October 27, 2006 -- Germany's Air Berlin has expanded its Berlin headquarters network using ADC's CopperTen 10GBase-T platform, which is designed to transfer data at rates up to 10-Gbit/sec over copper cabling.
According to a press release, the installation was deployed by WTG Berlin, an ADC-certified telecommunications service provider. Since the start of the implementation in 2005, WTG Berlin has installed approximately 5,500 new connections in the airline's data center and offices.
Overall, the firm has laid approximately 220 km (140 miles) of Cat7 cable, designed for frequencies up to 600 MHz. In addition, 230 KM8-coupler panels have been installed, each with 24 ports in operation. The firm also replaced some older cabling.
"The CopperTen solutions from ADC fulfilled our high quality requirements for a copper-based 10-Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure for our headquarters," says Andre Hanisch, head of network administration at Air Berlin. "In the data center and office cabling, we wanted to make no compromises. What counted was guaranteed high bandwidth, speed, and reliability. ADC has more than fulfilled our expectations. For that reason, we have decided to expand our ADC solutions to other Air Berlin locations such as Palma de Mallorca."
ADC says its CopperTen platform, part of the company's TrueNet product family, is based on Ethernet standard IEEE 802.3af/n for 10-Gbit/sec over copper cable, and offers Air Berlin important investment security. The airline is also using components of the ADC KM8-RJ45 product family, providing an excellent platform for the realization of a 10-Gig channel, according to ADC.
The entire system was tested in conjunction with the company's CAT7-S-STP cable and KM8-patch cords in the "4 Connector Channel" test, and maintained all parameters within "comforting headroom," says the company.
ADC notes that its products are tested according to the high standards of the PREMIUM Verification Program (PVP), whereby independent test labs make "spot checks" during series production as to whether cabling components fulfill national and international norm requirements. The company also notes that a decisive factor in its selection as supplier for the airline project was that it could supply all necessary components from one source.
"We are very happy that a forward-looking company like Air Berlin decided on our innovative infrastructure solutions and has successfully implemented them," concludes Axel Kahsnitz, vice president of ADC and regional director for the company's EMEA unit. "Companies are now placing increasing emphasis on the guaranteed future of their systems. With CopperTen, we can offer our customers a solution that is not only easy to install but cost-effective, too. CopperTen is a future-proof alternative to fiber cabling systems."