Now more than ever, the challenge for corporate information technology (IT) managers is how to meet the increasing networking and telecommunications needs of the enterprise when faced with decreasing budgets, cutbacks in personnel and extremely limited building space. The bottom line is to determine how to empower the enterprise to do more with less money and resources.
In order to meet these challenges, SPADA Innovations has been providing IT managers a revolutionary method of using fiber optic technology called Gigabit Passive Optical Networking (GPON) that allows them to reduce the amount of energy required to power their networking infrastructure up to 50 percent, while providing the same or better bandwidth.
Fiber optic cable is better than ever
Fiber optic cabling and end equipment use light pulses to transmit information. Fiber optic cables are made up of transparent glass or plastic fibers which allow light to be guided from one end to the other with minimal loss. Single-mode fiber optic cables have a higher transmission rate and is used for long distances, while multi-mode fiber optic cables can provide high bandwidth at high speeds over medium distances. From an installation standpoint, fiber optic cables are much smaller and lighter as compared to other copper-based cables. As a result, fiber optic cables are easier to handle, and require less time and effort to install.
In the past, fiber optic cables were proven to be a superior technology for a number of different applications, but it has always thought to have been too fragile or too expensive to be deployed for general, wide-spread use. As with all things, fiber optic technology has improved over time to become more durable and resilient, so now it is even easier to work with and install. Additionally, the manufacturing process has also improved and the cost of fiber optic cabling is about the same as typical ethernet data cabling.
The direct advantages of using a fiber optic network are numerous. First, there is the lower power consumption for the IT network, which equates to a lower operating cost. The IT and facility managers will immediately realize the savings from the reduced utility bill every month. The equipment used for a GPON fiber optic implementation is typically about 50 percent more energy efficient than the traditional networking equipment found in a IDF/Telco closet.
This reduction in energy consumption for the IT network also means there is a huge reduction in the amount of greenhouse gas that is emitted into the atmosphere. “Greening” an office building has typically meant upgrading the lighting to a more efficient alternative (e.g., CFL, LED) or using more efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Next, fiber optic cabling provides more bandwidth which allows everyone to get access to more information at faster speeds. For example, downloading a 2 GB movie over a typical “fast ethernet” connection (100 Mbps) would take almost 22 minutes. Now imagine a user downloading the same movie over GPON with fiber optic cabling, and it would only take about two minutes. By providing quicker access to volumes of data, it will empower end-users to be more productive.
Lastly, fiber optic cabling is being deployed in offices, buildings and campuses to provide an ultra efficient, high-speed broadband network for every user. A GPON fiber optic solution is being deployed because of its ability to provide a simplified, more secure, and much more cost effective way to deploy and manage any ethernet-based service requirement found throughout the corporate-wide enterprise.
Consumers love green companies
When asked why companies go green, it is often reported that it's not only the right thing to do, but also because it's an increasing competitive advantage to be seen as a green company that cares about the environment. Just like a lot of consumers reject pesticides and insist on organically grown food products, more and more consumers insist on buying products and services from companies that are green and utilize energy-efficient technology, because it shows that they care. What we're seeing is really an inevitable trend, the society as a whole is accelerating towards smarter, greener and more efficient and conscientious consumption.
Adopters of this GPON fiber optic technology are numerous: the federal government including the Department of Defense, municipalities, schools and colleges, commercial and industrial organizations.
San Diego-based SPADA Innovations has been busy “GPON-izing” its clients and spreading the word not only in California, but abroad as well. Locally here in San Diego, the City of San Diego has approved its use for the new downtown library and California State University in San Marcos will be installing it for their new off-campus student housing building as part of the master-planned Urban Villages development.
-Submitted by James Reynante, SPADA Innovations
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