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21/11/2024
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If you would like to know more specific information on the Rapidnet 8 Fibre solution, please follow the link to the dedicated page. Read more >
RapidNet is the world-leading pre-terminated, pre-tested cabling infrastructure solution from HellermannTyton. By choosing a pre-terminated RapidNet system it is possible to reduce installation times by up to 85% when using copper or 95% with fibre.
The pre-terminated RapidNet solution begins with the modular pre-terminated cassette. In its most common application, the pre-terminated cassette is then pushed into a specifically designed 1U RapidNet panel, which is located in a comms room or data centre rack. The pre-terminated cassette then offers a number of connectivity options at the other end.
The pre-terminated RapidNet solution has evolved significantly over recent years to meet the demands of a wide range of applications and cabling scenarios. Whilst the pre-terminated cassette to cassette is the most frequently used format in a cabinet to cabinet application such as data centres or large comms rooms, the RapidNet solution offers versatility allowing the pre-terminated solution to work in any network infrastructure situation.
HellermannTyton's RapidNet pre-terminated copper systems offer options and flexibility to any network cabling infrastructure project. Available in Category 6A and Category 6, HellermannTyton are able to supply pre-terminated copper RapidNet in 12-port, 6-port and 4-port cassettes.
Pre-terminated copper solutions offer the installer or end user a great deal of choice and flexibility at both the cassette end and the ‘second end’.
The 6 port RapidNet cassette comes in a standard format with 4 cassettes fitting into the RapidNet panel. The standard panel accommodates all UTP Category 6A and Category 6 cassettes with a separate panel available for the 6 port shielded solutions.
Both UTP and FTP Category 6A solutions exceed industry standards performance criteria to support a 10G network. The UTP Category 6A system is available in a range of different coloured jack variations as standard, allowing for network segregation.
Available in Category 6, the 4 port cassette comes with its own RapidNet panel providing 24 ports in 1U of space. The 4 port cassette provides an ideal solution for work area and ‘to the desk’ applications in most commercial office and educational environments.
The 12 port cassette is RapidNet’s high density solution, presenting 48 ports in 1U of rack space.
Available in Category 6, the 12 port cassette provides an ‘on-board’ magnified port labelling field and comes with its own RapidNet panel to accommodate the larger cassette footprint. The 12 port cassette is also compatible with the Hybrid RapidNet panel, providing a combination of copper and fibre connectivity in 1U of space.
Specifically designed to be used with the angled RapidNet panel but also fully compatible with standard RapidNet panels and accessories, the Short Body RapidNet range is available in Category 6A and Category 6 providing 6 RJ45 ports per cassette or 24 ports in 1U.
While a RapidNet cassette to cassette assembly is most commonly used in cabinet to cabinet and data centre applications, the RapidNet range offers additional flexibility with a host of other ‘second end’ possibilities.
The cassette to pod option supports ‘to the desk’ and work area installations in a variety of commercial environments including offices, trading floors and schools. The pod can be mounted to the desk, snapped into a floor box or used beneath a raised floor or in the ceiling void as a consolidation point.
The cassette to jack is designed for work area applications where the jacks can be easily fitted into a selection of modules that can be used in floor boxes or wall mounted in face plates. The Category 6A GST UTP keystone jacks are available in several standard colours with the same colour jack being used at the cassette end.
Cassette to GOP
The cassette to GOP box (Grid Outlet Position) is designed for use in the work area where a grid style network is employed. The GOP box can be run from cabling infrastructure, usually under a raised floor, to the desk where it can be mounted or hosted within a floor box.
The cassette to RJ45 plug fan out can be used as a full cross-connect solution between cabinet and hardware, reducing the risk of damage to the ports on expensive active equipment. When used for server connectivity it simplifies the management of connections to each unit without accessing the rear of the data cabinets. The 6 RJ45 plugs are manufactured to a uniform length or can be supplied in staggered lengths to allow for effective cable management.
Cassette to Outlet
The cassette to outlet option provides an ideal work area solution with outlets pre-terminated to the cable loom. Available in a range of Category 6 outlets from HellermannTyton, the outlets can then be snapped into double or single gang face plates or directly into a floor box.
