Fundamentals of Telecoms Study Guide PDF

Fundamentals of Telecoms Study Guide Describe the following termination points. o What is a patch panel? ▪ A device or unit featuring a number of jacks, usually of the same or similar type, for the use of connecting and routing...

Fundamentals of Telecoms Study Guide Describe the following termination points. o What is a patch panel? ▪ A device or unit featuring a number of jacks, usually of the same or similar type, for the use of connecting and routing circuits for monitoring, interconnecting, and testing circuits in a convenient, flexible manner. o What is a 110 block? ▪ A type of punch-down block used to terminate runs of on-premises wiring in a structured cabling system. The designation 110 is also used to describe a type of insulation displacement contact (IDC) connector used to terminate twisted pair cables, which uses a punch-down tool o What are DSX1 and DSX3 panels? ▪ A digital signal cross-connect (DSX) is a central terminal for digital equipment at a particular digital signal bit rate, prividing both permanent and temporary connections. ▪ Advantages of terminating digital networks equipment at a DSX DSX can handle a large number of terminations in nonblocking arrangement Network equipment can be handled or coordinated efficiently, in spite of location at the site Adding, removing and rearranging circuit connections is easier Fast service recovery and alternate routing are possible in case of network elemnts failure Provides quick access to circuits for testing and monitoring (intrusive or nonintrusive) CIrcuits can be rolled with minimal interruption of circuit integrity LEDs give visual indication of completed cross-connects ▪ DSX-1 equipment uses DS1 (T1) Digital signal rate of 1.544 Mbps Accomodates 24 voice channels ▪ DSX-3 equipment uses DS3 (T3) Digital signal rate of 45 Mbps Accomodates 672 voice channels (28 T1s) ▪ A DSX Panel is the individual cross-connect panel or shelf equipment, installed in a bay or mounted on a wall Example of cross-connects  Example of a network o What is an Optical Distribution Panel (ODP)? ▪ A device used in fiber optic networking to organize and manage the incoming and outgoing fiber optic cables. ▪ It typically contains connectors, adapters, and splice trays to facilitate the connection and distribution of fiber optic cables. ▪ The panel is used to efficiently route and manage fiber optic connections within a network, making it easier to maintain and troubleshoot the network's fiber optic infrastructure. ▪ Also know as fiber distribution panel o What is a demarcation point?  ▪ The physical point where the public switched telephone network ends and a customer's personal network or the private network of an organization or business begins ▪ Where the service provider and property owner exchange responsibility ▪ At CoreSite, we act as an intermediate provider between two of our customers. Demarcation point then refers to the location where CoreSite's infrastructure ends and connects to the customer's. CoreSite is responsible to maintain the pathways and their integrity between our demarcation points o What is a Letter of Authorization (LOA)? ▪ A legal document that includes information regarding where and when a circuit is to be terminated or reassigned to another telecommunications carrier. ▪ Included in the document is a connecting facility assignment (CFA), which specifies the location where the connection is to be terminated within the data center, such as the cabinets, shelves and plugs. ▪ Frequently, the LOA and COA are listed together, as in: LOA/CFA Outside Plant Infrastructure. o Discuss the purpose of carrier OSP fiber to the data center. ▪ Outside Plant (OSP) Fiber Optic Cable is Fiber Optic Cable that is installed outside of a plant, or building. ▪ They are subjected to harsh conditions such as extreme climates, and situations like animals walking over it, waste dumped over it, and water flowing over it. o Discuss the purpose of CoreSite OSP fiber between buildings (passive DF, DWDM) ▪ DCI (Data Center Interconnect) facilitates seamless communication between data centers, allowing them to function as a unified system ▪ Direction finding (DF) or radio direction finding (RDF) The use of radio waves to determine the direction to a radio wave source. In passive DF, the system does not emit any signal. Instead, it relies on receiving signals from existing sources. Passive DF systems use antenna arrays to detect and measure the phase differences of incoming signals. By analyzing the phase differences, the system can estimate the direction of arrival (DOA) of the signal. ▪ DWDM: Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing.  Single Fiber: DWDM enables high-capacity data transport over a single fiber, transparently and with low latency over long distances. Uses Layer-1 Encryption o Discuss the purpose of CoreSite OSP between markets (leased lines) ▪ A leased line is a dedicated connection that provides a private, fixed-bandwidth data link ▪ Unlike shared services such as standard broadband, a leased line does not have traffic contending for bandwidth, ensuring consistent high speeds and reliability. o Discuss the purpose of a MPOE (or Main Telephone Closet) ▪ MPOE (minimum point of entry): Refers to the location where a cable or wire crosses property lines or enters a building. Could be the same place as the demarcation point, but not necessarily the same o MPOE: actual physical point o Demarcation: where responsibility is exchanged Describe the following CoreSite network services. o Open Cloud Exchange (OCX) ▪ Cloud neutral automated platform where customers can order multiple virtual connections to any