TIA/EIA-568

ANSI/TIA-568 is a set of telecommunications standards from the Telecommunications Industry

Association (TIA). The standards address commercial building cabling for telecommunications
products and services.
As of 2017, the standard is at revision D, replacing the 2009 revision C, 2001 revision B, the 1995
revision A, and the initial issue of 1991, which are now obsolete.[1][2]
Perhaps the best known features of ANSI/TIA-568 are the pin/pair assignments for eight-conductor
100-ohm balanced twisted pair cabling. These assignments are named T568A and T568B.
An IEC standard ISO/IEC 11801 provides similar standards for network cables.

History[edit]
ANSI/TIA-568 was developed through the efforts of more than 60 contributing organizations
including manufacturers, end-users, and consultants. Work on the standard began with
the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), to define standards for telecommunications cabling systems.
EIA agreed to develop a set of standards, and formed the TR-42 committee,[3]with nine
subcommittees to perform the work. The work continues to be maintained by TR-42 within the TIA,
EIA is no longer in existence and hence EIA has been removed from the name.
The first revision of the standard, TIA/EIA-568-A.1-1991 was released in 1991. The standard was
updated to revision B in 1995. The demands placed upon commercial wiring systems increased
dramatically over this period due to the adoption of personal computers and data communication
networks and advances in those technologies. The development of high-performance twisted
pair cabling and the popularization of fiber optic cables also drove significant change in the
standards. These changes were first released in a revision C in 2009 which has subsequently been
replaced by the D series.[4]

Goals[edit]
ANSI/TIA-568 defines structured cabling system standards for commercial buildings, and between
buildings in campus environments. The bulk of the standards define cabling types, distances,
connectors, cable system architectures, cable termination standards and performance
characteristics, cable installation requirements and methods of testing installed cable. The main
standard, ANSI/TIA-568.0-D defines general requirements, while ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 focuses on
components of balanced twisted-pair cable systems. ANSI/TIA-568.3-D addresses components of
fiber optic cable systems, and ANSI/TIA-568-C.4, addressed coaxial cabling components.[5]
The intent of these standards is to provide recommended practices for the design and installation of
cabling systems that will support a wide variety of existing and future services. Developers hope the
standards will provide a lifespan for commercial cabling systems in excess of ten years. This effort
has been largely successful, as evidenced by the definition of category 5 cabling in 1991[citation needed], a
cabling standard that (mostly) satisfied cabling requirements for 1000BASE-T, released in 1999.
Thus, the standardization process can reasonably be said to have provided at least a nine-year
lifespan for premises cabling, and arguably a longer one.
All these documents accompany related standards that define commercial pathways and spaces
(TIA-569-C-1, February 2013), residential cabling (ANSI/TIA-570-C, August 2012), administration
standards (ANSI/TIA-606-B, December 2015), grounding and bonding (TIA-607-C, November 2015),
and outside plant cabling (TIA-758-B, April 2012).
Cable categories[edit]
The standard defines categories of unshielded twisted pair cable systems, with different levels of
performance in signal bandwidth, insertion loss, and cross-talk. Generally increasing category
numbers correspond with a cable system suitable for higher rates of data transmission. Category 3
cable was suitable for telephone circuits and data rates up to 16 million bits per second. Category 5
cable, with more restrictions on attenuation and cross talk, has a bandwidth of 100 MHz.[6] The 1995
edition of the standard defined categories 3, 4, and 5. Categories 1 and 2 were excluded from the
standard since these categories were only used for voice circuits, not for data.[7] The current revision
includes Category 5e (100 MHz), 6 (250 MHz), 6A (500 MHz), 7 (600MHz), and 8 (2,000 MHz).

Structured cable system topologies[edit]

ANSI/TIA-568-D defines a hierarchical cable system architecture, in which a main cross-connect
(MCC) is connected via a star topology across backbone cabling to intermediate cross-connects
(ICC) and horizontal cross-connects (HCC). Telecommunications design traditions utilized a similar
topology. Many people refer to cross-connects by their telecommunications names: "distribution
frames" (with the various hierarchies called MDFs, IDFs and wiring closets). Backbone cabling is
also used to interconnect entrance facilities(such as telco demarcation points) to the main cross-
connect. Maximum allowable backbone fibre distances vary between 300m and 3000m, depending
upon the cable type and use.
Horizontal cross-connects provide a point for the consolidation of all horizontal cabling, which
extends in a star topology to individual work areas such as cubicles and offices. Under TIA/EIA-568-
B, maximum allowable horizontal cable distance is 90m of installed cabling, whether fibre or twisted-
pair, with 100m of maximum total length including patch cords. No patch cord should be longer than
5m. Optional consolidation points are allowable in horizontal cables, often appropriate for open-plan
office layouts where consolidation points or media converters may connect cables to several desks
or via partitions.
At the work area, equipment is connected by patch cords to horizontal cabling terminated at
jackpoints.
TIA/EIA-568 also defines characteristics and cabling requirements for entrance facilities, equipment
rooms and telecommunications rooms.

T568A and T568B termination[edit]

Perhaps the widest known and most discussed feature of ANSI/TIA-568 is the definition of the pin-
to-pair assignments, or pinout, between the pins in a connector (a plug or a socket) and the wires in
a cable. Pinouts are important because cables do not function if the pinouts at their two ends aren't
correctly matched.
The standard specifies how to connect eight-conductor 100-ohm balanced twisted-pair cabling, such
as Category 5 cable, to 8P8C modular connectors (often called RJ45 connectors). The standard
defines two alternative pinouts: T568A and T568B.
ANSI/TIA-568 recommends the T568A pinout for horizontal cables. This pinout's advantage is that it
is compatible with the 1-pair and 2-pair Universal Service Order Codes (USOC) pinouts. The U.S.
Government requires it in federal contracts.[citation needed] The standard also allows the T568B pinout, as
an alternative, "if necessary to accommodate certain 8-pin cabling systems". This pinout matches
the older AT&T 258A (Systimax) pinout. In the 1990s, when the original TIA/EIA-568 was published,
258A had the most widely installed UTP cabling infrastructure. Many organizations still use T568B
out of inertia.
The colors of the wire pairs in the cable, in order, are: blue (for pair 1), orange, green, and brown (for
pair 4). Each pair consists of one conductor of solid color and a second conductor which is white
with a stripe of the other color. The difference between the T568A and T568B pinouts is that the
orange and green wire pairs are exchanged.

Wiring[edit]
See modular connector for numbering of the pins.[8]

10BAS 1000BA
T56 T56
Pi E-T SE-T Wir T568A T568B Pins on plug face (socket is
8A 8B
n 100BA signal e color color reversed)
pair pair
SE-TX ID

white/ora
1 3 2 TX+ DA+ tip white/gre
nge
en stripe
stripe

rin
2 3 2 TX− DA− green orange
g
solid solid

white/ora
3 2 3 RX+ DB+ tip white/gre
nge
en stripe
stripe

rin
4 1 1 — DC+
g blue solid blue solid

5 1 1 — DC− tip white/blu white/blu

e stripe e stripe

6 2 3 RX− DB− rin

g orange green
solid solid
 7 4 4 — DD+ tip white/bro white/bro
wn stripe wn stripe

rin
8 4 4 — DD− brown brown
g
solid solid

Some RJ45 wall sockets indicate T568A and T568B termination schemes internally.