The cassette to bare end provides flexibility during installation. This option is used in projects where space between rooms is limited or lengths are uncertain at the planning stage. The bare end can then be terminated on site to a range of outlets and panels available from HellermannTyton.
The extensive RapidNet fibre range from HellermannTyton has developed with the increasing demands of high performance, high speed networks and data centres. Available in OM5, OM4, OM3 and OS2, RapidNet fibre provides a number of connectivity options, including MTP, LC and SC cassettes.
The standard RapidNet LC and SC cassettes offer a range of options including single mode or multimode, 8, 12, 16 or 24 ports in LC and 6 or 12 ports in SC formats.
The cassettes also provide 2 options for the rear of the cassette; a terminated cable with a strain relieving boot or with MTP connectors, to allow the use of 8, 12 or 24 core MTP backbone cables.
MTP RapidNet is available with 3, 6 or 12 MTP ports presented on the front of the cassette.
The MTP connector can be supplied as either 8, 12 or 24 core with, for example, 6 x 24 core connectors or 12 x 12 core connectors, enabling a maximum of 144 fibres in a single cassette, or 576 fibres in a 1U RapidNet panel.
All pre-terminated fibre cassettes are manufactured with LS0H cable which is secured in the cassette with internal strain relief and a rubber boot, preventing damage to the fibre when pulled or snagged. RapidNet fibre cassettes can also be supplied with MTP connectors on the rear. For these RapidNet cassettes HellermannTyton supply a range of MTP backbone cables as well as MTP to fan out assemblies in both LC and SC formats.
The RapidNet fibre range can be manufactured with a pre-terminated fibre fan out on the ‘second end’ of the cassette. Using a protective manifold, HellermannTyton are able to supply the RapidNet cassette to fibre fan out assemblies with MTP, LC and SC connectors, allowing for high density patching or inter-connectivity with active hardware.
Fibre cassettes provide 2 options for the rear of the cassette; a terminated cable with a strain relieving boot or with MTP connectors, to allow the use of 8, 12 or 24 core MTP backbone cables. MTP Back-Bone cables are pre-terminated and pre-tested ensuring the highest performance. The MTP Connector is the low loss Elite® Connector from US Conec and is compatible with all RapidNet MTP Cassettes. The MTP Back-Bone cable can be used for high density patching between two MTP ports and is particularly suited to applications where space is limited.
The Cassette to MTP fan out presents either 6 x 24 core MTP connectors or 12 x 12 core MTP connectors in the front of the cassette, terminated to a 144 core fibre cable. The fibre cable is separated out in a high quality manifold connecting to an MTP fan out to correspond with the cassette presentation of 6 or 12 MTP connectors.
The RapidNet cassette to LC or SC fan out offers a number of options. Using the 6 x 12 port MTP cassette, it is possible to achieve a 72 LC fan out. Using the LC cassette with 12 or 24 LC connectors, a 12 or 24 LC fan out can be supplied, either terminated within the cassette or as an MTP connector to fan out with the MTP fitting to the rear MTP port on the cassette. The SC cassette to fan out uses the 12 port SC cassette and presents the same amount of SC connectors in a fan out arrangement that is designed for fibre patching or connectivity into active equipment and hardware.
The RapidNet pre-terminated system offers a great deal of connectivity flexibility across both fibre and copper ranges. To enhance this flexibility and meet the demands of installers and the various applications using pre-terminated RapidNet, HellermannTyton have developed a number of patch panel and cable management solutions that compliment the RapidNet range.
The 12 port RapidNet patch panel accommodates four 12 port copper cassettes, with labelling fields presented on the actual cassette itself. The RapidNet cassettes simply push into the panels with a push down clip. A fully loaded panel presents 48 category 6 RJ45 ports.
This RapidNet patch panel accommodates four category 6 copper 6-port cassettes and the full range of MTP, LC and SC fibre cassettes. The RapidNet cassettes simply push into the panel, snapping in place with a push down clip. The panel comes with dual, magnified labelling fields.
