• Splitters: Budget for a 3 dB loss for each 1:2 split
• ANSI/TIA: Budget for .75 dB loss per mated pair for every connector in the system that connects to something else.
• Single-mode cable: Budget .5 dB loss for every kilometer

In the latest issue of Facilities Manager, Paul Mills from APOLAN member company DIRTT writes about the massive transformation of educational facilities with the rise of smart building technology. Optical fiber networks are ideal to accommodate the changing needs of such smart buildings.

Read the complete article from Facilities Manager.

• Powering the gear locally at each piece of electronics;
• From one end, using long extension cords to power everything at the far end; or
• A combination of these two methods.

• We don’t need long copper extension cords to power gear from one end.
• Additionally, wall-wart-style power supplies can be used for the ONTs, and standard dual power supplies for OLT, with two AC feeds from a UPS.

• Distributed power gear, making maintenance a little more difficult.
• The extra power requirements from the central UPS and/or generator (if used).

• The power gear is centralized, as well as the batteries.
• Class 2 can be used.

• The need for copper extension cords.
• Their length limitation for very long runs.

Optical LAN technology offers several benefits to companies seeking a greener building and infrastructure footprint as they strive to contribute to sustainable building goals or meet corporate environmental, social and governance objectives in today’s digital era. This article in the October/November/December issue of ICT Today explores how commercial buildings can leverage OLAN technology to build greener networks while meeting evolving technology requirements.

“Our latest report provides an external and independent view of the Optical LAN market and details its expansion in recent years,” said Martin Chiesa, BSRIA Senior Consultant. “We are witnessing growth coming from several market segments that previously were not as relevant as they are now. This is an undoubtedly promising sign for the future of Optical LAN.”

Since BSRIA first researched Optical LAN in 2011, the market has grown annually except for 2020, when it experienced a mild contraction of less than 3% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following that brief decline, the market accelerated, more than doubling between 2019 and 2022.

This unprecedented growth can be attributed to several factors:

• Increasing Optical LAN awareness.
• More verticals embracing Optical LAN.
• Execution of delayed projects.
• Unprecedented growth in Asia.
• The Americas’ substantial market expansion.
• Rising sales in Europe. Inflation.
• Green trend (ESG policies).

Market fragmentation has increased during the Optical LAN market surge from 2019-22. In 2019, three market segments – office buildings, hotels and government – accounted for 80 percent of Optical LAN sales. Office buildings have been significantly impacted since the onset of the pandemic, yet Optical LAN adoption has continued to grow. Today, the top three markets – education, hotels and government – represent less than half of the market, as other verticals, including hospitals, mixed-use, industrial and stadiums/large venues, are seeing increased growth.

BSRIA projects additional growth in the coming years, driven by:

• Increasing awareness about Optical LAN.
• More verticals embracing the technology.
• Rising energy prices and inflation.
• Mounting pressure on environmental matters.
• Lower capital expenditures resulting from less power, cooling, switching and cabling infrastructure and space, plus simpler, futureproof installations.
• Lower operating expenditures resulting from lower maintenance and consumption, centralized management and lower overall cost of ownership.

Reduced capital and operating expenditures result in a lower environmental footprint on networks and companies. With shareholders increasingly expecting companies to adopt ESG policies and practices, Optical LAN implementation is an ideal way to achieve long-term, environmentally responsible results.

The BSRIA Optical LAN Global Markets Report, commissioned by APOLAN, is available as a benefit of APOLAN membership or for purchase by nonmembers. APOLAN’s recent BSRIA Optical LAN Global Markets Report webinar is now available in APOLAN’s On-Demand Webinars library.

Orange France recently committed to deploying a Passive Optical LAN (POL) solution for more than 20 sites throughout France, including Bridge, the company’s headquarters in Issy-les Moulineaux, near Paris. Orange’s new POL solution replaces existing copper-based LAN, connecting more than 5,000 end points, including Wi-Fi and hard-wired terminals.

“Moving to POL for our intraoffice connectivity can save significant energy costs and reduce emissions, which is essential to help Orange meet its ambitious environmental goals,” said Philippe Gacougnolle, Orange France director of the internal network domain.

Orange’s Bridge headquarters campus was designed to deliver an enhanced workplace experience to employees through digital services, including collaborative tools, geolocated room booking and building management services. For example, occupants can use a mobile app throughout their workday to plan their travel to work, find available parking spaces, and navigate a full map of the building, among other services.

POL enables Orange to deliver superior user experiences and offers a low-energy solution for in-building and campus connectivity. The fiber-based networking solution delivers long-term value and can be easily and cost-efficiently upgraded to increase speed and capacity. Security enhancements include built-in encryption and central control, as all intelligence of the network resides in the optical line terminal rather than at the user end-points.

“Switching from traditional LAN to POL technology means a more compact solution, with less energy consumption and much better performance proving the best possible user experience,” said Stephane Azoulay, head of the Orange France account for Nokia, Orange’s partner for POL solution implementation.

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with more than 278 million customers and 137,000 employees worldwide, including 76,000 employees in France.

To understand the current state of the POL market and where it is headed, historic data is essential. The global POL market for 2019 was estimated at USD 280 million at the manufacturer’s selling price, considering only passive and active components (and excluding UPS, batteries, remote powering systems, and accessories). However, as we all know – so many things have changed since 2019.

To understand where the market is going, let’s first look at pre-pandemic market figures. In BSRIA’s 2015 POL report BSRIA considered three possible scenarios – niche, slow adoption and fast adoption. Later, in 2017, we added a new scenario as the market evolved above our most optimistic expectations. For 2019 the market was in line with the most optimistic scenario from 2015 but below that of 2017.

Then, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 the market contracted.

When analyzing this impact, there was significant variation between countries, typically related to the general economic impact of the pandemic and also to the level of interventionism of the government to support the economy and/or particular sectors, including buildings. There was also variation between vertical markets, with sectors such as travel, hospitality and retail especially badly hit, with health, datacenters and in some cases, education remaining more buoyant.

On average, the first half of 2020 saw the biggest fall, with severe disruption caused by lockdowns. However, in some cases, the worst effects were not felt until the second half of the year.

What’s on the horizon?

Considering POL’s main verticals, it is reasonable to assume that the market will not fully recover until the end of 2022, but it is also expected to expand at a faster rate than conventional Ethernet networks. Further to increasing industry acknowledgment of POL’s are additional players, such as Cisco, entering the market. And, with the assumption that vaccine rollout provides effective immunity, economic and market recovery follows, tourism gradually gets back to normal and POL increases its market penetration in other verticals (i.e., industry, logistics, transport), we expect strong growth in the POL market from 2022-2024.

To support this trajectory, it is vital for POL to diversify, expanding to verticals such as healthcare, senior accommodation, education and industry and to continue expanding in the office market (particularly smart buildings). The transition from GPON to XGS- PON and NG-PON will also drive growth and support future adoption of WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 technologies over POL.

Taking all this information into context, here are the top six takeaways for the POL Market in the post-pandemic world:

• New market players, such as Cisco, entering the market, product development and increased global awareness of POL and its benefits are the key drivers in growth.
• POL market growth is expected to expand at a faster rate than conventional Ethernet networks.
• Top markets for POL adoption include hospitality, office buildings, government and student/senior residences.
• Key trends driving adoption of POL are 10G PON gaining share, strong growth in remote powering, while 4 Port ONTs remain the norm.
• Asia, North America, Middle East and Latin America are the four geographical regions leading the POL global market, with the strongest growth expected in Asia and the Middle East.

It’s important to note that experts and active players in the industry, such as APOLAN, are doing their part to overcome one of the main barriers the technology faces – awareness. During BSRIA’s yearly update on the structured cabling markets we have, once again, witnessed more demand and awareness regarding POL solutions compared to previous years. While the POL market is still in an early stage, we are seeing signs of the rate of adoption gaining pace. POL awareness is increasing and adoption will follow.

The report is made available to all APOLAN members. If you are not an APOLAN member you can contact APOLAN to join the Association here. For more information about BSRIA visit www.bsria.co.uk.

Martin Chiesa is a Senior Consultant at BSRIA, a non-profit member-based association founded in the UK in 1955, providing consultancy, testing, instrumentation and research, specialized in building services and the construction industry. BSRIA’s mission is to make buildings better through a vast range of services, including technical advice and investigation, information, testing, construction compliance, instrumentation and market research and consultancy. For more than two decades BSRIA has been following the structured cabling markets for LAN and data centers, and in 2011 the association published its first POL report.

In the latest issue of Cabling Installation & Maintenance Magazine, John Hoover (APOLAN Board Director and Tellabs Marketing Director) writes that the changing landscape of technology is presenting challenges for people who run large venues, such as Kyle Field. The convergence of new devices, such as security cameras and cash registers, as well as the connectivity demands of the clientele, demand a high-performance network that can meet these challenges. Passive optical LAN is perfectly suited to meet the demands of today’s large public venue network and is scalable to meet future needs as well.

Read the complete article from Cabling Installation & Maintenance Magazine.

Earlier this year, APOLAN conducted its member survey to determine the top three benefits of POL adoption.They found that wireless synergies, technological superiority and investment protection topped the list of the key factors influencing decision-makers to choose Passive Optical LAN (or POL) for their LAN upgrades and new builds.

We recently shared an in-depth look at POL and wireless innovations in a recent blog post, “A Closer Look at Passive Optical LAN’s Synergy with Wireless Innovations.”  For our second installment of the POL benefits series, we are diving deep into the technology side of POL.

Here are the top technical advantages that decision-makers can benefit from when adopting POL as their network infrastructure of choice. 

All Services Needed, One Network: Converging all network services is an important value-add feature of POL. The technology enables all services to be delivered across a single infrastructure, eliminating the need for multiple platforms while providing highly scalable, high-speed data services to all users. Voice (e.g., analog POTS and VoIP w/PoE), video, video conferencing services, WiFi and cellular access, and monitoring services (e.g., building automation system, security cameras and building sensors) are all supported with POL. In addition, streamlining all network needs into a single backbone delivers network simplicity and creates time-saving opportunities for IT teams. 

The Cornerstone to Success – Availability and Scalability: To keep up with growing connectivity needs, modern network backbone technologies need to deliver scalability to accommodate more bandwidth needs as well as availability that keeps business going, with no unplanned interruption. In both situations, passive optical LAN provides superior rates when compared to copper-based LAN. 

Going the Distance: Composed almost entirely of single-mode fiber optic cable, a POL can span for 20 km (12.5 miles) or more depending on the optics and splitter ratios deployed. Copper has a limitation of merely 300 feet. While not all networks may need to span such distances, it is particularly advantageous for multi-story buildings and campus networks where mid-span switching equipment is eliminated entirely. Even single building networks can take advantage of these flexible distances by no longer requiring a telecommunications closet or switch every 300 feet as is the case with legacy network architectures. 