Note that the only difference between T568A and T568B is that pairs 2 and 3 (orange and green) are
swapped. Both configurations wire the pins "straight through", i.e., pins 1 through 8 on one end are
connected to pins 1 through 8 on the other end.[9] Also, the same sets of pins connect to the opposite
ends that are paired in both configurations: pins 1 and 2 form a pair, as do 3 and 6, 4 and 5, and 7
and 8. One can use cables wired according to either configuration in the same installation without
significant problem, as long as the connections are the same on both ends.
Wiring the ends of the same cable according to different configurations (568A on one end and 568B
on the other) will create a crossover cable. Crossover cables are occasionally needed for 10Base/T
and 100Base/T Ethernet.
Avoid swapping two lines between different pairs. This creates crosstalk. This is rectified by correctly
pairing the pins.[10] Crosstalk creates errors in Ethernet, and is more significant with 1GB Ethernet
and up, as these standards use all 4 pairs. (10 Base/T and 100 Base/T Ethernet use only 2 pairs,
thus swapping two wires in a 4 pair cable has only a 50% chance of affecting 10 Base/T and 100
Base/T Ethernet communications.)
Use for T1 connectivity[edit]
In Digital Signal 1 (T1) service, the pairs 1 and 3 (T568A) are used, and the USOC-8 jack is wired as
per spec RJ-48C. The Telco termination jack is often wired to spec RJ-48X, which provides for a
Transmit-to-Receive loopback when the plug is withdrawn.
Vendor cables are often wired with tip and ring reversed—i.e. pins 1 and 2 reversed, or pins 4 and 5
reversed. This has no effect on the signal quality of the T1 signal, which is fully differential, and uses
the Alternate Mark Inversion (AMI) signaling scheme.

Backward compatibility[edit]
Because pair 1 connects to the center pins (4 and 5) of the 8P8C connector in both T568A and
T568B, both standards are compatible with the first line of RJ11, RJ14, RJ25, and RJ61 connectors
that all have the first pair in the center pins of these connectors.
If the second line of an RJ14, RJ25 or RJ61 plug is used, it connects to pair 2 (orange/white) of jacks
wired to T568A but to pair 3 (green/white) in jacks wired to T568B. This makes T568B potentially
confusing in telephone applications.
Because of different pin pairings, the RJ25 and RJ61 plugs cannot pick up lines 3 or 4 from either
T568A or T568B without splitting pairs. This would most likely result in unacceptable levels of hum,
crosstalk and noise.

Theory[edit]
The original idea in wiring modular connectors, as seen in the registered jacks, was that the first pair
would go in the center positions, the next pair on the next outermost ones, and so on. Also, signal
shielding would be optimized by alternating the "live" and "earthy" pins of each pair. The terminations
diverge slightly from this concept because on the 8 position connector, the resulting pinout would
separate the outermost pair too far to meet the electrical echo requirements of high-speed LAN
protocols.

Standards[edit]

 ANSI/TIA-568.0-D, Generic Telecommunications Cabling for Customer Premises, Ed. D, 09-

2015
 ANSI/TIA-568.1-D, Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard, Ed. D, 09-
2015
 ANSI/TIA-568-C.2, Balanced Twisted-Pair Telecommunication Cabling and Components
Standard, Ed. C, Err. 04-2014
 ANSI/TIA-568.3-D, Optical Fiber Cabling And Components Standard, Ed. D, 10-2016
 ANSI/TIA-568-C.4, Broadband Coaxial Cabling and Components Standard, Ed. C, 07-2011

TIA-569-B
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The Telecommunications Industry Association's TIA-569-B is a Commercial Building Standard for

Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces standardizes specific pathway and space design and
construction practices in support of telecommunications media and equipment within buildings.[1][2]
Changes from TIA 569-A[edit]
Key changes from TIA-569-A are:[3]

 Multi-tenant pathways and spaces for wireline and wireless technologies are specified.
 Common equipment rooms and common telecommunications rooms are identified and
specified.
 The main terminal space has been eliminated, and has been replaced by the common
equipment room.
 A new space, telecommunications enclosure, has been added.
 Requirements for building automation system spaces have been added, including horizontal
connection point and zone box.
 “Bypass” pathways are discussed.
 Pull tension information has been added.
 Fill capacity is provided for furniture systems.
 Fill capacity is provided for perimeter raceways.
 Design requirements for poke-thru fittings.
 Access floor heights are adjusted.
 In-floor systems include underfloor duct and cellular raceways.
 Pathway fill is provided for cable tray.
 A discussion of telecommunications diversity has been added.
 Noise reduction guidelines have been added.

Goals[edit]
A principal goal of this Standard is to be useful to the building owners and occupants who otherwise
would live with the daily problems associated with buildings that are not properly designed and
constructed to support telecommunications. A properly designed and constructed facility is
adaptable to change over the life of the facility. Owners and occupants should assume that better
telecommunications facilities are constructed through the use of this Standard. Indeed, part of the
expected usefulness of this Standard is that it be referenced in documents such as bid requests,
specifications, and contracts leading up to the construction of the facilities.[4]
This Standard should also prove useful to the team that is responsible for delivering a well-designed
facility to the owner – the architects, engineers, and the construction industry. A good understanding
of this Standard by this team will significantly reduce unforeseen problems associated with the
telecommunications infrastructure. Two organizations, in particular, are lauded for their supportive
role as this Standard was initially developed – the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and
the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI).[5]
Other organizations will also benefit from an understanding of the Standard. In particular,
the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), BICSI, a Telecommunications Association,
and the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) will find this Standard closely aligned
with their goals for good building design and construction. This Standard generally makes no specific
recommendations among the design alternatives available for telecommunications pathways and
spaces. For example, the choice between a conduit system versus a tray system is not delineated. It
is up to the telecommunications designer to properly select among the alternatives based upon the
applications at hand and the constraints imposed.
ANSI/TIA-569-C: Telecommunications Pathways
and Spaces
 TIA, TIA-569-C Pathways and Spaces
 

This Standard specifies pathway and space design and construction practices in support
of telecommunications media and equipment within buildings.  Examples of pathways
and spaces in single-tenant and multi-tenant buildings that are addressed in this
Standard include: Wireless service entrance pathways, Entrance rooms, Building
pathways, Distributor rooms, Access and Service Provider spaces, Distributor
enclosures, Service entrance pathways, and Equipment outlet locations.  This Standard
has been superseded by ANSI/TIA-569-D.
ANSI/TIA-569-C “Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces” was developed by
the TIA TR-42.3 Pathways and Spaces Subcommittee and published in May, 2012.
Significant changes from the previous edition include the adoption of revised
temperature and humidity requirements to harmonize with ASHRAE class 1, 2, 3 and
4 requirements and the addition of power separation guidelines and lighting
requirements.
ANSI/TIA-569-C-1 “Revised Temperature and Humidity Requirements for
Telecommunications Spaces” was developed by the TIA TR-42.3 Pathways and
Spaces Subcommittee and published in February, 2013.  This amendment contains
revised temperature and humidity requirements that are harmonized with the
guidelines contained in ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments,
Third Edition.   In this new guideline, ASHRAE classes 1, 2, 3 and 4 were renamed
classes A1, A2, B and C, respectively, and two new classes (A3 and A4) were added.
The allowable temperature and humidity ranges for classes A1, A2, B and C and the
recommended continuous operating ranges for classes A1, A2, A3 and A4 are
unchanged.  The two new classes (A3 and A4) will have significantly wider allowable
temperature and humidity ranges.   The requirements of this Addendum replaced
the existing text in clause 6.2 of TIA-569-C.
ANSI/TIA-569-C Content
 Environmental Compatibility
 Diversity of Telecommunications Facilities
 Building Spaces
 Access Provider and Service Provider Spaces
 Multi-Tenant Building Spaces
 Building Pathways
 Annex on Firestopping and Electromagnetic Noise Reduction Guidelines for
Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling
ANSI/TIA-569-C-1 Content
 Replacement text for clause 6.2 of TIA-569-C
Lighting Specifications (ANSI/TIA-569-C)
 Lighting shall be a minimum of 500 lux in the horizontal plane and 200 lux in the
vertical plane, measured 1 m (3 ft) above the finished floor in the middle of all
aisles between cabinets and racks
 Lighting fixtures should not be powered from the same electrical distribution
panel as the telecommunications equipment in the space
 Dimmer switches should not be used
Clearance from Equipment (ANSI/TIA-569-C)
 Front clearance of 1 m (3 ft) shall be provided for installation of equipment
 Front  clearance of 1.2 m (4 ft) is preferable to accommodate deeper equipment
 Rear clearance of 0.6 m  (2 ft) of shall be provided for service access at the rear
of racks and cabinets
 Rear clearance of 1 m (3 ft) is preferable
Typical Distributor Room Dimensions (ANSI/TIA-569-C)

