Virtualization is a hot topic in today’s IT world, and literally means using a virtual rather than actual version of something to increase efficiency, such as a storage device, server or network resources. It is not a new concept despite all the current “hype”, and partitioning your hard drive on your laptop follows the same process.   It is just an old idea that is now being used in a new way to create some really dramatic changes.

Three kinds of virtualization are now being deployed in the data center – storage virtualization, network virtualization, and server virtualization.

In storage virtualization, physical storage devices are pooled from many network storage devices to give the appearance of a single device, managed from a central source. Storage area networks or SANs use this technology extensively.

Data installation centers of the past were filled with racks and racks of power hungry servers, taking up valuable space and generating heat.  Today’s data centers use server virtualization as a way of consolidating many “virtual” servers (referred to as virtual machines) into one piece of equipment.   Therefore, modern data centers have lowered power requirements, lowered space requirements and the ability to have needed redundancy without additional Capex.

Virtual servers are created via the use of special software that effectively partitions a system into virtual areas that act as unique,stand-alone devices.  Each virtual machine is fully capable of running its own OS (operating system), making virtual machines a great way to test new OS’s or OS additions.

Last but not least, today’s data centers are using network virtualization as well to reduce costs and increase efficiencies.  The simplest form of network virtualization is the use of VLANs – pioneered by Cisco Systems.   In a VLAN architecture, a systems administrator can configure systems that are attached to the same network as different virtual networks.   He or she can also combine separate local networks into a VLAN that can span an entire large corporate network.  VLAN architectures are sometimes referred to as “external network virtualization”.  Some newer architectures are now available featuring “internal network virtualization”.   This usually is configured via containers or pseudo interfaces which creates what some vendors refer to as a “network-in-a-box”.

The end result of the tremendous upsurge in these three forms of virtualization technology is a dramatically streamlined data center – capable of meeting the challenges poised by cloud computing and our ever-growing needs for storage and information access.

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Being tethered to a desk, cubicle, or conference room is just no fun, and with the advent of wireless networks, no one has to be “siloed” anymore.    The newest 802.11n specifications also provide for greater range and security than ever before, so the old worries about hackers discovering vital data from the airwaves are not as prominent.

What IS a concern with wireless networking is coverage, and access point handoff for mobile devices.  With any wireless network, you will have some dead spots in a building. Rather than getting upset about it, simply plan for it.   Walk through your offices with test equipment from a reputable firm like Air Magnet, locate the dead spots, and make sure that tethered 10/100 Fast Ethernet connections are available in those areas.

A thorough magnetic review of your office space will also help you plan where to place access points, or areas where signals are received and rebroadcast.  It is best to purchase newer access points if you have employees who “roam” – like technicians, warehouse workers, or forklift operators.  Newer access points have longer ranges and can handoff the signal more quickly to a new access point once your employee travels outside the best range for the first access point.   Otherwise, the signal drops and an interruption in service is seen.  Advances in predictive technology, similar to that used in read channels for disc drives is applied in newer WiFi equipment.

802.11 as a standard also provides for something called “antenna diversity” – which simply means that several antennas are used and the signal picked up from the best placed one.  If you are WiFi-enabling mobile objects such as hospital beds, you have no way of predicting proper antenna placement.  Having more than one increases the probability that one of the antennas will have a clear, strong signal.  It’s like buying more than one lottery ticket, your odds of winning increase.

Make sure your antennas are placed in locations where they have no nearby EMI sources such as other wiring.  Place them correctly so the signal can rise above any metal shielding or other obstacles.

It goes without saying that a solid wired foundation is necessary before building a strong wireless network.   Your service provider should be good to his “SLA” or “service-level-agreement” and you should have at least cat 5e cabling connecting your WAN service to the wireless router and access points you have installed.  If you need to upgrade your internal wiring or would like expert help in planning your wireless network installation, call professional data installation experts for assistance.  The right professionals are more than willing to help plan, design, implement or upgrade a wonderful 802.11x network for your company.

