Physical collocation

Written on 4:14 PM by ooe

Physical collocation allows LLU operators to place equipment in local exchange buildings and allows their authorised people to gain access to relevant parts of the buildings to operate their networks.

Providing collocation facilities means much more than simply making floor space available. Operators will require power, ventilation and related building services. For security reasons some degree of segregation is required between LLU operators' equipment and network owners' equipment. The agreed design criteria for physical collocation includes:

• LLU operators must be able to source their equipment from the global marketplace.

• A wide range of rack and cabinet sizes to be offered as well as differing power and environmental operating characteristics.

• Different and innovative deployment models were required as each LLU operator would be competing for business within each exchange area. These models might range from a small ‘toe in the water’ presence to an installation able to serve several thousand customer lines from the outset.

• No ‘one size fits all’ constraint.

• Recognition that some LLU operators would wish to have a dedicated room tailored to their stated need, offering a reasonable level of physical security.

• Some operators might wish to collaborate and share a collocation space in an area.

An LLU Hostel product was designed which formed the primary means of responding to demand and meeting the outlined criteria (Figure 7.6). In essence, the LLU Hostel enables an LLU operator to simply order one or more equipment bays – an area of floorspace suitable for equipment racks. Electricity is provided to each bay via an AC final distribution fuseboard providing a designated maximum power load. Expectations that LLU operator demand would be focused on exchange buildings serving the main population centres led to an initial minimum hostel size of two suites. This lower limit was subsequently dropped and a reduced version of the product was introduced to satisfy demand for hostel bays in smaller exchange buildings or where space constraints lead to the adaptation of rooms not originally designed for housing network equipment. Key design features of the LLU Hostel range of collocation spaces includes:

• The use of forced air cooling will generally be made.

• An HDF located at, or close to, the end of each bay. The HDF is used as the interface for internal tie cables provided by BT to the MDF.

• An initial provision of tie pairs to the exchange side of the MDF. Additional ties can be ordered separately.

• Fire/smoke detection.

• Access control. BT has modified its building security systems to allow the other operator's people to access the relevant parts of the buildings without needing to be escorted by BT people.

• An AC power distribution board from which LLU operators take their power feeds.

• A cable support system using ‘unistrut’ ironwork in a simple configuration. The end-product is a ‘ready to go’ environment into which an LLU operator can readily deploy and commission equipment.