Power and Cooling Considerations For Power-Over-Ethernet (Poe)
Power and Cooling Considerations For Power-Over-Ethernet (Poe)
Power and Cooling Considerations For Power-Over-Ethernet (Poe)
,
which then supports both the network switch and the associated PoE midspan power injector
in the event of AC line disruption.
Table 5
Summary of the
increased demand on
the wiring closet from
deploying PoE
Note - See Appendices 1a, 1b & 1c for details of the data and calculations associated with Tables 3, 4, and 5.
Addressing
power demands
in the wiring clo-
set
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 8
Figure 3 provides an availability level of approximately five nines (99.999%) assuming a
runtime of at least one hour. The utility supply feeds a UPS, such as an APC Symmetra RM
which in itself has a number of power modules configured to provide N+1 redundancy, which
then supports the network switch with integrated PoE in the event of AC line disruption.
Figure 4 provides an availability level of approximately six nines (99.9999%) assuming a
runtime of at least one hour, and is the best option for loads that have dual AC feeds (dual
cord load). The utility supply and generator supply are connected into an ATS (automatic
transfer switch). The ATS is capable of selecting the generator supply during a sustained
failure of the utility supply. From the ATS, two separate supplies are fed to individual UPS
units, such as the APC Symmetra RM units, configured to provide N+1 redundancy. The two
UPS units then each feed separate line inputs into the network switch to power individual
power supply units operating in a redundant mode.
For further details on appropriate architectures to achieve specific levels of availability and for
applications embracing PoE such as VoIP, see White Paper 69, Power and Cooling for VoIP
and IP Telephony Applications. In addition companies like Schneider Electric have dedicated
availability consulting services to evaluate and recommend high availability power infrastruc-
tures for critical networks.
AC Utility Supply
Figure 2
Single path supply
AC Utility Supply
Figure 3
Single path supply & single
N+1 UPS
Figure 4
Dual path supply & dual
N+1 UPS
Power and Cooling for VoIP and
IP Telephony Applications
Related resource
White Paper 69
AC Utility
Automatic
transfer
switch
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 9
System runtime
The typical runtime provided by a UPS in a wiring closet supporting a non-PoE network
switch is twenty minutes. When PoE is deployed, however, not only does the total system
load increase but the required runtime also increases. The required runtime for a PoE-
enabled system will generally be a minimum of one hour but business or local and national
regulations may dictate a longer runtime.
Extended runtimes can be achieved in the following ways:
1. Add batteries to the UPS to support the required runtime. When pursuing this scena-
rio, the increased weight load and additional space requirements must be considered.
To illustrate an example, consider Company C (see page 5). The battery required to
support the PoE load for two hours, from an initial fifteen minutes, would weigh ap-
proximately 200 kg (440 lbs) and would require 19U of rack space. In addition, more
power would be required to float charge and recharge the battery following a power
failure. This will add to the heat generated in the wiring closet.
2. Use a generator to provide power specifically to the wiring closet or as part of the
support for the entire facility. This will reduce the required runtime on the UPS back
to approximately fifteen minutes. This becomes a more attractive solution as the load
and runtime increases (see Figure 5).
For more detail on determining when a standby generator is needed please see White Paper
52, Four Steps to Determine When a Standby Generator is Needed for Small Data Centers
and Network Rooms.
Power in the network cable
As current flows in the cable a voltage drop occurs along its length due to its resistance and
results in energy being dissipated in the form of heat.
Decision point moves toward
shorter runtime at higher kW, as
generator becomes a cheaper
solution than a large battery bank
Note that generator $/watt
increases as power goes down
because of fixed component of
generator cost
12 kW
6 kW
2 kW
Figure 5
Representative TCO
analysis for three
different UPS loads
Four Steps to Determine
When a Standby Generator
is Needed for Small Data
Centers and Network Rooms
Related resource
White Paper 52
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 10
The IEEE 802.3at standard takes this voltage drop into account, specifying the minimum PD
operating voltage at a lower level than that for the PSE.
