Campus Network Design
Workshop
Structured Cabling
This document is a result of work by the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC at http://www.nsrc.org). This document may be
freely copied, modified, and otherwise re-used on the condition that any re-use acknowledge the NSRC as the original source.
Structured Cabling Systems
Only two types of cabling:
Unshielded twisted pair copper provides service to
individual computers and between network racks
Fiber optic cabling provides service to buildings and
between network racks
Everything is run in a star configuration
Network
Rack
cat5e
Core
Location
Fiber
optic
Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable
Run in star configuration from network rack
location to individual outlets in offices or labs.
Run at least 2 cables to every outlet I
recommend 4 if you can afford it.
Run 4 to 6 cables between network racks if the
distance is less than 90 meters
Question: what type of cable to run? Cat5,
cat5e, Cat6, ???
What type of UTP
What speed does each type support?
Cable Type
Max Speed
Max Distance Cost Factor
Category 5
Category 5e
Category 6
Category 6
Category 6a
100Mbs
1000Mbs
1000Mbs
10,000Mbs
10,000Mbs
100m
100m
100m
57m
100m
1x
1x
1.5x
1.5x
3x
Strongly recommend category 5e cabling.
Fiber Optic Cabling
Two basic types of fiber
Multi Mode
Single Mode
Multi Mode Fiber
Two basic types:
62.5 micron core. Legacy, older style
50 micron core. Newer
A number of standards to be aware
G.651 50 micron
OSI/IEC 11801 OM1 62.5
OSI/IEC 11801 OM2 50 micron
OSI/IEC 11801 OM3 50 micron laser optimized
OSI/IEC 11801 OM4 50 micron higher bw
Single Mode Fiber
All have core between 8 and 10 micron
Standard types:
OS1 and OS2 (OSI/IEC 11801 types)
ITU G.652 (A, B, C, D)
ITU G.653 1310/1550 with EDFA amps
ITU G.654 1550 only
ITU G.655 1550/1625 for long haul DWDM
ITU G.656 1460/1625 for long haul DWDM
You want G.652.D or OS2 single mode
Types of Optical Interfaces
Standard
Speed
Fiber Type
100Mbs
MM
1000baseSX
1Gbs
MM
1000baseLX/LH
1Gbs
MM or SM
10GbaseSR
10Gbs
MM
10GbaseLRM
10Gbs
MM
10GbaseLR
10Gbs
SM
10GbaseER
10Gbs
SM
100baseFX
Optical Interfaces: Cost & Distance
Standard
Cost*
OM1
OM2
OM3
OM4
G.652.D
100baseFX
$125
2km
2km
2km
2km
No
1000baseSX
$100 275m 550m
1km 1.1km
No
1000baseLX/LH
$169 500m 500m 500m
500m
10km
10GbaseSR
$475
82m 300m
550m
No
10GbaseLRM
$785 220m 220m 300m
400m
No
10GbaseLR
$495
No
No
No
No
10km
10GbaseER
$6050
No
No
No
No
40km
33m
*pricing for genuine Cisco products from networkhardwareoutlet.com.
In the USA, these products can be purchased cheaper than shown.
Fiber Price Comparison
Single mode fiber cabling is cheaper
Multi mode optical interfaces are cheaper
What makes sense for your campus?
Fiber Type
Cost per km*
OM1 (62.5 legacy)
$4,270
OM2 (50 legacy)
$2,854
OM3 (50 laser optimized)
$7,248
OM4 (new std)
$7,990
G.652.D (single mode)
$938
*Pricing based on 12-fiber outdoor cable, Corning 012TU4-T41xxD20, quote
obtained in April, 2013
Simple Fiber Pricing Example
Consider the simple network below
Total fiber length 1400m
8 optical interfaces
Border Router
Core Router
Copper cable
Fiber optic links to remote buildings
Central
Servers for
campus
500m
200m
300m
400m
Pricing Example 1Gig Links
Use cheapest optical interface possible,
but note that cheap interface is distance
limited based on fiber type
Fiber Type
Fiber Cost
Optics
Total Cost
OM1
$5,978
2x1000baseSX@100
6x1000baseLX@169 = $1,214
$7,192
OM2
$3,996
8x1000baseSX@100 = $800
$4,796
OM3
$10,147
8x1000baseSX@100 = $800
$10,947
OM4
$11,186
8x1000baseSX@100 = $800
$11,986
G.652.D
$1,313 8x1000baseLX@169 = $1,352
$2,665
Pricing Example 10Gig Links
Note that some fiber types wont support
10Gig over the required distances
Fiber Type
Fiber
Cost
OM1
$5,978
Cant do do 10G farther than
220m
No
OM2
$3,996
Cant do do 10G farther than
220m
No
OM3
$10,147
Cant do do 10G farther than
300m
No
OM4
$11,186
8x10GbaseSR@475 = $3,800
$14,986
$1,313
8x10GbaseLR@495 = $3,960
$5,273
G.652.D
Optics
Total Cost
Fiber Pricing Exercise
See workshop wiki
Work in pairs or threes
Do network with all OM1 fiber, then all
OM2 fiber, then all OM3 fiber
Do for both 1G backbone network and
10G backbone network
Which type of fiber would be best?
Fiber Optic Recommendations
Dont install any Multi mode
Only install Single mode
Run in star configuration from core network
location to individual buildings
Run in star configuration inside of buildings from
main network rack to other network racks
To reduce costs, can run large fiber cable from
core to some remote location, then smaller
cables from there to surrounding buildings
Star Configuration
Plan for future -- Install enough fiber
Between Buildings: 6 single mode from core to each
building (consider 12 fibers if you can afford it)
Inside of buildings: 6 single mode between network
racks
Can build incrementally
Core
network
location
Building to be
served
Nearby buildings
Star Configuration
Plan for future -- Install enough fiber
Between Buildings: 6 single mode from core to each
building (consider 12 fibers if you can afford it)
Inside of buildings: 6 single mode between network
racks
Can build incrementally
6-strand
Core
network
location
6-strand
24-strand
6-strand
Fiber Optic Topology
Building 1
Network
Core
Location
fiber
Network
Rack 1
fiber
Network
Rack 2
fiber
fiber
fiber
fiber
Building 2
Building 3
Building 4
fiber
Building 5
Network
Rack 3
Putting it all Together
Building 1
Network
Core
Location
fiber
Network
Rack 1
cat5e
Cat5e
+ fiber
Network
Rack 2
fiber
fiber
Cat5e
+ fiber
fiber
Building 2
Building 3
Network
Rack 3
cat5e
Building 4
fiber
Building 5
Questions?
This document is a result of work by the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC at http://www.nsrc.org). This document may be freely
copied, modified, and otherwise re-used on the condition that any re-use acknowledge the NSRC as the original source.
