Save Space, Energy and Costswith the New Standard in Enterprise LANs

Decrease floor space usage by up to 90%

Cut power consumption by up to 80%

Reduce costs by up to 70%

Passive Optical Networks

Transforming the Enterprise NetworkYour organization didn’t get to where it is today by being satisfied with

the status quo — by doing things the way they’ve always been done,

just because they’ve always been done that way.

So why should your enterprise network be any different?

For roughly the past two decades, most enterprise local area networks

(LANs) have been built on an active Ethernet platform with multiple tiers

of network switches and copper cabling. This platform has worked

relatively well. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have become the standard.

Why fix something that isn’t broken?

Because of what you stand to gain by implementing a passive

optical network.

Enable Transformative Technologies

Many enterprise networks are already facing a bandwidth crisis due to the inability of existing

switch hardware and cabling infrastructure to meet ever-increasing demand for:

Internet-based applications

Video and video conferencing

Voice over IP (VoIP)

Cloud-based computing

Wireless access for a growing host of mobile devices

Boosting performance in a legacy active Ethernet LAN means

replacing expensive network switches every five to seven years and

perhaps their interconnecting cabling as well. It can also mean upgrading

the entire existing cabling infrastructure all the way to the desktop level to the

latest category of copper cabling and connecting hardware — another costly and

disruptive undertaking, which you can look forward to repeating every five to 10 years.

Break the cycle of cable upgrades and prepare your network for new technologies

with a cost-effective passive optical network.

Corporate Servers

AAASecurity

Call Manager

WAN

Edge Router

Aggregation Switches

Distribution Switches

Building Aggregation

SwitchesWorkgroup Switches

Copper Cables

End-User Devices

Campus Aggregation

Remote Building

Legacy Active Ethernet LAN

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Optical LAN Solution

Lower CapEx, OpEx and TCO

The capital expenses involved in installing a new

passive optical LAN are substantially lower than

installing the same size new active Ethernet

LAN. When combined with the lower operating

expenses associated with a passive optical LAN,

you can expect a total cost savings of up to 70%.

The total cost of ownership (TCO) benefit is

realized the first year with positive impact to your

bottom line every year after. Not only will you

break the cycle of upgrading network hardware

and cabling to achieve performance increases

every five to seven years, but as your network

grows, the passive optical network offers

economical scalability, supporting up to 8,000

users with one OLT.

Even if you choose to install a new optical

network OLT and fiber to the telecommunications

closet, but use existing copper cabling from the

closet to the desktop, you can still realize capital

and operating expense savings of up to 50%.

OLT

Passive Fiber Distribution Hub

Corporate Servers

AAASecurity

Call Manager

WAN

Edge Router

Aggregation Switches

Campus Aggregation

Remote Building

End-User Devices

What Is a Passive Optical Network?

A passive optical network (PON) is a point-to-multipoint network that

provides converged data, voice and video at gigabit speeds over a single

strand of singlemode fiber to Ethernet-equipped devices at the desktop.

A single optical line terminal (OLT) can act as the central aggregation point

for networks of up to 8,000 users connected via singlemode fiber, passive

optical splitters and optical network terminals (ONTs) at the user level.

The OLT operates like a standard Ethernet switch, but with an aggregation

capacity far exceeding that of a typical chassis-based Ethernet switch.

A PON can extend over multi-building, campus-type LAN distances up

to 20km (12.4 miles) without the need for signal regeneration.

PON may be a relatively new concept in the enterprise network, but it’s

the same technology that’s in place and already taken for granted by tens

of millions of residential consumers of combined TV, Internet and phone

services delivered over fiber by telecommunication service providers.

Decrease floor space usage by up to 90%

Cut power consumption by up to 80%

Reduce costs by up to 70%

The Reliable, Versatile, Scalable and Economical Alternative

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Save Energy and Meet Green Initiatives

A typical legacy active Ethernet LAN with 2,000 users consumes

approximately 10 watts of power per user, while a passive optical

LAN with the same number of users consumes only 2 watts per

user — an 80% savings in power consumption.