IEEE 802.3at Type 1: PD = 37 V to 57 V DC, PSE = 44 V to 57 V DC. (Max. current 0.35 A)
IEEE 802.3at Type 2: PD = 42.5 V to 57 V DC, PSE = 50 V to 57 V DC. (Max. current 0.6 A)
The higher minimum voltages under the IEEE 802.3at Type 2 specification also help to
reduce the potential power losses in the cable resulting from the higher current capability.
In a worst case scenario, when the PSE is at its minimum voltage of 44 V (Type 1) or 50V
(Type 2), up to 7 V & 7.5V can be dropped respectively along the length of the cable before
the voltage seen by the PD is out of its operating range. This allows for the maximum
permissible currents. However, if these voltage levels are being dropped along the cable it
will be dissipating energy in the form of heat. The following shows the maximum dissipation
based on a connection using two pairs of wires in the cable.
In an IEEE 802.3at Type 1 installation, the cable dissipation would be 7V x 0.35 A = 2.45 W.
In an IEEE 802.3at Type 2 installation, the cable dissipation would be 7.5V x 0.6 A = 4.5 W.
The specifications, and the figures above, are based on the worse case resistance of
Category 3 & 5 cables, over a 100 m (328 ft) length, of 20 Ohms and 12.5 Ohms respectively.
Heat from the cable can be an issue, especially where they come away from the network
switch or midspan unit. At this point they are typically tightly bundled together, thereby
increasing the heating effect in that area. When powering a standard VoIP phone, which
requires 3 to 5 W of power, the current flowing has minimal heat effect. However, if the
network has a large number of higher power devices, 12 to 15 W or higher, then the potential
heating effect should be taken into account and the cables broken down into smaller bundles.
Effect of power on data in the network cable
Delivering power over a network cable can introduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) as a
result of noise generated by the PSE. This may cause crosstalk leading to data errors and
ultimately to a reduction in data processing speed due to retransmission of data packets by
upper layer protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol. To minimize any effects
ensure good quality network cables are used, Category 3 and above for 10BASE-T systems
and Category 5 and above for 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T systems.
Heat generated in the wiring closet increases when PoE is deployed. In order to achieve
high availability it is essential to remove heat from the room and to maintain the equipment at
a steady operating temperature. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends a maximum room temperature of 77F
(25C) and an allowable maximum of 90F (32.2C). Figure 6 plots the wiring closet
temperatures and shows the heat dissipation associated with the solutions installed in
Companies, A, B, and C. The lines labeled X and Y shows the allowable ASHRAE limits.
Figure 6 shows the effectiveness of various cooling scenarios in the wiring closet for
reducing the overall room temperature. For all but the Dedicated Air Conditioning System
scenario it is assumed that the temperature in the main building, in which the wiring closet is
situated, is maintained at a lower temperature in order to absorb heat removed from the
wiring closet.
The different closet cooling approaches are also illustrated in Figure 6 and are explained in
the following section.
Meeting cooling
needs in the
wiring closet
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 11
The following bullets describe the various wiring closet cooling methods:
Conduction cooling is simply the heat leaving the room through the walls and ceilings
and provides an acceptable approach with light loads.
Passive ventilation is the use of ventilation grills, as shown in Figure 7 (left), allowing
heat to leave the room naturally.
Fan assisted ventilation is the use of a fan unit, as shown in Figure 7 (right), which
draws warm air out of the room thus lowering the room temperature. The Fan Assisted
Ventilation Limit lines show the effectiveness of a single fan unit, additional units will
increase the air flow and reduce the room temperature.
Dedicated air conditioning systems offer the most effective means of maintaining a
constant temperature. However, the systems add considerable cost and AC load that
needs to be supported during line interruptions.