Future-Ready For Whatever Comes Next: As a single-mode fiber (SMF) infrastructure, POL virtually future-proofs a network. With its capacity to carry 101 Tbps of full-duplex bandwidth, SMF enables technology upgrades without requiring replacement of the cabling infrastructure, the most expensive part of the upgrade. POL extends the network lifecycle to 10 years or more, enabling gradual, more predictable costs for bandwidth upgrades over the lifetime of the network. 

Unmatched Security: With early adopters being the U.S. federal government and the U.S. Department of Defense, POL is a proven, highly secure technology. In comparison to copper-based LANs, POL reduces the number of vulnerable access points to which hackers have access. In addition, POL produces no EMI radiation and its ONT component does not store configuration or user information and requires no physical management access. Plus, with low human touch operations, POL is far less susceptible to human error, or negligent and malicious human activities. 

If you missed the first installment of this POL benefits series looking into POL’s synergies with wireless innovation, be sure to catch up by clicking here. And, stay tuned for the final installment, when we take an in-depth look at the cost savings and investment protection that POL delivers.

In a recent article published by Lightwave Magazine, Matt Miller (AECOM Network Leader, APOLAN Board Chair) writes how the elimination of costly IDFs is one of many capex-reducing elements that users enjoy when they switch to POL. This and many other aspects are highlighted in the recently released cost comparison produced by the Association for Passive Optical LAN.

View the complete Lightwave article.

Wireless was a winner in APOLAN’s 2020 Member Survey, coming in as one of the top three benefits of Passive Optical LAN (POL) adoption. This comes as no surprise as we know POL’s synergies with wireless is a top consideration for decision makers as they to turn to this next-generation infrastructure for their LAN upgrades and new builds to ensure greater speeds and bandwidth.

As awareness increases and the myths and facts about and the benefits of POL become increasingly clear, POL is recognized as the obvious option to support the wireless industry as it continues to grow and change with increasing bandwidth needs and lower latency requirements. POL rises to these needs by exceeding the high throughput and connectivity demands of today’s mobile environment. This includes serving the needs of high-traffic and high-density areas with Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax, which uses more spectrum and more channels to achieve higher over-the-air speeds and support a large number of users in a small area, many with multiple devices. There is also the advancement of 5G putting pressure on U.S. carriers to use more spectrum, including Wi-Fi for faster data.

All these demands highlight the fact that copper-based LANs will not stand up to the challenge. The best infrastructure investment for wireless will have to be the best option for voice, video, data, security, building automation, Wi-Fi and other network services as a fiber infrastructure is the most technologically advanced and cost-effective solution for all. In fact, the recent APOLAN Passive Optical LAN Cost Comparison Study found that POL delivers up to 56 percent cost savings over traditional enterprise networks.

The right fiber-based network backbone is key to delivering converged wired and wireless network solutions. For both new builds, replacements and upgrades, POL’s use of singlemode network fiber cabling inside buildings and across extended campuses delivers optimal synergies with the evolution of wireless standards, networks and innovations and makes the building’s network ready for virtually any current needs and future advancement.

Passive Optical LAN has clear economic advantages over traditional enterprise networks. These savings are seen for both capital and operational costs. Often the lower costs are a result of Passive Optical LAN (POL) ability to:

• Centralize intelligence and management
• Remove telecommunications rooms (i.e. IDFs, wiring closets)
• Reduce the need for midspan electronics, power, and cooling infrastructure
• Use smaller, lighter, less expensive cables to reduce pathway and space requirements
• Eliminate the need to refresh cabling infrastructures

The Association for Passive Optical LAN (APOLAN) Technology Committee members recently completed a POL cost comparison study. They did so by analyzing the cost of POL parameters (e.g. 4-port PoE ONTs, ONTs shared in cubicles, 2×32 splitters, zone box solution and no TRs) versus those of traditional parameters (e.g. 48-port PoE switches, One 10G uplink per TR, stacked switches and 2 CAT6 drops per user). The comparison was then built-out to represent one 4-story building with 90 users per floor, one 7-story building with 150 users per floor, and four 6-story campus buildings with 180 users per floor (POL cost comparison graph download provided below).

The resulting POL cost comparison savings identified during this exercise are as follows:

• POL saved 40% cost for the 4-story building with 90 users per floor
• POL saved 55% cost for the 7-story building with 150 users per floor
• POL saved 56% cost for the four 6-story campus buildings with 180 users per floor
• Please note that all costs are representative estimates only and not quotes or guarantees.
• Actual costs will vary based on numerous factors including, but not limited to, geographic region and local market issues.

Download graph (PDF)

Since the introduction of unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and category cabling, telecommunications networks have largely been based on copper cables. Beginning in the mid-1990s, CAT 5 cabling was used to provide connectivity for Ethernet networks. Over the past 30 years since, several enhancements have been made to copper cabling specifications in order to support increasing bandwidth demands, each of them driving a new type of category cable – CAT 5e, CAT 6, CAT6a, etc. As a result, enterprises increasing their LAN speeds from 1Mbps, to 100Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps, and beyond have been forced to periodically replace the costly copper cables in their buildings and campuses to support the higher speeds.

As bandwidth needs continue to increase in the enterprise, Passive Optical Networking (PON) technology is uniquely positioned to support that bandwidth evolution for decades without costly changes to the structured cabling. This application of PON technology within the enterprise local area network is known as Passive Optical LAN or POL. Standards bodies and PON equipment manufacturers continue to drive more bandwidth over the same POL topology and fiber infrastructure through advancements in PON technologies. Over the long-term, the ability to leverage the existing fiber infrastructure will help reduce the total cost of ownership of a fiber-based passive optical LAN.

Today, most enterprise POL implementations are based on GPON, which was standardized in 2003 and delivers 2.5Gbps downstream and 1.25Gbps upstream over a point-to-multipoint fiber network as shown below.

As bandwidth needs have increased and become more symmetrical, newer PON technologies have been developed to leverage the same point-to-multipoint network topology as well as the fiber investment itself. Several 10Gbps PON technologies like XGS-PON and TWDM-PON (or NGPON2) have evolved from GPON and were standardized in the 2015/2016 timeframe. These technologies are deployed in networks today and can either deliver symmetrical 10Gbps bandwidth or asymmetric 10Gbps downstream and 2.5Gbps upstream. XGS-PON is based on a single fixed wavelength which contributes to its cost-effectiveness and wide market deployment. TWDM-PON can support multiple 10G wavelengths over the same fiber, but the associated ONTs require more costly tunable lasers to support the different wavelengths.

The uniqueness of fiber and PON technology is that bandwidth upgrades and enhancements can occur with the active electronics (OLT and ONT) and without any disturbance of the fiber cabling. GPON, XGS-PON and TWDM-PON use different wavelengths such that all three technologies can co-exist on the same fiber. This allows all splitter output ports to be lit with multiple PON technologies and, for example, either GPON or 10G PON ONTs could be attached to any splitter port. This allows for higher speeds to be supported simultaneously, and on an as needed basis, without a cabling retrofit. As an example, delivering multi-gig services for 802.11ac Wave 2 access points or a 10Gbps circuit for server or research applications in a higher education environment can easily be accommodated by a network primarily intended for 1Gbps desktop VoIP and data connections.

In early 2019, trials of 25G PON were launched and the 25G PON standard is expected to be ratified in 2020 with both symmetric and asymmetric bandwidth options. A 50G PON standard is expect in 2021. Standards bodies and equipment manufacturers will continue to define new PON technologies to deliver more bandwidth for the POL market. This continued evolution of bandwidth without a need for cabling change increases the longevity of the fiber network and reduces the total cost of ownership of POL compared to traditional Ethernet LANs.

Our hearts are with those who have been affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 around the world. Our Association shares in the concern about the safety and well-being of our families and colleagues of member companies. As many of us continue to work in different ways, APOLAN is creating additional remote learning and collaboration opportunities for our members and the community.

Additionally, we have contracted with MCI USA, a national consulting firm specializing in transforming clients from good to great, to collaborate with APOLAN to help define the association’s future. By leveraging MCI USA expertise, they will facilitate and guide a series of strategic discussions to ensure APOLAN can proactively advocate for the global adoption of passive optical networks and bring more value to our members. It is our goal to communicate the findings of this study back to member companies within the next 2-3 months. Member feedback will be helpful to make sure that the association is meeting those goals.

APOLAN continues to attract Passive Optical LAN industry leaders and pioneers to direct the Association education and advocacy. These Board Directors, Officers and Committee Chairs can be used as a resource to all member companies and are available to assist your efforts.

• Board Chairman – Matt Miller, AECOM (matt.miller@aecom.com)
• Board Director, and Membership Committee Chair – Alan Bertsch, Qypsys (abertsch@qypsys.com)
• Board Director and European Committee Vice-Chair – Rich Labonski, DZS (rlabonski@dasanzhone.com)
• Board Director and Secretary – Gayla Arrindell, Corning (arrindelgm@corning.com)
• Board Director, Treasurer and Technology Committee Chair – Brian Hardy, ITConnect (bhardy@itconnectinc.com)
• Board Director, and Marketing Committee Chair – John Hoover, Tellabs (john.hoover@tellabs.com)
• Board Director – Jim Connor, Nokia (jim.connor@nokia.com)
• President – Thomas C. Ruvarac, RSC Strategic Consulting (truvarac@gmail.com)
• European Committee Chair – Stefan Heldens, Nokia (stefan.heldens@nokia.com)

We are pleased to announce that the Association has reinvigorated the European Committee under the leadership of Stefan Heldens of Nokia and Rich Labonski of DZS. We encourage any and all member companies interested in contributing in the European and Middle East regions to contact Stefan and Rich to gain more information about how to join this committee.

Finally, we are glad to report that the Association recently distributed a news release announcing four new member companies have joined APOLAN. Those companies include AECOM, Anixter Central America/Latin America (CALA), Belden, and R&M. These companies are poised to assist with the continued market adoption of Passive Optical LAN around the world.

Regards,

Board Chairman – Matt Miller, AECOM (matt.miller@aecom.com)

With the current boom in mobility, Internet of Things (IoT) and big data, businesses need smart solutions in developing Smart Buildings. To solve that tricky puzzle, converging services through enterprise-based Passive Optical Local Area Networks (POL) is essential.

In the past, enterprises across the spectrum, including retail stores, offices, hospitals, university campuses, airports, medical research facilities and hotels, relied on traditional copper-based network architecture to power their facilities. This took up tremendous space and energy, was both a financial and time drain, and lacked the ability to cover large distances.

What so many organizations are now learning is that POL provides a modern network backbone that delivers greater bandwidth as well as availability, which keeps businesses going even at their busiest times.

By converging all services across a single fiber-based infrastructure, POL eliminates the need for multiple platforms while providing highly scalable, high-speed data services to all users. This includes voice, video, data and video-conferencing services, as well as wireless access and monitoring functions, such as building automation systems, security cameras and building automation.