This is because the passive optical LAN uses fewer electronics, so

it consumes less energy in the first place, and also generates less

heat that would, in turn, require more HVAC and power to cool.

Lowering energy consumption not only saves money — up to

$72,000 per year in the above example — but can also help you

meet Green initiatives and qualify for building LEED® certification. vs.

A passive optical LAN occupies 90% less rack space than an active Ethernet LAN, and its passive equipment also consumes 80% less power.

PON vs. Active Ethernet LAN

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Who Should Consider a Passive Optical Network?

Generally speaking, passive optical networks offer

clear-cut benefits for any enterprise LAN of 500 or

more users, whether on multiple floors in a single

building or spread out over a campus.

If you have 200–500 users in your LAN, you

should still consider PON technology —

especially if you’re already looking at the need

for a cabling infrastructure upgrade.

At 200 users, a side-by-side cost comparison

for an active Ethernet LAN versus an optical LAN

shows that CapEx is roughly equal, but the PON

solution yields savings in OpEx, even during the

first year of ownership. That’s in addition to PON’s

other advantages, including higher reliability,

flexibility and scalability, as well as cabling

infrastructure designed to last 30 years.

Reclaim Your Real Estate and Your IT Staff

By replacing the legacy Ethernet LAN’s layers of active switches — and the

associated cabling and connecting hardware — with passive optical splitters,

PON technology occupies 90% less floor space in your facility.

Active Ethernet LAN (2,000 users)

Optical LAN (7,000 users)

Typical Rack Units Required 90 9

Typical Racks Required 18 1

Imagine what else you could do with the floor space that’s currently being

occupied by communications closets filled with racks of equipment. Why not

put that real estate to use for a purpose that advances your organization’s

goals and helps your bottom line?

In addition to requiring far less space, a passive optical LAN requires far less

IT support for patches, upgrades, manufacturer service contracts and

troubleshooting than a legacy active Ethernet LAN. This is because the optical

LAN’s equipment is far less complex and its cabling infrastructure has an

expected lifespan of at least 30 years instead of only 5–10.

Breaking the cycle of network migration and labor-intensive support means

you can shift your IT staff’s focus to what matters most to your organization,

such as supporting revenue-generating applications.

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Passive Optical LANs — High Performance for New or Existing Networks

Optical Splitters range in size from 1x4 to 2x64 and passively divide the signal from the OLT to each network port.

Optical Splitters may be used to support a zone or workgroup deployment.

ONT’s support 2-8 end-user connections to the network. ONT’s are available in desktop, wall and cubicle mounted varieties.

OLT aggregates all LAN data traffic in the main distribution center and provides connection to the wide area network.

Singlemode Fiber — Passive Optical Networks utilize singlemode fiber, supporting cable runs of up to 20 Km.

ONT’s connect IP enabled devices to the network, such as IP cameras and access points.

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Solutions

A passive optical LAN with fiber to the desk, shown in the building on the left, offers

significant savings in CapEx and OpEx over a traditional, Ethernet LAN. But even when you’re

connecting an existing copper cabling infrastructure to a passive optical LAN, as shown in the building on

the right, you can still gain CapEx and OpEx savings of up to 50%. Due to its flexibility, scalability and support for

long distances, PON is particularly well suited for networks that span large campuses or multiple floors in a single building.

Existing Ethernet Cabling Infrastructure

Ethernet Ports

PoE Enabled ONT’s

leverage existing Ethernet cabling infrastructure as part of the PON architecture.

What Types of Organizations Are Using PON?

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Early adopters of passive optical LANs over the past 10 years have included:

Government agencies, because of PON’s capacity to support enhanced

security and reduced energy consumption mandates

Educational institutions, to economically interconnect an entire campus

or school district spread over distances up to 20km

The healthcare industry, which typically requires high bandwidth for digital

imaging and for whom opening up walls and ceilings to upgrade

cabling every five to 10 years can create hygiene issues

Commercial enterprises have taken notice of the benefits

realized by healthcare, government and educational

institutions. The combination of these benefits, plus

the advantages of PON in cost, energy and space, have

driven an increase in demand for PON in the enterprise

over the past five years.