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There has never been a more exciting time to be involved with IT or technology itself – as innovation is everywhere.  Many new changes are disruptive in nature, and promise to change the way we work, play and live in positive ways. A few of these breakthroughs include Telepresence, and 4G wireless technologies such as LTE and WiMax.

Why is Telepresence disruptive?  It promises to change the way we conduct business by taking all the ills brought by videoconferencing and addressing them, so that the illusion of a face-to-face meeting is preserved real time.   In turn, the need for travel is minimized  which saves millions of dollars for many corporations while reducing the overall carbon footprint – allowing businesses to position themselves as “green” in the marketplace.

Telepresence adoption rates are growing rapidly as new applications for the technology are discovered, such as high end virtual fitting rooms and showrooms in the retail world and virtual medical consulting for shut-in patients.

4G wireless technology is disruptive as it provides a true merging of the cellular and wireless data worlds – allowing full data capabilities to be enjoyed over smart phones and enabling a whole host of mobile devices that are smaller than a laptop yet bigger than a mobile phone. This allows us to remain connected no matter where we are, yet untethered.

New 4G technologies promise to address the dropped calls we all experience on existing cell networks as well, and will allow increased subscriber densities too.   Most importantly, with 4G technology, we will actually be able to download data files using our mobile phones without it seeming to take hours.  Critical files can be downloaded on our smart phones anywhere, and later transferred to netbooks or laptops for modifications if needed. Web browsing will be much faster, and real time video gaming over mobile phones will be enabled for the first time.

These trends and many others will continue to shape our world in the foreseeable future.   Watch for holographic telepresence systems and even faster mobile networks to arrive within the next 5 to 10 years.

Keep in mind that when in need of professional data installation services or structured wiring, it is absolutely essential that you hire experienced network cabling installers, for all of your IT infrastructure needs.

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Current industry best practices for network design for enterprise and small business clients begin with a solid understanding of the businesses’ current and future needs. Scalability must be built in from the start; otherwise the network will limit the company’s future growth.  This means using a distributed rather than centralized architecture for most installations.

Today’s networks are combined voice-video- and data networks, not just data networks like yesteryear.  This means QoS (quality of service) must be built in from the start to prioritize voice and video traffic where packet loss can create loss of business communications. Service providers chosen should offer QoS as part of an SLA (service level agreement) and internal Ethernet switches should also offer at least a ToS bit QOS scheme.  Switch ports must be configured to auto-negotiate speed/duplex levels, power levels, enable portfast, and to enable queueing on uplink ports to ensure that the Voice VLAN gets priority across the entire LAN.

Copper rather than fiber cabling is preferred for VoIP networks within a business or enterprise as fiber networks require media convertors which are viewed as another potential point of failure.  All wiring should meet requirements for 100MB Fast Ethernet, and should be certified as free of faulty shielding, improper termination, or other defects.   At least cat 5 wiring and preferably cat5e or higher wiring should be used.

PoE or Power-over-Ethernet switches are also preferred as they can be used in conjunction with a back up power source so that business communications and data sharing are continuous in the event of a power outage.   When PoE switches are used with IP phones and a back up power source, the phones will also still work in the event of a power failure.

A gateway that connects to the PSTN (public switched telephone network) is also needed to handle 911 calls or external calls in the event of WAN failure.  This functionality is included in many IPPBXs or routers available today.

Best practices design is a constantly changing concept also, based on the latest and greatest technology and findings.  It pays to hire an experienced data installation firm that keeps pace with today’s best practices and networking know-how.

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Most data networking cables are referred to as UTP – which stands for Unshielded Twisted Pair cabling.  This is perfectly adequate for many data networking applications as the twisting of the pairs is thought to cancel out any electromagnetic interference from external sources as well as undesirable cross talk.

