When CCI Technology Holdings, a national specialist in computer cabling and networks, installed an Avaya/Lucent wireless network at Avgold Target Division recently, the wireless technology demonstrated its worth as it overcame barriers of terrain and unfinished construction areas.
The installation cost R170 000 for the WaveLAN and about R500 000 for the total network infrastructure upgrade, and connected out-of-reach and temporary workgroups to the central network.
CEO of CCI, Steve Pinkney, says the WaveLan wireless backbone offers network redundancy, in the event of one of the critical fibre backbones being damaged. The solution also offers flexibility when users are relocated or new buildings are erected.
Clinton Benghiat, Target`s Systems Supervisor (IT), says the whole mining operation is mechanised, meaning fail-over is critically important to operational continuity. But the system was not just put in as backup.
Benghiat says in some cases, fibre optics is just not a viable option. "In one instance, the shaft engineers were out of reach of normal and fibre cabling, and in the case of the plant, fibre could not be laid at the time of construction, as this would get in the way of construction."
He adds that the building will eventually have fibre connectivity, by which time the system will act as a backup to the fibre installation.
Another problem that cabling does not solve is that the mine constantly hosts guest workers and seminars. "It can be a real pain laying temporary cabling for such events," says Benghiat. "With wireless, one simply installs a PCMCIA card or PCI card, depending on the client machine, and off they go."
The system currently operates at 11 Mbps, but is upgradeable up to 100 Mbps, simply by changing PCMCIA cards to the connected PCs, once the technology becomes available. Benghiat says the workgroups will mainly use the network for file and print-sharing as well as e-mail.
The installation consists of a central router, which is connected to the network via 10Base-T cards. At the various remote locations there is a remote router and the workstations are connected to it either via a hub or wirelessly by means of a PCMCIA card.
The initial installation called for four remote buildings, including the back-up server room, to be linked to the main server room. It required the design of customised brackets to achieve line-of-sight communication with the main server room. The installation took two days to complete.
In addition to the wireless installation the client also requested that some of the existing fibre links be replaced with corrugated steel tape fibre and that new links be installed with the same type of cable. This cable is suitable for direct burial and, because of its extreme robustness, is also ideal for use in critical links, whether they exist above or below ground or in sleeves.
Benghiat has only praise for CCI`s work. "It has been a long-standing relationship, and it`s always a pleasure to work with a company that knows its business and gets the job done."
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