CCNA – Semester1

Case Study
Structured Cabling Supplement

Objectives

• Structured Cabling Systems

• Structured Cabling Standards and Codes
• Safety
• Tools of the Trade
• Installation Process
• Finish Phase
• The Cabling Business
 Structured Cabling Systems

Rules of Structured Cabling for LANs

• The first rule is to look for a complete

connectivity solution.
• The second rule is to plan for future growth.
• The final rule is to maintain freedom of choice in
vendors.
Subsystems of Structured Cabling

Horizontal cabling
Scalability

• Backbone scalability
• Work area scalability

Demarcation Point

• The demarcation point

(demarc) is the point at
which outdoor cabling
from the service
provider connects to
the intrabuilding
backbone cabling.
Demarcation Point

• It represents the boundary between the

responsibility of the service provider and the
responsibility of the customer.
• In many buildings, the demarc is near the
point of presence (POP) for other utilities
such as electricity and water.

Telecommunications and Equipment Rooms

• After the cable enters the building through the demarc,

it travels to the entrance facility (EF), which is usually in
the equipment room (ER).
Work Areas

• A work area is the area serviced by an individual TR. A

work area usually occupies one floor or part of one floor
of a building.

Servicing the work area

Types of patch cables

• Straight-Through, Cross-Over, Roll-Over UTP cable.

• T568-A or T568-B Standard

Cable management

• Cable management
devices are used to
route cables along a
neat and orderly path
and to assure minimum
bend radius is
maintained.
• Cable management also
simplifies cable
additions and
modification to the wiring
system.
MC, IC, and HC

• The main cross-connect (MC) is the center of the network.

• The intermediate cross-connect (IC) is connected to the MC and
may hold the equipment for a building on a campus.
• The horizontal crossconnect (HC) provides the cross-connect
between the backbone and horizontal cables on a single floor of a
building.

MC, IC, and HC

Backbone cabling

• Any cabling installed between the MC and

another TR is known as backbone cabling,
also called vertical cabling.

Backbone cabling

• Backbone cabling includes the following:

– TRs on the same floor, MC to IC, and IC to HC
– Vertical connections, or risers, between TRs on different floors, such
as MC to IC cabling
– Cables between TRs and demarcation points
– Cables between buildings, or inter-building cables, in a multibuilding
campus
Fiber-optic backbone

• The use of fiber optics is an effective way to

move backbone traffic for these reasons:
– Optical fibers are impervious to electrical noise and radio
frequency interference.
– Fiber does not conduct currents that can cause ground
loops.
– Fiber-optic systems have high bandwidth and can work at
high speeds.
– Fiber can travel much farther than copper when used as a
backbone media.

MUTOAs and Consolidation Points

• Horizontal cabling
methodologies using
multiuser
telecommunications
outlet assemblies
(MUTOAs) and
consolidation points
(CPs) are specified
for open office
environments.
 Structured Cabling
Standards and Codes

Telecommunications Industry Association(TIA) and

Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA)

• Standards are sets of rules or procedures that are either

widely used, or officially specified to provide a model of
excellence.
European Committee for Electrotechnical
Standardization (CENELEC)

• CENELEC develops electrotechnical standards

for most of Europe.
• CENELEC works with 35,000 technical experts
from 22 European countries to publish
standards for the European market.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

consists of national standards organizations from
over 140 countries, including ANSI.
• ISO is a non-governmental organization that
promotes the development of standardization and
related activities.
• The work of the ISO results in international
agreements, which are published as international
standards.
Evolution of Standards

• Many types of older cable are inadequate for use in

faster, modern networks. Therefore, cabling will
usually change over time. The TIA/EIA-568-B.2
standards reflect this.
• For twisted-pair cables, only 100-ohm Category 3,
5e, and 6 cables are recognized. Category 5 cable is
no longer recommended for new installations.
• When terminating Category 5e and higher cables,
the pairs should not be untwisted more than 13 mm
(0.5 inch) from the point of termination.

Safety
MSDS

• A material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a

document that contains information about the
use, storage, and handling of a hazardous
material.
• An MSDS provides detailed information about
the potential health effects of exposure and how
to work safely with the material.

MSDS

• MSDS includes the following information:

– What the hazards of the material are
– How to use the material safely
– What to expect if the recommendations are not followed
– What to do if accidents occur
– How to recognize symptoms of overexposure
– What to do if such incidents occur
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)

• Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent,

nonprofit product safety testing and certification
organization.
• UL has tested products for public safety for over a
century.
• The UL focuses on safety standards, but has
expanded its certification program to evaluate
twisted-pair LAN cables for performance.