Equipment outlets Minimum floor space Typical dimensions

served m2 (ft2) m (ft)

Up to 200 15 (150) 3 x 5 (10 x 15)

201 to 800 36 (400) 6 x 6 (20 x 20)

801 to 1600 72 (800) 6 x 12 (20 x 40)

1601 to 2400 108 (1,200) 9 x 12 (30 x 40)

Generic Telecommunications Room Sizing (ANSI/TIA-569-C)

 There shall be a minimum of one TR per floor
Additional telecommunications rooms (one for each area up to 1000 m 2 (10,000 ft2) 
should be provided when:
a) the floor area to be served exceeds 1000 m 2 (10 000 ft2); or
b) the horizontal distribution distance to the work area exceeds 90 m (295 ft)

Outlet Box Specifications (ANSI/TIA-569-C)

 50 mm (2 in) wide, 75 mm (3 in) high, and 64 mm (2.5 in) deep
 One or two metric designator 21 (trade size ¾) conduits
 If large conduit required, box size increased
 Specialty boxes may be used in place of the above as appropriate
Separation from Power Wiring for Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling (ANSI/TIA-
569-C)
 Specified for 120/230 V 1-phase and 480 V 3-phase power circuits with various
current ratings
 Unshielded cable separation requirements are greater than for shielded cable
 Separation distances may be halved if the power cables and data cables are
installed in separate metallic pathways
Temperature and Humidity Requirements (ANSI/TIA-569-C.1)
 ASHRAE Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, and Class 4 spaces defined
 Temperature and humidity specifications provided for distributor rooms,
distributor enclosures, entrance rooms or spaces, access provider spaces, service
provider spaces, and common distributor rooms as follows:
o Temperature: 18 – 27°C (64 – 81°F) dry bulb
o Maximum relative humidity (RH): 60%
o Minimum dew point: 5.5°C (42°F)
o Maximum dew point: 15°C (59°F)

ANSI/TIA-942-A: Telecommunications
Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers
 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

This Standard specifies requirements for data center and telecommunication

infrastructure including single tenant enterprise data centers and multi-tenant Internet
hosting data centers.  Specifications are provided for very small data centers to data
centers that occupy multiple building floors or rooms.
ANSI/TIA-942-A “Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data
Centers”  was developed by the TIA TR-42.1 Commercial Building Cabling
Subcommittee and published in August, 2012. TIA-942-A  incorporates the contents of
the previous edition TIA-942 Standard and its two addenda that recognized 75Ω coaxial
cabling  for longer horizontal cabling runs originating from the MDA, provided revised
requirements for temperature and humidity, recognized category 6A cabling ,
and revised the Tier references.  Other new content includes:
 Topology terminology harmonized with TIA-568-C-0
 New minimum horizontal and background media recommendations
 Introduction of the Intermediate Distribution Area (IDA) into the data center
topology
 Addition of a new clause addressing energy efficiency
 Allowance for active equipment in the zone distribution area (ZDA) have been
removed
 References to new TIA Standards provided
ANSI/TIA-942-A Content
 Data Center Design Overview
 Data Center Cabling System Infrastructure
 Data Center Telecommunications Spaces and Related Topologies
 Data Center Cabling Systems
 Data Center Cabling Pathways
 Data Center Redundancy
 Annexes addressing Cabling Design Considerations, Access Provider Information,
Coordination of Equipment Plans with Other Engineers, Data Center Site Selection
and Building Design Considerations, Data Center Infrastructure Tiers, and Data
Center Design Examples

ANSI/TIA-942-A-1: Addendum 1 – Cabling

Guidelines for Data Center Fabrics
 TIA-942-A Data Centers
 
This Standard specifies recommendations for telecommunications cabling supporting
various data center switch fabric architectures.

ANSI/TIA-942-A-1 “Telecommunications Infrastructure Standards for Data

Centers Addendum 1 – Cabling Guidelines for Data Center Fabrics” was
developed by the TIA TR-42.1 Commercial Building Cabling Subcommittee and
published in March, 2013.               TIA-942-A-1 provides detailed descriptions and
example deployment configurations for the following fabric architectures:
 Traditional Three-Tier Data Center Switch Architecture
 Data Center Fat-Tree Switch Fabric Architecture
 Data Center Full-Mesh Switch Fabric Architecture
 Data Center Interconnected Meshes Switch Fabric Architecture
 Data Center Centralized Switch Fabric Architecture
 Data Center Virtual Switch Fabric Architecture
ANSI/TIA-942-A-1 Content
 Traditional Switch Architecture
 Multiple Connections
 Data Center Switch Fabrics
Significant differences from TIA-942-A
 The maximum cable length for point-to-point cabling between equipment in the
EDA has been reduced from 15 m (49 ft) to 10 m (33 ft)
 A recommendation that point-to-point cabling should be routed in cable
management or accessible pathways and not interfere with fixed cabling has been
added

Data Center Backbone and Horizontal Cabling

Media
 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

TIA-942-A specifies more stringent media for use in Cabling Subsystems 1, 2, and 3

than the previous edition of the Standard.
 
Recognized Backbone Cabling Media for the Data Center
 Category 3, 5e, 6, or 6A, with category 6A recommended
 850nm laser-optimized 50/125μm
OM3 or OM4 optical fiber, with OM4 recommended
 Singlemode optical fiber
 75ohm coaxial cable for T-1, T-3,  E-1, and E-3 circuits only
TIA-942-A does not recognize OM1 and OM2  for use in the backbone.
 
Recognized Horizontal Cabling Media for the Data Center
 Category 6 or 6A, with category 6A recommended
 850nm laser-optimized 50/125μm OM3 or OM4 optical fiber, with OM4
recommended
 Singlemode optical fiber
TIA-942-A does not recognize OM1, OM2, category 3, and category 5e  for use in the
horizontal.

Data Center Cooling Strategies – 3 Examples

 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

The following three data center cooling strategies are discussed in TIA-942-A:
1. Passive cooling with hot and cold aisles
2. Cooling fans with hot and cold aisles
3. Chimneys with hot and cold aisles
Example of Passive Cooling with Hot and Cold Aisles in the Data Center
 

Example of Cooling fans with Hot and Cold Aisles in the Data Center

 
 

Example of Chimneys with Hot and Cold Aisles in tha Data Center

Data Center Elements

 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

There are 7 elements in the basic TIA-942-A data center cabling structure:

1. Horizontal cabling
2. Backbone cabling
3. Cross-connect in the entrance room /main distribution area
4. Main cross-connect (MC) in the main distribution area
5. Horizontal cross-connect (HC) in the telecommunications room, horizontal
distribution area, or main distribution area
6. Consolidation point (or zone outlet) in the zone distribution area
7. Equipment outlet (EO) in the equipment distribution area

In addition, TIA-942-A introduces one additional data center cabling structural element

called the Optional intermediate cross-connect (IC). Large data centers, such as data
centers located on multiple floors or in multiple rooms, may require intermediate cross-
connects located in IDAs.  IDAs provides flexibility to grow the data center in phases or
zones as needed or segment the data center for specific application.  Each room or floor
may have one or more IDAs.
The IDA may serve one or more horizontal distribution HDAs and equipment distribution
EDAs within the data center, and one or more Telecommunications rooms located
outside the computer room space.