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Passive Optical Networking FAQs

Does PON provide similar or better security compared to traditional Ethernet switch networks?

Yes. PON has better security since it implements security

architecture similarly to Layer 2 Ethernet switch solutions, plus

additional security mechanisms by means of an all-fiber network

and the PON protocol layer.

Does PON architecture deliver the same bandwidth to end-users and end-devices?

Yes. When compared to traditional Ethernet switches, PON provides

equivalent bandwidth at the network uplink interface, across transmission

equipment switch fabric and at service module interfaces.

Will on-site technical staff need to receive special training before deploying an optical LAN?

No. The Ethernet end-points do not change, and neither do the IP/

Ethernet services being delivered. The training required to support the

fiber plant within an active Ethernet LAN is the same training required

to support the fiber cable plant within a PON network.

How reliable is PON compared to traditional Ethernet switch technology?

PON equipment meets strict 99.999% availability standards, while

traditional Ethernet switching manufacturers advertise a 99.961%

availability (more than 3 hours of network downtime annually).

Does PON support PoE?

Yes. PON ONTs are available with Power over Ethernet (PoE), both

in low-power IEEE 802.3af and high-power IEEE 802.3at standard

configurations on all ports of the ONTs. The PON solution provides for

a centralized DC power system to manage the PoE power and UPS/

backup power for these devices. A desktop solution is also available

as determined by user requirements. Additionally, ONTs can include

POTS ports, providing a SIP connection to the network to allow use

of existing analog telephone handsets.

Is PON a future-proof technology?

Yes. A PON optical distribution network using singlemode fiber is the

closest future-proof LAN infrastructure possible today. Compared to

CATx cabling limitations, singlemode fiber offers superiority in bandwidth

capacity, distance, pliability, connector reliability and weight. Finally, PON

offers the most graceful future migration to 10GbE and DWDM (dense

wave division multiplexing) technologies.

More Questions on Passive Optical Networks?

The shift from active Ethernet to a passive

optical LAN isn’t a snap decision, of course.

To discuss your questions and your network’s

unique requirements, contact WESCO CSC’s

Sales Engineers today.

Call: 877.462.7279

WESCO CSC End-to-End PON Solutions and

Technology Support

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WESCO CSC provides complete, customized solutions to help you

implement a passive optical LAN. We support all related technologies

and infrastructure, including:

Optical LANs

Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) for Wireless Access

Secure Passive Optical Networks (SPON)

Outside Plant for Campus Networks

Complete Sales Support

WESCO CSC Sales Engineers, in combination with our network

of certified integrators and industry-leading manufacturers, offer

complete specification and design support for your networking, data

communications and security needs.

Around the World or Across the Street, We Keep Your Business Running

WESCO is much more than a data communications, security and

electrical distributor. We are a full-service, global supply chain company

providing you with leading products, services and solutions to meet your

MRO, OEM and capital project requirements.

A majority of Fortune 500 companies use WESCO as their “one-stop

shop.” The breadth and depth of our capabilities, geographic footprint

and supply base enable us to meet your needs and provide continuity

to your operations.

As part of WESCO, Communications Supply Corporation (CSC) is the

world’s fastest-growing global distributor of data communications and

security solutions. WESCO CSC has expertise in the latest technologies

from all industry-leading manufacturers and can provide you with

unmatched extra effort and value-added solutions.

Upgrade Your Business with Value Creation

WESCO can help your business maximize productivity

while saving money. Our extensive line of WESCO Value

Creation Solutions can streamline operations in a variety

of areas by providing energy, project management,

working capital and procurement solutions.

Providing Value Creation Solutions for:

Communications

eBusiness

Energy & Sustainability

Engineering Services

Production Support

Safety

Security

Supply Chain Optimization

Training

Working Capital

WESCO Distribution, Inc.

225 West Station Square Drive, Suite 700

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Phone: 412.454.2200

www.wesco.com

© 2013 Communications Supply Corporation l 47036298911/ 51962

Communications Supply Corporation

200 East Lies Road

Carol Stream, IL 60188

Phone: 877.462.7279

www.gocsc.com