National Electrical Code (NEC)

• The purpose of the National Electrical Code (NEC) is to

safeguard people and property from hazards that arise from
the use of electricity.
Electricity Safety

• High-voltage
• Lightning and high-voltage danger
• High-voltage safety test
• Grounding
• Bonding
• Grounding and bonding standards

Lab and Workplace Safety Practices

• Although cable installation is generally a safe

profession, there are plenty of opportunities for
injury.
• Many injuries are caused when installers come in
contact with stray sources of voltage, or foreign
voltages.
• When working in walls, ceilings, or attics, first turn
off power to all circuits that pass through those work
areas.
• Most countries have agencies that develop and
administer safetystandards.
Workplace safety

• Before beginning work, learn the locations

of all fire extinguishers in the area.
• Always determine the local codes in
advance.
• When installing cable between floors, use
a riser-rated cable.
• Outdoor cables typically have a
polyethylene jacket.

Workplace safety

• The building maintenance engineer

should be consulted to determine if there
is asbestos, lead, or PCB in the work area.
• If cable must be routed through spaces
where air is circulated, be sure to use a
fire-rated, or plenum-rated, cable.
Ladder safety

• Select the right ladder for the job. The ladder should
be long enough to work from comfortably and sturdy
enough to withstand repeated use.
• Inspect the ladder first. Never climb higher than the
second step from the top on a stepladder,
• Post signs so that people are aware of the ladder.

Fiber-optic safety
• Always wear safety glasses with side shields.
• Place a mat or piece of adhesive on the table
so that all glass shards that fall are easily
identified.
• Do not touch eyes or contact lenses while
working with fiberoptic systems until hands
have been thoroughly cleaned.
Fiber-optic safety

• Put all cut fiber pieces in a safe place and dispose

of them properly.
• Use a piece of adhesive or masking tape to remove
any material that gets on clothing. Use tape to
remove shards from fingers and hands.
• Do not bring food or beverages in the work area.
• Do not look directly into the end of fiber cables.
Some laser driven devices could cause irreversible
damage to the eye.

Fire extinguisher use

• Never attempt to fight a fire without knowing how to

use a fire extinguisher. Read the instructions and
check the valve.
• Class A fires are ordinary materials like burning
paper, lumber, cardboard, and plastics.
• Class B fires involve flammable or combustible
liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, and common
organic solvents used in the laboratory.
Fire extinguisher use

• Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment

such as appliances, switches, panel boxes, power
tools, hot plates, and most other electronic devices.
Water is a dangerous extinguishing medium for
class C fires because of the risk of electrical shock.
• Class D fires involve combustible metals such as
magnesium, titanium, potassium, and sodium.
These materials burn at high temperatures and will
react violently with water, air, and other chemicals.

Personal Safety Equipment

• Work clothes
• Eye protection
• Hard hat use
 Tools of the Trade

Stripping and Cutting Tools

Termination Tools

Diagnostic Tools
Installation Support Tools

Installation Support Tools

Installation Support Tools

Installation Process
Installation Process
• Rough-In Phase – all of the cables are installed in the
ceilings, walls, floor ducts, and risers.
• Trim Out Phase –cable management and the termination of
wires.
• Finish Phase – cable testing, troubleshooting, and
certification.
• Customer Support Phase –the customer conducts a walk-
through of the network and is presented with formal test
results and other documentation, like asbuilt drawings. If
satisfied, the customer will sign off on the project. The cable
installation company will provide ongoing support to the
customer if there are problems with the cabling.

Rough-In Phase

• During the rough-in phase the cable is pulled from a

work area, or staging area, to individual rooms or
work areas.
• Each cable is labeled on both ends for identification.
• In the work area, extra cable should be pulled so
that there is plenty to work with when terminating.
Rough-In Phase: Horizontal cable installation

• Cables should always run parallel to walls.

• Cables should never be placed diagonally across a
ceiling.
• The cabling path should be the most direct path
with the fewest number of turns.
• Cables should not be placed directly on top of
ceiling tiles.

Rough-In Phase: Horizontal cable installation

• After the backbone cabling

has been installed, the
horizontal network
distribution cable must be
installed.
• Horizontal cable installation
in conduits
• Raceways
• Pulling cable to the jacks
• Mouting jack in drywall,
plaster or wood
Vertical Cable Installation

• Vertical cable installation can include network

distribution cables and backbone cables.
• Most vertical installations are installed in conduits,
in conduit sleeves through the floors, or in slots cut
through the floor.
• Vertical cable installation takes place either from an
upper floor to a lower floor or from a lower floor to
an upper floor.

Fire-Stops

• The choice of cabling

materials and how they are
installed can greatly affect
how a fire moves through a
building, the type of smoke
and gasses emitted, and
the speed at which the
smoke and flames spread.
Terminating Copper Media

• Communications cables are color-coded to identify

individual pairs.
• The use of color codes ensures uniformity in
identifying individual cable pairs. Each colored
cable pair is associated with a specific number.