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
Dissipated Load in the Wiring Closet (Watts)
T
a
r
g
e
t
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
(
F
)
C
O
N
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
P
A
S
S
I
V
E
V
E
N
T
I
L
A
T
I
O
N
DEDICATED COOLING
25C
77F
90F
32C
F
A
N
-
A
S
S
I
S
T
V
E
N
T
I
L
A
T
I
O
N
Figure 6
Wiring closet temperature
versus dissipated load and
associated cooling
Wiring closet
cooling methods
Figure 7
Examples of passive (left)
and fan-assisted (right)
ventilation systems
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 12
Given the data plotted in Figure 6, the three sample company scenarios (Company A,
Company B and Company C, from page 5) can be described as follows:
Company A - Under all running conditions, conduction cooling would be sufficient to
keep the temperature level below curve Y. The maximum heat of 367 watts (1253
BTU / hr) is generated in the wiring closet when the full load is being supported and the
UPS battery is being charged.
Company B - Under all running conditions, the use of fan assisted ventilation at 480
cubic feet per minute (cfm) would keep the temperature below curve Y. The maximum
heat of 1198 watts (4091 BTU / hr) is generated in the wiring closet when the full load is
being supported and the UPS battery is being charged.
Company C - Under all running conditions, dedicated air conditioning would be re-
quired in order to keep the room temperature below curve Y. The maximum heat of
3237 watts (11054 BTU/hr) is generated in the wiring closet when the full load is being
supported and the UPS battery is being charged.
For further details on cooling for wiring closets, please see White Paper 68, Cooling Strate-
gies for IT Wiring Closets and Small Rooms.
PoE deployment has prompted the development of an array of business critical applications,
such as VoIP, RFID and security. As a result, the level of availability required from the
physical infrastructure (i.e. power, cooling) has to be high to meet business needs. The rising
number of applications also dramatically increases network traffic demands. This, in turn,
requires ever greater network capacity and the associated physical infrastructure to support
it. With such increasing demands, it is essential that the physical infrastructure is audited
and enhanced as necessary to avoid downtime and delays.
Conclusion
Neil Whiting is a Senior Application Engineer with Schneider Electric based in the UK just
north of London. He has worked in the power solution industry for over 30 years starting with
AC / DC power supply design through to DC power systems for the Telecommunications
industry and more recently AC power solutions for the converging IT and Telecommunications
industry. He has a HND in Electrical, Electronic and Control Engineering and joined APC in
April 2000, when APC acquired Advance Power Systems, during which time he has fulfilled
both product management and application engineering roles.
About the author
Cooling Strategies for IT Wiring
Closets and Small Rooms
Related resource
White Paper 68
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 13
The Different Types of UPS Systems
White Paper 1
Cooling Imperatives for Data Centers and
Network Rooms
White Paper 5
Cooling Solutions for Rack Equipment with
Side-to-Side Airflow
White Paper 50
Four Steps to Determine When a Standby Generator
is Needed for Small Data Centers and Network Rooms
White Paper 52
Powering Single-Corded Equipment in
a Dual Path Environment
White Paper 62
Power and Cooling for VoIP & IP Telephony
Applications
White Paper 69
Technical comparison of On-line vs. Line-
interactive UPS designs
White Paper 161
1. American Power Conversion http://www.apc.com
2. IEEE std 802.3af
TM
-2003 & IEEE std 802.3at
TM
-2009 Part 3: Carrier Sense Multiple
Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) Access Method and Physical Layer Spe-
cifications Amendment: Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) Power via Media Dependent
Interface (MDI)
3. Cisco Systems http://www.cisco.com
Resources
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References
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Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 14
Appendix