Data Center Energy Efficient Design Overview

 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

TIA-942-A incorporates new information on data center energy efficient design

into clause 6.3, entitled “Energy Efficient Design”.
Clause 6.3 “Energy Efficient Design”
 Provides recommendations for telecommunications cabling, pathway, and space
design that can improve energy efficiency
 States that no single management strategy is best for all installations
Why the emphasis on energy efficiency?
 According to the Uptime Institute, the three year cost to power and cool servers
is currently 1.5x the cost of purchasing the server hardware
 Server energy demand has doubled from 2000 to 2006
 According to the Department of Energy, in 2006, the energy consumed by US
data centers represented 1.5% of total US electrical usage
 According to the Environmental Protection Agency, US data center energy use
will grow at a rate of 12% per year
 According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a 10% decrease in server
power consumption would save 10.7 billion kilowatt-hours per year (roughly the
amount consumed by one million US households)
Tips for Improving Air Flow
 Overhead cabling may improve cooling and is a best practice
 Under floor air flow disruptions can be reduced by:
1. Properly sizing pathways and spaces
2. Removing abandoned cables
3. Routing cables in the opposite direction of air flow as shown below

Tips on Locating Telecommunications Pathways

 Position pathways in locations that will minimize disruption of equipment airflow
 Do not locate pathways under ventilated tiles or where air flow can be impeded
(if under the access floor)
 Consider the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models
Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD Models
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for large data centers can help to to
optimize the location of telecommunications pathways, air conditioning equipment,
equipment enclosures, air return, air vents, and ventilated tiles.  Here is an example of
a CFD model for a data center with passive cooling (no chimneys).

 Tips Related to Telecommunications Spaces

Consider using enclosures and enclosure systems that improve cooling efficiency such
as cabinets with:
1. Isolated air-supplies
2. Isolated air-returns, or
3. In-cabinet cooling systems
Consider using cabinets that minimize air bypass through the space between equipment
rails and cabinet sides.  Cabinet openings should feature brushes and grommets to
minimize loss of air.  Here is an example of a CFD model for a data center with passive
cooling and chimneys.  Note the improved hot air containment versus to previous
model.
 
Routing of cabling and cable pathways should not compromise the efficiency of the
enclosure or enclosure system.  For example, cable openings in the enclosure or
enclosure system should use brushes or grommets to minimize loss of air.

Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Containment

Alignment of cabinets may be used to separate hot air and cold air.  Cold aisles are in
front of racks and cabinets.  Hot aisles are behind racks and cabinets.  If there is an
access floor, power distribution cables should be installed under the access floor on the
slab in the “cold” aisles and cable trays for telecommunications cabling should be
located under the access floor in the “hot” aisles.  More efficient methods of air
containment may not require reorientation of cabinets and racks.
Equipment should match the airflow design for the enclosures and computer room
space in which they are placed.  This generally means that equipment should be
mounted in cabinets/racks with air intakes facing the cold-aisle and air exhausts facing
the hot-aisle.  Equipment with non-standard airflow may require specially designed
enclosures to avoid disruption of proper air flow.

Blanking panels should be used in unused rack unit positions in equipment cabinets to
avoid mixing of hot and cold air. Unused cabinet/rack positions in equipment rows
should be filled with a cabinet/rack or otherwise sealed to prevent mixing of air in hot-
and cold-aisles.
Additional Guidance
Other recommendations for telecommunications spaces to improve energy efficiency
include:

 Monitoring power consumption levels in racks and cabinets

 Using energy efficient lighting and lighting schemes
 Avoiding exterior windows and sky lights
 Segregating equipment with different environmental requirements

 Data Center Generic Infrastructure

Terminology
  TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
  

  The TIA-942-A now uses generic infrastructure terminology, which is now

harmonized with the ISO/IEC 24764 Data Centre Standard, for specification of
the elements in a data center.
 New Terminology for Data Center Elements

   

Data Center Lighting Requirements

 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

TIA-942-A provides guidance for lighting in

the data center.  Light fixtures should be located above the aisles and between
cabinets.
Furthermore, it is recommended that a three-level lighting protocol be adopted in
the data centers:

 Level 1: data center unoccupied

 Level 2: initial entry into the data center
 Level 3: occupied space
At Level 1, the lighting should allow effective use of video surveillance equipment.

At Level 2, at the initial entry into the data center, motion sensors should be used to
activate lights in the immediate area of entry and be programmed to illuminate aisles
and passageways.  Sufficient lighting should be provided to allow safe passage through
the space and to permit identification via security cameras.

At Level 3, when the data center is occupied for purposes of maintenance or interaction
with equipment, lighting shall be 500 lux in the horizontal plane and 200 lux in the
vertical plane, measured 1 m (3 ft) above the finished floor in the middle of all aisles
between cabinets. In data centers larger than 230 m2 (2500 ft2) zone lighting is
recommended that provides Level 3 in the immediate area of work and Level 2 in all
other zones.

The Standard also has an optional override, which allows for  lighting in all zones at
level 3.

Data Center Optical Fiber Lengths and Recognized

Optical Fiber Connectivity
 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

Maximum Optical Fiber Length Allowed in the Data Center for Cabling

Subsystem 1
TIA-942-A specifies a revised maximum optical fiber length specification for Cabling
Subsystem 1 (previously referred to as the horizontal) that removed the 100-meter
length limitation for optical fiber cabling in the horizontal that appeared in the previous
edition of the Standard.  The maximum allowed distance for optical fiber cabling used in
Cabling Subsystem 1 is now equivalent to the maximum distance supported
by individual optical fiber application requirements.
Recognized Optical Fiber Connectors for use in the Data Center
TIA-942-A recognized optical fiber connectivity is applicable to optical fiber connectors
used in the Cabling Subsystems 1, 2, and 3 (backbone and horizontal cabling).  The
recognized optical fiber connectors are:
 LC for one or two fibers in new installations
 MPO (MTP) for more than two fibers

Data Center Site Selection Specifications

 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

TIA-942-A Site Selection guidelines address general, architectural, electrical,

mechanical, telecommunications and security recommendations for data center site
selection.
General Building Guidelines
TIA-942-A states that a building needs to conform to seismic standards (International
Building Code Seismic Zone standards) and be free of asbestos, lead paint, and other
environmental hazards.  Site selection should consider geographic location as it may
impact power and cooling efficiency and availability (e.g. it’s more difficult to properly
cool at high altitudes).
Overview of Architectural Guidelines for Data Centers
Separate building roads should be provided:

 The building should have a sufficiently large loading dock, freight elevator, and
pathway to handle all anticipated deliveries of supplies and equipment.  Loading
docks should not open directly into the data center and a staging area for all
equipment should be provided that is not part of the main computer room.
Ample space for mechanical and electrical equipment should be provided.

The computer room should be located away from sources of EMI and RFI such as x-ray
equipment, radio transmitters, and transformers.

The data center and all support equipment should be located above the highest
expected floodwater levels. No critical electronic, mechanical or electrical equipment
should be located in basement levels.
Avoid locating computer room below plumbed areas such as rest rooms, janitor closets,
kitchens, laboratories, and mechanical rooms.

The computer room should have no exterior windows. If there are windows in a
proposed computer room space, they should be covered for security reasons and to
minimize any solar heat gain.

Overview of Electrical Guidelines for Data Centers

The local utility company should be able to provide adequate power to supply all initial
and future power requirements.

The availability and economics of redundant utility feeders (possibly from separate
utility substations) should be considered where applicable.

