Benefits of Installing Category 6a Ethernet Cable

1. Benefits of Installing Category 6a Ethernet Cable High performance data networks and local area networks (LANs) cannot perform well without appropriate cables and connectors. When we take a look at high-speed data networks like Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, it’s hard to imagine that these data networks descended from telephone networks. LAN Technologies have evolved greatly over the years and Ethernet has become the dominant technology for LANs. Due to the evolution of technology and the greater demand for higher networking speeds, cable and components have been developed that can transmit faster speeds over longer distances. Copper categories were introduced in order that network parameters could be clearly defined and that the appropriate connecting hardware was installed. For example, Category 3 was introduced in the later part of the 1980s and could support voice services as well as 10BASE-T Ethernet. However, this would eventually become unsuitable by the mid 1990’s as Category 5 had become widely available and was able to support faster network speeds up to100Mbps. The next wave of cable and connector development came in the form of CAT-5e, which could more effectively support Gigabit network applications. CAT-5e is an enhanced version of Category 5, however, CAT-5e standards had introduced new and more stringent crosstalk specifications, which allowed Gigabit network applications and high data transfer scenarios to function more reliably, therefore making Category 5 obsolete. Over the last 5 to 8 years, Category 6(CAT-6) cable and connectors have become a basic requirement for new buildings in order to support Gigabit network applications and support bandwidths of up to 250MHz. Category 6A (CAT-6A) the “a” being for augmented, which supports data rates of 10G up to 100 meters and a bandwidth of up to 500MHz has begun to growing popularity. Many Data Centers, hospitals and universities have adopted CAT-6A as a new minimum requirement. Comparison of CAT6 vs CAT6A Cabling: CAT6: CAT-6 cabling provides many advantages and benefits over CAT-5e cabling infrastructure. When CAT6 was first introduced it was approximately 50% more expensive than CAT-5e, which made it cost prohibitive for many installations. However, CAT-6 costs have reduced substantially over a number of years to the point where the increased cost are acceptable. CAT-6 provides greater bandwidth over CAT- 5e and allows for higher data transfer rates. Therefore, CAT-6 has now become the minimum standard for new cabling installations. I believe that CAT-5e should be end of life and the standards be CAT-6 and CAT-6A. CAT-7A has been in use in Europe for some time but has not had much success here in the United States. CAT-8 is being called the classification for the next generation of twisted-pair cabling specifications, but is still in the development stages. This cable is being developed more for data centers and for 40-Gb speeds. CAT6A:

2. Augmented CAT-6 or CAT-6A as it is referred is capable of supporting data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps at a maximum bandwidth of 500MHz. CAT-6A has additional and tighter twists, with additional insulation to reduce cross talk. CAT-6A is also backwards compatible with CAT-6 and CAT-5e, however, speeds are always limited and will perform to the lowest category cable or connector that is installed in the link. CAT-6A is fast becoming the lowest cost effective solution as it is seen as a future proof cable system.CAT- 6A components are used in Class EA networks as defined in ISO/IEC 11801 and TIA/EIA 568. One of the perceived disadvantages of CAT-6A is the actual size and weight of the cable. CAT-6A was 50% larger when it originally appeared in 2008. Since then, cable sizes have been reduced and slimmed down by 10% to 20%. One of the main arguments in favor of installing CAT-6A infrastructure now, is to future proof the network. Therefore, if the planned lifetime of a new cabling system is five or more years, CAT-6A should be considered as an option. If the planned lifetime of the network is ten years or more, CAT-6A definitely appears to be the favored solution. In fact, when considering the use of CAT6A components in a 10Gbps, Class EA network, consider the following factors: CAT-6A is recommended for new Installations in Healthcare CAT-6A is recommended for new installations in Education CAT-6A provides enhanced performance for Power over Ethernet (PoE) CAT-6A supports wireless systems that rely on 10Gig CAT-6A – Additional factors to consider Shielded Vs Unshielded End users also have the option of selecting from either a shielded or an unshielded solution. Shielded CAT-6A cable generally has an outer foil shield around each individual pair or around all 4 copper pairs. In addition, modular jacks, outlets and patch panels are also protected by a metal housing around these components. Each solution has its place, as well as its own set of benefits. CAT-6A cable is available in various configurations. Shielded and unshielded cables are often referred to as F/UTP (shielded) and U/UTP (unshielded) cable. The first letters indicate the type of overall shield while the latter letters indicate the type of shielding on each pair and the balanced element. CAT-6A U/UTP means the cable consists of 4 unshielded twisted pairs and no outer shielding.CAT-6A F/UTP means the cable consists of 4 unshielded twisted pairs, however, it contains an outer foil shield. This is a shielded cable. One of the latest additions to the CAT-6A shielded cable range is a U/FTP cable. This cable configuration has all four pairs individually shielded, rather than an outer foil shield. The overall test results and performance of this cable has been quite impressive. If you would like to know more about this, please check out the following website: https://www.cbo- it.de/shop/QSFP-Transceiver Also, you can follow: https://www.gbic-shop.de/glc-sx-mm-kompatibel