Guide to Network Cabling

Fundamentals

Chapter 5

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Chapter 5 - Backbone and Horizontal
Distribution Systems

 Understand backbone distribution systems

 Discuss the types of cross-connection in a backbone
system
 Differentiate between interbuilding and intrabuilding
backbone systems

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Chapter 5 - Backbone and Horizontal
Distribution Systems

 Understand horizontal distribution systems

 Discuss design guidelines and work areas in
horizontal distribution systems
 Document the cable plant
 Document equipment rooms

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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Backbone distribution systems connect the
equipment rooms, telecommunications rooms
(TRs), and entrance facilities
 Two types of connections exist: intrabuilding, are made
between the floors of multistory buildings; and
interbuilding, those made between buildings
 Intrabuilding backbones link all of a building’s cross-
connects, which mechanically terminate and administer
building wiring
 Interbuilding backbones link intermediate cross-connects
in other buildings to the main cross-connect
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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 All backbone cabling in the distribution system links
three types of cross-connects:
 Horizontal cross-connects (HCs), which consist of
horizontal cabling using jumpers, patch cords and other
hardware; main cross-connects (MCs), the primary
connection and flexibility point within a network; and
intermediate cross-connects (ICs) between first- and
second-level backbones
 Backbone cabling connects the equipment and runs from
the equipment room to the various TRs; depending on the
size of the building(s) involved, these TRs house either
the ICs or the HCs
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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Intrabuilding backbones:
 Consist of multipair copper or optical-fiber cables and
their supporting hardware
 Connect all the HCs or ICs in a building to the MC
 ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-A standard requires all backbone
cabling to be a star or hierarchical star topology
 Backbone topology differs from that of a network in the
following ways: they connect multiple network segments;
they can connect and support different topologies; they
provide support for all modes of communication

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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Intrabuilding backbones (cont.):
 In the star topology, individual nodes are linked to the HC,
which is connected directly to the MC
 In hierarchical star, some or all of the HCs are linked to an
IC, which in turn is linked to the building’s MC
 In general, the star topology is the better design choice,
unless in large buildings, such as high-rises
 Choose the topology based on: the types and sizes of
cable available; the hardware necessary; the size of the
site and number of end users; the installation labor
required; the applications used
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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Interbuilding backbones:
 Link the HC or IC in various buildings to the MC
 Is the network segment that gives distributions designers
and users the most options, but is also most affected by
physical considerations
 ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-A standard requires interbuilding
backbones to be the hierarchical star topology
 The better design for small networks is a single-level
hierarchical star because: it provides a single point of
control; allows testing and reconfiguration; easier
maintenance and security; increased flexibility
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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Selecting backbone distribution media
considerations:
 The recognized cable types are: multimode optical fiber;
single-mode optical fiber; 100-ohm twisted-pair
 Often a single cable type will not satisfy all user
requirements and if more that one medium is used, make
sure they all use the same facility architecture
 Consider the following factors when choosing medium: its
flexibility with respect to the supported services; the
required useful life; the size of the site and number of
users
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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Selecting backbone distribution media (cont.):
 Whenever possible, first determine the different service
requirements, then group them into similar services, such
as voice, display terminal, LAN, and other digital
connections; next identify the individual media types and
project each group’s quantities
 When deciding on backbone cable size, first know how
many workstations are served by each TR and how many
pairs the horizontal cabling provides
 When selecting backbone cable, know the maximum
backbone distances for each medium
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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Selecting backbone distribution media (cont.):
 Fiber cables are available with different sheaths for indoor
(intrabuilding) and outdoor (interbuilding)
 Backbone fiber cable consists of optical fibers with
individually colored buffer jackets of flame-retardant
polymer; the cable is stranded around central strength
member, providing a rugged cable
 When using fiber for the backbone, plan to use at least a
six-fiber cable for each TR, however, a 24-fiber cable is
highly recommended; typically fibers reserved are: six for
LANs, six for redundancy, and twelve for growth
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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Selecting backbone distribution media (cont.):
 Plastic insulated conductor (PIC) cable is twisted-pair
designed to ease cable-pair identification
 Each pair is color-coded in groups of 25 pairs; these pairs
are placed together in a binder group, which is identified
by a color-coded binder wrapping
 PIC cables are usually available in sizes ranging from 6 to
4200 pairs
 The cables are manufactured in various designs for aerial,
buried, underground, and in-building applications

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 Backbone Distribution Systems
 Selecting the main cross-connect hardware:
 The main cross-connect is the primary connection and
flexibility point within a network
 Depending on the number of copper pairs necessary to
terminate at the main cross-connect, the cross-connection
hardware can be wall- or rack-mounted
 The main cross-connect is generally located in the
equipment room; when selecting the location for this
room, consider that the room should be: accessible for
large equipment delivery, not constricted for expansion,
not below the water level
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 Horizontal Distribution Systems

 This cabling system provides:

 The physical means for transporting signals between the
telecommunications outlet/connector in the work area
and the HC in the TR
 The cabling and its associated connecting hardware
make up the horizontal pathways
 These pathways include the cable pathway itself, as well
as the related spaces, such as pull boxes, splice boxes,
and intermediate consolidation points
 The pathway design should allow for at least three cable
runs per work area
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 Horizontal Distribution Systems

 Horizontal distribution design guidelines:

 The horizontal cabling is usually less accessible than
other cabling, and is subject to the greatest amount of
activity, so good design is crucial
 A star topology must be used
 Each telecommunications outlet in the work area must
be directly connected to an HC in a TR on the same
floor; the maximum distance for this is 90 m
 For each horizontal cable, a maximum distance of 10 m
is permitted for work area cords, patch cords, and
jumpers, and any equipment cords
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 Horizontal Distribution Systems