This RapidNet patch panel accommodates four shielded Category 6A or Category 6 copper cassettes. The shielded panel is constructed with a metal shielding plate with three earthing anchor points. The RapidNet cassettes push into the panels, snapping into place with a push down clip. The RapidNet panel is supplied with dual magnified labelling fields.
The 4 port RapidNet patch panel accommodates six 4 port Category 6 copper cassettes. The RapidNet cassettes push into the panel, snapping in with a push down clip. The RapidNet panel comes with dual, magnified labelling fields.
The 1U RapidNet Hybrid Panel provides a simple 'Mix and Match' approach for both copper and fibre RapidNet. The panel offers capacity for the equivalent of 1U of fibre and 1U of copper in 1U of rack space, giving a saving of 1U of space each time the panel is used.
Using the short body RapidNet cassette with the angled panel offers a high density solution as it removes the need for horizontal patch cord management. Available in 1U and 2U, the angled panel reduces the bend radius for both front patch cords and rear permanent link cables.
Designed for use with RapidNet pre-terminated systems, the chassis provides high density patching and font and rear patch cord management. From standard density 384 fibre LC connections to high density 2,304 fibre MTP connections in each 4U of rack space, the chassis can also accommodate 96 UTP copper ports.
HellermannTyton‘s RapidNet Panel with rear cable management provides support and protection for MTP backbone and fibre cables within a cabinet or patching frame. The panel can also be used with direct terminated MTP VHD or UTP copper RapidNet Cassettes, providing additional rear cable management and a ’mix and match‘ approach between copper and fibre.
Available in 3 variations the Out of Rack solution is designed to house the majority of the network patching and connectivity above the rack or cabinet, allowing the space within the cabinet to hold more active equipment.
There are a number of benefits for choosing a RapidNet pre-terminated installation in a project. The benefits are not necessarily exclusive to just the installer or the end user; faster installation times, reduced labour budgets and high density solutions are just some of the benefits a RapidNet pre-terminated system offers.
Here is a six point guide, to questions that installers and end users should be asking when considering the RapidNet solution:
The RapidNet pre-terminated system is more flexible than many expect or believe. The common misconception is that a pre-terminated install is only suitable for data centres or new builds. Whilst this may be true to a degree it is not always the case and many successful RapidNet installations can be seen in re-fits of existing buildings. When applying the RapidNet solution to a building re-fit, careful consideration of existing cable runs is needed before ruling it out as a solution. Have a look at the type of trunking already in place. Are consolidation points in the ceiling void or under the floor a viable option? Perhaps a single ended RapidNet solution could be the answer where the cassette is plugged in at the comms room end and the ‘open’ end can be terminated to either panels or outlets.
The main issue encountered with a re-fit in an existing building is the apertures in floors, walls and ceilings. This issue has been addressed by some manufacturers where pre-terminated fibre connectivity is concerned with the development of the RapidNet fibre adapter module, allowing fibre fan out cables to be pulled through and then connected at the rack or comms room. In new or purpose built buildings and data centres, the use of overhead cable runs, ceiling voids or under floor voids make RapidNet installations easier, allowing cable to be run efficiently from floor to floor into comms rooms or racks.
When Scott Brownrigg, one of the UK’s leading architecture firms, planned the move to their newly owned offices in London’s west end, it was no surprise that in order to help drive the company forward, a high performance network infrastructure would be high on the agenda.
Group IT manager, Alastair Newman comments,
"Having already seen the RapidNet system, as soon as the Cat6A version was presented to me by Lee (Lee Hamill, Managing Director of ICS and Project Manager for this project) I knew that the HellermannTyton product would deliver the network I set out to achieve.”
The time an installation takes to complete is a key factor to both the installer and the end user. ‘Investment to Revenue Stream’ is a term used in the industry particularly relating to data centre space, it refers to the gap between making the initial investment into the installation and the time when the project is complete and the network or data centre is ready to use. In the case of a Co-location data centre, the sooner the infrastructure is in place, the quicker the data centre manager can take on customers and begin to see revenue. When looking at completion time scales for a new build project, elements of the construction could over run despite the overall completion date being fixed. With data cabling usually one of last pieces of work to take place, the time window for this work becomes compressed. This is where the RapidNet solution stands out, providing the answer to meeting those tight deadlines.