If the local utility cannot provide adequate power, the site should be able to support
self-generation, co-generation or distributed generation equipment. Underground utility
feeders are preferable to overhead feeders to minimize exposure to lightning, trees,
traffic accidents, and vandalism.

Note that one of the primary limitations for many data center customers is the amount
of available power to the site. In most cases, available power is more of a design
limitation than cooling or how may kW of power per cabinet of equipment is available.
Available power also needs to support cooling systems, UPS, etc.

Overview of Mechanical Guidelines for Data Centers

Multi-tenant buildings will require a location designated by the landlord either on the
roof or on grade for air conditioning and heat rejection equipment. Any existing fire
suppression system should be modified to a pre-action sprinkler system dedicated to
the data center.

Overview of Telecommunications Guidelines for Data Centers

The building should be served by at least two diversely routed optical fiber entrance
rooms. The data center should be served by dedicated access provider equipment
located in the data center space and not in shared tenant space.
Overview of Security Guidelines for Data Centers
Common areas should be monitored by cameras. The computer room should not be
located near a parking garage, flood plain, earthquake fault, or flight path. The site
should be distanced from highways, airports, coastlines, chemical plants, military
bases, nuclear facilities, foreign embassies, and high crime areas.

Data Center Topologies

 TIA, TIA-942-A Data Centers
 

TIA-942-A allows for basic and distributed data center topologies.

The baisc data center topology includes a single entrance room, possibly one or more
telecommunications rooms, one main distribution area, and several horizontal
distribution areas as shown below.

Blue lines are backbone cabling and red lines are horizontal cabling.

A more sophisticated and flexible data center topology with multiple entrance rooms
and IDAs is called a distributed data center topology and is shown below.  The primary
Entrance room shall not have direct connections to IDAs and HDAs.  Circuit length
restrictions may require multiple entrance rooms for very large data centers.  Although
cabling from the Secondary entrance room directly to the IDAs and HDAs is not
common practice or encouraged, it is allowed to meet certain circuit length limitations
and redundancy needs.

Blue lines are backbone cabling and red lines are horizontal cabling.

Carrier equipment and the demarcation point for access providers is located in
the Entrance Room.
The Telecom Room hosts Office & Operations Center LAN switches. It is connected to
Offices, Operations Center, and Support Rooms (not shown).
The Main Distribution Area (MDA) contains the data center’s Routers, Backbone
LAN/SAN Switches, PBX, and Multiplexers.
The Horizontal Distribution Area (HDA) is where LAN, SAN, and KVM Switches (a
KVM switch is a hardware device that allows a user to control multiple computers from
a single keyboard, video monitor and mouse) are located.
The Equipment Distribution Area (EDA) hosts Racks and Cabinets.
ANSI/TIA-758-B Customer-Owned Outside Plant
Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard
 TIA-758-B Outside Plant
 

Customer-owned outside plant cabling is defined as the cabling installed between

buildings or points in a customer-owned campus environment.  Customer-owned
campus facilities are typically termed “outside plant” (OSP).

ANSI/TIA-758-B “Customer-Owned Outside Plant Telecommunications

Infrastructure Standard” was developed by the TIA TR-42.4 Outside
Plant Subcommittee and published in March, 2012.  This Standard specifies
requirements for telecommunications pathways and spaces, cable, connecting
hardware, and bonding and grounding systems to support a wide range of IT
applications (e.g., voice, data, video, alarm, environmental control, security, audio).
Significant changes from the previous edition include:

 Guidelines for the physical location and protection of below-ground cabling have
been added
 ANSI/TIA-568-C.0 is referenced for application distance support lengths
ANSI/TIA-758-B Content
 Cabling Infrastructure
 Pathways and Spaces
 Cabling
 Cabling Enclosures
 Annexes addressing OSP Symbols and the Physical Location and Protection of
Below-Ground Cable Plants

ANSI/TIA-607-C Generic Telecommunications

Bonding and Grounding (Earthing) for Customer
Premises
 TIA-607-C Bonding and Grounding
 

Grounding and bonding is integral to the reliable performance of both electrical and
telecommunications systems.
ANSI/TIA-607-C Generic “Telecommunications Bonding and Grounding
(Earthing) for Customer Premises” was developed by the TIA TR-42.16 Grounding
and Bonding Subcommittee and published in November, 2015.  This Standard provides
basic principles, components, and design of telecommunications bonding and grounding
that shall be followed to ensure that the telecommunication bonding and grounding
systems within a building will have one electrical potential.
Significant changes from the previous edition include:

 Incorporation of the requirements for a structure’s electrical grounding electrode

system and the additional telecommunications grounding electrode system design
and testing requirements from TIA-607-B.1
 Addition of the requirements for a telecommunications bonding and grounding
system for the case when structural metal is used as the telecommunications
bonding backbone from TIA-607-B.2
 Inclusion of an illustrative example of the generic telecommunications bonding
infrastructure in a single story large building
 Addition of recommendations for bonding connections for separately divided
systems
 New component and design requirements for rack bonding busbars
 Adoption of a minimum bend radius and angle requirements for bonding
conductors
 Expanded listing of insulated conductors required to be color-coded green
 New recommendation for a minimum 0.6m (2 ft) grid spacing for mesh bonding
networks
 Clarification that patch panels for shielded cabling shall be bonded
 Clarification that bonding requirements apply to all metallic telecommunications
pathways
 Additional requirement that exothermic two-hole lugs, when used to make
connections to the primary bonding busbar (PBB), be listed
ANSI/TIA-607-C-1 “Addendum 1, Bonding in Multi-tenant Buildings” published
in January, 2017 and expands upon the scope of TIA-607-C to include bonding and
grounding requirements in buildings serving more than one tenant. This Standard
describes a common bonding infrastructure for telecommunications equipment
providing shared services and the connection of individual tenant bonding
infrastructures to the common bonding infrastructure when present or to the equipment
(power) ground when a common bonding infrastructure is not present.
ANSI/TIA-607-C Content
 Regulatory
 Overview of Telecommunication Grounding and Bonding Systems
 Telecommunications Bonding Components
 Design Requirements
 External Grounding
 Performance and Test Requirements
 Annexes addressing Bonding Methods, Grounding Electrodes, Towers and
Antennas, Telecommunications Electrical Protection, Electrical Protection for
Operator-Type Equipment Positions, and Cross Reference of Terms
ANSI/TIA-607-C-1 Content
 Overview of the Telecommunications Bonding Infrastructure
 Transmission Requirements
 Annexes addressing Reliability Testing of Connecting Hardware, Measurement
Requirements, Cabling and Component Test Procedures, Channel and Permanent
Link Configurations with Additional Connectors and/or Cables, and Length
Scaling, and Modeling Configurations
Conductor Bend Radius and Included Angle
The inside bend radius of telecommunications bonding conductors terminated at the
primary bonding busbar (PBB) or secondary bonding busbar (SBB) shall have an inside
bend radius of 200 mm (8 in).  At other locations, bends in the bonding conductors
should be limited to the greatest practical inside bend radius with a minimum bend
radius of 10 times the bonding conductor diameter recommended. In all cases, the
minimum bend radius angle shall be 90° or greater.

Grounding Requirements for Shielded versus Unshielded Cabling Systems

The grounding requirements for shielded cabling systems are identical to those
specified for unshielded cabling systems with the exception of the following additional
step:
 Patch panels for shielded cabling shall be bonded to the telecommunications
bonding system in accordance with manufacturer instructions
Bonding of the shielded patch panel may be accomplished by connecting a 12
AWG stranded wire from the ground point (or lug) provided on the patch panel to the
rack , cabinet, or enclosure, bonding conductor.

Click here for archive information on ANSI/TIA-607-B.

