The Ethernet Alliance announced it will be hosting a virtual booth at the online BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2020. The global consortium dedicated to the advancement of Ethernet technologies seeks to connect with the BICSI professional association’s information and communications technology (ICT) experts focused on building infrastructure, and engage them in its activities in areas such as operational technology (OT) networks and Power over Ethernet (PoE).
BICSI is a global resource for ICT credentials, standards, knowledge transfer and career development that serves more than 26,000 memberships spanning nearly 100 countries. The annual BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition serves as a forum for sharing industry best practices and technical presentations on topics including PoE, 5G, data centers, smart cities, the Internet of Things (IoT), audiovisual, wireless and direct-attached storage (DAS) installation, and optical fiber and passive optical networks.
“One of the absolute hallmarks of Ethernet is that the technology works together ubiquitously throughout every area of its growing range of applications,” said Peter Jones, chair, Ethernet Alliance. “That’s why it’s important for the Ethernet Alliance to regularly engage with diverse communities of professionals involved in Ethernet deployment around the world—to both better understand what they are experiencing as users and to attempt to provide context on what might be coming toward them and becoming important in their worlds. The BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition is a perfect opportunity for us to do just that.”
In August 2020, the Ethernet Alliance launched an industry focus around operational technology (OT) networks, which control manufacturing processes or provide occupant comfort and safety in a building. Those networks historically have been siloed from Ethernet-based IT networks. However, standardization of Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE) paves the way for OT networks to become part of a seamless, Ethernet-based network, to the benefit of performance, security, flexibility and manageability.
As its activities in areas such as OT networks and PoE have grown, the Ethernet Alliance has focused on tapping into new communities of expertise. For example, it recently signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate with the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), which represents more than 400 global companies enabling high-speed communications networks. The TIA Single Pair Ethernet Consortium (SPEC) is made up of global technology leaders accelerating the adoption of next-generation OT and IoT connectivity.
“Convergence on Ethernet for building and industrial automation is upon us,” commented Ronna Davis, chair, TIA SPEC. “It is crucial that the people impacted by this development, as well as the organizations that represent them, come together in new ways to better understand and serve one another.”
PoE is another area where the Ethernet Alliance’s and BICSI’s scopes of interest intersect. The Ethernet Alliance in June 2020 launched its Gen 2 PoE Certification Program, in response to rising industry and end-user demand for seamlessly interoperating PoE products and solutions. The Ethernet Alliance program incorporates certification testing, certification logos and a public registry of certified products, with the goals of achieving broad interoperability among PoE-enabled devices, minimizing the market confusion resulting from the growing number of PoE definitions and providing clarity over standardized versus non-standardized approaches.
The Ethernet Alliance virtual booth at BICSI will provide an opportunity for information sharing through both video presentations and one-on-one, individual interactions. Member companies participating in the booth include AEM, Cisco Systems, CommScope, Fluke Networks and Panduit Corp. To engage with the Ethernet Alliance at BICSI, visit https://bicsi.vfairs.com/#Login.
For more information, visit http://www.ethernetalliance.org.