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Triple Play is a multimedia service offered by network providers, telecommunication companies, cable and internet providers. It is the bundled delivery of a telephone, television and Internet service, based on the internet protocol (IP), using broadband networks. The configuration of a suitable infrastructure is an essential building block for a multimedia future. Alongside the required active Triple Play components, suitable cabinets and enclosure systems are often relegated to the back. But they are just as important, as they house the components and protect them from environmental influences as well as unauthorised access.
Great variety of choices and benefits
Triple Play offers the user internet telephony on the basis of VoIP (Voice over IP), internet television (IPTV) with interactive video services, video-on-demand, video conferencing and teleworking as well as a fast and bidirectional internet access (symmetrical downstream and upstream speeds). Triple Play services are of interest to private and corporate customers and, in particular to companies that no longer want to manage their own telecommunications installations. These and other services are also of value to hotels, hospitals, trade centres and airports, where the operation of the networks depends on secure services for telephony, data access as well as television.
Infrastructure
The data provided by a service provider needs to be transported to the customer reliably and with high quality. This is usually provided via glass fibre city networks rings. At a central point, usually in the data centre of the service provider, the signals are fed into the city network through which they are distributed. Via further main and sub-distribution points the signals reach the customer, e. g. company buildings, hospitals, hotels and homes. For all passive transfer points as well as for the installation of the Triple Play components at the service provider (carrier, Internet provider, etc.) Schroff offers an extensive range of appropriate cabinet and enclosure solutions.
Great variety of choices and benefits
Triple Play offers the user internet telephony on the basis of VoIP (Voice over IP), internet television (IPTV) with interactive video services, video-on-demand, video conferencing and teleworking as well as a fast and bidirectional internet access (symmetrical downstream and upstream speeds). Triple Play services are of interest to private and corporate customers and, in particular to companies that no longer want to manage their own telecommunications installations. These and other services are also of value to hotels, hospitals, trade centres and airports, where the operation of the networks depends on secure services for telephony, data access as well as television.
Infrastructure
The data provided by a service provider needs to be transported to the customer reliably and with high quality. This is usually provided via glass fibre city networks rings. At a central point, usually in the data centre of the service provider, the signals are fed into the city network through which they are distributed. Via further main and sub-distribution points the signals reach the customer, e. g. company buildings, hospitals, hotels and homes. For all passive transfer points as well as for the installation of the Triple Play components at the service provider (carrier, Internet provider, etc.) Schroff offers an extensive range of appropriate cabinet and enclosure solutions.
Picture 1. Infrastructure Triple Play with Schroff cabinets and cases
Indoor cabinets: Server, distribution and data cabinets
Cabinet systems for Triple Play applications are used to house active and passive components such as servers, patch panels, switches and the structural cabling in copper or glass fibre. In order to accommodate the large number of copper and fibre optic cables, these cabinets must have a high load bearing capacity and offer excellent accessibility as well as assembly friendly solutions for tidy cabling and fastening. Important here are assembly options adhering to the 19” and ETSI standards, as well as the ability to integrate non-standard components. The range of outdoor and indoor cabinets must have solutions to integrate all active and passive components on the market. The functionality of such cabinets is of paramount importance, but another factor which cannot be ignored is the look. To fulfil the diverse design requirements of each customer, these cabinets should have a high degree of flexibility. The appearance of the cabinet should harmonise with its surroundings at the installation site.
Flexible cabinet platform
Within Triple Play networks various cabinet types are used (distribution, data and server cabinets), whether they are used in the data centre of a service provider, as distribution cabinet in a POP or as distributor in a building, office block or hospital. The flexible cabinet platform Varistar from Schroff covers all these applications. The cabinet consists of a frame, available in two versions, a variety of cover parts as well as an extensive range of assembly fittings and accessories. An appropriate cabinet can be easily configured for each requirement. The two frame versions offered differ in their maximum static load bearing capacity, either to 400 kg (Slim-Line) or to 800 kg (Heavy-Duty). Additionally the Slim-Line version is suitable for an ETSI assembly. The outer dimensions of both versions conform to the ETSI standard. All cover parts, such as doors, side and rear panels, top covers and base plates can be configured across both frame versions. Thus a continuous unified appearance is achieved. Dynamic tests for earthquake stability to Bellcore 4 certify global usability. The Varistar platform has been tested by independent laboratories in important areas such as EMC, stability, shock and vibration.
