SOLUTIONS

FOR PREMISES
AND CAMPUS
COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS
WORLDWIDE

SPECIAL REPORT The intersection of

remote powering

Standards, codes, technologies and

the 2017 NEC

and best practices for

PAGE 2

implementing Power
over Ethernet PoE-related
amendments
proposed to
The ability to deliver direct-current power to the 2017 NEC
network devices via twisted-pair communications PAGE 11
cabling has caught the attention of everyone
from network owners and cabling installers,
to building-code creators and standards- Low-voltage lighting
an intriguing
development organizations. As standardized and element of Digital
Ceiling platform
proprietary technologies deliver higher wattages
PAGE 15
to powered devices, compliance with codes and
standards becomes increasingly critical. This
guide is a compilation of information published
by Cabling Installation & Maintenance, meant TIA approves TSB-
184-A cabling
to enable informed decisions about deploying standard
current- and next-generation Power over PAGE 22
Ethernet systems.

REPRINTED WITH REVISIONS TO FORMAT FROM C ABLING INSTALL ATION & MAINTENANCE.
COPYRIGHT 2017 BY PENNWELL CORPOR ATION
 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 1, 2016

The intersection of remote

powering technologies and the
2017 National Electrical Code

By Patrick McLaughlin

THE 2017 EDITION of the National Electrical Code includes several new articles
that directly relate to the use of twisted-pair communications cables to carry direct
current (DC) to power networked devices. An article we published (“Data/comm
cables and the 2017 National Electrical Code,” October 2017, page 22), authored by
Stanley Kaufman, PhD of CableSafe, addressed a number of changes made in the
2017 NEC. Dr. Kaufman is a member of the National Fire Protection Association’s
NEC Code-Making Panels 12 and 16 as well as being a member of the NFPA
Technical Committee on Electronic Computer Systems.

This article focuses on just a couple of the topics covered in Dr. Kaufman’s article. It
is based on a web-based seminar delivered by Cabling Installation & Maintenance
on September 29, 2016.

Remote powering
Many in the industry use the term “Power over Ethernet” to refer to any type of
remote powering-technology that permits the carriage of DC over the conductors
of a communications cable. In a vast majority of cases, the products and systems
that provide this ability do so in accordance with the IEEE’s 802.3af or 802.3at
specifications. Officially this set of specifications is called Data Terminal Equipment
Power via Media Dependent Interface, or DTE Power via MDI. Nowhere in

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

the standard’s official title will you find the term Power over Ethernet or PoE.
Nonetheless, references to these specifications almost always include the term PoE.

The IEEE does not “own” the term PoE. And just because a product says “PoE”
or “Power over Ethernet” on it, does not indicate that it complies with either the
existing or forthcoming specifications that we very frequently refer to as PoE.

Under the original IEEE standard, 802.3af, the power sourcing equipment (PSE)
injects between 44 and 57 volts, with 48 being typical, at 350 to 400 mA. In total
the power sourcing equipment emits 15.4 Watts and by the time it reaches its
destination of the powered device, 12.95 Watts are available to the PD. 802.3af uses
two pairs of a four-pair cable.

The “at” standard, commonly referred to as Power over Ethernet Plus, injects 50
to 57 volts (50 is typical) at up to 600 milliamps. It’s worthwhile to point out that
the IEEE established that 600-milliamp limit for its 802.3at standard based on a
50-degree Celsius ambient temperature. Generally cables are rated to 60 degrees
Celsius, meaning they can operate up to that temperature without degradation to
their performance characteristics. Through collaboration between a group in the
TIA’s TR-42 cabling standards committee, and the IEEE, it was determined that
sending power over twisted-pair cables at 600 mA per pair could account for as
much as a 10-degree Celsius rise in temperature.

A couple points to note from these facts. 1) The notion that sending power at certain
amperages over twisted-pair cables will cause temperature rise is not new. The
802.3at specification was finalized in 2009 and it accounted for the fact that there
would be temperature rise in some cables that were carrying this current. 2) The
IEEE and the TIA collaborated extensively as the PoE Plus standard was developed,
for exactly reasons like this. That collaboration has continued over years.

