the million-gigabit network bandwidth needs of the 6-type and million-gigabit copper cabling system, and EN 50173-5, iso/ IEC 24764 stipulates 6-A wiring system, so the use of million-gigabit copper cable will increase rapidly.

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Of course, we can not deny that, in the mega-copper cable for the development of the same time, "light into the copper back" in the fiber will also get the ideal growth. And, due to the expansion of the engine room area to increase the unit room area and the function area increased, the backbone subsystem cable transmission distance, in the cable under the 100-meter length limit, the fiber will inevitably increase in the use of the volume. At present, the main factors restricting the development of mega copper cable are cost and actual demand (network transmission is not real traffic and the network products are not many), but these two constraints will gradually be eased. Need to explain, Wan Shao shielding system than unshielded system will get more applications, in addition to performance reasons, for technical reasons, the same brand of shielding system than the cost of shielding systems, this and 5 categories, 6 types of cabling system is just the opposite.

Intelligent management is on the road

For any kind of thing, management problems are always the inevitable outcome of the development of a certain period of events. Cabling System Management is also followed in the same order. After the birth and application of the integrated wiring system, the intelligent wiring system began to appear. Although the intelligent wiring system began appearing in the middle of the 80 's, the main reason is that network administrators are struggling with the manual record wiring link information, and they also want to be able to the wiring system for real-time monitoring. In addition, the wiring system in the use of the process because the user's increase, mobile and thus appear the jump wiring changes, so that manual records of the wiring system information often appear many errors, leading to a lot of management problems. Under this background, the intelligent wiring system with the real-time management of the connection of the wiring frame will come into being. Wiring Intelligent Management system was born early, but the application of the increase is still in recent years. Especially in the field of data center, cabling intelligent Management system will gradually from the original "icing on the cake" evolved into the necessary products.

"2010 China Integrated Wiring Market Development Report" shows that the proportion of respondents considering cabling intelligent management system is as high as 82%. For the data center cabling system, users basically agree with the need of intelligent management system. At present, wiring intelligent management system technology has matured, connection point identification Technology, 9-pin link technology and port detection technology to promote the development of the market. Of course, the user of intelligent management system also put forward new requirements, such as 94% of the respondents look forward to see cabling management and intelligent management integration.

High density is inevitable

One of the biggest trends in the data center is the high density, especially the approval of the Ethernet standard IEEE 802.3BA, which makes 40g/100g on the agenda, adding to the evolution of the trend.

The high density of the data center is closely related to the pre-termination system, the MPO (multi-fiber connector), which is a good way to implement the former. The pre-termination system is a standard modular connectivity solution for factory termination and testing, and is being paid more attention by more and more users. Of course, "worry about the design can not refine the precise length" to become users do not consider the choice of the main reason for the terminal system.

The MPO is undoubtedly a hot topic in data center optical fiber system and an effective means to achieve high density. Fiber optic connectors are experiencing the "from big to small, from less to more (dense)" phase, the MPO represents the future mainstream, the future to high-density, high-performance, 40g/100g, longer distance, more high-speed transfer upgrade process, can not be separated from the MPO. Of course, the MPO also has its own shortcomings, such as a number of ports bundled together, there is a "loss" of the risk, and installation difficulties, the use of complex, the MPO is relatively strong fault-repair capability, once the problem can be resolved quickly.

Of course, the high density trend of data centers has led to a large number of applications of high-density wiring racks. In addition to the horizontal wiring frame, the heterosexual distribution frame also plays a role in the density of the data center.

Of course, for data center wiring, in addition to Wan Xiaotong cable, intelligent management, high-density, green environmental protection, alignment, scalability, etc. are also worthy of concern. Limited to space, not detailed here.