Cabinet systems for Triple Play applications are used to house active and passive components such as servers, patch panels, switches and the structural cabling in copper or glass fibre. In order to accommodate the large number of copper and fibre optic cables, these cabinets must have a high load bearing capacity and offer excellent accessibility as well as assembly friendly solutions for tidy cabling and fastening. Important here are assembly options adhering to the 19” and ETSI standards, as well as the ability to integrate non-standard components. The range of outdoor and indoor cabinets must have solutions to integrate all active and passive components on the market. The functionality of such cabinets is of paramount importance, but another factor which cannot be ignored is the look. To fulfil the diverse design requirements of each customer, these cabinets should have a high degree of flexibility. The appearance of the cabinet should harmonise with its surroundings at the installation site.
Flexible cabinet platform
Within Triple Play networks various cabinet types are used (distribution, data and server cabinets), whether they are used in the data centre of a service provider, as distribution cabinet in a POP or as distributor in a building, office block or hospital. The flexible cabinet platform Varistar from Schroff covers all these applications. The cabinet consists of a frame, available in two versions, a variety of cover parts as well as an extensive range of assembly fittings and accessories. An appropriate cabinet can be easily configured for each requirement. The two frame versions offered differ in their maximum static load bearing capacity, either to 400 kg (Slim-Line) or to 800 kg (Heavy-Duty). Additionally the Slim-Line version is suitable for an ETSI assembly. The outer dimensions of both versions conform to the ETSI standard. All cover parts, such as doors, side and rear panels, top covers and base plates can be configured across both frame versions. Thus a continuous unified appearance is achieved. Dynamic tests for earthquake stability to Bellcore 4 certify global usability. The Varistar platform has been tested by independent laboratories in important areas such as EMC, stability, shock and vibration.
Picture 2. Varistar in the data centre of a service provider
Orderly cable ducting
Within the field of cable management, cable guidance and fastening, there are diverse concepts for simple, orderly cabling that can be easily changed or extended even during operation. Fundamentally there are three types of cables in a cabinet: copper and glass fibre data cables as well as power cables. These are subject to various high mechanical strains and need to be installed without bending or experiencing any forces such as pull and torsion inside the cabinet. With improper handling and positioning of cables the electrical and optical properties of the cables can be adversely affected and reduce the technical properties of a cable and thus the transfer bandwidths and transmission ranges.
The cable management for the Varistar cabinet is demarcated into four clearly defined zones to facilitate optimal arrangement and fastening of all cable types:
Zone 1 is located in front of the installed components in the 19" plane. Here the patch cables are lead horizontally between the distribution fields.
Zone 2 is located to the right and left next to the 19" plane, here the patch cables are guided vertical channel between the individual components.
Zone 3 is located laterally behind the 19" plane. The data cables entering from top cover or base plate are directed to the rear of the distribution fields.
Zone 4, at the rear of the cabinet, acts as an alternative to Zone 3 in 600 mm wide cabinets or if the cabinet is not accessible from the rear due to its positioning. As a rule the Zone 4 openings in the top cover are used for active cooling with fans. This also is required when active components are installed in the cabinet.
Cooling of high performance systems
Digital information technology is based on high performance server technology. For this reason effective cooling, noise level and radiation are increasingly important topics. For some of these high performance systems room dependent cooling concepts with air cooling are no longer sufficient. As server performance increases whilst their dimensions become more compact, we have servers today that have heat loss of 4 or 5 kW. With a fully filled cabinet the limitations of air cooling are reached rather quickly. From 1.500 W/m² it is no longer economic to use room dependent cooling concepts. An alternative is the combination of air/fluid cooling using water as a medium. A room independent cooling solution is achieved through the use of a closed circuit air/water heat exchanger.
