SPECIAL FEATURE
TEST EQUIPMENT
TESTING IMPROVED NETWORK BANDWIDTH CAPABILITY WITHOUT RE-CABLING Many applications are faced with the challenge that old cabling is becoming a bottleneck as new high bandwidth applications become available, writes Dan Barrera, Global Product Manager for TREND Networks. So how can you test what bandwidth the cable can support? And whether switch upgrades will increase the bandwidth enough for your customer?
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istorically, when faced with the dilemma of old cabling and high bandwidth, network owners had to decide whether the cost and disruption of removing the old cable and replacing it was worth the benefit of deploying a new high-speed network. However, a new alternative is available today that allows network owners to obtain an increase in bandwidth of five times, or more, without having to re-cable using Multigig switches.
What is Multigig? There are 111 billion metres of Cat5e/Cat6 cabling installed globally that is limited to 1Gb/s bandwidth speeds due to the current switches deployed. You can increase network speeds without re-cabling by upgrading to Multi-Gigabit switches delivering 2.5, 5 or 10Gb/s speeds, if the existing cable can support it. This technology goes by two names, NBASE-T and Multigig. Both started as competing standards which eventually merged into a cross-compatible specification (Multigig will be used from here on). Multigig takes advantage of the headroom in Category 5e and 6 cabling to squeeze additional bandwidth out of the system by creating two new data rates that fall between the existing 1Gb and 10Gb rates. The new 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T data rates are achieved by replacing existing switches and devices with Multigig compatible equipment. Upgrading to Multigig switches can provide a simple and cost-effective way to significantly upgrade network bandwidth in existing networks without re-cabling. And while most users in a typical office environment may be satisfied with a gigabit connection to the network, applications like wireless access points are prime targets for such an upgrade.
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But before spending the time and money to upgrade a network, how is one supposed to know whether migrating to Multigig will be a success or a failure?
Use a tester before you migrate There are two supported methods of testing existing cabling’s ability to support Multigig. First, you can use a traditional cable certifier with specific test settings for 2.5Gb or 5Gb. If the test passes, the cable should support the new applications. The only downside to the certifier solution is that many integration, installation, and IT contractors do not own cable certifiers. A certifier is a significant investment for businesses which may only get limited use from the tester. The second option is to use an Ethernet Bandwidth Tester. This is a device that sends Ethernet frames through cabling or the network to determine the maximum data rate that can be achieved without dropping frames. Some of these testers are only capable of testing cabling, whereas others can test active network links (through switches) in addition to cabling. When deploying Multigig it’s important to use a tester that operates on both to provide the most flexibility. Testing only the cabling is helpful in determining whether installed cabling will support Multigig. Then, the ability to test on active networks allows for stress-testing the complete network and troubleshooting a wide variety of problems. For instance, certain Ethernet Bandwidth Testers can also determine how much data a cable or network link can support using a Maximum Throughput
function. This identifies a sustainable data rate using a binary chop process that allows for automated testing in less time than other methods. This is the same process used by the internet speed-test apps. Notice on those apps that in the first second the speed meter fluctuates wildly as the system oscillates between very fast and very slow until it stabilises on a speed that can be sustained with a tolerable error-rate. A Maximum Throughput test is doing this same thing on the network or cabling. It’s a fast and effective method of demonstrating network performance. The end result is that the Maximum Throughput test tells the user definitively whether the link will support Multigig, and with how much margin. Businesses can then make an informed decision on whether to upgrade to Multigig switches, or if another solution is needed. And that’s all down to the right tests, conducted with the right test equipment.
A seamless migration can be assured for your customers if the existing infrastructure is tested for compliance
Simple and cost-effective It is truly difficult to plan cabling installations that are ‘future proof’. The best one can do is choose the highest rated cabling available. But where bandwidth is increasing and re-cabling is not feasible, Multigig is often a viable option. So, whether you use cable certification or Ethernet bandwidth testing, a seamless migration from 1Gb to 2.5Gb or 5Gb can be assured for your customers if the existing infrastructure is tested for compliance before beginning the path to an upgrade. TREND Networks, trend-networks.com
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27/05/2021 15:13