 Horizontal distribution design guidelines (cont):

 Horizontal distribution system recommended media:
four-pair, 100-ohm UTP cable; two-pair, 150-ohm STP-A;
two-fiber fiber-optic cable
 Hybrid cables contain multiple types of media under a
single sheath; one that contains both fiber cable and
copper conductors is called a composite cable
 Points to consider when using hybrid cables: 100-ohm
UTP cables of mixed categories should not reside within
the same sheath; the cables of a hybrid cable must meet
cross-talk specifications
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 Horizontal Distribution Systems

 Work area components for horizontal distribution:

 Work area cables are the modular cords that connect the
telecommunications outlet to the work area equipment
 The modular cord in the work area should have a
maximum length of 3 m, and all four-pair UTP cables
must be terminated in eight-position modular jacks (RJ-
45) in the work area, following T-568
 The connector must be mounted on the outlet faceplate
to make it accessible for work area connectors

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 Horizontal Distribution Systems

 Horizontal cables and their cross-connects:

 Link each telecommunications outlet to the HC with a
dedicated 4-pair, 24-AWG, Cat 5 UTP cable; the length
of this cable should not exceed 90 m
 The HC consists of cable terminations and cabling
hardware to help link the horizontal cables to the
telecommunications and control equipment
 Use the BIX or 110 IDC cross-connect system with
modular RJ-45 patch panels to connect voice/data
 The HC is located in the TR; each floor should have at
least one TR
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 Documenting the Cable Plant

 The cable plant:

 Includes all cables and termination points in an
installation, such as the work area outlets, patch panels,
and punch-down blocks
 This information is probably the most useful and
important component of the documentation - once
cables are run through ceilings and floors and
terminated, finding a particular cable that is causing
problems is next to impossible if it wasn’t labeled; also it
tells you which cables can and cannot be disconnected
when you move equipment

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 Documenting the Cable Plant

 Documenting cable types and Terminators:

 Begin the cable plant documentation by describing the
types of cables in use, their purposes, and the types of
terminators used
 In addition, list any exceptions that were made during
installation
 Use a cut sheet to include information on the connection
made by the cable, the length of the run, the cable ID
and type of cable, the patch-panel port, whether the
cable is in use or not, and any testing done and the
results of such
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 Documenting the Cable Plant

 Labeling:
 Label all cable runs, equipment, patch panels, and jacks
with a name/number clearly identifying them
 Document cable test results and problems with
the cable plant
 Once a cable passes its requisite tests, label it and move
on to the next cable
 When there are any concerns about the cable plant,
include them in the documentation

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 Documenting Equipment Rooms

 Equipment rooms must be documented:

 Include the room location and room dimensions, as well
as the types of doorways, ceilings, walls, cooling,
heating, and lighting used
 All of the cables in the equipment room must be
documented, as well as those in the building areas each
room serves
 Describe devices and their location in each room,
including their capacities; before adding workstations in
any area, determine whether patch panels, hubs, and
switches have available ports
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 Documenting Equipment Rooms

 Documenting power considerations:

 Many network devices require considerable power to
operate, and some even have special electrical outlet
requirements; most major equipment comes with
redundant power supplies
 Examine each equipment room to determine the type
and number of power outlets, document the power
budget, including total power, and how much power is in
use
 Most equipment rooms use an uninterruptible power
supply (UPS); document each UPS
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 Documenting Equipment Rooms

 Diagramming equipment racks and installed

equipment:
 Provide detailed drawings of your equipment racks, with
the installed devices shown and labeled
 Include the rack name and location; the patch panel
name, type and ports; the hub name, type and ports; the
UPS name and type
 Documenting known problems or concerns with
equipment rooms
 Include information about any rooms that do not meet
specifications for cooling, power, or lighting
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 Chapter Summary

 Backbone distribution systems provide the

interconnections between telecommunications rooms,
equipment rooms, and entrance facilities. The two types of
backbone distribution systems are the interbuilding
system, which connects other buildings to the main cross-
connect, and the intrabuilding system, which provides
connections between the floors of a multistory building
 The maximum recommended distances for backbone
cables depend on their application. For example, the
maximum distance for data applications is 90 m. For voice
applications, the maximum distances vary

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 Chapter Summary

 When planning multipair (backbone) cable spaces, you

should stay as far away as possible from power cables,
transformers, electrical motors, and fluorescent lighting
 A typical fiber backbone installation consists of one fiber-
optic cable, usually in counts of 6, 12, or 24 fibers, that
runs between the main cross-connect and each TR
 Backbone distribution systems usually employ a
hierarchical star topology with one or more levels.
Horizontal distribution systems use a simple star topology

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 Chapter Summary

 The horizontal distribution is the part of the cabling system

used to distribute, support, and provide access to the
horizontal cabling. This cabling system provides the
physical means for transporting signals between the
telecommunications outlet/connector in the work area and
the horizontal cross-connect in the TR. The cabling and its
associated connecting hardware make up the content of
the horizontal pathway and related space

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 Chapter Summary

 Work area components for horizontal distribution include

telephones, fax, data terminals, and computers, plus any
other items located between these components and the
telecommunications outlet
 Your cable plant documentation includes all the cables
and termination points in an installation, such as work
area outlets, patch panels, and punch-down blocks. The
cable plant information is probably the most useful and
important components of your documentation - once
cables are run through ceilings and floors and terminated,
finding a particular cable that is causing problems can be
almost impossible if you didn’t label it

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 Chapter Summary

 Describe each equipment room in detail in your

documentation. Include information for all cable runs,
devices, racks, power considerations, and known
problems or concerns. This documentation makes
additions and changes easier, provides port information to
accommodate additions, and identifies all equipment and
its locations

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