Interview
Network performance Fibre networks form the backbone to communications in the world today. We talked to 3-GIS about the challenges of designing, constructing and managing these complex systems, while at the same time maintaining legacy networks AEC Magazine: Compared to other utilities, what makes fibre networks more complicated to design, construct and manage – and what makes a full lifecycle approach so important? Michael Measels: What sets apart the telecommunications networks from your conventional utility networks is that they are continually evolving. There has been a progression of terrestrial network types from copper, coax to fibre over the past several decades, which has allowed for increased bandwidth sizes but has in turn offered even more complexity in the creation and management of these networks. Wireless technology has evolved as well, with no signs of stopping. Many of the legacy network types are still being used today and in some cases are interacting with one another. This environment is requiring GIS solutions for telecommunications to continue to evolve while still allowing customers to utilise our technologies for managing all their network assets, whether new or legacy. In addition, the very nature of a fibre network requires a detailed understanding of every individual fibre in the fibre cable. This is exponentially different to a conventional water, electric or gas network in which the pipe or strand is the only representation of the network. For example, a fibre cable that contains 864 fibre strands must be modelled in the path vs a single pipe representation in a gas or water network. Not only do you have multiple representations in the fibre cable, the flow of data is bidirectional. This is not the case in a conventional utility network in which the “flow” is typically modelled in a single direction. Designing and modelling this bidirectional flow requires an intrinsic knowledge of both the source and destination in terms of services and connectivity, which www.AECmag.com
p48_49_50_51_52_53_AEC_MAYJUNE20_GIS.indd 51
must be defined at the time of design in order to better understand future investment returns. This complexity, coupled with the significant investment companies are making in fibre-based technologies, requires geospatial awareness as they manage the digital asset from beginning to end. By so doing, companies are able to take advantage of the geospatial knowledge of their assets through the entire lifecycle of their assets to include the planning, design, construction and management phase.
used interchangeably within this context. To quote Webster, automation can be defined as follows: automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process, or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human labour. Conversely, autonomous is defined as responding, reacting, or developing independently of the whole. As you can see, autonomous tends to lead one down the path of being intelligent and operating without intervention, while automated is simply identifying a process or processes Tommy Siniard: I always that can be automated in think of the differences as a order to replace the necessiutility network has one type ty for human labour. of energy flowing modelled These processes are often A system that in the same way. For examthose that are easily repeatcan both ple, a fibre network has able and are not necessarily automate the energy flowing at different influenced by outside influspeeds in both directions. design as well as encers. Although the outThen you have the cable side influencers to design apply what it network, that has the fibre can be overcome through has learned network as its logical netthe use of a rule-based from critical work. These layers make it approach, I would expect extremely complex to model human decisions artificial intelligence will appropriately. is the panacea allow for the ability to overcome outside influencers AEC: What role can design when it comes to and reduce the human meeting the automation and Artificial input required to deliver an Intelligence play in the acceptable result. autonomous design of fibre networks – As an example, automadesign vision now and in the future? tion plays a pivotal role in Michael Measels placing network elements MM: 3-GIS has designed a down the side of the street significant number of route while understanding the miles for both FTTH [fibre to the home] accumulated demand, in terms of fibre, as and FTTx [fibre to the x] projects using services are dropped off at each house. automation. Not wanting to get on my Intervention is often required to evalusoapbox, but automated design does not ate the constructability and permeability mean autonomous design and I am afraid of this placement and adjustments are the two terms have unfortunately been made to accommodate the in situ condi-
‘‘
’’
May / June 2020
51
01/06/2020 11:26