All this is essential for Smart Buildings that, by utilizing POL, can deliver the following:

• Voice, video, data, and all possible IoT connectivity are all handled with either Gigabit Passive Optical Networking (G-PON) or 10 Gigabit Passive Optical Networking (XGS-PON).
• The distance to end-users is expanded to up 20 kilometers or more compared to 300 feet with copper.
• By transmitting and receiving on a single cable simultaneously, less square footage is required to manage networks. This means greater space saving that allows enterprises to use previously needed areas for purposes other than IT.
• With fewer HVAC prerequisites and limited active equipment required, less energy is needed compared to legacy options, which both saves money and provides green benefits.
• Streamlining all network needs into a single backbone delivers network simplicity and creates time-saving opportunities for IT teams.
• All this can be done with lower capital costs. Converging into a single network results in fewer equipment specifications and, as fiber optic cabling lasts more than a decade before needed upgrading (compared to 5-7 years for copper cabling), less long-term cost.

For more information on POL and how it can make Smart Buildings smarter, please click here.

Currently, in the latest issue of Hospitality Technology digital magazine, you will find this article about how hotels and resort properties are constantly challenged to deliver secure, reliable access to communications services for their guests and staff. The thirst for online speed, bandwidth and content continues to grow for modern travelers. When expectations are not met while visiting your property, online reviews can impact future business. The hotelier’s goal is to achieve best in class online speed, bandwidth and content delivery demanded by modern travelers. For many savvy hoteliers, the selection of Passive Optical LAN (POL) solution, can result in them standing out among the best hotels for online performance.

You can read the complete article from Hospitality Technology digital magazine by clicking right here.

Passive optical LAN may be the future-proof answer to networking, but without the right power solutions, its value can be greatly diminished. To address this important issue, APOLAN pulled together three top industry professionals to offer a 360-degree webinar titled “Powering Considerations For Passive Optical LAN.”

Presenters at this seminar were Cemil Canturk, a Senior Marketing Manager at Nokia who is responsible for Passive Optical LAN Marketing; Kevin Borders, Vice President of Marketing for Alpha Technologies; and Scott Fitzgerald, a Senior Engineer and Manager of Product Management for Optical Cable Corporations.

Among the topics covered:

• An explanation of the values and difficulties of local powering of ONTs (optical network terminals) versus remote powering; as well as the role battery back-up has in this process.
• A rundown of where power is necessary when structuring a POL and a checklist of equipment needed for configuring both local and remote powering; also, a look at design options and an outline of what is needed to achieve different reach distances.
• Additional safety and design considerations, including wire size and voltage drop; fiber count and type; buffered fiber or subunit choices; flame ratings; fiber and wire management; and ONT connections

In addition, webinar participants were surveyed to give a quick-hit look of how industry pros are approaching various POL powering issues.

Highlights include:

• A majority of those surveyed (51 percent) said that they require back-up batteries in installations more than 75 percent of the time.
• 54 percent said that either all (15 percent) or most (39 percent) of end points required backup power. Only 17 percent said very few end points needed it.
• 40 percent would re-use existing CAT cable to power a POL circuit. Though a large number of those questioned (35 percent) said they weren’t sure.
• SMF composite cable is the prime choice for remote powering of ONTs. 62 percent said they’d use SMF, while just 6 percent would opt for CATx Cable. Approximately 34 percent would choose a hybrid.

You can watch the complete webinar by clicking right here.

In a recent article written by Church Design digital magazine, it states that churches require a reliable, high-performance and scalable local area network (LAN) that can withstand the test of time and deliver virtually unlimited bandwidth as applications and services evolve. That’s why church integrators need to stay up with the latest technology, which is why anyone working on a new or renovated church project needs to understand the passive optical network (PON) and passive optical LAN (POL).

You can read the complete article from Church Design digital magazine by clicking right here.

Innovation, Education and Promotion of Passive Optical LAN in Action!

The benefits of Passive Optical LAN (POL) continue to make it a no brainer decision for companies that do their homework. This line up of this year’s APOLAN Award winners is another example of this momentum. Highlighting the innovation, education and promotion driving POL to the future, POL success was on full display at BICSI 2020.

Two 2019 APOLAN Awards winning projects highlighted Innovation in POL by meeting technical challenges unfathomable in the past.

One of these as was the “World’s Largest Remote Powered POL Network, Fort Belvoir, US Army.” This project was led by Alpha, an EnerSys Company, with supporting company Tellabs. With this project, Fort Belvoir became the largest deployment of remotely powered POL in the world. Of many results, the improved efficiency of the remote powering solution (92 percent vs 70 percent for local power alternatives) is resulting in lower energy consumption of the facility.

Another winner for Innovation was the project “In-building 10G PON and Wi-Fi” managed by Nokia. This is the industry’s first deployment of XGS PON in student housing. In addition to 10G PON connectivity, Nokia’s ONTs in this deployment provide Wi-Fi that offers wireless connectivity within the living unit as well as community Wi-Fi throughout the property. Leveraging 10G PON technology to provide in-building connectivity in student housing is an innovative approach that illustrates how prevalent and cost-effective 10G PON technologies are becoming.

The industry momentum has been driven by dedicated companies that contribute to the education of POL and its benefits, helping people see the light.

APOLAN awarded Qypsys, with supporting member company Corning, for their efforts on industry education for their “Fiber to the Room Cost Analysis” project. Qypsys, with a group of technology consultants and integrators, conducted a network cabling and transport technology study to analyze the cost of deploying a passive optical network in the hospitality setting.

APOLAN also recognized Tellabs for its “5-day Optical LAN Deployment and Support Certification Training for Veterans.” Tellabs provided a gratis five-day Passive Optical LAN Deployment and Support Certification training class in Sterling, Virginia for veterans transitioning from active duty. We thank you, both Tellabs and our veterans, for your service. And, without promotion, nobody would be aware of all the great innovations and quantifiable benefits that POL is bringing to the world. For promotional support of the industry, APOLAN awarded three winners.

APOLAN recognized Alpha, with supporting member companies Tellabs and OCC, for the “OLAN Seminar Series.” Alpha, OCC and Tellabs collaborated to create a three-city roadshow to demonstrate the benefits of POL, including techniques and best practices for cabling and remote power.

Another winner for promotions was Tellabs for its “Passive Optical LAN video series.” Tellabs developed professionally produced videos created following the Challenger (CEB) Sales Method, which is a sales approach tailor made for selling complex technical solutions. Video content like this is essential to attract, engage and convert customers from traditional network design to Passive Optical LAN.

And finally, Corning was also recognized for its “Building a POL Technology Showcase – Corning Optical Communications Division’s New HQ.” Corning’s Optical Communications Division officially moved its headquarters from Hickory, NC to Charlotte, NC in August of 2019. During the building design, a commitment was made that its new building would be a technology showcase for its In-Building Network solutions, including a POL passive infrastructure.  

This blog aims to make the respective clarifications against some myths that are generated around Passive Optical LAN (POL) technology, often caused by a reduced technical knowledge of the technology when compared to legacy or traditional (point-to-point) technologies that exist in the telecommunications infrastructure market.

POL has been successfully implemented in verticals such as Hospitals, Airports, Corporate Buildings, Industry, Education sector among others giving a high level of robustness and experience for the end-users of the mentioned verticals. These experiences can be perfectly validated with real users who have opted for POL technology.

The intelligence that is handled in a POL system is summarized below.

• Reduction of Network Latency
• Centralized administration generating greater flexibility in the allocation of network services
• Physical and logical separation of the Network
• Allows the implementation of redundancy and high availability schemes
• Efficient allocation and management of bandwidths avoiding unnecessary oversizing
• POL technologies comply with Telecommunications infrastructure standards that are recognized in the market as ANSI / TIA 568.0-D, ANSI / TIA 606C, technology approved by BICSI through its Telecommunications Distribution Methods Manual (TDMM) chapter 5 for application of large layer 2 networks and with layer 3 functionalities.
• It handles high levels of encryption such as AES 128 and authentication protocol based on IEEE 802.1X, RADIUS, TACACS), Quality of service QoS (Traffic Prioritization Levels) distributed in the passive optical network to attend priority to the applications over IP protocol that should require (Images, audio, real-time communications, VoIP, video conferencing).
• In addition to converging IP technologies, POL systems can integrate signals of a similar nature such as CATV and handle similar communication devices such as conventional telephones in the same infrastructure. HIGH LEVEL OF CONVERGENCE.
• Allows dynamic device discovery.
• It allows the integration of globally recognized administration tools (NMS) since they work standard protocols type SNMP.
• Use of single mode fiber optic as a means of transmission in a large part of the infrastructure and connection of copper to user devices, but with the great difference that the copper component is considerably reduced.

MYTHS AND FACT:S EXPLAINED

MYTH: The network is purely passive. There are no smart devices that handle collisions and traffic on the network without allowing communication of the devices horizontally. It only allows vertical communication.

FACT:: In POL systems the upload traffic, for example between the ONT and the OLT, handles a mechanism called TDMA generating a collision-free environment. Finally, in a traditional gigabit solution, traffic from lower layer switches will be transmitted to higher layers generating more latency in the network. In GPON systems, intelligence will not only depend on the Core equipment but can also be managed from the OLT and ONTs where they have Layer 2 and 3 functionalities.

MYTH: Physical separation is not allowed and increases logical segregation of the network.

FACT:: POL systems allow the physical and logical separation of the network perfectly through VLAN schemes at Layer 2 level as segmentation of broadcast domains in Layer 3 through routing protocols. The physical separation can also be established at the hardware level if desired.

MYTH: Each Splitter and each ONT can become a point of failure. The redundancy between the devices and communications would be done with double OLTs and multiple splitters, which makes the administration exhausting and increases costs.

FACT:: It is clarified that splitters are passive elements and are not subject to failure because they do not require power sources. POL systems can be configured for high availability through redundancy schemes, switches also require duplicating equipment, boxes, ports, power supplies, among others.

MYTH: It is not a familiar transmission medium for LAN networks.

FACT:: Optical systems, on the contrary, are very familiar in LAN environments, since several years ago they are used for backbone and intercampus distributions.

MYTH: The new generation of PoE Remote Powering (60-90 Watts new generation for smart buildings and IoT) is not supported by POL.

FACT:: POL technologies have conceptualized PoE ++ support through the ONTs that connect the end user devices that need to be powered with 60 and 100W levels. MYTH: There are no smart devices that allow any device on the network to be connected to any point on the network.

FACT:: On the contrary, POL networks have intelligent equipment such as the OLT and ONT where the latter allows the connection of any IP device of the user network or networking if desired.

MYTH: Security. Levels of encryption, priorities and customer service queues are managed only by the Core to provide priority attention to the applications that require it (e.g. images, audio, real-time communications such as VoIP, Video conferencing), application monitoring. Encryption is handled from OLT-ONT, but not from ONT-OLT due to the nature of the PON broadcast. How do you handle the security level where all the ONTs see the signals that the OLTs transmit?

