GCL Case study: Swiss Life
Swiss Life appointed GCL Ltd to install their voice and data solution
in their new Client Service Centre in the Edward Pavilion in the
Albert Dock.
The solution was to use Nexans (formally Nexans Cables and Components)
LANmark 6 structured cabling solution, and the Alcatel Omni 4400
voice switch. Performance, resilience and future proofing were the
key requirements of the customer. Tim Wheeler (Swiss Life I.T. Services
Manager) 'the move is a significant step in the business of Swiss
Life and its customers. The importance of the right infrastructure
and on time to budget install was critical. I chose GCL Ltd because
of theirpast work with Swiss Life, and the backing of Nexans. This
provided peace of mind and the resources to meet my objectives.'
This install is very important for GCL' said Phil Cottrell (GCL.
Managing Director.) 'The client and the building are very prestigious,
the installation was highly visible and so demanded a text book
installation.' The install is slightly different from the norm because
of the use of two Floor distributors on each of the floors. This
was necessary due to the original construction and topology of the
building where distance limitations were restrictive. The Building
Distributor was located with the I.T. equipment on the first floor,
where copper and fibre backbone cables were terminated to support
each of the Floor Distributors. The result was a flexible and resilient
system that will support Swiss Life for the present day and the
foreseeable future.
The equipment chosen for the structured cabling system was the
Nexans LANmark 6 solution. This installation has:
LANmark 6 cable
LANmark 6 PCB Patch Panels
LANmark 6 PCB double outlets
Quick Mount Cabinets
Labo racks
When considering the cabling of a building, GCL's aim is to meet
the requirements of all potential users of the building during its
lifetime, without the need for recabling.
It is with these considerations that Swiss Life and their approved
cabling system installers GCL have adopted this LANmark Category
6 system solution that supports the present day technology and to
future proof for the technology of the future.
It was with these considerations that FCL adapted the LANmark
catergry 6 system solutions, and to deploy a dark zip cord dual
fibre optical cable in conjunction with the horizontal cabling to
serve each of the floor service box locations for future considerations.
These have been left unterminated beneath the raised flooring for
the connection when required to Nexans active equipment.
The project totalled 5450 Telecommunications Outlets distributed
over the four floors of Edward Pavilion supported with both copper
and fibre backbone distributed from the Building Distributor ( BD
) to each of the Floor Distributors ( FD ) located on the north
and south wings of each of the floors. The central areas of each
of the floors are cabled to the distributors on the south wing.
The cabling system infrastructure needed to support an office area
of over 80,000 square feet with a potential occupancy capacity of
some 600 Swiss Life personnel.
For environmental and building construction approvals a ' green
' cable was preferred and a total of 300,000 mtrs of four twisted
pair Low Smoke and Zero Halogen ( LSZH ) cable has been laid loose
on cable containment tray within the floor voids and vertical risers.
For the backbone infrastructure, 12 core 62.5/125 micron fibre
optical cables have been installed to each of the eight floor distributors
to support the data network and 100 pair copper cables to support
the telephony system.
The design for the project included the Nexans 42U open rack frame
for the locating of the RJ45 19inch 1U 24 port LANmark 6 UTP patch
panels equipped with 2U cable management frames for every 48 RJ45
ports. This arrangement is been necessary to allow the appropriate
bend radius to ensure Category 6 performance throughout the channel
link. Consideration needed to be afforded to performance as well
as arrangements and configuration of the cross-connections required
within the 42U rack frame for the organising all excess cable and
cords.
When GCL considered the cabinets might contain in excess of 500
cross-connections, the process of repatching potentially became
rather more complex. Patch guides offer the ideal solution for relieving
these difficulties whilst organising efficiently and in an aesthetic
manner the arrangement of the cross-connections. These are now employed
at 48 port intervals throughout the installation and assist with
the network management of the whole installation.
In addition to the management of the cross-connections, design
criteria were paramount as a 10 meters allowance was made for the
Work Area, Interconnections and Cross-Connection Cords. To facilitate
the Work Area and the office furniture GCL decided on a four meters
Work Area cord permitting six meters for both the Inter-connection
and Cross-Connection. With the development of the Nexans cable management
system within each rack it was possible to maintain three meters
for all Cross-Connection Cords with the remainder for the Equipment
Inter-Connections thus keeping within the ISO 11801 standard and
design limits.
The installation of the cabling system needed to be installed in
conjunction with the refurbishment of the building, and within the
main building contractors project management. This necessitated
continual on site liaison and control as all contractors were expected
to operate within very precise access and project program controls.
This proved very successful and the project was concluded within
the originally produced works program.
Nexans and GCL were privileged to work on this important and prestigious
project. Swiss Life have insured their future at the Albert Dock!
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