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

Reason for caution

But as mentioned earlier, the term “PoE” does not necessarily equate to compliance
with IEEE 802.3af or 802.3at specifications. In our October 2014 issue we
published an article authored by Steve Carlson, representing the Ethernet Alliance,
addressing this issue. In that opinion article he observed, “Unfortunately, the success
of PoE led to products that took shortcuts with the standard, or simply ignored it.
Most of the products did not come from mainstream networking vendors who
followed the standard. Rather, they frequently came from companies that were not
in the networking business, or ‘no-name’ … producers. It’s too bad that the IEEE
didn’t trademark ‘Power over Ethernet.’ It might have saved a lot of future trouble.
Many cheap ‘PoE injectors’ appeared on the market. These units did not have any
of the IEEE standardized features, and were frequently a power supply inside a box
that interrupted the ‘idle’ pairs and placed permanent voltage on them. In many
cases this voltage was not the correct IEEE standardized voltage, or the power
supply could be switched between different output voltages. The current supplied
frequently far exceeded those specified in the standard, leading to possible damage
of remote devices or the network cabling. These non-standards-based devices were
frequently marketed as ‘Power over Ethernet,’ causing potential market confusion
regarding the integrity of the IEEE standards-based solutions.”

Carlson authored that article in 2014-11 years after the IEEE 802.3af standard was
published and 5 years after 802.3at was. That long after the completion of the IEEE’s
standards, rogue devices continue to exist in the market.

While justification exists to use caution when considering deploying power injectors
that do not comply with 802.3af or 802.3at, some non-IEEE powering technologies
can be deployed safely, without concern about harming network electronics or
cabling. One example is the Power over HDBase-T (PoH) specification, developed
by the HDBase-T Alliance. The PoH specification is backward-compatible with
IEEE specifications. PoH calls for 95 to 100 watts of power over twisted-pair cabling.
In a technical paper titled “Introduction to Power over HDBase-T,” the HDBase-T

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

Alliance notes, “PoH enables the PD [powered device] to identify the cable length/
resistance and draw more power, as long as the overall power consumption does
not exceed 100W. PoH is fully backwards-compatible with the IEEE 802.3at-
2009 specification, including the section 33.7.1 mandate that all power sourcing
equipment (PSE) conform to IEC 60950-1:2001 and be classified as a Limited
Power Source (LPS) carrying no more than 100 volt-ampere (VA) per port without
the need for special over-current protection devices. PoH also does not infringe on
any of the mandated PoE safety requirements.”

Additionally, Cisco introduced proprietary technology that it calls UPOE-

Universal Power over Ethernet-in 2011. UPOE is a 60-watt technology that has
been successfully and safely deployed in the years since its introduction. Also, as
a historical note, UPOE is not Cisco’s first remote-powering technology. Before
there was an IEEE 802.3af specification, Cisco served the market with a working
remote-powering system that primarily was used to power Voice over IP phones. As
it turned out the 802.3af specifications did not precisely match Cisco’s technology,
but nonetheless, safe and effective remote powering predates IEEE 802.3af ’s
publication in 2003.

It’s possible that sometime in 2017 the IEEE’s next-generation remote powering
specification, 802.3bt, will be published. The standard will specify two different
remote-powering methods, referred to as Type 3 and Type 4 (802.3af technology
is referred to as Type 1 and 802.3at technology is referred to as Type 2). Both
powering types specified in 802.3bt will send power down all four pairs in a twisted-
pair cable. Based on the standard’s current draft, Type 3 will specify wattage levels
up to 60 and Type 4, wattage levels up to 100. Type 3 will employ 600 mA, like
802.3at (Type 2) does. Type 4 will employ 960 mA.