Four-pair color code

RJ-45 plugs and jacks

110-block
• 110-blocks are high-density
termination blocks that are used
for either voice or data
applications.
• These blocks are designed to be
stacked in different combinations
to accommodate different size
requirements.
• The 110 system includes wire
management devices that also
act as spacers between the
blocks.
Terminate or punch down

• The termination of
communications cables at a
TR is referred to as
punching down.
• Cables are also punched
down on termination panels
mounted on wall fields and
at the rear of cross-connect
panels.

Wire management
Careful labeling

• Labeling is another important part of a structured

cabling system.
• Cables should be clearly labeled on both ends to
avoid confusion.
• TIA/EIA-606-A specifies that each hardware
termination unit should have a unique identifier
marked on the unit or on its label.
• Documenting label scheme.

Finish Phase
Cable Testing

• Opens
• Shorts
• Split pairs
• Wire-mapping
errors

Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR)

• A time domain reflectometer (TDR) sends a pulse

down the wire and then monitors the electronic
echoes that occur due to cable problems.
• TDRs will determine if there is a cable fault, and
whether it is an open or a short.
• TDRs can also measure the distance from the
meter to the fault.
Cable Certification

• Testing is not the same as certification. Testing

is for functionality and determines if the wire
can carry the signal from end to end.
• Certification, or performance testing, is a
statement about cable performance.
Certification answers the following questions:
– How well does the signal travel down the cable?
– Is the signal free from interference?
– Is the signal strong enough at the other end of the cable?

Certification Tests

• Specified Frequency Range

• Attenuation
• End Crosstalk (NEXT)
• Power Sum NEXT
• Attenuation-to-Crosstalk Ratio (ACR)
• Power Sum ACR
• Equal-Level Far End Crosstalk (ELFEXT)
• Power-sum ELFEXT
• Return Loss
• Propagation Delay
• Delay Skew
Link and channel testing

• The channel test goes end-to-end from the workstation

or telephone to the device in the TR.
• The link test only tests the cable from the wall back to
the patch panel in the TR.

Cutting over

• Cutting over is the term used for the transfer of

existing services to a new cable system. It is also
used for the installation of new equipment on a
newly installed cable system.
Cutover guidelines

• Successful cutovers require careful

planning, organization, and attention to
detail. When cutting over, use the
following guidelines to ensure success:
– Keep detailed records of the installation.
– Test every cable that is installed.
– Develop accurate cut sheets.
– Schedule the cutover when it is most convenient for the
customer.

The Cabling Business

The Cabling Business

• Cable installer becomes a representative of

a company. Therefore, a professional
appearance and demeanor should always
be maintained.
• When working on a job, use the following
guidelines:
– Respect the job site.
– Wear clean and neat work clothes to the job site.
– Arrive at an agreed upon time. Punctuality is important.
– Determine the acceptable noise level.
– Treat customers, building occupants, coworkers, and bosses
with respect.

Site Survey

• The site survey, or project walk through, is one of

the most important steps before preparing a cost
estimate for a project.
• It allows the contractor to identify any issues that
may affect the installation.
Site Survey

• Are there plenum-ceiling areas?

• Is there a staging and storage area for materials?
• Are special work hours required?
• Are there special safety requirements? This is
particularly relevant in factory environments.
• Which walls are firewalls?
• Is there asbestos in the building?
• Will the customer supply spare ceiling tiles in the
event of breakage?
• Are there special labor issues to be considered?

Contract Revision and Signing

• After all of the negotiations are complete, the

contract must be revised to reflect any agreed-upon
changes.
• The customer and the contractor must then review
the contract in detail.
• The contract must be signed to become a valid
agreement.
Project Planning

• Select the project manager or supervisor.

• Select crews based on the project size, skills
required, and time allowed for completion.
• Identify and schedule subcontractors.
• Create a material delivery schedule.
• Make provisions for waste disposal.
• Choose suppliers
• Ordering materials

Final Documentation

• It is important to provide as-built drawings to the

customer.
• Floor plans, furniture plans, or T drawings are usually
used as the basis for as-built drawings.
• The punch list is the checklist that the customer
provides the contractor with when the contractor
considers the project complete, including:
– Uncompleted items, such as missing outlets or cable runs
– Unsatisfactory items, such as cables that are not fastened to ladder racks or
outlets that do not work
– Clean up items, such as debris left in the corridor
Summary

• Structured Cabling Systems

• Structured Cabling Standards and Codes
• Safety
• Tools of the Trade
• Installation Process
• Finish Phase
• The Cabling Business