The number of devices collecting and exchanging data has grown significantly over the last few years. Fully automated environments, such as facilities capable of smart metering, energy monitoring, and health detection, already exist and, as the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to evolve, greater bandwidth and power are essential to maintaining uninterrupted network connectivity.

The IoT is the network of physical devices capable of collecting and sharing data through integrated sensors and network connectivity. These devices can be detected and controlled remotely across existing networks without human interference.

Wireless devices are a significant contributor to the rise of IoT, and with the increasing demand for wireless connectivity it’s important to have a flexible, scalable, and reliable structured cabling backbone to support the required bandwidth. Existing cabling infrastructures may not be capable of providing the bandwidth needed for optimal performance. Many enterprise and mission-critical networks already rely on more powerful 10GbE speeds over Category 6A infrastructures, with an eye toward future 40GbE networks over Category 8 cabling.

Power requirements for devices communicating over wireless networks have also increased, placing considerable energy demands on supporting infrastructures. Structured cabling technology advancements such as Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) and port intelligence, as well as improvements in Category 6A cable and connector designs, have reduced power usage. EEE also sets the stage for implementing wake-on-LAN (WoL) and power back-off features to further reduce power consumption and increase energy efficiency.

Installing a Category 6A structured cabling system will ensure the availability of higher bandwidth to wireless devices while providing optimal support for EEE. This allows expanding wireless networks to maintain uninterrupted connectivity while minimizing power needed for full operability, creating a higher performing, energy-efficient solution that meets increasing IoT wireless demands.

To learn more about wireless standards and structured cabling trends, view our webinars at: leviton.com/ns/webinars.