There is general acknowledgement that for 802.3bt Type 4, heat dissipation-the heat
generated by the cable carrying power at the specified current of 960 mA-requires
attention. In that vein, the Telecommunications Industry Association’s TR-42.7

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

subcommittee, which deals with twisted-pair communications cabling systems,

initiated work on an “A” revision of its TSB-148 specification. The original TSB-184
document is titled Guidelines for Supporting Power Delivery Over Balanced Twisted-
Pair Cabling. It was published in 2009-the same year as 802.3at Type 2/PoE Plus
remote powering specifications. Work on TSB-184-A began in 2014 and, through
collaboration with the IEEE, the document has progressed in parallel with 802.3bt.

The 2017 NEC

As previously mentioned, an article in our October issue addressed several revisions
made to the 2017 National Electrical Code that relate to remote powering over
communications cables. The National Electrical Code is published by the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA). Its document number is NFPA 70. On its website, the
NFPA explains the NEC “is the benchmark for safe electrical design, installation and
inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards.” The association also
states, “The NEC addresses the installation of electrical conductors, equipment, and
raceways; signaling and communications conductors, equipment and raceways; and
optical fiber cables and raceways in commercial, residential and industrial occupancies.”

As is often the case, the 2017 edition of the Code includes cross-references that span
multiple articles and sections of the publication. To some extent that is the case with
cable temperature ratings.

Most communications cables are rated to 60 degrees Celsius. As of the 2017 Code,
temperature rating requirements are consistent for all communications and data
cables. All cables have to be rated to at least 60 degrees C. Any cable with a rating
that exceeds 60 degrees C must have that rating marked on the cable.

Section 310.15(A)(3) of the 2017 NEC requires that conductors will be installed and
operated so they don’t exceed their temperature limits. In some previous editions of
the Code there was some gray area about certain cable types and whether or not this
requirement applied to them. Those gaps or loopholes were closed in this edition of

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

Note 1: For bundle sizes over 192 cables, or for conductor sizes smaller than 26 AWG, ampacities shall be
permitted to be determined by qualified personnel under engineering supervision. Note 2: Where only half of the
conductors in each cable are carrying current, the values in the table shall be permitted to be increased by a factor
of 1.4. Informational Note: The conductor size in data cables in widespread use are typically 22-26 AWG.

the Code. So every cable has to have a temperature rating of at least 60; if the cable is
rated above 60, that rating must be marked on the cable; and in every case, a cable
has to be installed and operated so as not to exceed that rating.

Section 725.144, titled Transmission of Power and Data, is new in the Code’s 2017
edition. It is like other sections of the Code in that it addresses conductor heating
through an ampacity table. As Dr. Kaufman explained in his recent article, the term
“ampacity” is referenced in the NEC Style Manual as the current-carrying capacity
of conductors only. It doesn’t include the current limit of the 8P8C connectors
used with cables. But Section 725.144 has a requirement that the current in a power
circuit does not exceed the connectors’ current limitations. So the maximum
current that can be carried by each conductor in a LAN cable often will be
determined by the connector’s current limit.

And speaking of conductors, the conductor sizes in twisted-pair cables represented

new territory for the NEC. The ampacity tables that have existed in the Code over
many revisions consider conductors that are 18 AWG or larger. (The smaller the
AWG number, the larger the size of the conductor.) With twisted-pair cables, 22
AWG represents the large end of the spectrum, down to pairs as small as 26 AWG.
So the code-making panels were in new territory here. To determine ampacity tables

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

for conductors in this size range, they turned to information that came from a fact-
finding investigation carried out by Underwriters Laboratories and commissioned
by SPI, the Plastics Industry Association. The ampacity table developed as a result of
the investigation, and included in Section 725.144, is included in this article.

The table is a matrix of conductor sizes, bundle sizes, and temperature ratings.
Based on those three variables, the table dictates the cable’s ampacity-the maximum
current that a conductor can carry continuously under conditions of use without
exceeding its temperature rating.

Section 725.144 introduces a cable classification called LP, which stands for Limited
Power. Underwriters Laboratories offers the LP certification program, through
which cables can achieve the LP rating for specific ampacities. The 2017 NEC
permits an unlimited number of LP cables to be installed in bundles and carry the
amount of current to which the cable is certified.