cloud provider from a single physical connection to CoreSite's network. ▪ The virtual connections can be Layer 2 or Layer 3 o Any2 Exchange (Any2IX) ▪ An internet peering exchange ▪ Peering refers to an exchange of data traffic (packets) between networks ▪ Peering exchanges (or internet exchanges) are network access points at which collaborating companies connect their networks and exchange data ▪ An access point can be a single port with a single connection or a single port with multiple connections. ▪ Peering exchanges can be public or private. Public peering involves an internet exchange point (IXP) through which a network can peer with other networks. An IXP has one or more physical locations and network switches that route traffic. IXPs fall into Layer 2 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. Private peering, which may be referred to as a private network interface or PNI, fits into either Layer 1 or Layer 2. It occurs within a private facility such as a carrier-neutral colocation data center where collaborators are connected directly via dedicated cross connect cabling. ▪ All CoreSite colocation data centers offer direct access to Any2Exchange switches with connection speeds ranging from 1Gbps to 100Gbps  o Blended IP (BIP) ▪ Blended IP combines multiple upstream ISP providers and local internet exchanges (including the CoreSite Any2Exchange) to get the fastest data transfer vs. a single internet carrier. ▪ Offers single connections for traditional connectivity or fully redundant connections for mission-critical applications o Media Converter (MCV) ▪ A networking device that transparently converts Ethernet or other communication protocols from one cable type to another type, usually copper CATx/UTP to fiber. o Cross Connect (IX) ▪ Physical, hardwired cable that provides a direct connection between two different termination locations within a data center Copper o Cheaper and more durable than fiber so it can be better over short distances o Slower data transmision Fiber Cross Connect (IX) o More expensive and harder to replace o Better performance than copper Inside Plant Infrastructure. o Define and discuss the purpose of a Main Distribution Frame (MDF)  ▪ Provides an interface between the external network and the internal network of a building or facility. ▪ A structured cabling system that connects various devices and equipment in a building or campus to a telecommunications service provider’s network. ▪ A giant switchboard that routes incoming and outgoing communications to the appropriate devices and systems. It does this by using a combination of patch panels, termination blocks, and other networking equipment. ▪ Incoming communications from the service provider’s network are first routed to the MDF. From there, they are distributed to the appropriate termination blocks or patch panels, which are then connected to the individual devices and systems throughout the building. ▪ Outgoing communications from the building follow the same path in reverse. The communications are first routed to the MDF, where they are then directed to the appropriate termination blocks or patch panels before being sent out to the service provider’s network. o Define and discuss the purpose of an Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) ▪ Acts as a pivotal distribution point within a building or facility. It receives connections from the MDF and serves as an intermediate hub, providing localized connectivity to specific areas or zones. ▪ Serves as an interconnection point between the MDF and the end-user devices ▪ Houses networking equipment such as switches, patch panels, and other hardware, which facilitate the connection between the end-user devices and the MDF. ▪ Typically used in larger buildings or campuses where the distance between the MDF and the end-user devices is significant, and it is not feasible to run a single cable directly from the MDF to each device. ▪ Instead, a cabling infrastructure is established where the cables from various devices on each floor terminate at the IDF, which then connects to the MDF. o Discuss how the distribution frames are connected ▪ The MDF is the central point of the network, where all network cables converge, and the IDF is a secondary point that provides connectivity between the MDF and the devices located on each floor of a building or in a specific area. o Discuss how customer cabinets are connected to the distribution frames ▪ o Identify the network components inside MDFs ▪ Monitors ▪ UPS ▪ Library Server ▪ Patch Panels ▪ Servers ▪ Ventilation Panels o Identify the network components inside IDFs ▪ Patch Panels ▪ Network Switches  ▪ Cable Management ▪ Rack & Wire Manager ▪ UPS ▪ ISP Modems o Discuss the purpose for customers to connect to various locations (carriers, clouds, CoreSite, other customers) ▪ o What is the difference between a switch and a router? ▪ Function: Switch: Operates at Layer 2 (Data Link Layer) of the OSI model. It primarily forwards data frames based on MAC addresses within a local network (such as a LAN or VLAN). Switches create separate collision domains and enhance local communication efficiency. Router: Operates at Layer 3 (Network Layer) of the OSI model. Routers make decisions based on IP addresses and connect different networks (such as LANs, WANs, or the internet). They determine the best path for data to travel between networks. ▪ Scope: Switch: Typically used within a single network segment (e.g., a building floor or department). Focuses on local traffic. Router: Connects multiple networks together. Handles traffic between different subnets or networks. ▪ Addressing: Switch: Uses MAC addresses to forward frames within