Table A1
Calculations and assumptions for the network systems without
PoE - Reference Table 3
Watts BTU / hr Watts BTU / hr Watts BTU / hr
68 620 1240
90 827 1653
90 827 1653
93% 86% 93%
7 135 124
97 961 1778
330 3283 6071
78% 81% 92%
25 194 144
115 1021 1797
394 3485 6137
76% 84% 92%
28 157 144
118 404 984 3361 1797 6137
UPS dissipation due to inefficiency whilst supporting required load
Total thermal load in the wiring closet (Switch + UPS)
UPS supporting the load and charging the battery (AC Supply On)
UPS supporting the load whilst running on battery (AC supply failure)
System without PoE
Actual number of Ethernet ports
Existing network system without PoE
Switch load on PSU
Typical UPS efficiency with a 50% loading
UPS dissipation due to inefficiency whilst supporting required load
Switch load on UPS with PSU efficiency = 75%
Total AC load the in wiring closet (Switch + UPS)
Total thermal load in the wiring closet (Switch + UPS)
Selected UPS rating (VA / Watts) 750VA / 500 watts 2000VA / 1400 watts 5000VA / 3500 watts
Typical UPS efficiency with a 50% loading
Typical UPS efficiency with a 50% loading
UPS dissipation due to inefficiency whilst supporting required load
Total AC load the in wiring closet (Switch + UPS)
Total thermal load in the wiring closet (Switch + UPS)
Total system load on the UPS
UPS supporting the load with a fully charged battery (AC Supply On)
Company "A" Company "B" Company "C"
100 People supported 200 People supported
96 168 336
50 People supported
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 15
Table A2
Calculations and assumptions for the network system with PoE -
Reference Table 4
4 50 100 200
11 1 0 4
11 0 5 5
10 3 5 8
11 4 4 8
10 4 2 5
100 People supported
1569
1653
3222
200 People supported
827
1626
Total Device load
(Watts)
899
49
62
546
799
45
456
90
22
56
49 99
56
90
Device
Quantity
Device
Quantity
Device
Quantity
Total Device load
(Watts)
225
Total Device load
(Watts)
116 230
96 168 336
PoE load on UPS with PSU efficiency = 80%
Switch Load on UPS with PSU efficiency = 75%
62
Actual number of Ethernet ports available with PoE
Actual number of PoE ports used
Device load
(Watts)
PoE loads on Switch & midspan PSU. Efficiency = 89%
Wireless device
Fixed camera
Door entry control
449
0
62
49
System with PoE
Company "A" Company "B" Company "C"
50 People supported
12
0
34
IP Phone
Video IP Phone
Total system load on the UPS
RFID Portal
Power and Cooling Considerations for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Schneider Electric Data Center Science Center White Paper 88 Rev 2 16
Table A3
Calculations and assumptions for the network system with PoE -
Reference Table 4
% Watts BTU / hr % Watts BTU / hr % Watts BTU / hr
96% 93% 90%
23 122 358
569 1748 3580
244 834 1179 4027 2463 8412
79% 92% 74%
145 141 1132
692 1767 4354
367 1252 1198 4092 3237 11055
92% 92% 86%
48 141 525
269 919 1198 4092 2630 8980
325 1110 569 1943 1117 3815
5000VA / 3500 watts
Total system load on the UPS (watts)
Selected UPS rating (VA / watts)
UPS dissipation due to inefficiency whilst supporting required load
Total thermal load dissipated in the wiring closet (Switch + PoE + UPS)
Total AC load in the wiring closet (Switch + PoE + UPS)
Total thermal load dissipated in the wiring closet (Switch + PoE + UPS)
546 1626 3222
8000VA / 5600 watts
Thermal loading outside the wiring closet
Actual number of PoE ports used
1500VA / 1425 watts
62
System with PoE
Company "A" Company "B"
116 230
UPS supporting the load with a fully charged battery (AC Supply On)
UPS dissipation due to inefficiency whilst supporting required load
UPS supporting the load whilst running on battery (AC supply failure)
Company "C"
50 People supported 100 People supported 200 People supported
Total thermal load dissipated outside the wiring closet (PoE devices)
96 168
Total AC load in the wiring closet (Switch + PoE + UPS)
Total thermal load dissipated in the wiring closet (Switch + PoE + UPS)
UPS dissipation due to inefficiency whilst supporting required load
336
Typical UPS efficiency with a 50% loading
Actual number of Ethernet ports available with PoE
Typical UPS efficiency with a 50% loading
UPS supporting the load and charging the battery (AC Supply On)
Typical UPS efficiency with a 50% loading