FACT:: Passive optical network technologies handle high levels of security for the following aspects:

1. On a physical level: The optical fiber is immune to the electromagnetic fields that are generated in the medium avoiding some theft of information by non-direct mechanisms on the transmission medium. Additionally, it is not possible to capture information directly affecting the physical environment as it happens in the metallic medium of balanced trailing torque.
2. Logically: GPON systems handle natively and by default AES 128 encryption avoiding capturing information especially in downstream traffic. Additionally, GPON systems handle all the typical Ethernet protocols and functionalities such as Access Control Lists (ACL), 802.1X Port Security, whereas traditional network systems require more specialized switches and other ranges to implement. security policies, for example the MACsec functionality that must be configured and that are not supported by other ranges of switches from the same manufacturer or with legacy equipment.
   
   It is true that GPON systems handle encryption in downstream through AES 128, but we must remember what was stated in reality number 2, where GPON networks handle the same security protocols of a switched network such as 802.1 X port security, Access control lists, authentications that work both ways additionally in an Ethernet network, an attacker can use a media conversion device to enter the switched network instead in GPON, copying an ONT is too difficult in addition to these must be synchronized and be detected by the OLT through a unique identification number (serial number).
   
   In addition, AES 128 encryption in GPON systems is enabled by default instead in conventional switch systems, they must use trustsec Mac sec 802.1AE with AES 128 encryption in New devices, not compatible with previous references to protect the eavesdropping effect in communications , also in the complexity in its configuration that requires expert personnel. As for upstream traffic, the risk is not as high as the trunk ports of a traditional switch since it has implemented security countermeasures in the access port, in addition to the TDMA-based Uplink transmission mode makes it more difficult to obtain Upload traffic information using typical hardware that handles 802.3 Ethernet. There is evidence that through a sniffer you can perfectly hear the traffic that passes in a given Vlan in a traditional scheme, in GPON solution it is evident that you cannot register network management traffic or Switching protocols, to be more specific, no network communication is recorded between the OLT and ONT. Nor should we forget the advantages of the physical means of intervening directly or indirectly on the optical link.

MYTH: There is no dynamic discovery of devices.

FACT:: On the contrary, it is claimed that there is dynamic discovery, the GPON system allows you to discover all the ONT of the system and networking devices. Additionally, it supports LLDP-Med which is equivalent to some proprietary discovery protocols.

MYTH: Weak in troubleshooting tools and circuit tracking.

FACT:: It is clarified that in any optical system, there are verification tools for troubleshooting and circuit tracking using a Power meter, VFL (Visual Fault Locator) and even an OTDR device, therefore the statement does not apply.

MYTH: To give a speed of 1 / 10Gbps you would have to place a fiber directly to the user and use an active network in structured cabling, direct connections can damage the ports of the equipment in PON technologies.

FACT:: POL systems adequately handle the concept of Power Budget to ensure the levels of optical power to be transmitted. In these systems, the physical projects have attenuations of the optical dividers to guarantee the optical dynamic range in the transmission to the access equipment, which in this case are the ONT.

MYTH: Difficult procurement of personnel who know the technology for easy administration.

FACT:: Today there are training programs in this type of technologies for the implementing channels. There is a network of highly trained and certified channels. In the case of most manufacturers, knowledge is transmitted not only to the channel but also to the final customer for system administration and management. The configuration interface through CLI is like switch vendors structure so a networking engineer can adapt perfectly to POL systems.

MYTH: There is no compatibility between the different brands of POL networks. It does not offer interoperability between equipment / brands.

FACT:: Regarding the interoperability issues of POL equipment. The technology is based on compliance with international standards (ITU-T G.984, ITU-T G.987, ITU-T G.988, ITU.T G.989). The standards left open some sections for each manufacturer to carry out its development. Currently, interoperability at the OLT and ONT level is only guaranteed with equipment of the same brand, but there are already industry efforts in this regard. The only thing that can be highlighted at this point is that when handling a single-brand solution, it will generate the following benefits rather than disadvantages such as:

• Elimination of gray areas of responsibility in the implementation of a LAN network project. There is only one person responsible in case of failures of any component, whether active or passive, of the solution.
• Support of Manufacturers.
• Complete training of the solution at active and passive level from design to implementation and subsequent administration of the system.
• Local and remote support.
• Extended warranty programs of up to 25 years.

MYTH: PON uses the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) communication scheme accessing each OLT every 125 microseconds vs. 2Tbps or greater of the capacity of the switches.

FACT:: TDMA is used for UPSTREAM communication between ONT and OLT. The TDMA scheme allows each ONT to use a fixed or variable time interval that scans the entire bandwidth of the channel. The available bandwidth for each ONT can be set according to need, which is checked periodically or according to service contracts. Therefore, the switching capacity is not compared with GPON TDMA communication. OLTs also have very high switching capabilities and are often superior to switches.

MYTH: POL versions are not supported by international standards ISO 11801 or ANSI / TIA-568-1.D, Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard, ANSI / TIA-568-2.D, Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard; Part 2: Balanced Twisted Pair Cabling Components, ANSI / TIA-568-3.D, Optical Fiber Cabling Components Standard.

FACT:: POL perfectly complies with the structured cabling standard especially those mentioned. On the contrary, of course, structured cabling standards are complied with and are endorsed by ANSI / TIA 568.0-D as well as by BICSI through the telecommunications methods manual (TDMM version 13) where it is established that:

1. The ANSI / TIA 568.0-D establishes a chapter in table number 8 where they describe all the applications that can run in a structured cabling network, the acceptance of the EPON and GPON protocols is clearly evidenced according to the extract obtained from the mentioned standard as seen below:
   
   
2. It is verified at Annex A of the ANSI / TIA 568.0-D standard, where there is talk of a centralized fiber topology, that the optical elements in the ODN must be properly selected to comply with this topology as evidenced in the following picture:
   
   
3. BICSI compliance and acceptance of POL or POL technology can also be verified through TDMM in Chapter 15, also indicating topology as the optical attenuation levels to be guaranteed.

MYTH: Automated physical infrastructure management systems AIM (ANSI / TIA 606C, ISO / IEC 14762-2-1, ISO / IEC 18598) are not available in PON-LAN architectures.

FACT:: AIM systems are usually focused on datacenters markets where high cable density levels are required to be managed following ITIL guidelines. There must be clear procedures to take full advantage of these solutions, it has been shown that many customers underutilize these types of solutions and finally do not end up using them since they do not have strict management procedures. Additionally, GPON systems handle a protocol called OMCI that allows monitoring and properly managing the elements that make up the system.

MYTH: Fiber optic measurements for PON networks are much more demanding compared to a point-to-point architecture. Standard power meters are not accurate enough in the values of the downstream channel, in addition to reference the test in the upstream channel the ONT must be in contact with the OLT, which means that the service will be interrupted.

FACT:: On the contrary, the instrumentation used in GPON systems is simple and inexpensive. Power meters are easy-to-use equipment unlike copper meter systems that must analyze many parameters to ensure their transmission due to their susceptibility to intrinsic or exogenous crosstalk or noise that occurs in the metallic environment. The optical tests are carried out in the passive channel and the active part does not necessarily have to be connected, in conclusion, if the levels of insertion loss of the optical channel are guaranteed at the appropriate levels, the active part will work without problem.

MYTH: PON network measurement equipment is more expensive.

FACT:: Regarding the measuring equipment in POL, there are a variety of equipment and manufacturers in the market with competitive prices, traditional systems also handle fiber and copper links, so they must make a large investment of network certification equipment.

MYTH: Each ONT team must have levels of individual encryption, authentication, quality of service, added to the configuration parameters of each of the services of the building devices, which would increase the cost of these solutions. You should establish a strategy or consult beforehand about the software that facilitates the administrator and implementer the creation, support and traceability of the templates of the profiles of each device which represents an important challenge for the administrators of this type of platforms.

FACT:: ONT equipment is an intelligent equipment that is capable of effectively handling QoS, VLAN Assignment, bandwidth control both in the rise and in the descent but one of the most important features and of great advantage compared to traditional systems, is these devices are very low management, that is, their configuration is done centrally from the OLT through the user profile concept that several templates can be implemented and then the ONTs can be provisioned easily and quickly, in addition They have administration software with a user-friendly graphical interface for ease so the challenge is already solved. The costs remain quite competitive if we compare it with the active equipment of a traditional network.

MYTH: The ONTs will be in the work or coverage areas towards the device. Control, inspection and surveillance mechanisms must be established within a project risk matrix since the ONT is vulnerable and may be replaced or otherwise stolen (the ONTs are expensive equipment).

FACT:: Regarding the location and positioning scheme of the ONTs, there are several methodologies for its final installation depending on the needs of the user and the levels of restriction required. Something that we want to highlight is that an ONT is worth less than a laptop or an IP phone, which are more desirable devices for theft.

MYTH: POL does not contemplate the use of standards such as BICSI 005 (Electronic Safety and Security (ESS). System Design and Implementation Best Practices) and BICSI 007 (Information Communication Technology Design and Implementation Practices for Intelligent Buildings and Premises) that have signed a connection method that eliminates the outlet and the device cord (patch cord), adding a new concept and connection method referred to as “direct connections” (Direct Connections) or Modular Plug (MPTL) terminated link (TIA 568 2.D).

FACT:: It is clarified that the use of MPTL systems are designed for low management equipment such as cameras, access controls, AP among others. For these devices, it is possible to connect directly via a patch cord from an ONT to the final device without the risk that the MPTL does not work properly since this field connector must be used carefully because it does not fit properly in certain equipment models such as cameras and AP. Additionally, in the case that the MPTL is required, it is indifferent in traditional systems such as POL.

MYTH: POL requires several elements to connect the devices (e.g., PoE security cameras): Camera + patch cord + ONT + electrical outlet. What is the cost of this installation and its administration?

FACT:: It is clear that POL systems at ONT level require an electrical outlet for its operation, but it is not an inconvenience in the matter of costs, usually the workstations have a standard power supply as regulated where it can easily be connected these devices and in any case derive a small section of the nearby circuit to take a power outlet. According to TCO exercises, making the objective comparison between systems (POL and conventional LAN NETWORK) savings have been registered at CAPEX and OPEX level under the solution of passive optical networks.

MYTH: GPON networks have been used for more than 10 years. This technology makes administration in an internal plant network difficult by delegating its responsibility to passive components.

FACT:: On the contrary, the administration of the network is easier once the management is centralized, that is, they are carried out in the main active equipment called OLT where all access devices (ONT) are controlled. Ethernet networks have been used since the 1980s.

MYTH: The methods used to determine network speeds are based on statistical methods, and do not harmonize with the technologies available by the IEEE.

FACT:: On the contrary, Statistical methods are ideal tools for the adequate sizing of the performance of a network avoiding the underutilization of resources and excessive oversizing affecting the budget of the final client.