With the Varistar LHX 20, Schroff has developed a complete cabinet cooling system concept. This complete cabinet system is able to deal with an installed heat loss of 20 kW. The air/water heat exchanger is inserted as complete module on the left or right inside the cabinet. The module consists of an independent enclosure, an air/water heat exchanger, a water droplet collector, six fans, a three-way valve, as well as an an electronic control unit with operating and display elements. Through the side installation of the air/water heat exchanger the entire 19" plane is usable to its full height. With side-by-side cabinets it is possible to cool several cabinets with one air/water heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger is situated in a closed air circuit of the cabinet with an air volume capacity of up to 3000 m3/h. Air direction elements and six fans which are distributed over the height of the cabinet provide even cooling of all the installed components. The cool water circulates through the external water circuit of the heat exchanger, heats up and returns to the chiller, where it is cooled down again to the required pre-determined temperature. The temperature in the cabinet is controlled with microprocessors.
If people have their workspace in the vicinity of such systems, the noise level is also a deciding factor. The noise level generated by the use of cooling components should not be underestimated. Varistar LHX 20 with an 80 % load will reach a level of only 50.7 dB(A) and 54.8 dB(A) with a 100 % load. Therefore the use in an office environment is permissible. The legally determined limits are set at 55 dB(A) (DIN EN ISO 11650-1).
Outdoor cabinets: Main distributor at the roadside
The signal entry into buildings is done via so-called main distributors, which are located at the roadside. In particular with these outdoor applications extreme environmental factors have to be taken into account. Decisions on material and finish, mechanical stability, cooling, cable ducting etc. are influenced amongst other things by the cold, sun radiation, snow, sand, insects, rodents, vandalism, vibration.
Within the field of cable management, cable guidance and fastening, there are diverse concepts for simple, orderly cabling that can be easily changed or extended even during operation. Fundamentally there are three types of cables in a cabinet: copper and glass fibre data cables as well as power cables. These are subject to various high mechanical strains and need to be installed without bending or experiencing any forces such as pull and torsion inside the cabinet. With improper handling and positioning of cables the electrical and optical properties of the cables can be adversely affected and reduce the technical properties of a cable and thus the transfer bandwidths and transmission ranges.
The cable management for the Varistar cabinet is demarcated into four clearly defined zones to facilitate optimal arrangement and fastening of all cable types:
Cooling of high performance systems
Digital information technology is based on high performance server technology. For this reason effective cooling, noise level and radiation are increasingly important topics. For some of these high performance systems room dependent cooling concepts with air cooling are no longer sufficient. As server performance increases whilst their dimensions become more compact, we have servers today that have heat loss of 4 or 5 kW. With a fully filled cabinet the limitations of air cooling are reached rather quickly. From 1.500 W/m² it is no longer economic to use room dependent cooling concepts. An alternative is the combination of air/fluid cooling using water as a medium. A room independent cooling solution is achieved through the use of a closed circuit air/water heat exchanger.
With the Varistar LHX 20, Schroff has developed a complete cabinet cooling system concept. This complete cabinet system is able to deal with an installed heat loss of 20 kW. The air/water heat exchanger is inserted as complete module on the left or right inside the cabinet. The module consists of an independent enclosure, an air/water heat exchanger, a water droplet collector, six fans, a three-way valve, as well as an an electronic control unit with operating and display elements. Through the side installation of the air/water heat exchanger the entire 19" plane is usable to its full height. With side-by-side cabinets it is possible to cool several cabinets with one air/water heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger is situated in a closed air circuit of the cabinet with an air volume capacity of up to 3000 m3/h. Air direction elements and six fans which are distributed over the height of the cabinet provide even cooling of all the installed components. The cool water circulates through the external water circuit of the heat exchanger, heats up and returns to the chiller, where it is cooled down again to the required pre-determined temperature. The temperature in the cabinet is controlled with microprocessors.
