The normally traditional Data Center market in the U.S. is one of the first in-building networks to implement 40 Gigabit speeds. The main emphasis of the BSRIA U.S. Data Center Structured Cabling Study was to estimate the size of the data center structured cabling market - the first of its kind - and also to find out what kind of structured cabling is being used in US data centers and the impact over the next two years from increasing speeds. The data was collected from a survey sent to 250 online data center cabling specifiers in the USA.
The model for market size of structured cabling within the data center network gives a value of US$539 million, of which 46% or US$246 million is fiber and copper connectivity and 54% is cable. The estimation is based on copper and fiber switch ports installed in Data Centers and a number of assumptions taken from the end-user survey such as utilization rates and replacement rates of active equipment and cabling. Trends, drivers and forecasts are also given.
The survey results highlight a rush to higher speeds in data centers; a broad choice of copper cabling Category for 10G, especially shielded; and a copper / fiber split of 58:42 by volume.
75% of respondents who plan to choose copper cabling for their 10G links plan for shielded cabling, relatively evenly split between Categories 6, 6A and 7. OM3 has a relatively low uptake at the moment in U.S. data centers. The choice for fiber is still heavily cost related, but appears to be gaining some traction with those who want to future-proof for 100G and those not willing to wait for 10G or 40G copper connectivity and equipment. The respondents also commented on the impact of blade servers and virtualization in their data center.
To give a fuller picture, end-users were also asked about the Brands they use, link lengths, the usage of IIMS, outsourcing and testing, and their plans for expansion. Most of the data is shown by data center size and by layer within the data center e.g. between access and server. Some interesting points are also shown by vertical sector.
This PowerPoint and Excel report are available for EUR8,120/USD11,600 from BSRIA Ltd. in the U.K.
For further information contact Lone Hansen or Summer Chardine at BSRIA on:
Telephone: +44 (0) 1344 465643 or 465518
Email: Lone.Hansen@bsria.co.uk;Summer.Chardine@bsria.co.uk
CONTENTS LIST for U.S. Data Center Structured Cabling & Network Choices Study, Jan 2008
Executive Summary
Market Value & Volume
Trends & Drivers
Impact on Cabling of Trends and Forecast
Objectives
Methodology of Market Sizing
Future Expansion Plans
Current Cabling in the Data Center
- Copper / Fiber Split
- Copper & Fiber
- Cable jacket Types
- Preference for an End-to-End System
- Installation Practice
Speeds in the Data Center 2007 to 2009
- 100 Mbps, 1G, 10G, 40G and 100G
- 10G, 40G and 100G by Data Center Size, Time Line, Data Center Layer and by Vertical Sector
10G Copper
- Plans
- Choice of 10G Copper Cabling Solution by Category of Cable
- Plans for 10G copper active equipment
- Choice between Copper & Fiber Cabling for 10G
Fiber
- Multimode by Data Center Size and Vertical Sector
- OM3 & Singlemode by Data Center Size, Data Center Layer and by Vertical Sector
- Pre-terminated fiber
- Fiber Connectivity
Brands
- Copper & Fiber Cable
- Copper & Fiber Patch Cords
Replacement Rates
- Copper & Fiber Cabling
- Switches, Servers & Storage
Equipment
- Patch Panels
- IIMS
- Testing
- Criteria for Choosing Intelligent Hardware System & Supplier
Network Protocols
- By Data Center Size & Layer
Contents list for Excel report:
Switch port, DC versus other networks
Methodology
Market Overview - by value & volume of patch cords, permanent links, patch panel ports and cable (copper & fiber) used in permanent links
Forecast for switch ports & cabling 2007-2009
Copper switch links
- number of links by 60% & 80% utilization rate
- split by type & length
- replacement rate
Fiber switch links
- number of links by 60% & 90% utilization rate
- split by type & length
- replacement rate
Switch to Server links and Server to storage links