MYTH: Complicated administration of maximum speeds and losses of fiber and connectors. You must validate how much is the maximum loss in decibels to control.

FACT:: The optical budget is always important to analyze and fulfill it in any optical solution including in the optical systems of a Datacenter, it is a normal mechanism and does not generate any disadvantages. Additionally, the OLTs have in their software reception power measurement to verify and control the appropriate levels of power that the active part must receive, and its verification is quite simple.

MYTH: A POL infrastructure is difficult to manage, high risk, inefficient and not very aesthetic.

FACT:: On the contrary, due to their compliance with the norm, these systems are fully manageable at the passive level. Regarding active levels it is much more efficient in terms of configuration of distribution devices as access since a concept of centralized management is used since ONTs are very low administration devices, that is, once installed we no longer need to interact directly with them, in the opposite case of the different layers of switches that generate multiple management points generating greater man hours in terms of configuration. Regarding aesthetics, this will depend on the quality of the workforce and the installer and not on the solution, in traditional schemes wiring centers have been seen that are attentive to the aesthetics or on arrival to the end-user.

MYTH: Inspection Points. Designers and consultants must add inspection points to their plans including the metal box to house each ONT. This is expensive in construction processes.

FACT:: According to TCO exercises, making the objective comparison between systems (POL and conventional LAN NETWORK), savings have been recorded at the CAPEX and OPEX level under the solution of passive optical networks. In addition, not all ONTs are going to be hosted at these sites, in addition to a conventional LAN network, inspection records must also be left to lay new cables. Another important factor is that many Enterprise architectures, the concept of infrastructure in sight (i.e. without ceiling) is being used, so it should not be a problem either.

MYTH: Management software. The administration tool does not show the actual physical connection channel for proper dialing and administration.

FACT:: AIM systems are normally focused on datacenters markets where high cable density levels are required to be managed following ITIL guidelines. There must be clear procedures to take full advantage of these solutions, it has been shown that many customers underutilize these types of solutions and finally do not end up using them. In POL systems, dialing schemes are managed in compliance with standards and additionally, management can be done from monitoring software tools to control the traffic and the assignment of services to each of the end users as an assignment of descriptors to map and identify the network properly for troubleshooting or troubleshooting procedures.

MYTH: Total consumption monitoring and administration of “energy consumption savings”. Management tools do not deliver results of the “savings offered” by the companies that drive this technology. On the other hand, the analyzes provided by the suppliers intend to ignore the energy consumption of the ONTs whose average consumption is 18.5 Watts, which represents in a project where around 500 ONTs are installed a total consumption only in the ONTs of 9.2 Kva (18.5 Watts x 500 ONTs).

FACT:: On the contrary, none of the manufacturers of POL do not know the consumption of the ONT because it is clear that the loads are distributed in the work areas and these are taken into account in the calculations of electrical system load, on the other hand makes the clarification that the typical ONT does not consume 18.5 watts but less than 8 watts, therefore the analysis does not proceed, in conclusion the consumption of active equipment of a traditional network versus POL is similar, the difference is that in PON technologies LAN cooling requirements are reduced in technical rooms generating energy consumption savings than this if it is measurable through monitoring software.

MYTH: Impossibility of delivering real speeds of 1Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, 5Gbps, 10Gbps to users. Users indicate that their devices work at a maximum of 1Gbps. The way they identify it is by entering the computer software that shows that the connection is probably at 1Gbps. What should be used in a network traffic analyzer (sniffer) to determine the actual speed and bandwidth delivered by device and / or user.

FACT:: There is a gap in the conception of the bandwidths demanded by user applications where the calculations made by manufacturers to determine the capabilities of Uplink are quite oversized in a LAN network, where:

1. It is assumed that users are going to demand 1Gbps of bandwidth, the reality is that the applications of a typical corporate workplace will not require more than 5 Mbps. (See table tables of consumption of corporate applications-BICSI), You can additionally check the user equipment through the task manager where there is a tool to verify the consumption of network services, moreover, operator networks and home users demand much more bandwidth than a workstation of a company.
2. User Windows operating systems do not allow work at more than 600 Mbps.
3. Uplink sizing using oversubscription techniques is oversized and assumes maximum consumption of 1 Gbps. The manufacturer of switches can justify to support applications and greater bandwidths in the future, but they are forcing to change the equipment of switches to a span of 5 to 10 years for a subject of programmed obsolete. 25 years have passed, and the consumption of typical desktop and CCTV applications have not yet been able to pass the 10 Mbps barrier.
4. It can be demonstrated with facts using bandwidth consumption analyzers such as Cacti, PRTG, and others, how much uplink switches are really demanding, where they will not reach 10G. There are cases of large universities where they are working their network with a 1 Gbps access switch uplink and there are no problems at all.

Regarding GPON systems, it effectively uses the use of bandwidths, avoiding oversizing the systems. It also manages a concept called statistical multiplexing where it intelligently allocates greater bandwidth to the application that needs it in an instant of time from idle users, in addition to handling more real oversubscription concepts through the use of an intelligent algorithm called dBA (dynamic bandwidth allocation) where he modifies the bandwidth widths according to what the application requires depending on the time. Additionally, passive optical network systems in the future will migrate to 10G technologies when the applications or services become more demanding.

On the other hand, in case of requiring more bandwidth in the future, equipment with XG-PON or NG-PON2 technology can be used to increase the traffic capacity towards users.

MYTH: Field tests and certification. The companies that install these technologies certify the network with traditional fiber optic networks certifiers, not knowing that special devices must be used to certify PON. They do not regularly know which device the certification was made with.

FACT:: PON systems do not require special instrumentation to certify the Optical Channel. you can even use fiber bolsters with Power Meter function for existing certifiers or use conventional Power Meter with VFL.

MYTH: The transmission and reception bandwidth are different. 2.5 Gbps from the OLT-ONT and 1.25 Gbps from the ONT-OLT. This throughput does not deliver 1Gbps to a user and is not enough to support 10Gbps.

FACT:: Typical corporate users require nowadays from 1 to 7 Mbps (see table below). Telephony is in order of 150 Kbps, a high definition camera 6 Mbps, video game consoles that process 3D images and multiplayer accesses do not require more than 15 Mbps. Gartner studies state that the typical consumption for corporate applications are the ones evidenced in the following table:

It is also important to add that with the advent of Cloud computing, North-South communication is increasingly gaining space if compared to point-to-point communications.

MYTH: Trained staff? It is difficult for a user to achieve personal knowledge of these technologies implemented inside buildings. This added to the low level of support delivered to the user. Generally, the supports are delivered by personnel outside the country in their own schedules.

FACT: Recognized manufacturers have LOCAL training programs in the design, implementation and commissioning of both active and passive POL technology. Several integration channels are accredited to provide first level support, in addition to support through its authorized service center (CSA), you can exercise local support. Additionally, the final customer is trained in the configuration and management of the platform.

MYTH: Losses and damages of ONTs. The ONTs are installed on the roofs to avoid security problems, increasing the problems of administration, identification, monitoring of the circuits and troubleshooting, increasing the administration costs. It is important to collect information and its corresponding analysis of the percentage of failures that ONTs have. If this percentage is 10% (50 ONTs in a 500 ONT installation), this can alter the availability of the network at critical points in a hospital. The replacement of these devices is the responsibility of the supplier until the warranty period (approx. 2 to 3 years). Once the warranty is over, the user is responsible for the replacement of the ONTs. How much is each ONT worth and how about its replacement?

FACT:: It is important to clarify that the ONT are low management devices and do not require any complex management process so everything is configured from the OLT therefore there is no problem of identification, monitoring etc., there have been evidenced experiences of hosting ONT at heights of more than 10 meters and at no time, even after two years of operation in relevant projects in the POL market, it has NOT been necessary to change or manage such equipment. Conventional LAN switchgear systems handle the same guarantee schemes between 2 and 3 years and in case of failure, it is more expensive to lose 24 or 48 users than only 4 in the access layer.

MYTH: Devices that are regularly used with PoE. Each ONT must be fitted with a regulated outlet on the ceiling to provide PoE to the devices. This makes it impossible to get the most out of what is really expected with PoE which is to eliminate the electrical wiring for devices that require PoE and additionally PON does not support the latest PoE technologies of 60W, 90W, 100W required in the world IoT).

FACT:: POL technologies have conceptualized PoE ++ support through the ONTs that connect the end user devices. Additionally, in the POL market, fiber optic cables are available with conductors for power supply of the ONT (remote powering), therefore, additional electrical wiring is eliminated in the system.

MYTH: Security. With PON technology the cameras would be connected to the ONTs placed on the roofs but with the percentage of failures that may occur from the ONTs it is preferable to use a parallel network of Cat 6A minimum shielded copper cable for this independent of the PON system. You cannot leave a system as demanding as the security network with 100% unreliable devices. PON security is not recommended at this scenario. The risk is high.

FACT:: It is clarified that PON systems are highly robust to connect devices such as security cameras among others, there have been cases in projects where ONTs are installed at 10 meters high supporting CCTV and WIFI systems working for more than two years without problems, in addition there is a greater risk of damaging a 24 or 48 port switch that is connecting most of the cameras, the impact is much greater than losing an ONT with only 4 cameras. It is recalled that OLTs are “Carrier Class” equipment designed for continuous work thanks to their high levels of reliability compared to traditional Switching systems, it also allows to manage redundancy schemes for high availability.

MYTH: Adding users. If there are no free ports of an ONT, you should look for availability in nearby ONTs by generating a “cable mix” on the roofs. Otherwise, a new splitter with a new fiber must be installed from the OLT causing traumas in the initial wiring design and its corresponding administration. This additional to the losses in decibels that are generated and that must be contemplated. Administrators suffer from tools to control this, which causes this type of monitoring not to be carried out (see next point).

FACT:: It is clarified that in any network design, one of the factors to be analyzed is the issue of scalability or growth, GPON systems also include this concept in leaving optical ports available at first level distributors located in the field, in addition to the same It happens in traditional topologies where rack spaces, duct sizes and pipes etc. are not properly sized, which in the end becomes chaos, therefore this factor depends on the quality of the design and not on the solution. Regarding decibel losses, as an added value, POL systems use BLI technology fibers that are insensitive to radii of curvature, generating high tolerances for demanding installation procedures without affecting the insertion losses measured in dB.

MYTH: Analysis and control of signal strength and loss in decibels if extra users and / or devices such as a splitter are required. Neither users nor administrators regularly carry out this control and monitoring or do power management or decibel losses of fiber connections to users. PON has a limit of losses in a channel that must be controlled.

FACT:: On the contrary, the POL systems using the software that has the active layer allows the monitoring of the optical power levels of the network quickly, additionally there are notification systems in case of registering any failure in the link that can be deploy via SNMP to monitoring software generating alerts to the administrator. It has been calculated that the levels of insertion losses depending on the laser to be used can reach up to 32dB at 20 km, something that copper wiring systems (100-meter channel limit) cannot achieve in a conventional installation.