Article 840 of the NEC is titled Premise-Powered Broadband Communications

Systems. It has a new part in the 2017 edition, Part VI: Premises Powering of
Communications Equipment over Communications Cables. A new section,
840.160 Powering Circuits, requires compliance with Article 725.144 when the
power supplied to a circuit is greater than 60W.

Appeal denied, but …

After the 2017 NEC was finalized at the NFPA annual meeting, an appeal was filed
to the NFPA Standards Board specifically related to Section 840.160. The appeal
said there was insufficient specificity in that section’s reference to more than 60
watts. The basis for the appeal was that Section 840.160 did not specify an ampere
limit. By not specifying an amp limit, the appeal contended, it does not prohibit
the types of rogue and potentially unsafe powering devices that have existed in the
market for years. The appeal requested that specific language, to include amperage,
replace the existing language in 840.160.

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

The appeal was heard in August and was denied. The language in Section 840.160
is not going to change as a result. But in its decision, the NFPA Standards Council
wrote that it “acknowledges there may be value garnering additional input on
Ethernet communications to inform future changes to NEC.” The Standards
Council also directed a correlating committee to establish a task group that “should
specifically include representation of those with knowledge and experience in
telecommunications and Ethernet communications.”

As of the time this article was written, this author was unaware of any activity related
to the task group, such as its formation, makeup, objectives, or timeline for activity.
We will follow this activity and continue to report on it.

These changes to the NEC have been a topic of great interest and much conversation
among professionals in the structured cabling industry. This author attended
BICSI’s Fall Conference in mid-September, where several formal presentations
and many private conversations explored the subject in detail. An overriding issue
is how to ensure that a new cabling installation complies with the Code–which
is law in the jurisdictions in which it is adopted. And an overriding best-practice
recommendation has been to get in touch with the authority having jurisdiction
(AHJ) as early in the process as possible in an effort to ensure compliance.

The section of the NEC that addresses enforcement states, “The authority having
jurisdiction for enforcement of the Code has the responsibility for making
interpretations of the rules, for deciding on the approval of equipment and
materials, and for granting the special permission contemplated in a number
of the rules. By special permission, the authority having jurisdiction may waive
specific requirements in this Code or permit alternative methods where it is assured
that equivalent objectives can be achieved by establishing and maintaining
effective safety.”

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 The intersection of remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code

The AHJ can be any number of entities, depending on the jurisdiction. It may be
a building inspector, fire marshal, municipal or other government agency, or any
number of other individuals or agencies.

Application support
As stated by the NFPA and quoted earlier in this article, the NEC concerns itself
with safety and installation. Sections 725.144 and 840.160 of the 2017 NEC came
into being because of safety concerns about the heating of communications cables
that carry power. As a benchmark for safety, the NEC does not consider whether or
not a power source complies with any IEEE specification, Power over HDBase-T,
UPOE, or any other similar specifications. Hand in hand with that, the NEC does
not consider whether or not a twisted-pair communications cable is going to be able
to successfully carry a signal from a transmitter to a receiver.

Despite that fact, professionals in the structured cabling industry must consider all
those possibilities. Network end-users count on their internal IT departments and/
or their cabling contractors to ensure that a physical layer cabling infrastructure will
successfully support the travel of a signal from its transmitter to its receiver.

In that regard, when the TIA’s TSB-184-A specification ultimately is completed, it

will provide guidelines for that type of assurance. As of the early October meeting
of TIA TR-42.7, TSB-184-A remains a work in progress. As mentioned previously,
work began on the document approximately two years ago. In the meantime, the
2017 NEC-particularly including the ampacity table in Section 725.144-has taken
hold. TR-42.7 is addressing that reality, and some of the group’s current work on
TSB-184-A is related to bundle sizes, conductor gauge sizes, and cable temperature
ratings. While there is no official projection for the completion of TSB-184-A,
the industry looks toward the finalization of that document as another piece
in this puzzle.

PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN is our chief editor.