Whether or not this is truly adequate depends on a number of factors, one being whether or not the twisting is preserved when the cable is installed.  In some mission critical applications, shielding is desirable just to give added stability to your infrastructure.

Shielded Twisted Pair cabling is primarily used in Europe for general installations, or in noisy electrical environments and combines the protection offered by twisting with an electromagnetic shield.  It was originally developed by IBM for Token Ring data communications, and termed STP at that time.  It is more expensive than UTP cable, harder to install, and can create some additional issues if the shields are not properly terminated.  If a shield is not properly terminated, it acts as an antenna and the resulting signal degradation is worse than if UTP were used!

Two types of Shielded Twisted Pair are commonly found – FTP or Foiled Twisted Pair uses a thin layer of foil as a shield, and S-FTP or Shielded Foiled Twisted Pair which uses both foil and an outer conductor of braided shielding.

If you are running Ethernet cabling near repeaters, routers, power sources, radio towers, or any electrical equipment that could create interference, it makes sense to use shielding in these areas just to be safe.   Remember, once the cable is in the wall, it is tougher to change it than to choose the right cable in the first place.

Shielding also provides some protection against security breaches.  Cable sniffers can detect and decode data packets being carried by sensing the electromagnetic emanations from the cable.   Added shielding makes this harder to do, although not quite providing the amount of protection offered by the use of more expensive fiber optic cable.

Coaxial cable offers the next level of shielding, as the second wire in the pair also acts as the shield – and a layer of insulation covers both.  Although more costly than UTP, coaxial cable allows longer overall cable runs to be made without signal degradation.  For example, UTP can run up to 100 meters (some manufacturers recommend only 90 meters), but coaxial cable can be run for 500 meters with no loss of signal integrity.  If you must have a long cable run, coaxial cabling is the way to go.

Data installation professionals can help you make the determination as to whether or not you need shielding, and if so, where in your network it should be used.   Call them today and they will provide you with a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade plan that includes cable types and installation details.  Your network will thank you, and so will your employees when their network operates more reliability – making them more productive.

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Data Installation – Copper vs. Fiber Cabling

Data installation requires making a set of careful decisions before acting. Though this may be a tedious task, once you understand how the combination of distinct hardware elements impacts directly on the performance of your networking, the actions to take will seem much more natural and simple. One of those hardware elements is the wiring itself. Much has been said about whether to choose copper or fiber, and a lot of organizations are struggling to understand their actual differences and how those differences affect their data installation process. Let’s try to focus on practical and real differences.

Copper Cabling in Data Installation

One of the advantages of copper is Power over Ethernet (PoE), which provides the ability to power phones, cameras, Wireless Access Points (WAPs), along with other devices directly through the networking cable itself. This gives you certain independence from technical staff to do some things, which otherwise would require their presence, like powering a surveillance camera. Another advantage: you count on an emergency power supply that will continue feeding important devices even if power goes down.

Less expensive and more acceptability — before going into fiber, consider that most PC’s come with copper NIC cards ready. Optical cards will cost you between $100-200 each. So, in this aspect, choosing copper cabling will keep the costs of data installation lower.

Flexibility — TDM environments are thought to use copper-based infrastructures. In order to turn to fiber, you’ll have to spend more money in electronics.

Cons – LAN copper is quite susceptible to damage, while fiber, even though it contains glass, is more resistant than copper cables and may have a pull strength of 100-200 lbs for standard cables.

Structured Fiber Cabling in Data Installation

The first two features that must be mentioned regarding fiber are its high data rate over long distances (which makes it perfect for systems such as Gigabit ethernet, FDDI, multimedia, ATM, SONET, Fibre Channel) and its complete immunity to electrical interference.

The reason why optical fiber isn’t affected by electromagnetic energy is because it is dielectric (not able to conduct electric current). Copper cabling, on the contrary, is vulnerable to the effects of EMI (Electromagnetic Impulse). If not installed properly, it may cause many problems such as low responses, degradation, or system failure.