MYTH: Traffic profiles to specific users. The administration tools do not allow in a friendly way to carry out this work, which makes complicated an administration where movements, additions and changes are made, especially with medical equipment that require minimum levels of connectivity.

FACT:: On the contrary, monitoring software and other tools are available to make a friendly administration since POL equipment handles protocols such as SNMP.

MYTH: Dynamic discovery of devices. It is not done in PON. What is done is the knowledge through the OLT port that ONTs are connected. There is NO circuit tracking.

FACT:: On the contrary, PON systems allow to easily detect the devices that are connected in the ONT ports, additionally they have open protocols like the cisco CDP that in case of POL is the LLDP to detect and discover the devices that are connected.

MYTH: Regularly support and troubleshooting are delivered by the manufacturer from their parent companies. There is no problem resolution with expert staff locally.

FACT:: The most recognized manufacturers in the POL market, has accredited channels of POL technology with the ability to design, implement and put the solution into service locally.

FACT:: It is clarified that POL systems perfectly manage redundancy schemes in GPON ports of the OLT, there are splitters with double input to guarantee redundancy in the distribution layer, with respect to the uplink ports that the OLT has, you can handle schemes trouble-free redundancy and the use of spanning tree mechanisms in all its versions to avoid switching loops in the ethernet layer.

MYTH: Some problems that arise are not solved locally but regularly by the manufacturer remotely. High risk: Will the response be immediate and timely?

FACT:: The manufacturers of the most recognized POL solutions, normally train the personnel of the entire value chain, from the client network administrator to the integrator that provides first level support, therefore the answers are IMMEDIATE AND TIMELY.

MYTH: Category 6A copper wiring link supports the future adoption of remote power technology (e.g., Ethernet or PoE power) and 10GBASE-T transmission speeds with the minimum need to upgrade or replace the existing equipment.

FACT:: It is clarified that traditional technologies based on SI switches must replace active equipment such as the migration from fast ethernet to giga ethernet or towards 10GBaseT in a typical period of 5 years. POL solutions handle single-mode fiber optic with capabilities superior to cat 6A cabling and longer-range distances. Regarding PoE, POL networks have ONT equipment with PoE ports.

MYTH: Use POL solutions if your users require low speed and long-distance support. But do you know what speed or services your users require in the coming years?

FACT:: On the contrary, use POL solutions for any type of network, especially medium and large, that require high demand in the traffic of information seeking to generate considerable savings in the TCO and without oversizing the resources normally generated by traditional technologies.

MYTH: If your company handles a lot of information in the cloud and your users consult the WEB and do not share robust information (e.g. video, Real-time images between offices and / or surgery rooms or devices), you should probably be more concerned about the speed of the WAN than the LAN for its users and speeds of less than 100 Mbps may be sufficient.

FACT:: Today, all IT services are being migrated to the cloud in most of the verticals that are known, even in the health sector, information must be sent even to the cloud in order to generate diagnostic reports from other clinics or review of other specialists and therefore have to access the WAN.

MYTH: Contingency process when there is a problem in the network. Companies choose to increase their investment and create a redundancy system by acquiring double Core Switch and double OLT. They generally do not have redundancy in splitters or ONTs which reinforces the placement of the security system by traditional structured cabling and not by the PON structure. On the other hand, in the PON technology, the activation of redundant connections cannot be performed, therefore robust protocols such as Spanning tree cannot be used to allow interconnection devices to automatically enable or disable redundant connection links.

MYTH: If speed, security, redundancy, implementation of new medical devices, easy administration are not critical factors in the network, this POL solution is more economical.

FACT:: On the contrary, the use of POL solutions would be recommended due to the high levels of reliability, SECURITY, REDUNDANCY in user operations that are critical as explained in previous paragraphs.

MYTH: GPON technology is said to work at up to 1 Gbps. By comparison, Gigabit Ethernet technology can evolve to support 10Gbps and 40Gbps rates.

FACT:: PON technology works with the GPON protocol and its evolutions, the XG PON and XGS PON, working at rates of 10G or its future implementations expected to reach 40, 100 and up to 400 Gbps thanks to the use of WDM technology. The following are the ITU-T standards and their transmission rates:

• GPON (ITU-T G.984): 2.5 Gbps Downstream / 1.25 Gbps Upstream
• XG-PON (ITU-T G.987): 10 Gbps Downstream / 2.5 Gbps Upstream
• XGS-PON (ITU-T G.9807.1): 10 Gbps Downstream / 10 Gbps Upstream
• NG-PON 2 (ITU-T G.989): 40 Gbps Downstream / 10 Gbps Upstream 100Gbps (in study)

MYTH: PON networks can have insertion losses of up to 0.5 dB making them less secure than Gigabit Ethernet networks.

FACT:: Optical passive networks technologies manage high levels of security:

1. At the physical level: Optical fiber is immune to electromagnetic fields generated in the medium that can cause information loss. In addition, information cannot be captured by physically intercepting a fiber in the same way as it is possible with copper media.
2. At the logical level: GPON systems work natively and by default with AES 128 encryption. In addition, it is possible to implement all Ethernet protocols and functionality such as Access Control Lists (ACL), Port Security and 802.1X. As a reference, support for such features can be found in the OLT LW3008C and G2500 User’s Guide available at www.furukawalatam.com.

MYTH: The GPON physical network is a hub that multiplexes the traffic flow creating reliability and performance difficulties in services that require real time transmission such as voice and video. In contrast, Ethernet works on a three-tier architecture, end devices connected to one access switch can communicate with another without the packet having to travel across the network, which is important for real-time communications.

FACT:: GPON networks are composed of only two layers of active equipment, which considerably reduces latency compared to multi-layer Ethernet networks (core, distribution, and access). Additionally, it should not be confused that the Optical Splitter is a Hub since it is a passive device that simply splits the optical signal into N number of channels. At the logical level, both OLTs and ONTs allow traffic segmentation in VLANs and their various applications (VLAN Tagging, VLAN Stacking-in-Q, VLAN Translation, dot1Q, 802.1D, among others), a characteristic of Switch systems. Regarding services, the GPON platform can manage different levels of QoS (Quality of Service) to prioritize traffic such as voice, video and others. They also enable intelligent bandwidth management (DBA algorithm). GPON networks are designed to offer multiservice systems (voice, data and video) and real-time applications. There are numerous deployments in the Enterprise and TELCO carrier environment around the world.

MYTH: It consolidates two levels into one by decreasing controls for redundancy. In contrast, ethernet supports the Spanning Tree protocol.

FACT:: GPON systems support different redundancy schemes like a conventional network as it is listed in ITU-T 984. In addition, OLT can protect ONT level switching loops and support for spanning tree protocols. Rapid Spanning tree and MSTP at the OLT port level.

MYTH: In GPON, increasing availability and reliability to a hub requires redundant equipment, adding costs to the system.

FACT:: Regarding availability and reliability, it is clarified that GPON devices support a reliability level of 5 nines (99.999%), higher than traditional switch systems, and have various redundancy schemes to ensure operation to be continued. With respect to PoE applications, GPOL systems handle ONT equipment with PoE and Poe + features to power the different equipment you require such as AP, Cameras, telephones between others. WLAN Integration can be handled perfectly because ONTs have access LANs to connect to WLAN antennas. For monitoring, GPON has the OMCI protocol (ONT management layer 2) and SNMP (for OLT administration), where an NMS can perform alarm monitoring, diagnostics, etc. And lastly referring to QoS, as mentioned before, GPON platform handles different levels of Service (QoS) to prioritize traffic as the case of voice and other services, but also to manage smart bandwidth management.

MYTH: GPON systems obey a two (2) layer model instead Gigabit Ethernet manages a 2 or 3-layer model generating more reliability by developing high application performance and real-time support and the best type of traffic.

FACT:: On the contrary, having a two-layer model considerably improves network latency and points of failure, however, switched networks by using multilayer models between computers will generate higher levels of network latency and points of failure. Additionally, if spoken in terms of the OSI model, GPON systems handle Layer 2 and 3 functionalities as protocols related to segmentation through VLANs or the management of routing protocols, whether static or dynamic. Having an architecture of less layers, will facilitate the administration and operation of the network, since everything is managed from a centralized team.

Regarding GPON systems, it effectively uses the use of bandwidths, avoiding oversizing the systems. It also manages a concept called statistical multiplexing where it intelligently allocates greater bandwidth to the application that needs it in an instant of time from idle users, in addition to handling more real oversubscription concepts through the use of an intelligent algorithm called dBA (dynamic bandwidth allocation) where he modifies the bandwidth widths according to what the application requires depending on the time. Additionally, and considering another reality cited in this document, the passive optical network systems in the future will migrate to 10 G technologies when the applications or services begin to be more demanding.

On the other hand, in case of requiring more bandwidth in the future, equipment with XG-PON or NG-PON2 technology can be used to increase the traffic capacity towards users.

MYTH: The bandwidth is shared by Splitter instead in Gigabit Ethernet network bandwidth is dedicated to each network device.

FACT:: The bandwidth does not depend on the optical division in GPON systems but the number of ONTs that are connected to the medium, it is clear that the multipoint point topology is shared bandwidth but it should also be clarified that Gigabit Ethernet systems Conventional also, it is not true that they have bandwidth dedicated to the access port because they will depend on the capacity of Uplink that the Switch has, for example if we assume a 1: 1 over subscription for a 1G uplink on a switch of 48 Ethernet ports, the bandwidth will be divided by 48, that is to say, there would be an available or not available bandwidth of 20 Mbps assigned to the user. In addition, GPON systems can increase bandwidths for certain critical applications simply by reducing the number of ONT to access the 2.5G channel in the worst case, even bandwidths are greater than theoretically calculated due to multiplexing statistics and the use of the DBA algorithm (dynamic Bandwidth allocation).

MYTH: The physical network is a hub. There are no switches in the logical distribution or ODN, only passive elements. All traffic is forced to travel between ONT-OLT while gigabit Ethernet solutions are switched.

FACT:: On the contrary, this characteristic of the OLT and the splitter assuming the function of the distribution and aggregation layer avoids high levels of latency, instead when handling a multilayer model as in traditional Switch technology, the more active equipment added in the middle the higher level of latency will have and also they generate more points of failure and difficulty of troubleshooting or solving problems quickly.

MYTH: GPON solutions do not offer speed mixing. Each user receives the same bandwidth regardless of their need, instead the speeds can be mixed in an Ethernet network, optimizing the performance of a user’s applications or needs.

FACT:: An FTTH operator network can be taken as an example, if GPON systems could not manage bandwidth it would be impossible to assign service levels (SLA) to users, that is, they could not sell packages of 10 or 20 Mbps to users in case the myth was correct. On a technical level, the downstream BW can be controlled by means of limited rate functions and the upload widths through the use of the DBA through the Status Report functions where the ONT constantly informs the OLT of the bandwidth requirements that have a certain application and the OLT will perform a reconfiguration of the bandwidth according to the need. This is one of the main advantages of a GPON system. Each ONT is associated with a profile that indicates the transmission speed of downstream and upstream.