the same network segment. Router: Uses IP addresses to route packets between different networks. ▪ Broadcast Handling: Switch: Forwards frames only to the relevant port(s) based on MAC address tables. Does not propagate broadcasts beyond the local network. Router: Blocks broadcasts and limits their scope. Broadcasts do not cross router boundaries. ▪ Network Segmentation: Switch: Segments traffic within a LAN using VLANs (Virtual LANs). Router: Segments traffic between different networks (subnets). ▪ Device Types: Switch: Commonly used in local networks, data centers, and Ethernet- based environments. Router: Essential for connecting LANs to the internet, managing IP routing, and enforcing security policies. ▪ Routing Decisions: Switch: Makes forwarding decisions based on MAC addresses. Router: Determines the best path for data based on IP routing tables. ▪ Security Features:  Switch: Provides basic security (e.g., VLAN isolation), but not designed for extensive security functions. Router: Offers features like firewalls, access control lists (ACLs), and NAT (Network Address Translation) for enhanced security. ▪ Example Use Cases: Switch: Used in LANs for efficient local data exchange among devices (computers, printers, etc.). Router: Connects LANs to the internet, manages traffic between different networks, and ensures secure communication. Define each of the Principles of Operational Excellence. o Fanatical Focus: This goes beyond just paying attention. This is a focus on the task at hand with the utmost detail and care. When you are fanatically focused on what you are doing, you put ever effort in getting the job done right. o Remarkable Resilience: During high winds, a resilient tree is reliant on its root system to weather the storm. When you find yourself in a tough situation, be remarkably resilient by anchoring yourself in the basics of our policies and procedures to get through successfully. o Extreme Ownership: Our mistakes can be used to provide the greatest lessons to humble us and drive growth and improvement. Own the good and bad with integrity so that we can fix the situation and learn from it. o Preeminent Customer Service: Provide customer service that is distinguished above all others. o Calculated Communication: Consider the content of the message, the medium to deliver the message, the timing of the message, and the receiver of the message as you communicate. o Extraordinary Execution: Surpass the standard as you complete the job at hand. o Unremitting Improvement: Don’t be satisfied with the status quo, or how it is always been done. Always think about ways that we can do it better next time. Discuss each of the Ten Guiding Questions for Operational Excellence, and how to use each one. 1. Do I know why I am doing this work? You should know why the task at hand needs to be done. Maybe it’s to deliver services that the customer needs, conducting scheduled maintenance, or troubleshooting a problem. If you do not know why the task is being done, stop! Go find out why. Then resume the work when the task is understood. 2. Am I trained and qualified to perform this work? You should only do work that you are trained and qualified to do. If you are not trained and qualified for the task at hand, stop! Get someone that is trained and qualified and learn from that person. 3. Do I have authorization to perform this work? Work in the data center is authorized through our work orders and maintenance window system each of those have an ID. If your work is not authorized by a work  order and subsequent maintenance window or you do not know the ID, stop! Find someone that can provide that information or submit the work order. 4. Do I have authorization to enter the space? Never enter a space that you do not have authorization to enter. The badge system should prevent you from do that, but if you are not sure, stop! Find someone that can provide assurance. 5. Is it the right time to perform the work? If you are not sure whether the work at hand is timely, stop! Verify the timeliness with the site manager. 6. Have I identified and notified others that may be impacted by this work? Our work order and maintenance window system is designed so that we provide proper notifications. As you start work, make sure that those notifications have been processed. If you are not sure whether the notifications have been processed, stop! Contact the OSC to verify. 7. Are my work orders current and verified error free? Review each work order and the steps within the work order for errors and accuracy. If you find an issue, stop! Contact the site manager to get it right before proceeding. 8. Have I walked through and do I understand the procedures required to perform this work? Review each procedure and the steps within the procedure for errors and accuracy. Make sure you understand what each step means and the results of each step. If you are not sure or find an issue, stop! Contact the site manager to get it right before proceeding. 9. Do I have the resources to quickly restore service if an error occurs, and a plan to avoid a service interruption and/or impact? Make sure you know how to back out of each step if an error occurs. Think about what you would do if something goes wrong. If you are not sure what you would do to back out, stop! Contact the site manager to get it right before proceeding. 10. Do I know and understand the outcome of each step? Before you implement a step, understand the outcome. There may be variable outcomes. Think about what you would do if the step produces an unexpected outcome. If you are not sure what you would do to back out, stop! Contact the site manager to get it right before proceeding