High Bandwidth — Fiber has a higher bandwidth than copper. Example: Category 6A Cable is classified by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) to handle a bandwidth up to 600 MHz over 100 meters. In theory, this could carry around 18,000 calls at the same time. Multimode Fiber would have a bandwidth of over 1000 MHz which could carry almost 31,000 simultaneous calls. This makes a difference in terms of the data installation option you want to choose depending on how much information your business must handle.

Less Expensive — While fiber electronics are very expensive, fiber cable is actually less expensive than copper.

Lightweight — An optical cable weighs less than a comparable copper wire cable.

Safe — As we mentioned before, fiber is a dielectric. Since no electrical current flows through the cable, there’s no danger of causing fire. Copper does carry a current and an old cable could cause a fire.

Distance — No matter which type of cable you choose for your data installation, a loss in signal strength as the length of the cable increases is expectable. Such loss is called attenuation and is measured in decibels (dB). Although both of them are affected by this physical fact, fiber retains a higher bandwidth over long distances compared to copper cabling.

— For fiber, lower-power transmitters are enough because fiber signals degrade less over distance than copper.

Conclusion

Depending on the distances you want to cover, on the environment and on your budget, you’ll have to decide which one is suitable for your data installation. If you need support for high bandwidth media and long distances, or you think that your business needs to be ready for those variables, you should go for fiber. But remember that copper is widely compatible with a lot of existing products and that it counts on Power over Ethernet.
Integrated Systems Installers is a premiere network cabling expert in Denver. We have over 13 years of experience in the data installation systems. If you have questions or doubts, give us a call or visit our technology section to find out more about fiber and copper options.

Range Fuels is a start up Green Energy Company that makes Biofuels. They needed a data center solution that could easily scale as their company grows.

Goals:
• Build a Data Center for a growing company. Needs to Scale
• Fit Budget
• Limited Space
• Maximum Capacity
• Reusable Materials
• Energy Efficient

Solution
• Flexible Data Center Planning
• Reusable APC Cabinets with external digital readouts
• Scalable Cooling System that fits into a small footprint
• Expandable UPS
• Color Coded and Carefully Organized Wiring with Smart Wiring Covering

Working with IT Professionals.
We understand the pressures and unique challenges of today’s IT professionals. We worked with the Range Fuels team to help upgrade their previous data center at Hain-Celestial Seasonings. When it came time for them to design a data center from scratch, they asked us to help plan the project correctly from the start. The team at Range Fuels had extensive experience running network and data storage systems, they brought us in to fill in their knowledge gaps of cooling, uninterruptable power supply, data cabinets and structured wiring. Because everyone who worked on the project had an engineering background, we knew we could build a system that was a perfect fit.

One of the reasons we love working with the Range Fuels team, is because we appreciate learning from some of the best IT personnel in the business. We share ideas and work as a team to design a solution that fits their data needs as well as their budget and space constraints.

Flexibility for Changing Needs
We understand that a start up organization has shifting priorities that present a unique challenge to design. The first iteration of the Data Center design was planned around extremely aggressive growth. The team set out to build a large data center that would accommodate a fast ramp up of personnel and extremely fast uptake of fuel products. The company and the market then shifted expectations and we all went back to the drawing board. Throughout the process the IT team had to juggle changing budgets, data center locations, growth projections, and timelines. We understand that this is the norm, rather than the exception in the modern IT environment, so we helped them design and redesign the plans as priorities shifted.

We also realized that growth and flexibility would always be subject to the whim of the marketplace. We helped the IT team design a data center that would be very scalable with the number of servers and storage devices it can handle. We also helped them design a system with reusable pieces, so if the data center needs to be moved in the future, we can reassemble the pieces. We believe flexibility is essential in both the design and planning stage, and the equipment we install.

