1. The ANSI/TIA-606B Administration ©PRGodin @ gmail.com Edit December 2013 1

2. Installations that are improperly labeled are difficult to manage and maintain. The ANSI/TIA 606-B standard includes recommendations on how to label and manage a cabling infrastructure. 2 Bob Raj Front Boss Elaine E.W. Dsk # 3 Sales3 Dsk # 6 NW1

3. Overview The communication cabling is a vital component of a building. Occupants need a reliable, manageable, predictable and flexible telecommunications infrastructure for voice, video and data communications. Any structure or cable should be identifiable and traceable through the building. The ANSI/TIA 606B is a system for documenting, identifying and tracking the structured cabling infrastructure is necessary for managing the telecommunications investment. 3

4. Advantages of the Standard The ANSI/TIA 606B standard: ◦ Uses descriptive labelling. ◦ Easy to understand and implement. ◦ Scalable, meaning the identifying labels can contain as much information as the user wishes. ◦ Immune to future technology changes. ◦ Uniform and structured. The labels read from general to specific from left to right. Estimates are that only approximately 50% of installations comply with the ANSI/TIA/EIA 606 Standard. Source: Cabling and Maintenance Magazine 4

5. What the 606B Addresses Labelling (Identifiers) ◦ The labels are point-of-origin. ◦ Each run has its own descriptive label. ◦ Describes the labels and where they should be placed. Record Keeping ◦ All labelled elements are recorded ◦ Specify symbols used ◦ Define the reports that need to be kept or generated The standard applied to: ◦ Horizontal and Backbone Cable (ANSI/TIA 568C) ◦ Grounding and Bonding (ANSI/TIA 607B) ◦ Pathways and Spaces (ANSI/TIA 569B) 5

6. Newest Revision The ANSI/TIA 606B revision, published in 2012, made many significant changes over the previous version of the standard Moved to harmonize it with other standards, including the 568C and ISO standards Simplified and reformatted the identification requirements and identifiers, changed the way racks and panels are addressed, and several other changes. 6

7. Typical Telecom Infrastructure to Administer Image: TIA/EIA Standard 7

8. Identified Elements Every location, cable, pathway and termination point must have a unique identifier. The standard includes suggestions on creating unique alphanumeric identifiers. Some identification values are no longer required on the label, but are in the records. 8

9. Administration Classes Four Administration Classifications: ◦ Class 1: Single Building, Single Telecommunications Room ◦ Class 2: Single Building, Multiple Telecommunications Rooms ◦ Class 3: Multiple Buildings, Single Site ◦ Class 4: Multiple Buildings, Multiple Sites 9

10. Conventions The EIA/TIA 568C standard for color code sequences should be followed. Identifier label detail increases when read from left to right Panel Labeling ◦ All panel ports should be read and labelled from left to right (viewed from the front), starting at the top left. ◦ May be labeled with a letter designator or its numerical unit position. 10

11. Identifier The standard defines a descriptive identification label. This identifier will contain information on the physical infrastructure, not its application. The information on the label can be used to: ◦ Track down the physical layout of the cable ◦ Determine which infrastructure records need to be accessed. 11

12. Identifiers (Labels) Placed within 30cm of the end of a cable. Must be durable and resistant to environmental conditions. Must be easily read (contrast) Must be typed or mechanically printed (no hand written labels) 12 image: www.cablinginstall.com

13. Required Identifiers Cabling Subsystem1link (Horizontal Link) Patch panel port & termination point TS (Telecommunication Space) Cabinet, rack, enclosure, wall segment Patch panel or block TMGB & from object (ANSI/TIA 607 element) TGB & from object (ANSI/TIA 607 element) RGB, BCT, TBB, GE (ANSI/TIA 607 element) 13

14. Suggestions for Unique Identifiers from the 606A standard BCBonding conductorICIntermediate crossconnect BCDBackbone conduitJxJack CxCableMCMain crossconnect CBBackbone cableMHMan or maintenance hole CDConduitPBPull box CCCross-ConnectPEPedestal CPConsolidation PointSxSplice CTCable TraySEService entrance ECEquip. Bonding conductorSLSleeve EFEntrance facilitySPSplices in Horizontal Link EOEquipment OutletTCTelecom Closet EREquipment roomTGBTelecom Grounding busbar FxFiberTMGBTelecom Main grounding busbar GBGrounding busbarTOTelecommunications Outlet GCGrounding conductorWAxWork area 14

15. Grid positioning Racks and cabinets in a large data center can be identified using a grid-based system that relate to floor tiles or rows of racks/cabinets. The “X” coordinate is an alpha character and the “Y” coordinate is a number. 1 A B C D E F G H I J 2 3 4 5 6 7 15

16. Identifiers fs : (f) # floor, (s)  TS of that floor -a:n : (a)  panel/block, (n) # port/IDC section or (a) # panel U (n) # port xy : (x)  horizontal tile of a floor, (y) vertical tile b : (b)  # building c : (c)  # site or campus n : (n)  # cable d : (d)  # pair/strand b : (b)  # building / is a separator between near end and far end The identifiers read from general information on the left to more specific information on the right. Numbers should start with #1; letters should start with A. For instance, using #3 as a value implies that there is a #1 and a #2 in existence. 16