ANSI/TIA-606-C: Administration Standard for

Telecommunications Infrastructure
 TIA-606-C Administration
 

Proper administration of the telecommunications cabling plant can reduce the labor
expense of maintaining the infrastructure, extend the useful economic life of the
system, and provide more effective service to users. A well-planned administration
system is independent of supported applications, which may change multiple times
throughout the life of the cabling plant. Administration guidelines apply to owners, end
users, manufacturers, consultants, contractors, designers, installers, and others
involved in the administration of the telecommunications infrastructure.

ANSI/TIA-606-C “Administration Standard for Telecommunications

Infrastructure” was developed by the TIA TR-42.6 Infrastructure Administration
Subcommittee and published in June, 2017. Significant changes from the previous
edition include:
 TIA-606-B-1 content replaced with a reference to TIA-5048 (adaption of ISO/IEC
18598)
 Additional guidelines for administration of cabling supporting remote powering,
including cable bundle identifiers, added
 The preference for an ISO/IEC TR 14763-2-1 compatible format for new
administration systems was removed
 Identifier schemes for telecommunications bonding and grounding system
elements changed to align with TIA-607-C as follows:
o BCT (bonding conductor for telecommunications) changed to TBC
(telecommunications bonding conductor)
 o RGB (rack grounding busbar) changed to RBB (rack bonding busbar)
o GE (grounding equalizer) changed to BBC (backbone bonding conductor)
o TGB (telecommunications grounding busbar) changed to SBB (secondary
bonding busbar)
o TMGB (telecommunications main grounding busbar) changed to PBB
(primary bonding busbar)
 Table summarizing variables used in identifier formats added
ANSI/TIA-606-C Content
 Classes of Administration
 Class 1 Administration
 Class 2 Administration
 Class 3 Administration
 Class 4 Administration
 Optional Identifiers for Infrastructure Elements
 Color-Coding Identification
 Permanent Labels
 Administration Systems Using Records, Linkages and Reports
 Automated Infrastructure Management Systems
 Annexes addressing Identification of Patch Cords, Equipment Cords, and Direct
Equipment-to-Equipment Cables, Telecommunications Grounding System
Identification Example, and Graphical, Symbology, Drawing Elements of
Administration, and Administration of Remote Powering
ANSI/TIA-606-C Administration Systems
An administration system for telecommunications infrastructure within buildings and
between buildings may include:
 assigning identifiers to components of the infrastructure
 specifying elements of information that make up records for each identifier
 specifying relationships between these records to access the information they
contain
 specifying reports presenting information on groups of records, and
 specifying graphical and symbolic requirements
ANSI/TIA-606-C Administration Classes
Four classes of administration are specified in this Standard to accommodate the wide
range of complexity present in the cabling plant.  Class 1 contains the less stringent
and Class 4 contains the most stringent administration requirements.  The size and
complexity of the cabling plant are the most relevant considerations in determining the
minimum class of administration.

The four classes of administration are:

 Class 1 provides for the telecommunications infrastructure administration needs

of a premises that is served by a single equipment room (ER)
 Class 2 provides for the telecommunications infrastructure administration needs
of a single building or of a tenant that is served by single or multiple
telecommunications spaces (e.g., an equipment room with one or more
telecommunications rooms) within a single building
 Class 3 provides for the telecommunications infrastructure administration needs
of a campus, including its buildings and outside plant elements
 Class 4 provides for the telecommunications infrastructure administration needs
of a multi-campus/multi-site system
An administration system may be managed using a paper-based system, general
purpose spreadsheet software, special-purpose cable management software, or
Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) systems.

ANSI/TIA-606-C Elements
This Standard specifies an administration system for the following elements of a generic
telecommunications infrastructure:

 Cabling Subsystem 1, 2, and3 pathways and cabling

 Telecommunications bonding and grounding
 Spaces (e.g., entrance facility, telecommunications room, equipment room), and
 Fire-stopping
  Representative Model of Typical Telecommunications Infrastructure Elements for
Administration 
Click here for archive information on ANSI/TIA-606-B.

ANSI/TIA-569-D: Telecommunications Pathways

and Spaces
 TIA-569-D Pathways and Spaces
 

This Standard provides generic requirements for telecommunications pathways and

spaces. Included are separation and isolation considerations for operating environment
compatibility, telecommunications facility diversification recommendations to ensure
operation in catastrophic conditions, and temperature and humidity requirements.
Architectural (e.g. room size and firestopping) and environmental (e.g. HVAC,
grounding and bonding, and electromagnetic noise reduction) design guidance is also
provided.

ANSI/TIA-569-D “Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces” was developed by

the TIA TR-42.3 Pathways and Spaces Subcommittee and published in April, 2015. This
Standard specifies requirements for telecommunications pathways and spaces in
commercial and multi-tenant buildings, access provider spaces, and service provider
spaces where entrance rooms, distributor rooms, enclosures, racks and cabinets and
other telecommunications facilities and infrastructure is located.  Pathway locations
include areas above the ceiling, access and cellular floor systems, cable support
systems, underfloor duct and insert systems, perimeter pathways and surface mount
pathways, and utility columns.
Significant changes from the previous edition include:

 Incorporation of revised temperature and humidity requirements from TIA-568-

C.1
 Inclusion of a smaller minimum recommended size for distributor rooms
 Clarification of requirements for pull boxes
 Deletion of maximum height requirements for racks and cabinets (a maximum
recommended height is still provided)
 Reduction of the minimum access headroom above cable trays from 300 mm (12
in) to 200 mm (8 in)
 Revised recommendations for separating power wiring from balanced twisted-
pair cabling
 New requirements for metallic spaces
 New requirements for multi-user telecommunications outlet assembly and
consolidation point spaces
ANSI/TIA-569-D-1 “Addendum 1, Revised Temperature and Humidity
Requirements for Telecommunications Spaces” published in October, 2016 and
revises the humidity range specifications in TIA-569-D. Specifically, this Standard
lowers both the recommended and allowable humidity range for classes A1 through A4
to harmonize with the fourth edition of ASHRAE’s “Thermal Guidelines for Data
Processing Environments” Standard, which published in 2015. Several small
inconsistencies within Table 2 of TIA-569-D were also corrected.
ANSI/TIA-569-D-2 “Addendum 2, Additional Pathway and Space
Considerations for
Supporting Remote Powering Over Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling” published in
June, 2018 and provides guidelines for pathway systems supporting balanced twisted-
pair cabling used for remote powering applications. Delivery of dc power (e.g., PoE and
POH) can cause temperature rise in cables, which can adversely affect transmission
performance as well as cause mechanical degradation if the temperature rating of the
cable is exceeded. Different types of pathways, ranging from non-continuous supports
to sealed conduit, have varying heat dissipation properties. Carefully selecting pathway
systems and adhering to recommended installation practices (e.g., separating cables
within pathway systems, observing pathway system design and fill ratios, and following
recommended installation practices related to cable bundle size and routing) can reduce
the temperature rise of the cables and improve the overall thermal performance of the
pathway system.
ANSI/TIA-569-D  Content
 Environmental Compatibility
 Diversity of Telecommunications Facilities
 Building Spaces
 Access Provider Spaces and Service Provider Spaces
 Multi-Tenant Building Spaces
 Building Pathways
 Cabling Installation Requirements
 Cabling Transmission Performance and Test Requirements
 Annexes addressing Firestopping and Electromagnetic Noise Reduction
Guidelines for Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling
ANSI/TIA-569-D-1 Content
 Replacement of Clause 6.2
ANSI/TIA-569-D-2 Content
 Thermal Characteristics of Pathways
 Pathway System Design and Installation Factors
 Separation of Cables within Pathway to Improve Heat Dissipation
Example of Pathways and Spaces in a Single-Tenant Building
 Pathways and Spaces in a Single-Tenant Building