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 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 1, 2017

PoE-related amendments
proposed to the 2017 NEC

By Patrick McLaughlin

IN EARLY JUNE the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which produces
specifications including NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code, held its annual
Conference and Exposition. Among the technical conference’s sessions was a
panel discussion covering Power over Ethernet. (For more detail on the treatment
of cabling for Power over Ethernet in the 2017 NEC, see “The intersection of
remote powering technologies and the 2017 National Electrical Code” in our
November 2016 issue.)

Mark Earley, PE, the NFPA’s chief electrical engineer, led the panel discussion.
Playing a prominent role in the discussion was Ernie Gallo, a director with Telcordia
Technologies who also chairs the task group that was formed to provide input on
Ethernet communications that could prompt some type of modification to the
Code. Gallo reported that after 12 meetings in the form of conference calls, the
24-member task force had completed its work. The results of the group’s work will
be to propose three tentative interim amendments (TIAs) to the 2017 NEC, and to
provide approximately 10 public inputs to the 2020 NEC revision process.

The NFPA describes TIAs as “amendments to an NFPA standard [that are] effective
only between editions of a standard. A TIA automatically becomes a public input
for the next edition of the standard, and is then subject to all of the procedures of the
standards development process.” Representatives of the NFPA explained that the
three proposed TIAs are intended to enhance or ease usability of certain parts of the
Code that address PoE.

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 PoE-related amendments proposed to the 2017 NEC

In our November issue we reported the task group’s formation was prompted by an
appeal made to the NFPA Standards Board specifically related to Section 840.160
of the 2017 NEC. The appeal’s basis was that Section 840.160 did not specify an
ampere limit when citing 60-watt remote-powering circuits. The appeal pointed out
that 60 watts can be arrived at as a product of an unsafely high amperage and some
voltage. Presumably, the proposed TIAs will address this current-and-voltage issue
as it exists in Sections 840.160, 725.144, and 725.121.

Keith Lofland, director of education for codes and standards with the International
Association of Electrical Inspectors, also participated in the panel at the NFPA
Conference. During his presentation, Lofland pointed out that in preparation for
the panel discussion, he called several active electrical inspectors to hear their
concerns about PoE–an inquiry to which he got little if any response. Lofland
suggested, however, that his inquiry about PoE opened the eyes of two inspectors
who later called him to report that PoE infrastructure was widespread within their
jurisdictions.

The clear indication was that some inspectors have been seeing PoE infrastructure
for some time but not realizing it. Lofland opined there is a need to educate
inspectors about what PoE is, and how to identify cabling infrastructure that
will support PoE.

Randy Ivans, program and project manager for wire and cable at Underwriters
Laboratories, also presented as part of the panel discussion. He explained UL’s
fact-finding investigation that ultimately led to the inclusion of Table 725.144
in the 2017 NEC.

Over the course of the panel discussion, as well as a later session in the exposition
hall that continued the discussion, Ivans noted that despite the data collected in
the fact-finding investigation, the data that exists about PoE and cable heating is a
fraction of what could be discovered through further study.

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 PoE-related amendments proposed to the 2017 NEC

For example, UL’s fact-finding investigation tested twisted-pair cables with

conductor sizes as small as 26 AWG, and did not include patch cords. But
28-AWG cables and patch cords are available in the market today, and the
Telecommunications Industry Association’s TR-42.7 committee currently is
exploring the possibility of specifying 28-AWG cabling. As Ivans stated during
the NFPA panel discussion, in PoE applications cable heating can be affected by,
and managed via, AWG size among other characteristics–including cable design
variations, material composition, and installation practices. The larger gauge the
cable’s conductor, the less heat buildup a cable will experience, all other factors being
equal. So 28-AWG cabling is presumed to be more prone to heat buildup than 26-,
24-, or 23-AWG cabling. Yet, as Ivans points out, empirical data is needed.

The discussions included several references to LP (limited power) cable, which is

mentioned in the 2017 NEC as an alternative to the specifications in Table 725.144.

In a technology brief titled “Impact of 2017 National Electrical Code on Power over
Ethernet Cabling,” produced in November 2016, Panduit explains the use of LP
cable. The company points out, “Cables with the LP designation are not restricted in
bundle size for carrying currents up to the UL-certified current rating. To be clear,
the LP certification is not required to run PoE ... [however] while LP is not required
for PoE, it may simplify the installation and inspection process.”