17. Identifiers Image: www.bradycanada.com and the TIA/EIA 606 A Standard 17

18. Example A telecom rack is located in a TR on the 3 rd floor, east side at grid position “C-6”. The port is #4 on the 2 nd rack down from the top. The format is: fs.xy-r:p where: ◦ fs = floor, space identifier on the floor ◦ xy = coordinates of the rack ◦ r:p = rack letter and the port number The label would be: 3E.C6-B:4 18

19. Panel unit positions Racks should be labeled based on their grid position. In this image, the label is ‘AD02’ Panels can be identified based on the bottom-up standards rack unit position at its top edge. 19 www.hellermanntyton.us

20. 20 image: www.cablinginstall.com

21. 21 image: www.bicsi.org

22. Examples of Basic Identifiers Class 3 Horizontal (Multiple Buildings, Single Site) 021-2B-3C04 Building Number Second Floor, Telecom Room B Rack 3, Panel C Port Number 4 22 021-2B-A4-30:04 Building Number Second Floor, Telecom Room B Rack at grid A4 Panel at 30U, Port Number 4

23. Examples of Advanced Identifiers Class 3 Backbone (Multiple Buildings, Single Site) 06 - 1C / 05 - 2B. FMM2. 4 Building Number First Floor, Telecom Space C Building Number Second Floor, Telecom Space B Separator Fiber Multimode, Cable 2, Group 4 23

24. Examples of TO/EO Labels Image: TIA/EIA Standard 24 image: www.bicsi.org

25. 25 Examples of TO/EO Labels image: www.bicsi.org

26. Example of Block Label Image: TIA/EIA Standard 26

27. Example of Panel Designator Image: TIA/EIA Standard 27 Note the panel identifiers may use the rack unit position of the panel instead of a letter identifier

28. Color Coding If the termination fields will be color coded the table below indicates the colors required for the different types of connections Image: TIA/EIA Standard 28

29. 29 Example of color coding termination fields image: www.anixter.com

30. Grounding Infrastructure The telecommunications grounding infrastructure should also be managed under the standard. Grounding busbars must be identified in the following format: ◦ FS-TGB or FS-TGMB where:  F = floor  S = room identifier  TGB or TGMB = busbar type 30 image: www.thefoa.org

31. Firestops Firestop locations are identified in the following format: ◦ F-FSLN(H) where:  F = floor  FSL = firestop location identifier  N = firestop identifier/location  H = hours rating Any item penetrating the firestop barrier should be labelled within 30 cm on each side. 31

32. Pathways and Spaces Pathways and spaces follow an identification format: ◦ fs-UUU.n.d(q) where:  f = floor  s = space  UUU = descriptive identifier/location  n = pathway element  d = detail information  q = qualifying information ◦ The standard indicates recommended descriptor codes for Outdoor Spaces, Devices, Indoor Spaces, and pathways. 32

33. Example of a Pathway Identifier Image: TIA/EIA Standard 33

34. Record Keeping All cables must have an associated record that includes: ◦ Identifier ◦ Cable type ◦ Physical location (pathway and space) ◦ Information on the termination on each end  Faceplate/panel/block type and configuration  Termination location on the faceplate/block/panel ◦ Service record including:  Installation  Modifications and/or repairs  Test results 34

35. Record Keeping Use software specifically designed for cable record keeping. ◦ Also allowable is a database or spreadsheet. ◦ Physical files may also be necessary. Records must be easy to access. They should be sorted by location. The standard states which records are required and which are optional. 35

36. Example of a Horizontal Link Record Image: TIA/EIA Standard 36

37. Linkages Other documents may be linked to the records as a linkage. Examples include: ◦ Drawings are helpful for quickly identifying locations for cabling within a building. The drawings should be updated whenever changes to the infrastructure are made. Examples include:  T-Drawings  As-built  floor plans  blueprints,… ◦ Work orders and details on what changes have been made to the infrastructure. 37

38. T-Series Drawings The 606 Standard (Annex C) addresses the symbology and graphic elements for drawing Telecommunications drawings (T-Drawings). There are 6 types of T-Drawings defined in the standard. 38

39. T-Drawings T0: Campus or Site Plans ◦ Backbones T1: Layout of the building per floor ◦ Building Areas (rooms, access points, etc) ◦ Backbones ◦ Horizontal Pathways T2: Service Zone or Building Area Drawings ◦ Cable drop locations ◦ Cable IDs 39

40. T-Drawings T3 Telecommunications Rooms ◦ Room Layout ◦ Rack/Cabinet elevations T4 Typical Detail Drawings ◦ Faceplate labeling ◦ Firestopping ◦ Rack/Cabinet details ◦ Raceways T5 Schedules ◦ Spreadsheets showing information for cutover and cable plant management 40

41. T1 Drawing Example Image: TIA/EIA Standard 41

42. T2 Drawing Example Image: TIA/EIA Standard 42

43. T3/T4 Drawing Examples Image: TIA/EIA Standard 43

44. Summary Telecommunications are vital to the occupants of a building. A well administered structured cabling infrastructure is one that is well documented. The ANSI/TIA 606B Administration standard describes a method for identifying and managing records for the telecommunications infrastructure. 44 END prgodin @ gmail.com