Finding the Right Vendors
We pride ourselves in sourcing equipment that meets the needs of our customers. Our data center vendor Liebert’s products didn’t fit the needs of the Range Fuels team. We evaluated the available products from other vendors and eventually agreed that APC best fit our needs. We built a relationship with APC, and agreed to sell their products because it was the best fit for our clients’ project.

We also concluded that the data needs of their system didn’t require expensive Network Cable Cat 6 cables, instead we opted for the more appropriate Cat 5E cables, saving their company money and still providing the necessary bandwidth for running the system. Little steps like using specific wire colors for each data centric task and using Chatsworth Wire Management make managing the equipment easier on the IT professionals.

Data Center Design
After several top-directed redesigns of the data center, we finally settled on the right number of cabinets, UPSs, cooling systems, and structured cable to fit their needs. We took advantage of as much space as possible by building an ultra-modern and peak efficiency system that sits directly on the floor instead of a raised platform. This allowed us to use full-height cabinets and maximize the number of server slots. The cooling systems vent to the back, keeping the systems at optimal temperature. The cabinets allow for additional power supplies and cooling units to be added as both scale. All of the data center metrics like temperature and power usage can be monitored from the cabinet displays and via a web application, so the IT professionals know at a glance if their systems are running optimally or it’s time for an upgrade.

We know how mission critical a data center is to a growing company. We also understand that function follows form, and building a system correctly from the start can save a company huge headaches in the future. That’s why we always source the best products, design and layout the best structured wiring, and work directly with our clients to choose the right design to fit their needs.

Denver Convention Center Sign Installation for Yesco, Inc.

Goals:
• To install multiple 30-foot signs at the Denver Convention Center
• To run Signs from inside the building, saving the huge headache of maintaining PCs in outdoor conditions.
• Normal DVI cabling only covers 15-20 feet, maximum. Need a solution that runs further.
• To run a fiber solution grade that can handle both indoor and outdoor conditions.
• Manage non-standard conversion boxes at both sign access and PC.

Solution:
• Indoor/Outdoor Armored Plenum 12-strand Fiber chosen for durability and quality connection.
• Fiber Fusion Spliced directly to converter boxes at sign provides maximum data integrity.
• Fiber patch panel installed at rack allows easy exchange of PCs in the future.
• Test connections rigorously with Fluke DTX 1800.

The Project:
Yesco installed two very large scale LED signs at the Denver Convention Center, including the largest LED display in the Denver Area. They needed to run the signs from a PC installed in the Center’s main communications rack. This saved them from the huge headache of managing outdoor PC equipment installed directly into the sign. Unfortunately, normal DVI connection cables only run 15-20 feet, not nearly far enough to reach the signs 400 feet away.
We proposed a fiber optics solution. Using our Fitel S121m Fusion Splicer, we spliced fiber directly to the conversion box in the sign and ran it to a fiber patch panel in the communications rack. We then connected it directly to a networked PC managed remotely.

Outdoor Installation:
Yesco bolted their signs in place and we got to work. They installed the underground piping that allowed us to run fiber cables. We chose an Armored Plenum Fiber Cable for its outdoor durability and high connection quality. We used our Fitel Fusion Splicer to directly connect to the DVI converter box installed in the sign. This solution would allow the signal to travel as far as 1400 feet without any data loss.

Indoor Installation:
We ran the fiber into a patch panel directly installed in the communications rack at the convention center and then into the DVI converter box of the PC. This solution allows for ease of swapping PCs in the future. The cabling was well structured and carefully installed, to prevent any other teams in the communication room from upsetting the connections. It would be very embarrassing if the Convention Center signs were shut off by a telecom operator accidentally breaking a connection.

Collaboration
We worked directly with Yesco’s Master Electrician. He was on site to wire the high voltage connections to the sign, while we handled the low voltage data connections. We pride ourselves on being easy to work with and helpful. Our goal is to work together to get the job done, so we pitched in and set up the PC.