Distributor Room Sizing
 The distributor room shall be sized to meet known requirements such as the
function of the room, the numbers of equipment and racks needed, and the number
of equipment outlets that it will serve
 Sizing shall include projected future as well as present requirements
 A distributor room containing Distributor B should be sized at a minimum of 9
m2 (100 ft2)
 A distributor room containing Distributor C should be sized at a minimum of 11
m2 (120 ft2) in buildings with a gross area of up to 50,000 m 2 (500,000 ft2)
 In larger buildings, the size of the distributor room containing Distributer C
should be increased in increments of 1 m 2 (10 ft2) for every increase of 10,000
m2 (100,000 ft2) in gross building area

Minimum Floor Space Based on Number of Outlets Served

Temperature and Humidity Requirements

 ASHRAE Class A1, A2, A3, and A4 environmental requirements for
telecommunications spaces are provided
 Temperature and humidity specifications provided for distributor rooms,
distributor enclosures, entrance rooms or spaces, access provider spaces, service
provider spaces, and common distributor rooms are as follows:
o Temperature: 18 – 27°C (64 – 81°F)
o Maximum relative humidity (RH): 60%
o Minimum dew point: 5.5°C (42°F)
o Maximum dew point: 15°C (59°F)
Click here for archive information on ANSI/TIA-569-C.

ANSI/TIA-568.0-D: Generic Telecommunications

Cabling for Customer Premises
 TIA, TIA-568.0-D Generic Cabling
 

This Standard provides structure, topologies and distances, installation, performance,

and testing requirements for generic telecommunications cabling.  This Standard forms
the foundation for premises telecommunications cabling infrastructure design and can
be used to address cabling needs when a specific premise standard (e.g., TIA-568.1-
D for commercial building cabling) does not exist.
ANSI/TIA-568.0-D “Generic Telecommunications Cabling for Customer
Premises” was developed by the TIA TR-42.1 Commercial Building Cabling
Subcommittee and originally published in September, 2015.  It was identified that
several formulas in the Standard were not rendering correctly and the document was
revised and reaffirmed in December, 2015.  Significant changes from the previous
edition include:
 Category 5e or higher rated cabling is required for all generic balanced twisted-
pair cabling deployments
 OM3 or higher rated cabling is required for all generic multimode optical fiber
cabling deployments
 The minimum fiber count for generic multimode and singlemode optical fiber
cabling deployments has changed from one fiber to two fibers per port/channel
 Broadband coaxial cabling has been added as a recognized media
 Information on optical fiber polarity and optical fiber testing has been moved
to TIA-568.3-D
 Requirements for open office cabling (i.e., consolidation points, multi-user
telecommunications outlet assemblies) have been moved into this Standard
 The minimum inside bend radius for balanced twisted-pair cord cable has been
increased to four times the overall cable diameter
 The minimum inside bend radius for optical fiber cord cable is specified as 25
mm (1 in)
 A new Annex provides guidelines on shared pathways and shared sheaths for
balanced twisted-pair cabling
 The contents of TIA-568-C.0-1 (updated references) and TIA-568-C.0-2 (general
updates) were incorporated
ANSI/TIA-568-0.D-1 “Addendum 1, Updated References, Accommodation of
New Media Types” published in July, 2017 and provides modification text to TIA-
568.0-D to recognize category 8 balanced twisted-pair and OM5 multimode optical fiber
media types. Click here for answers to common category 8 cabling
questions. Click here for information on OM5 media.
ANSI/TIA-568.0-D Content
 Environmental Compatibility
 Telecommunications Cabling System Structure
 Cabling Installation Requirements
 Cabling Transmission Performance and Test Requirements
 Annexes addressing Centralized Optical Fiber Cabling, Multi-Tenant Cabling,
Application Support Information, Environmental (MICE) Classifications, and Shared
Sheath and Shared Pathways Guidelines
ANSI/TIA-568.0-D-1 Content
 Modifications to ANSI/TIA-568.0-D
ANSI/TIA-568.0-D Functional Elements
 NOTE – All elements shown represent cables and connecting hardware; not spaces or
pathways

ANSI/TIA-568.1-D: Commercial Building

Telecommunications Cabling
 TIA, TIA-568.1-D Commercial Building Cabling
 

This Standard contains requirements that facilitate the planning and installation of a

structured cabling system in a commercial building environment. The structure for
commercial building cabling is based on the generic cabling system structure specified
in TIA-568.0-D. Performance and technical criteria for balanced twisted-pair cabling
systems are specified in TIA-568-C.2. Performance and technical criteria for optical
fiber cabling systems are specified in TIA-568.3-D.
ANSI/TIA-568.1-D “Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling” was
developed by the TIA TR-42.1 Telecommunications Cabling Systems Subcommittee and
published in September, 2015.  Significant changes from the previous edition include:
 A note indicating that category 6A horizontal cabling may be required to support
a wider range of applications has been added
 OM4 or higher rated cabling is recommended for horizontal and backbone
multimode optical fiber cabling
 The minimum fiber count for multimode and singlemode backbone optical fiber
cabling has changed from one fiber to two fibers per port/channel
 The use of optical fiber array connectors in the work area is now supported
 Broadband coaxial cabling has been added as a recognized media for horizontal
and backbone cabling
 Requirements for open office cabling (i.e., consolidation points, multi-user
telecommunications outlet assemblies) have been moved into TIA-568.0-D
 The contents of TIA-568-C.1-1 (pathways and spaces) and TIA-568-C.1-
2 (general updates) were incorporated
ANSI/TIA-568-1.D-1 “Addendum 1, Updated References, Accommodation of
New Media Types” published in March, 2018 and provides modification text to TIA-
568.1-D to recognize category 8 balanced twisted-pair and OM5 multimode optical fiber
media types. Click here for answers to common category 8 cabling
questions. Click here for information on OM5 media.
ANSI/TIA-568.1-D Content
 Telecommunications Cabling Infrastructure
 Topology
 Entrance Facilities
 Equipment Rooms
 Telecommunications Rooms and Telecommunications Enclosures
 Backbone Cabling (Cabling Subsystem 2 and Cabling Subsystem 3)
 Horizontal Cabling (Cabling Subsystem 1)
 Work Area
 Multi-Tenant Building Spaces
 Cabling Installation Requirement References
 Cabling Transmission Performance Requirement References
 Cabling for Wireless Access Point References
 Grounding and Bonding References
 Telecommunications Pathways References
 Firestopping References
 Administration References
 Annex addressing Bibliographic Information
ANSI/TIA-568.1-D-1 Content
 Modifications to ANSI/TIA-568.0-D
ANSI/TIA-568.1-D Functional Elements
NOTE – All elements shown represent cables and connecting hardware; not spaces or
pathways
ANSI/TIA-568-1-D and ANSI/TIA-568.0-D Equivalent
Terminology 

Examples of ANSI/TIA-568.1-D Horizontal Interconnections and Cross-

Connections
 

ANSI/TIA-568.2-D: Balanced Twisted-Pair

Telecommunications Cabling and Components
 TIA-568.2-D Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling and Components
 

This Standard specifies the mechanical and transmission requirements of category 3,

5e, 6, 6A, and 8 balanced twisted-pair copper cabling and components.
ANSI/TIA-568.2-D “Balanced Twisted-Pair Telecommunications Cabling and
Components” was developed by the TIA TR-42.7 Copper Cabling Subcommittee and
published in September, 2018.
Significant changes from the previous edition include:

