Architects, it’s time to start thinking of IT infrastructure as the fourth utility. It is every bit as important as electrical/gas, water, and sewer/wastewater. IT infrastructure is, by any assessment, a primary utility. But why is that?
Think of all the building systems that depend on or integrate with the IT infrastructure.
- Internet connectivity
- Access control
- Camera
- Building automations
- Production automations
- Smart sensors
- Cloud applications
Even a facility’s other core utilities often rely on the IT infrastructure.
Most modern facilities run on connectivity (wired or wireless). Very little happens without it. Unfortunately, the IT infrastructure is often seen as an add-on that’s added late in the design and sometimes not until the build process. Underestimating its importance means that creating the IT infrastructure will be expensive, disruptive, and result in a less-than-ideal design. For optimal performance, IT infrastructure planning and design should be undertaken as early as possible in the process. The earlier, the better. Some day, we dream of a world where IT planning is the very first design element of a new facility. Begin with function and work back to aesthetics.
The Components of an IT Infrastructure
The term IT infrastructure is vague. That’s somewhat by design because what’s needed and required by each facility is a bit different.
IT infrastructure entails:
- Fiber connectivity
- Structured cabling backbones
- Wireless coverage
- Telecom rooms
- Network power and cooling
- Physical security connectivity
- Smart building controls
Understand Physical Topology, Logical Topology, and a Tier 1 Network
Topology in networking refers to the layout of a network and the way devices are connected to it. Understanding topology isn’t only for network designers. It’s essential for architects who are designing buildings. They need to understand the spaces that support a network and what they require.
Network Topology Consists of Two Parts
1. Physical Topology
Everything on the network and how it is wired together. Basically, your real hardware connections.
2. Logical Topology
How data moves, and systems communicate. Think VLANs and failovers, for example.
The two are shown together using a topology map. It is a diagram showing the network devices and their relationships.
Both the physical and logical make up your Tier 1 network, or your facility’s structured IT network design. It commonly consists of three layers. It’s sometimes easy to think of them as roadways, moving data. Using that analogy, we’ll describe the three layers for you.
The Three Layers of a Tier 1 Network
1. Core Layer
Your network’s interstate highway. Located in the main distribution frame (MDF) or primary server/network room. It connects internet provider circuits, firewall, main routers, core switches, and fiber links to various floors/wings/buildings. Its role is to move traffic fast, stay reliable, and provide redundancy.
2. Distribution Layer
Consider this as major city roadways. It is often found (but not always) in the intermediate distribution room on each floor or in each zone. It connects the core to user groups. Its duties include aggregating traffic from switches, applying policies, VLAN routing, and managing segmentation.
3. Access Layer
Continuing the roadways analogy, the Access layer is the neighborhood streets. It is where endpoints connect to the network. It includes access switches, edge switching infrastructure. It can also encompass wall Ethernet jacks, Wi-Fi access points, security cameras, phones, printers, POS terminals, workstations, and other devices in many conversations.
Together, the three layers create your network’s complete Tier 1 topology.
What’s Inside the MDF and IDF Rooms and What They Require
Now let’s explore where the three layers live in more detail. Understanding a network’s topology means understanding the physical spaces that support it within a facility.
The Main Distribution Frame (MDF) Room
The MDF is the main network room. It contains the building’s primary network equipment and is usually where the broadband internet connection enters the building. It is a network’s gateway to internet connectivity. As such, it’s also where your facility’s internal network begins.
The MDF room handles:
- Main internet circuits from providers
- Fiber handoff equipment
- Core switches
- Routers
- Firewalls
- Patch panels
- UPS battery backup
- Security head-end equipment
- Servers (but not always)
It’s important to make sure this room is large enough for current needs and future expansion. Space is critical not only for equipment but also for temperature control. You want a large space to avoid equipment overheating and to allow service personnel to move about and access different equipment.