Testing:
All of our projects are thoroughly tested using the Fluke DTX 1800. The Fluke is the highest end testing kit on the market. It allowed us to be absolutely certain that our connections were the highest quality and met the most rigorous IT standards. Because Yesco used a non-standard connection, we purchased new fiber modules for the Fluke to confirm that the connection gave the highest data integrity. Testing with the Fluke DTX 1800 helped us confirm that our connections are the best in the industry.

J.Comm is building the telecommunications and information systems infrastructure for a Fortune 500 Company’s new Denver office space.

Goal:
• A large, multinational company is building a new office in Denver.
• They need a structured data solution for 700 office spaces.
• They need a sophisticated system that will allow them to do video conferencing, real-time project collaboration, and remotely control oil exploration across the globe.
• IT needs a tremendous amount of flexibility in the construction for an evolving spec.
• They need a contractor who can provide all materials and manage costs for a $300,000 job.

Solution:
• Structured wiring package that is professionally designed and built to allow IT flexibility in design
• Multiple Data Ports to each office Space for computer, VOIP solution.
• Data capacity large enough to handle future traffic needs
• Flexible Data Center design allowing IT to expand their solution as technology needs evolve.
• Engineering and experience on the job site to help solve problems as they arise
• Fiber data connection for LCD displays

The Project
J.Comm is building a 21st Century office space in Denver for a Fortune 500 oil and gas company. They needed us to design, plan and install a data center that is large scale enough to meet the technology needs of an expanding industry. Each of the 700 office spaces require multiple connections for computer terminals and VOIP phones. The conference rooms will have large LCD displays for collaboration and video conferencing and require fiber connections because of distance.
The company is also building a remote operation center for oil and gas discovery. All of the discovery systems will be run from the new facility. Unfortunately, as is often the case in IT, the systems are not finalized. Our data center design and infrastructure needs to be flexible and powerful enough to handle the final needs of the complex, meaning we have to anticipate future use without a finalized spec.

Flexibility for the Realities of IT Design and Planning
Often in IT, specs and needs aren’t finalized when construction begins. In the case of J.Comm’s project, some of the technologies for the center hadn’t been invented yet. Our goal is to provide ample data capacity for anticipated needs and choose a data center platform that can grow with changing technology.

When it comes to the structured wiring, it’s much easier to build it right from the start than to reinstall additional wires in the future. We carefully installed miles of Network Cable Cat 6E cabling throughout the building. Each line was carefully tested with our Fluke DTX 1800 to confirm data fidelity for the most demanding projects.

On a project this size, one of the biggest challenges is working around the timetables of other subcontractors. Our Data Center install is contingent on the heating and air conditioning contractors installing the cooling units as well as the electricians and construction team. Because we’ve been working construction sites for 13 years, we always do our part to be flexible and accommodating when projects take longer than anticipated.

Working with 21st Century Technologies
Each office space has a conference room with large LCD displays. These displays allow the technical staff and managers to work on specific projects in real time. A technician can point out a problem on his desktop screen and the whole team can move to the conference room to collaborate on a solution. Unfortunately, normal video cabling can’t handle data transfer across such large distances. We installed high capacity Cat 6 Network Cabling across the office to allow the large transmission of video data from any terminal in the building. We also needed to install a a separate converter box at each LCD screen and connect the entire system to matrix switching hardware in the main data center. Because of this central hub design, the system is scalable for other large projects like video conferencing as it becomes more prevalent in the future.

The Denver office will be the hub for remote oil and gas exploration control systems. This will allow the company to have a central location to monitor their global energy explorations. Technicians can monitor up to 6 rigs across the globe from a single desk in Denver. Drilling experts can direct exploration equipment with a small skeleton crew of technicians on site. Unfortunately, as is often the case in IT, the system was not yet finalized when construction began. Our job is to build the Data Center and structured wiring needs to meet this future demand. J.Comm was able to get a rough idea of the data needs of this platform and we were able to propose solutions that will be more than adequate for the system’s needs.