MYTH: GPON systems are weak in Troubleshooting Tools. Gigabit Ethernet has packet tagging for video quality and diagnostic service and troubleshooting (wireshark), 802.1X security services, power monitoring and control.

FACT:: On the contrary, GPON systems have enough diagnostic tools either by CLI or GUI interfaces where the main ones are indicated:

1. It has syslog functions
2. It has mirroring ports that will allow monitoring via network sniffering tools.
3. RMON and SNMP
4. Diagnostic commands for optical power levels that reach the ONT
5. 802.1X port security functionalities among many more.

MYTH: In GPON systems, there is no centralized power backup from the communications room to POL devices and the entire network may fall.

FACT:: Each POL device, such as OLTs, has a double redundant source to be supported by different AC circuits generated by independent UPS, maintaining a high level of power availability. The ONT, especially PoE systems have a main port for AC power connection through an adapter, also has a BBU port that allows to connect a small battery bank to generate redundancy in case the main source fails. The centralized backrests can be worked both in DC using rectifiers or through UPS in the case of AC power.

MYTH: Many points of failure. A splitter can take out all the ONT that it has connected.

FACT:: A splitter is a passive device where it does not involve any electronics or power source that are normally points of failure, the probability of damage is too low compared to the active part of the switches. Even switches are more likely to fail because they have low MTBF compared to GPON devices.

MYTH: Each OLT is a point of failure, if one falls the total network can fall.

FACT:: The same happens with the distribution and Core switches, if they fail, the network also collapses, for that in both systems there are different levels of redundancy to guarantee high availability, it is also remembered that OLTs usually have double redundant sources, the switches some ranges do not have this functionality, in addition the OLT handle levels of reliability of 5 nines (99.999%).

MYTH: GPON solutions do not work with video communications services, collaboration, WLAN interaction, desktop virtualization, mobile, cloud, unified communications.

FACT:: On the contrary, because OLT and ONT devices handle Layer 2 and 3, QoS Quality of Service normally used in Ethernet technology, they can perfectly handle all these services indicated since they speak IP, it can even handle IPTV through protocols such as IGMP and multicast without problem Additionally, it can integrate “NO IP” services such as the CATV that uses analog RF signals where they are opticalized and sent over the same Fiber infrastructure, making GPON the platform with the highest convergence than a conventional Gigabit Ethernet system.

MYTH: Hard to run Updates

FACT:: On the contrary, at the physical infrastructure level, the ODN network can support different PON technologies such as XGPON simply by upgrading the active part. Regarding Firmware updates it is much easier and faster than a conventional solution, with a single command you can update the images of X number of ONT the same for OLT.

MYTH: GPON uses the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) communication scheme, accessing each OLT every 125 us vs. 2 Tbps of switches switch capacity.

FACT:: The GPON systems in its upstream effectively handle TDMA, generating a collision-free environment, mounting different packages in 125 us temporary slots. There is no relation of the comparison between the Upstream transmission mode versus the backplane capacity of the switches.

MYTH: For TV they use EDFA amplifiers, which are very expensive.

FACT:: For Video overlay services (send video using RF signals over fiber optics) it is clear that new hardware such as the optical transmitter, such as the amplifier and its associated costs must be contemplated. The most advisable thing is to compare this solution with IPTV systems that include the headers that the client must quote and make the price comparison to select the most appropriate type of technology. However, the POL solution can handle both technologies without problems. The cost of additional devices for Video RF Overlay will depend on the magnitude of the project.

MYTH: PON involves a wiring and regulated regulated electrical system within costs

FACT:: The switches of a wiring center also require circuits regulated by UPS and their consumption must also be considered of the load boxes. In PON too. All the infrastructure involved with the implementation of wiring centers already mentioned in this document must be taken into account, also take into account the investment returns that a shopping center could have, for example in dispensing with these spaces for other uses such as ATM installation automatic generating an interesting benefit to the final customer.

You can read the complete article from BICSI magazine ICT Today by clicking right here.

With the significant increase in technological innovation, there is an industry need to make a shift to a high-performance LAN that can keep pace with today and tomorrow’s innovations. With traditional copper-based LANs, companies are risking functionality, cost and scalability issues. The answer is Passive Optical LAN (POL). Industry decision-makers are turning to POL for their new builds and network upgrades, as it is the only solution that makes sense to deliver immediate and long-term value to an organization.

In fact, APOLAN has determined the top five reasons enterprise, healthcare, government, hospitality and education facilities and campuses are turning to POL to bring this value to their organization. APOLAN provides details on these top benefits in the news announcement, “APOLAN Unveils the Top Five Reasons Passive Optical LAN Brings Value to New Builds and Network Upgrades”. Click here to view the release in its entirety. In no particular order, they are:

• Capex and Opex savings: POL lowers initial capital expenses but also reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) for the network.
• Reduced Space Requirements: Reduction in floor space lowers operating expenses by reducing overhead costs, as well as increases infrastructure design options.
• Future-proof Infrastructure: As a single-mode fiber (SMF) infrastructure, POL virtually future-proofs a network.
• Network Service Convergence: POL enables all services to be delivered across a single infrastructure, eliminating the need for multiple platforms while providing highly scalable high-speed data services to all users.
• Military-Grade Security: POL is a proven, highly secure technology designed to deliver the highest level of protection.

The need for a reliable and secure infrastructure is possible with POL. Those that have already adopted the technology, are experiencing long-term savings by reaping the benefits of a converged, future-proof network infrastructure.

This “enlightened” network delivers incredible perks like flexibility, low-touch control, and cost savings just to name a few. Through its network of experts, APOLAN is the source for all things optical LAN. APOLAN is the first and only organization with sole focus on the technology with a member portfolio that spans the entire POL ecosystem. For more information about becoming an APOLAN member company visit: https://apolanglobal.org/join/

In this article published by Lightwave Magazine, John Hoover (Tellabs Senior Product Manager and APOLAN Board Director) writes how people can proactively plan, build, and operate more secure local area networks (LANs) with a passive optical LAN.

The article goes on to state that whether it’s now or sometime in the near future, every copper-based legacy network must be upgraded or replaced to keep pace. Those in the know will consider passive optical LAN as the best course of action to minimize security concerns.

You can access the complete Lightwave article by clicking here.

Healthcare facility managers have an undeniably tough job. They must keep a careful eye on infrastructure in order to fulfill the daunting task of increasing productivity while protecting patients’ well being. One absolute must when it comes to creating this optimal patient care environment is making sure that a facility’s underlying communications network is secure, reliable and efficient for today and tomorrow’s voice and data services. To meet that challenge there is one clear cost-efficient answer: Embracing passive optical LAN technology.

Instead of relying on a copper-based, point-to-point LAN, a passive fiber-based infrastructure saves up to 30 to 50 percent of capital costs, 50 to 70 percent of operational costs and 90 percent of rack space real estate. At the same time, it exceeds legacy network availability in Key Performance Indicators (KPI) – a critical factor for the healthcare industry.

Here are the top five healthcare market benefits that industry players can leverage with passive optical LAN.

Lower power needs = increase cost-savings: As a passive architecture, fiber LAN removes all power requirements within the Optical Distribution Network (ODN). In additional to requiring less power, POL requires significantly less equipment in the network. This creates a positive ripple effect in many other areas, including power distribution and switchgear, power conversion and air conditioning cooling.

High reliability for critical-care services: Healthcare facilities have zero tolerance for network instability. LAN stability can be measured in the percentage of time that the network is up and running throughout a year. A legacy copper-based LAN generally offers 99.9 percent availability per year, which means 8.7 hours of downtime. This is unacceptable for health care providers. Typical optical LAN has a tested availability of 99.999% per year or 5 minutes of downtime annually.

Designed for patient care: Passive optical LAN architectures provide tremendous improvements in the design of healthcare facilities. A fiber-based LAN can span 12.5 miles (copper LANs only stretch 300 feet). The additional distance with fiber eliminates mid-span switching electronics located in telecom rooms, which means facilities can reduce or even eliminate overly complex telecom rooms. As a result, without any increase in square footage, healthcare facilities can easily accommodate more patient care rooms.

Security for the modern healthcare environment: With strict HIPAA requirements, LAN security is a top industry priority. LAN traffic is more secure on passive optical LAN than on copper-based networks. Fiber is not susceptible to Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI), Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) or Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP).

Secure processes through centralized management: Instead of managing legacy architectures locally (at the switch and at the telecom room), passive optical LAN assures a more secure method for healthcare IT pros via a centralized element management interface. IT pros can establish role-based access for users accessing the network through strict authentication and authorization protocols. Consistent security policies and procedures are managed from this secure centralized location as well. Centralized intelligence and management reduces human errors, which results in better security when performing everyday network configuration changes.

While summer means it’s relatively quiet on most college and university campuses, academia’s IT managers never close their books when it comes to their institutions’ growing and unique connectivity demands.

Whether it’s enhancing the educational experience through streaming classes, or increasing bandwidth to assure students, faculty and staff members can integrate ever-developing smart devices and systems into their on-campus experience, the quality of a college or university LAN is essential. But, in this cost-conscious era of higher education, how can it be done?

The answer: POL (passive optical LAN).

Traditionally, campuses have relied on copper-based LAN infrastructure, which is space-consuming, limited in its reach and bandwidth capacity and costly to repair and upgrade.

But with a single fiber, a POL can support every building on campus. This future-proof network also provides virtually unlimited bandwidth that can easily keep up with connectivity needs for decades to come and is flexible enough to support next-generation technologies. In addition, training and certification is streamlined compared to what’s required for active Ethernet LAN. And, from a financial perspective, both short- and long-term capital and operational expenses don’t bust budgets in the way constantly updating copper systems can.

Beyond its technical capabilities and cost-saving features, passive optical LAN offers another big plus: they’re environmentally friendly. In a 2015 survey of nearly 10,000 college applicants conducted by The Princeton Review, 61 percent said, “a college’s commitment to the environment would impact their decision to apply or attend a school.”

Those potential coeds will rest easy knowing that POLs present a smaller carbon footprint, produce less greenhouse gas emissions and spew fewer toxins into the environment compared to copper-based networks.

As universitybusiness.com put it in a recent article: “Unlike copper cabling that’s been in place for decades, a fiber-based passive optical network (PON) offers faster, cheaper and more secure networks compared to legacy systems.” Schools may be out for summer, but to learn more about the value of POLs both on and off campus, check out our Articles and Videos pages.

The onslaught of new business applications and connectivity demands that come with mobile device business integration, anything-as-a-service, the Internet of Things and cloud computing are just the tip of the iceberg. Business operations, such as HVAC systems, thermostat and lighting controls, building locks and security functions, automated conference room reservations play a role in straining the network. More bandwidth and improved reliability are essential for any of these innovations to function adequately. A ‘smart building’ will become the norm in everyday business functionality.