Should Haves for an MDF Room
- Dedicated heating and cooling
- Sufficient power circuits
- Back-up power
- Cable pathways to risers
- Grounding/bonding
- Security access control
The Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) Room
An IDF is a secondary telecommunications room that serves a specific floor, wing, or area. It serves many of the same tasks as the MDF room, but at a much smaller scale. Think of the MDF as a corporate headquarters, and the IDF as a branch office.
Within a facility, there will be only one MDF room (often on the main floor or in the basement). However, there will be multiple IDF rooms. Sometimes as many as one per floor.
The IDF room receives the network link from the MDF and serves it up to its assigned area. It’s used to connect phones, cameras, computers, and other endpoint devices.
Using multiple IDF rooms avoids long cable runs, optimizes network performance, and makes maintenance easier.
Should Haves for an IDF Room
- Make it a dedicated space (not a broom closet, too)
- Adequate space for racks
- Network switches
- Fiber terminations
- Space for technicians to work
- Adequate cooling (Not necessarily a dedicated system)
How IDF Rooms Meet the Needs of Key Stakeholders
The IDF room is where a network’s performance and function can be deeply tailored to meet the unique needs of a department or team. Unlike the MDF room, it can and should be far more nuanced. Through proper configurations, many of the top challenges for IT stakeholders can be solved in the IDF room.
CIO/CTO
TOP CHALLENGE: Synergy timelines protected and post-close disruptions minimized.
Infrastructure and Network Leaders
TOP CHALLENGE: Repeatable deployment models across facilities.
Security teams
TOP CHALLENGE: Immediate policy enforcement, visibility, and device control.
Operations and Facility
TOP CHALLENGE: Low-disruption installations that do not halt or impede business operations.
Using BIM for IT Pathways, Conduit Planning, and Overall Network Design
BIM stands for building information modeling. It’s a smart, 3D digital model of your facility that combines geometry with real project information. BIM empowers architects, engineers, contractors, and owners to design, coordinate, build, and manage facilities as efficiently as possible.
It is within BIM that you begin designing, visualizing, and optimizing your Tier 1 network. At least, you should be doing it in BIM. Attempting to do it on the ground, so to speak, will never be efficient and effective.
What BIM includes
- Dimensions
- Materials
- Equipment models
- Clearances
- Installation locations
- Power requirements
- Maintenance data
- Costs
- Phasing/Schedule details
Having all of that data in one place is more than convenient. It helps identify issues such as clash detection, when cable trays may run into HVAC ducts or cross a beam. Using BIM will also help network designers identify and plan:
- Telecom rooms
- Data risers
- Fiber pathways
- Ceiling space for Wi-FI APs
- Camera locations
- Rack clearances
- Power/cooling for network rooms
Without BIM, mistakes will almost certainly be made.
Ready to Future-Proof Your Network Infrastructure Design?
Designing a robust, tier 1 network topology is essential to future-proofing ongoing operations for many organizations. Identifying and deploying the best approach to achieve it requires working with an expert. Matrix-NDI solves the challenges of your business operations by unlocking the full ROI of your technology investments. We design and install networks built for maximum speed and perfectly matched to bandwidth demands.ve your ceiling tiles and within the plenum is a key part of future-proofing ongoing operations. Identifying and deploying the best approach to achieve it requires working with an expert. Matrix-NDI solves the challenges of your business operations by unlocking the full ROI of your technology investments. We design and install networks built for maximum speed and perfectly matched to bandwidth demands.
Why Work With Matrix-NDI?
We have on-staff Registered Communications Distribution Designers (RCDD), coast-to-coast service, and elite data networking partners, including Extreme Networks, Nile, and others. Ultimately, Matrix-NDI aligns your business with the devices, internet service, and software to achieve all technical objectives. We invite you to reach out with your needs and see how our expertise, partnerships, and national scale can be leveraged to solve them.
Contact Matrix-NDI to get started. Let’s build smarter, safer, more connected spaces — together.
