All wired up.

MIT lab standardizes on structured cabling solution.

Independent, co-educational, and privately endowed, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is renowned as one of the world's leading engineering universities, emphasizing education and research as they apply to the practical world. Located on 153.8 acres spanning more than a mile along the Charles River Basin in Cambridge, Mass., it is organized into five schools with 21 academic departments, as well as many interdepartmental programs, laboratories, and work centers connected by a central infrastructure managed by the information systems (IS) group.

The research laboratories and large academic departments are always on the cutting edge of technology, pushing the limits of both software and hardware. Doing so requires the most progressive cabling products to provide the highest-performance computing and networking environment demanded by students, researchers, and staff.

David Foss, manager, computer systems, oversees a network spanning five buildings and three DLCs (large departments, laboratories, and centers with their own LANs): the research laboratory of electronics (RLE); the department of electrical engineering and computer sciences (EECS); and the MIT microsystems technology laboratory (MTL). In the late fall of 1998, Foss managed an installation of over 1,500 cable drops during an ongoing project targeted at recabling much of his existing infrastructure, a follow-up to a recabling effort performed the previous spring that included the installation of IDC Patch Panels, USO II wall plates, and Belden Data Twist 350 cable.

In both instances, Foss was impressed with the superior performance of the USO II Category 5e DataGate modules and the marked difference in its electrical performance compared to several other modules he had tested. Given many samples by virtually every vendor, Foss found none provided as large a headroom at 155 MHz when tested using a Wavetek (Dual NEXT) analyzer.

Foss has complete freedom in choosing his cabling infrastructure and provides a list of considerations as to why he chose Molex Premise Networks' USO II wall plates with DataGate jacks over other manufacturers' offerings. For one, he says that the DataGate shuttered modules are particularly good for clean-room environments where their sleek, clean look and closed shutter are preferred over other products. The shutter prevents dirt, dust, and other contaminants from entering the module. "But," Foss adds, "they are also much more resilient. Did you know that when a four-wire (RJ21) is inserted into an eight-wire jack, the pins do not displace? The shutter actually combs the pins in place each time it is opened and closed. This wiping motion also keeps the contacts clean. And, if a plug is poorly inserted, the DataGate shutter springs out and ejects the plug." With other jacks, an improperly inserted plug can be seated in the jack, but loss of signal can occur. Using USO II DataGate modules could save hours of time isolating a wall-outlet fault where a plug is not inserted correctly.

Foss admires the functional aesthetics of USO II and DataGate as well. "Designing the shutter so it doesn't protrude beyond the face of the jack was a clever idea," he says. "The addition of a clear label holder was also a great improvement over the previous USO faceplates." Foss also says the stock labels (such as Brady's PTL40-412 labels) fit perfectly in the label holder and make it easy to label wall outlets. He also likes the Molex Premise Networks' Snapz icons, which can be inserted beside the jacks and are not hidden by plugs and wires. The pad-printed icons are better for visibility when compared to molded-in designs that cannot be recognized beyond a couple of feet. The Snapz icons are lettered A through H or marked with communication images (PC, phone, etc.) for even more versatility.

Was a system warranty an important consideration for him in choosing a structured cabling manufacturer? Foss replies, "It is absolutely paramount. A structured cabling system is an investment, and I wouldn't purchase network cabling products without a warranty." The Molex Premise Networks' 20-year system warranty, coupled with Belden's 20-year warranty, was necessary and a fundamental element in his decision to specify and install products in his subnet at MIT. "Twenty years is more than ample, since most companies upgrade, renovate, or relocate every five to seven years," Foss says. "In reality, very few structured cabling systems live beyond a few years." Foss is quite satisfied with the local assistance he has obtained from the team supporting his account. "They listen to our needs and make a concerted effort to feed our ideas back to their engineering staff."

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