TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) and distribution partner Power & Tel (Memphis, TN) recently teamed up to support Comlink in the construction of a state-of-the-art data center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Incorporating TIA-942 design principles for telecom-grade network durability and access methods, Comlink’s data center will offer scalable colocation and VARCloud hosting services for business and residential customers.
“We asked several vendors to provide a turnkey solution, including engineering, furnishing and installation of our entire low voltage infrastructure,” comments Brett Kirby, director of network management and data center operations at Comlink. “TE and Power & Tel came together to provide the best solution. TE’s suite of innovative, standards-compliant products, teamed with Power & Tel’s consultative selling and distribution horsepower, came together to deliver a quality, reliable solution with an impressively short timeline. With their help, and the installation forces of KLA Laboratories, Inc., we could not be happier with the end result.”
See: Certification-training courses for TIA-942 data center standard under development
According to a press release, Comlink’s mix of colocation and hosting equipment in one area of the data center drove the need for a centralized cross-connect solution. TE proposed a data center architecture built around TIA-942 guidelines for cable management, equipment setup and maintenance to help ensure the Comlink data center will meet the challenges of future service requirements. Deployed products include TE’s Rapid Fiber panel, MPO cable assemblies, plenum-rated microcable, and copper Cat 6 panels and cabling to provide fast cable installation and service turn-ups. Ultimately, TE says that its breadth of connectivity platforms, along with Power & Tel’s supply chain, allowed Comlink to construct the data center and place it into operation in a timely and efficient manner.
“Comlink will serve as a model for other data center builds across the U.S.,” contends Jaxon Lang, vice president of TE Telecom Networks. “It highlights three principles that are critical for success: Agility, [whereby] the physical layer can readily support all of the moves, adds, and changes that occur over the life of the data center; Availability, [whereby] the physical layer design ensures the data center can deliver service without interruption; and efficiency, [whereby] innovative connectivity solutions and best cable management practices lower overall deployment costs and allow faster turn-up of new customers and services.”