Brief from Client Inside a fully occupied building, install all new risers, new Communications rooms, new cable pathways and 1800 Cat6A FTP data outlets and Fibre optic links. The building is to remain in operation, with all network connections to desktops, Wireless access points and CCTV to stay active

    • Design, locate and build two new Comms Rooms; both power and data racks

 

  • Upgrade Corridor lighting and motion sensors on five of the floors
  • Keep all within Heritage guidelines

Building Overview A28 is a heritage building from the early 1920’s that has 6 levels of offices, teaching spaces and research labs.  It is the premier Physics research department in Australia. The building did not have any purpose build risers or cable pathways. There was a Comms room on level 4 and few single cabinets scattered throughout the building.

Elam was engaged to install new risers on the east and west sides of the building, install new cable pathways throughout the Heritage building, Build, two new Comms rooms centrally on level 3 (east and west wings) and then finally install the cat6A FTP and Fibre cabling. All work was to be carried out without disruption or network downtime to live experiments, research, lectures, exams or University staff. Scheduling work around room occupancy and restricted areas was critical for both safety and the smooth running of this facility.

Project Implementation Elam Project Manager throughout the build was Kathryn Hardin. She attended weekly planning meetings with engineers, ICT, heritage committee and building stakeholders. A staged timeline was developed for each floor and each activity. Our suggestion of a “featured” white cable pathway was approved by Heritage.

The Communications Rooms were completed early to ensure cabling was not delayed. We were asked to do a prototype room on each level to show how cable reticulation and delivery would be achieved. The “showcase” rooms were inspected and approved by all stakeholders before cabling could commence Weekly status meetings enabled stakeholders to have input into the upcoming tasks and to always know when and where Elam staff would be working within the building. Work was coordinated around experiments, classes and exams.

Cutovers from the old network to the new were conducted after each floor had been tested, permanent labeling was installed and an audit and patching sheet for each Comms room was delivered to the university’s cutover team. Elam were on hand during each cutover to assist. This made for a smooth transition from old to new cabling without network faults. All outlets were tested using the Fluke DSX 5000 cable tester. Results and as built were issued to the client in electronic format. There is a 20 year “TE Connectivity” AMP warranty on all comms work done by Elam.