Later in the document, Panduit says, “The LP rating provides installers, designers,
and engineers the ability to ensure their installation will be compliant with the 2017
NEC without an inspection to the ampacity table.

“It is important to note that although the latest revision of the NEC has been passed,
it is up to state or local governments to adopt and enforce it. Therefore, the timing of
when the 2017 Code will be enforced varies greatly depending upon location.”

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 PoE-related amendments proposed to the 2017 NEC

In May, Belden announced that several of its cables received LP certification. When
making the announcement, the company said, “LP-listed cable simplifies cable
selection and usage when power delivery is higher than 60W or PoE Type 4 is being
used, and when cable bundle sizes exceed the 2017 NEC limits. Today, the vast
majority of PoE applications involve power delivery below 60W and use PoE Type 3
or lower, and may not require the benefits of LP-listed cable.”

Belden added that it “pursued LP certification to help installers, consultants and

enterprises prepare for future applications where devices may exceed 60W or use
PoE Type 4, and where it is unclear what the cable bundle sizes are.”

We will continue to follow the technological, standards, and code developments

in this sphere.

PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN is our chief editor.

14 Cabling Installation & Maintenance SPECIAL REPORT

 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEP TEMBER 1, 2016

Low-voltage lighting an
intriguing element of Cisco’s
Digital Ceiling platform

By Patrick McLaughlin

MARKET-INTELLIGENCE FIRM BSRIA recently reported that its latest study of the
structured cabling marketplace shows that the industry’s hot topic is convergence
and the impact of digitization. “With the launch of its Digital Ceiling, Cisco has,
with its many partners, boosted the level of interest in convergence,” BSRIA noted.
“And cabling suppliers and channel players are expecting to see an increase in
demand for cabling, and in particular, for higher-specification cabling.”

Cisco launched Digital Ceiling at its Cisco Live event in Berlin,

Germany in February.

BSRIA additionally reported that most of the large converged intelligent buildings
are new-build or major refurbishments in verticals like retail/shopping centers, high-
end offices, universities, hospitals, airports, sports stadiums, government buildings
and hotels. Lone Hansen, manager for BSRIA’s IT cable group, commented, “The
growth in WAPS [wireless access points] and DBS [distributed building services]
is coming from a small base. The main factor that could boost the market is the
performance of solutions for the retrofit market.”

Separately, ZK Research principal Zeus Kerravala authored a paper in August

titled “A Digital Ceiling is Now a Business Imperative.” Housed on Cisco’s Digital
Ceiling website, Kerravala’s paper states, “The evolution to LED lighting creates

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 Low-voltage lighting an intriguing element of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling platform

an opportunity for organizations to bring all of their parallel networks together.

New LED lighting systems are now connected to and powered from the corporate
data network. The network-powered lighting system can be the centralized hub
for a digital ceiling that brings together lighting, building automation and other
technologies such as sensors. In fact, the digital ceiling is the easiest, fastest path to
a true smart and connected building. The evolution to a digital ceiling will not only
make buildings smarter and lower-cost, but can also significantly change the way
companies interact with customers and workers.”

Building an ecosystem
Indeed, low-voltage lighting, and particularly lighting that receives power via
twisted-pair cabling, has drawn focus to the Digital Ceiling technology platform.
Cabling vendors Legrand, Siemon, and Superior Essex are among the partner
organizations in the Digital Ceiling ecosystem.

When Siemon announced in March that it had joined the partner community,
the company stated, “Unequivocally aligned with Siemon’s ConvergeIT
cabling solutions for intelligent buildings, which create a unified infrastructure
for converging low-voltage building systems, Cisco’s Digital Ceiling aims to
transform buildings to be not only smart, but also connected, highly secure and
easy to manage.

