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TEST & MEASUREMENT


replicate the network and demonstrate the impact of moves, adds and changes to the network. In addition, warranties are only issued


by cable manufacturers if a certification test report is available to prove the compliance with EIA/TIA or ISO/IEC standards. This is vital to understand if an end user wants the support and financial security of a manufacturer’s long-term warranty.


Minimising Call Backs Another benefit of certifying is that call backs to the site are minimised. These are often costly, time consuming and can also potentially damage the installer’s reputation. Importantly, certification testing can completely eliminate common call backs, such as those related to improperly terminated cables and jacks, while also protecting the installer from responsibility if damage is caused by a third party. As a tester that provides simple pass/fail test results, and clear reporting to prove the installation worked at point of hand-over, or when additional devices have been added to the network, the qualifier is a tester that is a ‘must have’ for all installation and network engineers. A certifier is a more specialist tool, and therefore not a tool that is necessary for all network/ installation engineers to carry due to the level of investment needed, and it being used for very specific requirements – namely certifying the correct installation of network cabling to enable the issuing of the cable manufacturer’s warranty. Certifiers are also a useful investment


for troubleshooting where it is necessary to prove that the link under test passes or fails category 5e, category 6, category 6A and category 7 (class F) performance requirements according to the EIA/TIA or ISO/IEC standards.


Smaller Projects However, certification isn’t necessary for all installations and for smaller projects can actually be inappropriate and unnecessarily expensive. Around 30 percent of cable installations require certification, thus for the rest a qualifier will suffice. In situations where cabling does not need to comply with the high standards demanded by datacentres for example, there is also the option


16 NETCOMMS europe Volume III Issue 1 2012


One benefit of certifying is that call backs to the site are minimised.


to qualify. In fact, if an installer or contractor works on relatively small cabling projects, such as in residential or small business properties, a qualifier is the only tool they will need in their armoury. In the event that a certifier is needed, the devices can be rented.


Qualifiers Closing the gap between a certifier at the top and a verifier at the bottom, a qualifier enables a more affordable method of testing network cabling. Qualifiers ensure that an installation runs smoothly with no defects, and thus meet the user’s expectations for quality and reliability. While they do not guarantee warranties, as they do not certify installations to EIA/TIA or ISO/ IEC standards, they are considerably lower cost than a certifier and do a solid job checking the network speeds that a cable can support, testing every piece of installed cabling while proving that the cabling system worked when installed. Qualifiers test a link’s ability to


support applications by transmitting 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet packets and measuring the link performance and errors according to the IEEE 802.3ab Gigabit Ethernet standard. This simple pass/fail test determines within seconds whether the installed cable can support higher bandwidth applications such as Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet. While it is not a watertight, documented guarantee like a certifier provides, a qualifier enables an installer


to demonstrate to their customer that specific applications will run across the network without any problems. Finally, qualifiers also prove their


worth as a troubleshooting device, hence are useful for anybody managing cabling networks. Qualifiers can be used to troubleshoot connectivity problems in existing installations, to identify Power over Ethernet (PoE) issues as well to confirm bandwidth requirements before, during and after moves, adds and changes to the network.


Conclusion Fundamentally certifiers and qualifiers do a similar job, but meet different standards. Whether a network manager or installer owns one or both depends on the type of jobs and the specific circumstances. A certifier is a must for anybody frequently working in a mission-critical environment with enterprise-grade cabling which needs to meet specific standards, or for those who need certified proof to validate warranties. For others, a qualification device is more than enough to do the job well. When complete certification to the cabling standards isn’t necessary or demanded by the customer (but documentation and proof of performance is still required) then this piece of equipment can offer a reliable alternative and cost-effective solution.


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