To meet the modern building requirements and prepare the office spaces for the future, building owners and IT managers cannot settle for the outdated traditional LAN infrastructure. Copper-based LANs cannot support the growing connectivity needs without inflicting additional costs, labor-intensive upgrades, and demanding space-consuming telecom closets.

Here are five reasons why building owners and IT managers need to consider deploying passive optical LAN:

Building owners turn to passive optical LAN to:

• Support an extended network lifecycle of 10 years or more. This results in less upgrades and modest ongoing maintenance costs
• Reduce capital and operational expenses, as a result of less equipment and lower energy and cooling needs
• Lower space requirements. Without the need for a dedicated telecom closet to accommodate communications and cooling equipment, building owners can optimize the square-footage into productive spaces

IT managers turn to passive optical LAN to:

• Offer virtually unlimited bandwidth. IT managers can converge all connected devices – either wireless and wired – into one single network
• Improve security and reliability. The network offers limited unplanned network downtime and is highly secure, so whether it is for productivity needs in the cloud or building management systems, IT teams have a robust infrastructure on their side

Learn more about in recent case studies how passive optical LAN delivers the connectivity needs for the modern enterprise.

Forget the complimentary breakfast. For the modern traveller, the biggest expectation in hotel and resort amenities is reliable and secure Internet connectivity. From streaming their favorite shows to video teleconferences with colleagues or family, the demand for high-bandwidth services is only growing as innovations evolve.

On the other side of the check-in counter, the business side of the hospitality market requires a robust network that can accommodate massive throughput of data, including hotel reservation and billing systems, as well as streaming surveillance and building automation services.

So, here is the question for the hospitality industry. How can you take care of the connected traveler from both sides of the counter? The answer is simple. The solution is having the right local area network (LAN) infrastructure in place.

Traditional copper-based LANs are outdated. The simple fact is that hotels and resorts cannot rely on this antiquated technology to accommodate and keep up with growing connectivity demands needed to conduct a successful daily operations and ensure guest happiness.

There is an enlightened patch to guest satisfaction – it is passive optical LAN.

Passive optical LAN offers unmatched benefits to the hospitality industry that copper cannot match.

• Cost savings – generates lower capital and operational expenses, due to reduced equipment, lower maintenance needs and provides significant energy savings. Passive Optical LAN is also impervious to salt-water, increasing the networks life span for beachside hotels and resorts.
• Security – offers government-level security
• Reliability – delivers up to five nines of availability, versus three nines of availability with copper, gaining important hours/year of no unplanned downtime
• Bandwidth – offers virtually unlimited bandwidth that accommodates both data-heavy applications as well as Wi-Fi connectivity to guests
• Network simplicity – expends the network across large hospitality complexes with minimal equipment required
• Revenue-generating opportunity – eliminates the need of telecom closets, with little space requirement, creating the opportunity to reallocate space for additional rooms that can accommodate guests.

Passive optical LAN offers the future-proof infrastructure that better supports both ongoing operations and the emerging services that guests demand.

Whether the building provides high-bandwidth communication services, sophisticated air quality monitoring, light and thermostat control, innovative security applications, or next-gen building management operations, long-term success relies on a building’s LAN.

Traditional active copper-based LANs cannot keep up with the bandwidth and reliability requirements of smart buildings. This outdated technology requires significant energy, power and cooling needs that hinder sustainability metrics and standards, including LEED and the Green Globe certification, a global certification for sustainable tourism. However, there is a LAN technology that can deliver both the high performance and the green benefits required by the modern enterprise. It is passive optical LAN.

Passive optical LANs offer a simplified and sophisticated network backbone that delivers virtually unlimited bandwidth and superior availability, with little energy and cooling requirements.

Touted for its future-proof capabilities, passive optical LAN converges all services across a single infrastructure. It seamlessly delivers highly scalable and high-speed functionality to support data, voice, video, wireless access and monitoring services. And when it comes to low power, by its very nature passive optical LANs removes all power requirements from the building aggregation portion of the network and requires less power due to lower equipment needs. This has a ripple effect to other in-building features, including power distribution and switchgear, power conversion and air conditioning cooling.

The capabilities of passive optical LAN are limitless. Access our resources and videos pages to learn more about how this technology enables building owners, developers and IT professionals to deliver the green, high-performance network for the modern enterprise.

The enterprise LAN has come a long way. Gone are the days when the infrastructure had to simply connect PCs and offer access to the Internet for web browsing or email communications. Since then, companies have incorporated many computing changes, like cloud applications, file sharing, video streaming, and the adoption of mobile devices as working tools, with the result being an increase in bandwidth demand.

The growth in data consumption in recent years shows no signs of slowing down. Through 2017, the average enterprise network will see a 28% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for bandwidth. Without upgrades, copper-based LANs cannot keep pace.

Limited bandwidth means enterprises have limitations to accessing critical applications, next-generation communication tools, and cloud computing. For IT managers and professionals, it means the headache of orchestrating manual upgrades and reconfiguration of the multiple LAN components.

Copper-based cabling and equipment, which has been the standard LAN infrastructure in enterprises for decades, offer limited bandwidth and require a complex management for maintenance and costly upgrades. Passive optical LAN, on the other hand, is a viable alternative that enterprises can rely on to accommodate the connectivity needs of not only today, but of the future.

Fiber optic cabling and Passive optical LAN delivers virtually unlimited bandwidth to enterprises, measured in Terabits per second (Tbps), a significant improvement from copper cabling – that is measured in Gigabits per second (Gbps). Fiber-based LAN offers the simplicity of a centralized management that IT professionals look for and the flexibility to define LAN traffic bandwidth and priority according to the real-time demands of the network users and services.

Through its network of experts, APOLAN is the source for all things optical LAN. We invite you to explore the number of resources currently available on our website that demonstrate the numerous benefits of passive optical LAN.

The modern enterprise is rapidly evolving with user demand for next-generation communications, applications and services challenging the most robust network architectures. Organizations require a reliable, high-performance and scalable local area network (LAN) that can withstand the test of time and deliver virtually unlimited bandwidth as applications and services evolve.

We know passive optical LAN is the best network option to support a diverse array of applications, such as voice, video, conferencing services, wireless access and monitoring services all on one converged network. But, at what cost?

This concern stems from what the industry historically knows about traditional copper-based LANs. Not only is this legacy LAN infrastructure unable to deliver the benefits required in today’s workplace, it also comes with an extremely hefty price tag to upgrade and maintain.

What if we told you that passive optical LAN delivers everything a business could demand (and more) WITH significant cost savings and lower total cost of ownership (TCO)? For once the old adage ‘If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is’ does not apply. Even the most skeptical audience cannot deny the cost savings passive optical LAN provides.

CAPEX Savings:

• Significantly Less Equipment – reduces cabling infrastructure cost by eliminating expensive hardware network equipment
• Withstands the Test of Time – delivers a lifecycle of more than 10 years, limiting the need, and associated expenses, of continuous network upgrades

OPEX Savings:

• Converged Network – converges multiple services and applications (video, data, wireless access and voice services) onto a single fiber dramatically simplifying operations
• Lower Maintenance Needs – reduces maintenance costs due to less equipment and simplified centralized management
• Optimize Time and Resource Allocation – lowers training and certification requirements compared to active Ethernet LAN; time, resources and expertise can be better allocated to other business needs
• Energy Savings – requires no power in the network and little cooling needs, reducing energy costs by up to 50 percent compared to copper-based LAN

Space Savings Impact on Bottom Line:

• Eliminates Telecom Closets – provides an opportunity for a smarter use of already limited in-building real estate
• Revenue-Generating Opportunities – creates opportunity to reallocate space saved through the elimination of telecom closets. The precious in-building real estate (either in green builds or through network upgrades) can be used for additional office space, on-site storage facilities, or even hospital rooms.

The need for high-speed, secure, and reliable connectivity is not slowing down. When considering the options to future-proof LANs, modern enterprises must consider the most cost-efficient option in the short and long-term.

Through its network of experts, APOLAN is the source for all things optical LAN. We invite you to explore the number of resources currently available to learn more about everything this technology has to offer, including the cost-saving benefits of passive optical LAN.

This article was originally featured here.

The word “legacy,” when it comes to discussions of college and university networks, has become a dirty word.

“Legacy,” in these exchanges, is shorthand for a technological solution that isn’t only outdated, but also inefficient, ineffective, and costly to maintain. Campus IT plans, in fact, often revolve around the best way to rid a school of legacy systems that were once the only option, but now stand in the way of ed-tech progress.

Talk of how to replace legacy systems very often begins with how colleges and universities can address evolving — and tricky — network challenges as student demand for bandwidth reaches new, higher levels every school year. Students, after all, are now bringing an average of six mobile devices to campus.

The legacy copper-based local area network (LAN) architecture built on campuses 20, 30, even 40 years ago is no longer a viable solution as schools deal with a massive influx of mobile devices hungry for bandwidth. Those networks were designed to support peer-to-peer desktop computer traffic flows because 80 percent of the traffic stayed local — on campus.

Today, about 90 percent of a school’s LAN traffic flows directly to wide area network (WAN) thanks to a half dozen technological developments: Big data analytics, virtual desktops, cloud-based computing, wireless devices, smart building technologies, and the internet of things.

Tellabs, an Illinois-based company specializing in helping campuses handle network challenges, has made a name for itself with its Optical LAN solution, which cuts down on energy consumption, trims annual IT costs, and requires less room than many legacy systems.

Matt Hassett, marketing communications manager at Tellabs, said the environmentally-friendly aspects of the company’s Optical LAn solution have proven particularly appealing in higher education.

“We know that greener technologies do well in colleges and universities — we’ve seen that,” Hassett said. “If a school can save money and use less energy along the way, they’ll usually show a lot of interest in that solution.”

Higher education has followed the federal government, commercial enterprise, healthcare, and the hospitality industry in buying into Optical LAN solutions that can better handle challenges posed by technologies that didn’t exist when legacy, copper-based LANs were built a generation ago.

Tellabs officials charge that their Optical LAN technology can save upwards of 70 percent in budgetary costs for college IT departments.

That’s a key for campus technologists as they look for ways to satisfy the skyrocketing demand for bandwidth.

A 2013 national survey breaks down exactly which devices are using the most bandwidth on campuses. The prevalence of tablets — once a rarity — has wreaked havoc at many schools. A recent higher-ed survey, the “State of ResNet” reports, breaks down exactly which devices are using the most bandwidth on campuses.

Eighty-four percent of respondents to the ResNet Report said tablets are the biggest drain on their campus’s bandwidth, with 75 percent saying laptops and desktops are the main culprit.

Six in 10 said internet-connected Blu-Ray players are to blame for bandwidth woes. Sixty-three percent pointed to smartphones and 61 percent said video games are a central issue in maintaining reliable bandwidth for every student.