“A key part of the Digital Ceiling includes systems and devices that are powered
by network switches using Power over Ethernet, including PoE-powered LED
lights with sensors that can help lower energy costs by up to 85 percent. Siemon’s
ConvergeIT cabling solutions include advanced copper shielded cables and
connectivity that provide superior support of PoE-enabled systems.”

Siemon also stated it would work with Smartworld to implement a Digital Ceiling
deployment in the Middle East. Smartworld is an Etisalat and Dubai South joint
venture company based in Dubai. Bob Allan, global business development manager

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 Low-voltage lighting an intriguing element of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling platform

Presented by Philips Lighting U.S., these illustrations describe two scenarios for LED lighting systems. The first
depicts logically separated networks, in which many components are physically shared. The colors indicate to
which virtual LAN a specific connection belongs. Trunk connections between the distribution switch and router
support multiple VLANs. The second depicts physically separated networks, in which all network components are
dedicated lighting or IT infrastructure. Lighting management software (EM) is connected to both networks using
two network interfaces. Lighting management software and gateway server (EG) may be connected to an access
switch or distribution layer switch.

for intelligent buildings and strategic alliances at Siemon, commented, “Siemon

has long been an expert in and advocate for integrated systems over a single unified

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 Low-voltage lighting an intriguing element of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling platform

cabling solution that combines power and control to building devices and lighting
to cut cost, save energy and improve overall building control, management and
security. From innovative patented crowned jack contact geometry used in our
jacks to eliminate the effects of spark gap erosion caused by unmating under PoE
load, to shielded cables that are qualified for mechanical reliability and superior heat
dissipation in PoE applications, as well as a wide range of components specifically
designed to connect lights, sensors and other digital ceiling endpoints, Siemon
is well-positioned to help customers like Smartworld quickly and confidently
deploy a Cisco Digital Ceiling smart, connected architecture to capitalize on the
IoT revolution.”

Lighting capabilities
Allan teamed up with Cisco solutions architect and technical marketing
engineering Luis Suau, as well as Philips Lighting U.S. vice president of enterprise
sales for commercial/industrial, Keith Moreman, to deliver a web seminar on
Digital Ceiling on June 2. Cabling Installation & Maintenance hosted that seminar.
Within it, Cisco’s Suau provided an overview of the platform, including the
explanation that LEDs are semiconductors that run on direct-current (DC) power.
“With the network being able to provide DC power, there’s a synergy between LED
lighting and networks in buildings,” he noted. Furthermore, he explained, if a light
has a proverbial “big pipe” of data communication capability-in the form of a high-
performance twisted-pair cable-connected to the fixture, that light also can contain
sensors to gather data about not just the light, but also about the environment
around it. The existence of data-gathering sensors within lights can begin the
evolution of data becoming information, information becoming knowledge, and
knowledge becoming intelligence-within a building.

During his presentation, Philips’s Moreman stated, “These systems are collecting
copious amounts of data. The sensors are constantly gathering information.”
Speaking about Philips products in particular, he explained that the system

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 Low-voltage lighting an intriguing element of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling platform

incorporates visible light communication (VLC), which “enables personal control

over individual luminaires, groups of luminaires, entire offices, et cetera.”

Among the building-efficiency gains that can be made based on the data/
information/knowledge/intelligence are floor-space optimization based on
occupancy patterns, and workspace (desk versus meeting-room) decisions.

Moreman also discussed the physical setup of PoE-enabled lighting systems,

describing two scenarios. “It can ride on the existing IT infrastructure,” he said,
diagramming the path from router to distribution switches. “Off those switches, we
run into specific PoE lighting switches, then off to the individual luminaires,” he
said. “The switches do not have to be dedicated to lighting exclusively; they also can
be used for other applications.”

The other scenario includes a separate network for lighting. “This is the same
effective concept, but is a standalone network” entirely devoted to lighting, he said.

Launch Fishers
Legrand and Superior Essex have jointly publicized their participation in a Digital
Ceiling deployment at Launch Fishers, a 52,000-square-foot building in Fishers, IN.
The facility is designed to serve the unique needs of entrepreneurs working to start
and build high-potential enterprises in health, information, life sciences, biotech,
consumer products, agri-tech and other technologies.