If people have their workspace in the vicinity of such systems, the noise level is also a deciding factor. The noise level generated by the use of cooling components should not be underestimated. Varistar LHX 20 with an 80 % load will reach a level of only 50.7 dB(A) and 54.8 dB(A) with a 100 % load. Therefore the use in an office environment is permissible. The legally determined limits are set at 55 dB(A) (DIN EN ISO 11650-1).
Outdoor cabinets: Main distributor at the roadside
The signal entry into buildings is done via so-called main distributors, which are located at the roadside. In particular with these outdoor applications extreme environmental factors have to be taken into account. Decisions on material and finish, mechanical stability, cooling, cable ducting etc. are influenced amongst other things by the cold, sun radiation, snow, sand, insects, rodents, vandalism, vibration.
Picture 3. Outdoor cabinet as main distributor
For these applications Schroff standardised outdoor cabinets in its “Modular” and “Unibody” range. The Modular version is based on an aluminium extrusion frame, which permits high flexibility with regard to cabinet dimensions as well as good accessibility from all sides. The more economical Unibody version is based on a one-piece aluminium inner enclosure, which is especially suited for smaller dimension wall, mast or floor mounted applications. Both cabinet versions protect the installed components from wind, rain, heat, cold and vandalism. Flexible installation options are possible with 19", ETSI or other, even non-standard accessories. The cabinets whose standardised components are based on the IEC 61 969 standard, fulfil the guidelines and standards for shock and vibration, tested to IEC 68-2-6 and 27, earthquake to IEC 68-2-57 and offer climatic protection to IEC 68-2-1, -2, -14. The enclosures have weatherproof powder coating. Through the double wall design of the outer skin for both cabinets, a high level of heat can be dissipated without additional cooling components (e. g. fans, heat exchangers or climate control units). Furthermore heat generation in the enclosure due to sun radiation can be minimised through the double walls. The double wall design also protects the assembled components effectively from mechanical damage. There are no visible screws or mounting elements, preventing unauthorised access. The hinged roof construction makes the installation easy. The cable inlet is protected against rodents and insects by the base.
Not to be underestimated is the nuisance factor of noise to residents living in the immediate vicinity of the outdoor cabinets. Schroff takes particular care in taking national and international noise pollution directives into account, such as e. g. BImSchG (Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz) or ETS 300 753 (European Telecommunication Standard). In the case of active air cooling with fans the speed is controlled by intelligent algorithms, so that the noise level limits for daytime and night time operation are kept.
Not to be underestimated is the nuisance factor of noise to residents living in the immediate vicinity of the outdoor cabinets. Schroff takes particular care in taking national and international noise pollution directives into account, such as e. g. BImSchG (Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz) or ETS 300 753 (European Telecommunication Standard). In the case of active air cooling with fans the speed is controlled by intelligent algorithms, so that the noise level limits for daytime and night time operation are kept.
Picture 4. Varistar as sub-distributor
Main and sub-distributor in a residential building: Fibre optic cable enclosure to house the FTTH cabling (fibre to the home)
The signal is distributed to the individual dwellings in a building via main and sub-distributors. Multi-strand main cables are split within the enclosure to the individual transfer routes to the dwellings.
The signal is distributed to the individual dwellings in a building via main and sub-distributors. Multi-strand main cables are split within the enclosure to the individual transfer routes to the dwellings.
Picture 5. Fibre optic wall mounted distributor
The fibre optic cable enclosure has all the necessary features to accommodate fibre optics splicing systems and arranging the sensitive glass fibre cables. Generous cable entries and flexible guidance elements with rounded corners make sure that the minimum bend radius is adhered to. Hinged and removable side panels allow quick access to the installed components.
