Connecting the Meet Me Room (MMR) for Data Centre Growth

Connecting the Meet Me Room (MMR) for Data Centre Growth What is a Meet Me Room? The Meet Me Room (MMR) is one of the most important areas within a Data Centre facility. It provides a managed and secure space where internal network connections interconnect with connections from the outside world. The Meet Me Room, or MMR as it is also known, can be found in both co-location and owner-operated Data Centres. With the need for network redundancy via diverse fibre feeds, a facility can often have two or more Meet Me Rooms. MMR Security is of utmost importance and access to the MMR is highly restricted. These areas usually incorporate a range of security measures including CCTV, biometrics and rack access control. In co-location or multi-tenant Data Centres, access to this area is usually restricted to the facility’s operator only. The MMR itself is zoned with an area for the telco carriers’ racks. Carrier racks are where the incoming carrier services are connected to Network Termination Equipment (NTE) and provide onward links to the internal network infrastructure of the Data Centre. It is highly likely that there will be multiple carriers within a Data Centre facility. The next zone within the area is the Main Distribution Area where all the cross-connects take place between the Data Centre’s network and the carriers’ outbound connections to the wider world. Getting this Main Distribution Area designed correctly is vitally important to accommodate current capacity as well as providing for future growth. The HUBER+SUHNER LiSA system is an advanced cross-connect solution designed to centralise the management of mission-critical cross-connections. The LiSA system comprises of several components including Optical Distribution Frames and Fibre Trays. Central to LiSA is HUBER+SUHNER’s ODF – the high-density Cable Distribution Rack or CDR. CDRs are designed for end-user demarcation in Meet Me Rooms. The design enables easy access in a small footprint. At only 300mm deep they save revenue generating floor space and reduce OPEX. Their modular design offers greater flexibility with separate rack modules for cable and tray management. Typical CDR layouts are either 900mm or 1500mm wide, with 1,920 fibres in a CDR900 and 3,840 fibres in the CDR1500 using SFF connectors. Rear-mounting components provide improved access to fibre optic cables, with fast installation from the front side. Capable of managing a wide variety of fibre optic cable options including Loose Tube, Micro-core, MTP, Patch/Patch, Pre-terminated and Ribbon. This is thanks to the number of different fibre trays available, including MTP and splice. It is possible to manage various fibre types within the same rack. Cable management areas within the CDR feature minimum bend radius of 30mm for fibre optic cables and patch cords. Cable management can be optimised further through the use of LC-XD patch cords that facilitate easier, and trouble-free patching for moves, adds and changes (MACs). Full numbering and labelling provide excellent traceability of cross-connections. CDRs have 3-point locking with a choice of doors: solid, plexi-glass or mesh. For greater security a rack access control system can be implemented. Accessing trays is done from the front of the rack with all connections side mounted for greater protection from lasers. CDRs can be bayed together either side-to-side or back-to-back. Their aesthetically pleasing appearance enables the creation of an immaculate looking Data Centre, with their modular design allowing an easy way to scale structured cabling and enabling bandwidth expansion of existing fibres. To read the full article please follow the link

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