 Category 8 cabling and component requirements have been integrated into the
main document
 An allowance for the use of 28 AWG patch cords has been added
 An MPTL (modular plug terminated link) is permitted in certain limited cases
where there may be a need to terminate a horizontal cable directly to a device
 Laboratory test methodologies, including methods for category 8 cabling and
components up to 2 GHz and the use of balunless test fixtures, have been added
 Detailed modeling information for cables installed in higher temperature
environments, such as return air plenums, ceiling spaces, riser shafts, and non air-
conditioned buildings, is provided
ANSI/TIA-568.2-D Content
 Mechanical Requirements
 Transmission Requirements
 Annexes addressing Reliability Testing of Connecting Hardware, General
Measurement Requirements, Cabling and Component Test Procedures using Baluns,
Cabling and Component Balunless Test Procedures, Connecting Hardware Transfer
Impedance Test Method, Modular Plug Terminated Link, 28 AWG Cord Cable
Performance, Connecting Hardware Test Fixtures, Cable Installation in Higher
Temperature Environments, Derivation of Propagation Delay from Insertion Loss
Equation, Development of Channel and Component Return Loss Limits, Modeling
Configurations and Length Scaling, Additional Information on Channel and
Permanent Link NEXT Loss Limits, PSAACRF and AFEXT Loss Normalization, and
Category 5 Channel Parameters
Use of 28 AWG Patch Cords
ANSI/TIA-568.2-D generally requires conductor sizes of 22 AWG to 26 AWG for cord
cable. In certain cases, it is recognized that it may be necessary to construct cords from
28 AWG cable. This is permitted if certain requirements related to the smaller conductor
size are met as follows:
 Maximum channel and permanent link length is derated (i.e., reduced) to offset
the additional insertion loss associated with the smaller conductor size as described
in Annex G of the Standard.
 The maximum length of 28 AWG cords in a channel shall not exceed 15 m
(49.2 ft).
 28 AWG cord cable shall meet specified transmission and dc resistance
performance requirements.
 The guidelines and limitations on using 28 AWG patch cords for power delivery
specified in TIA-TSB-184-A-1 shall be followed.
MPTL – Modular Plug Terminated Link
ANSI/TIA-568.2-D requires that horizontal cable be terminated onto a
telecommunications outlet in the work area to provide flexible access to the user. In
certain limited cases, it is recognized that there may be a need to terminate a
horizontal cable directly to a plug that is inserted into a device such as a security
camera, a radio enabled wireless access device, or another device that is not often
moved or rearranged. Annex F of this Standard provides guidance on topology and
transmission limits to ensure the proper functioning of this special link configuration.

ANSI/TIA-568.3-D: Optical Fiber Cabling

Components
 TIA-568.3-D Optical Fiber Cabling Components
 

This Standard specifies performance and transmission requirements for premises optical
fiber cable, connectors, connecting hardware, and patch cords. Transition methods used
to maintain optical fiber polarity and ensure connectivity between transmitters and
receivers using simplex, duplex, and array connectivity are also described.

ANSI/TIA-568.3-D “Optical Fiber Cabling Components” was developed by the TIA

TR-42.11 Optical Systems Subcommittee and published in October, 2016. Significant
changes from the previous edition include:
 Optical fiber polarity information and optical fiber test measurement
requirements now reside in TIA-568.3-D
 Passive optical network components are specified
 The polarity of cords and connectivity methods supporting parallel optical signals
for transceiver interfaces and array connector patch cords and cables that
exclusively employ two rows of fibers per plug are described
 Array connectivity of arbitrary row width following patterns of the illustrated
12-fiber row components are allowed
 Specifications for wideband multimode fiber (commonly referred to as “OM5”)
have been added
 The use of OM1, OM2, and OS1 cables is no longer recommended
 The maximum allowable OM3 and OM4 attenuation at 850 nm has been lowered
to 3.0 dB/km
 The minimum return loss of singlemode connections and splices has been raised
from 26 dB to 35 dB
 The insertion loss of reference-grade test connections is described and
accommodated
 Encircled flux launch conditions are specified for testing multimode connector
performance at 850 nm
 Multimode connector performance is no longer specified at 1300 nm
 The minimum durability for all array connections is specified at 500 mating
cycles
 Specifications for outside plant microduct cable have been added
ANSI/TIA-568.3-D Content
 Optical Fiber Cable
 Connecting Hardware
 Cords, Array Cables, and Transitions
 Optical Fiber Transmission Performance and Test Requirements
 Annexes addressing Optical Fiber Connector Performance Specifications,
Grandfathered Fiber and Cable Types, Maintaining Optical Fiber Polarity, Optical
Branching Component Performance Specifications, and Guidelines for Field-Testing
Length, Loss, and Polarity of Optical Fiber Cabling
ANSI/TIA-568.3-D Duplex Polarity
Consecutive-fiber positioning and reverse-pair positioning are the two methods
specified to maintain polarity for duplex polarity systems. Consecutive-fiber positioning
is implemented by installing the fiber adapters in opposite orientations on each end of
the link (i.e., A-B, A-B… on one end and B-A, B-A… on the other) and then attaching
fibers to the adapters in consecutive order (i.e., 1,2,3,4…) on both ends of the
link. Reverse-pair positioning is implemented by installing the fiber adapters in the
same orientation on each end of the link (i.e., A-B, A-B… or B-A, B-A…) and then
attaching fibers to the adapters in consecutive order (i.e., 1,2,3,4…) on one end of the
link and in reverse-pair order (i.e., 2,1,4,3…) on the other end of the link.

ANSI/TIA-568.3-D Array Polarity

The purpose of an array connectivity polarity method is to create an optical path from
the transmit port of one multi-fiber device to the receive port of another multi-fiber
device. Different methods may be employed to achieve this goal. It is recommended
that one polarity method be selected in advance and maintained consistently
throughout an installation. Three sample polarity methods, referred to as Methods A, B,
and C, are described in TIA-568.3-D. Method A requires to use of of a different patch
cord at one end of the link to maintain polarity. Method B uses the same patch cord at
both ends of the link, but requires that the adapter (sometimes referred to as the
cassette) be reversed at one end so that the fiber that originated in position 1 is
mapped to the end position (e.g. position 12 or 24). Method C is a variant of Method A,
but with the polarity crossover implemented in the trunking cable instead of via the
patch cord. Both Methods B and C have the advantage of using the same patch cords at
both ends of the link.

ANSI/TIA-568.4-D: Broadband Coaxial Cabling and

Components Standard
 TIA-568.4-D Broadband Coaxial Cabling
 

This Standard specifies requirements and recommendations for 75Ω broadband coaxial
cabling, cables, cords, and connecting hardware that are used to support community
antenna television (CATV, commonly referred to as cable television), satellite television,
and other broadband applications. Allowed deployment topologies are the star topology
defined in TIA-568.0-D, bus and star topology, and multipoint bus topology. Also
included are transmission requirements, mechanical requirements, and requirements
related to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for cabling, cables and connectors,
cabling installation and connector termination procedures, and field testing procedures.
ANSI/TIA-568.4-D “Broadband Coaxial Cabling and Components
Standard” was developed by the TIA TR-42.7 Copper Cabling Subcommittee and
published in June, 2017. Significant changes from the previous edition include:
 Updated references
ANSI/TIA-568.4-D Content
 Topology
 Cabling
 Series 6 and Series 11 Link Performance
 Coaxial Cable, Cords, and Connecting Hardware
 Field Test Requirements
 Annexes addressing Background Information for Coaxial Cabling Requirements
and Multipoint Bus
ANSI/TIA-568.4-D Recognized Cables
The recognized 75 Ω coaxial cables are:

 Series 6 dual-*, tri- or quad-shield,

 Series 11 dual-*, tri- or quad-shield,
 Trunk, feeder, and distribution cable (refer to ANSI/SCTE 15 for examples of
these types of cables), and
 Braided multipurpose cable (refer to ANSI/SCTE 74 for an example of this type
of cable).
* Dual-shield  coaxial cable construction is commonly referred to as single tape and
braid.