The small fibre optic enclosure consists of a C-shaped base part which represents rear panel, base and top cover. The installer is able to quickly and easily remove/replace the side doors and front steel door to gain free access to all integrated components in a radius of 270º. As this concept does not include corner struts, there are no inaccessible corners. For simple cable management, depending on the dimensions of the enclosure, two cable entry openings in the base and top, which are either equipped with brush strips or cover plates for cable fastenings, serve as cable management. Careful cable guidance is possible with cable brackets, which can be fixed to the rear into pre-cut openings. Perfectl interaction of connection elements and connector plates for splice cassettes and splice cassette holders facilitate the arrangement of up to 288 single fibres. Side-by-side modules extend the capacity with additional cassette holders and offer the possibility to integrate standard front panels or LSA+ profile sets with the aid of 19" brackets. The extensive accessories range makes this fibre optic enclosure series a very flexible and practical main and sub-distribution solution for a building.
Small distributors in a residential building: Compact wall mounted enclosure As small distribution unit for a single household, the wall mounted enclosure epcase is the ideal solution for a Triple Play connection. This case is often installed in the cellar or ground floor where the house's other utility connections are situated, or in an existing distribution cabinet or next to an existing fuse box. Equipped with a 10" or 19" small distribution field, and offering various installation possibilities e. g. for modems, satellite control etc. the service feeds of the service provider are bundled here and distributed through the internal network of the house.
The small fibre optic enclosure consists of a C-shaped base part which represents rear panel, base and top cover. The installer is able to quickly and easily remove/replace the side doors and front steel door to gain free access to all integrated components in a radius of 270º. As this concept does not include corner struts, there are no inaccessible corners. For simple cable management, depending on the dimensions of the enclosure, two cable entry openings in the base and top, which are either equipped with brush strips or cover plates for cable fastenings, serve as cable management. Careful cable guidance is possible with cable brackets, which can be fixed to the rear into pre-cut openings. Perfectl interaction of connection elements and connector plates for splice cassettes and splice cassette holders facilitate the arrangement of up to 288 single fibres. Side-by-side modules extend the capacity with additional cassette holders and offer the possibility to integrate standard front panels or LSA+ profile sets with the aid of 19" brackets. The extensive accessories range makes this fibre optic enclosure series a very flexible and practical main and sub-distribution solution for a building.
Small distributors in a residential building: Compact wall mounted enclosure As small distribution unit for a single household, the wall mounted enclosure epcase is the ideal solution for a Triple Play connection. This case is often installed in the cellar or ground floor where the house's other utility connections are situated, or in an existing distribution cabinet or next to an existing fuse box. Equipped with a 10" or 19" small distribution field, and offering various installation possibilities e. g. for modems, satellite control etc. the service feeds of the service provider are bundled here and distributed through the internal network of the house.
Picture 6. epcase wall mounted case in the cellar of a residential home
The multi-functional epcase wall mounted case is made up of a C-shaped base part, which forms the rear panel, base and top cover. The side doors and the front glass door can be assembled/disassembled very quickly by the installer. That way he obtains free access to all installed components in a radius of 270º. As this concept does not have any corner struts there are no inaccessible corners. For simple cable management the fibre optic enclosure has two cable entries each at the top and bottom which allow the separation of power and data cables at the same time. Careful cable ducting is possible with the aid of C-shaped profiles which can be mounted to the 50 mm grid on the rear panel. Three openings on top of the enclosure enable passive or active cooling of the installed components. Required fans or protective grilles can be mounted easily by clipping them onto the frame. The wall mounted epcase is available as a 10" and 19" version. An extensive accessories programme makes this enclosure series suitable as a small flexible and practical distributor for private end users.
Continuous solution
From the digital services feed at the network operator's data centre to the backbone distribution rack housing copper and fibre opticsal components to the main distribution point at the roadside down to the small wall mounted box in the cellar of your home: Varistar the rack platform, Outdoor cabinet the open air solution and epcase wall mounted enclosure the household choice. Schroff has the solution for every application.
Continuous solution
From the digital services feed at the network operator's data centre to the backbone distribution rack housing copper and fibre opticsal components to the main distribution point at the roadside down to the small wall mounted box in the cellar of your home: Varistar the rack platform, Outdoor cabinet the open air solution and epcase wall mounted enclosure the household choice. Schroff has the solution for every application.