“To create the kind of environment conducive to entrepreneurial spirt, and

to foster innovative teamwork and creative thinking, the Launch Fishers
facility created an open office with a collaborative feel to the workspaces,”
the companies said. “However, the need for new high-tech amenities such as
occupancy sensors, advanced LED lighting and high-speed data communications
infrastructure was evident.”

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 Low-voltage lighting an intriguing element of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling platform

Launch Fishers chief executive officer John Wechsler stated, “It was imperative
for us to offer our tenants a work environment that not only offered a high level
of efficiency in terms of building systems management, but also promoted the
productivity and positive, innovative thinking we associate with our entrepreneurs.
We saw lighting as one major area in which we could significantly improve these
aspects of the work space and add significant value to our tenant experience.”

Platformatics, an Indiana company that specializes in providing intelligent PoE

lighting solutions, was enlisted. That company’s president, Matt Laherty, recalled,
“The Launch Fishers facility was a great opportunity for us to showcase the variety
of benefits that our PoE lighting solutions can offer to both facilities managers and
tenants. For Launch Fishers, we were able to devise a PoE lighting solution that
would help them increase their operational efficiency by giving them more control
of their lighting network, as well as improve the overall quality of light throughout
the work space.”

Superior Essex supplied 10,000 feet of its PowerWise Cat 5e+ cable, and Legrand
supplied HDJ series angled patch panels, Category 5e jacks, and two-port surface
mount boxes. “Together, this team provided a Digital Ceiling with PoE LED
lighting for Launch Fishers, paving the way for a sophisticated converged power,
light and data network,” Legrand and Superior Essex said.

In the ZK paper, Kerravala details several benefits of implementing Digital Ceiling

technology. Among them is improved worker productivity. He explains, “In an office
building, network-powered lighting within the Digital Ceiling can help create a new
employee experience and improve productivity because the high color-rendering
index allows companies to closely approximate natural light. This improves moods,
productivity and health, and it gives workers more energy. Network-enabled lights
can be programmed to suit individual needs or task requirements using a laptop, a
mobile device or even a tablet mounted to the wall.”

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 Low-voltage lighting an intriguing element of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling platform

The document cites the Launch Fishers project as well as the project at
RBC WaterPark Place III in Toronto as examples of successful Digital
Ceiling deployments.

In the conclusion of his paper, Kerravala notes, “In the digital era, the ability to create
new experiences that delight customers will be one of the factors that determine
marketplace leaders. Also, digital technology can be used to energize the workforce,
which will lead to more productive, engaged employees. A Digital Ceiling
deployment enables both. Consequently, ZK Research believes that a digital ceiling
is now a business imperative and should be at or near the top of every business and
IT leader’s priority list.”

PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN is our chief editor.

21 Cabling Installation & Maintenance SPECIAL REPORT

 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 14, 2017

TIA approves TSB-184-A cabling

standard for support of four-
pair remote powering

By Patrick McLaughlin

THE SET OF specifications that will

provide guidance for enterprises deploying
direct-current (DC) power to network devices
over all four pairs of a twisted-pair copper cable will
soon be available for purchase as a completed document. In
February, the Telecommunications Industry Association’s (TIA)
TR-42.7 Telecommunications Copper Cabling Systems Subcommittee
resolved all outstanding comments related to, and approved for publication,
Telecommunications System Bulletin TSB-184-A Guidelines for Supporting Power
Delivery Over Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling.

The document provides recommendations for the installation and management of

twisted-pair cables that will support the supply of DC power to networked devices, in
addition to carrying data to those devices. The recommendations aim to minimize the
temperature rise in groups or bundles of cables that support DC power delivery. The
TSB-184-A document is the culmination of years of study and effort by the TR-42.7
subcommittee in cooperation with other standards-development organizations—
particularly including the IEEE as it has developed the forthcoming 802.3bt, which is
commonly referred to as “four-pair Power over Ethernet.”

PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN is our chief editor.

22 Cabling Installation & Maintenance SPECIAL REPORT