For the installer, a reduced installation time should ultimately mean that there is a greater capacity for additional projects. If a project takes 3 days installing a RapidNet solution instead of 2 weeks using on site termination methods, this gives the installer resources to take on extra projects.
RapidNet can reduce installation times by up to 85% compared to a field terminated solution, therefore offering substantial benefits to both installer and end user.
The cost comparison of a RapidNet system to a standard field terminated solution isn’t always an obvious calculation. On paper, a like for like comparison of product alone and naturally, the RapidNet system will be more expensive (about 20-25% based on a Category 6 installation), but this takes into account the pre-termination work that takes place in the manufacturer’s factory.
However, when taking a holistic view of the entire project factoring in the on-site labour, the cost difference is dramatically reduced to virtually nothing and in some cases we see a swing in the other direction where the field terminated solution is more expensive (especially where fibre is used).
In most cases, RapidNet cassette to cassette system is the most common solution installed. This will consist of a RapidNet cassette on one end, a length of cable or a loom and RapidNet cassette on the other end with the same format as the first cassette. The cassettes are then clipped or plugged into the RapidNet panel, presenting the standard number of connections you will see in a standard patch panel.
A key aspect to RapidNet is the flexibility, providing the end user or installer with a number of connectivity options. The cassette to cassette option above is more commonly found in a data centre scenario where multiple racks with servers and storage are connected to each other. However, the flexibility and variety offered by HellermannTyton include ‘to the desk’ applications using wall outlets or floor box pods and fan out solutions that allow connectivity directly into hardware.
This flexibility can be seen when implementing fibre systems too. RapidNet pre-terminated fibre solutions can provide as many variations as you’d expect form an on-site terminated solution. High density MTP, LC or SC connectivity as well as fibre fan outs, back bone cables are all available in from HellermannTyton. The wide variety of connectivity options ensures the RapidNet solution can stand up to the most complicated installation scenarios.
Performance will not be an issue when installing a RapidNet solution. All copper and fibre formats are available depending on the specification and project type. RapidNet can be supplied in Category 6A or 6 and both single mode and multimode fibre. All of the ISO/IEC and TIA/ANSI performance standard criteria apply to the rapidNet solution for both fibre and copper and with RapidNet being supplied pre-tested the performance levels of the system will more than stand up to the demands of the network it is installed in.
HellermannTyton supplies product to site pre-tested. When the terminations are carried out in clean manufacturing facilities, it is best practice to test those terminations, ensuring they perform to the set standard. When the product arrives on site and installed, minimal acceptance testing is required which helps reduce the overall installation time and potentially reduce costs. Testing at the end of an installation comes at a point when time pressure is at its greatest. A pre-tested, pre-terminated RapidNet solution, removes the risk of failure and helps avoid any trouble shooting at the end of the install where performance issues could result in re-cabling.
HellermannTyton offers a 25 year warranty on the system providing all onsite test procedures are followed giving the end user peace of mind.
Another benefit that can be seen from a RapidNet installation is its scalability and portability. Because of the modular design, RapidNet is effectively a ‘plug and play’ system, meaning it can be added to or moved with relative ease. With RapidNet, planning for future network growth needn’t be an issue. Panels can be pre-installed, allocating space for expansion at a later date. HellermannTyton offer modular blanks which cover the spaces in the panels, reducing dust and dirt in the rack space. When the time comes the blanks can be easily removed and the pre-terminated RapidNet system can be plugged in place.
Because of its plug and play nature, RapidNet solutions are portable in the sense that they can easily be disconnected and if required moved to a different position in a rack or to a completely different rack. RapidNet has been available in one form or another for the best part of 10 years. More and more industry professionals are acknowledging the benefits of the RapidNet solution and it should be a serious consideration for all project types.
