Tellabs and VT Group, a systems integrator, recently provided optical LAN infrastructure, Power over Ethernet technology, and a network-management system to three historic buildings in Fort Worth, Texas. The buildings—the Sinclair Building, the STS Tower, and the Hotel Texas Annex—are owned by Sinclair Holdings.
“The Sinclair Building, the STS Tower and the Hotel Texas Annex are a great showcase of three innovations within one fiber-based local area network design,” Tellabs said in a press release. “Connectivity innovation is present with Tellabs Optical LAN that provides four times the Gigabit Ethernet port density in 90-percent less building space and 300 times better reach than traditional copper-based LANs. Powering innovation is achieved by leveraging low-power intelligent devices and powering them with packetized digital power and Power over Ethernet. This method of powering is more reliable, safer and less expensive to implement. Network management innovation is achieved with Tellabs Panorama PON Manager, which provides centralized intelligence and centralized management from one console and one screen, while promoting plug-and-play for easy IT network operations.”
Farukh Aslam, managing partner at Sinclair Holdings LLC, commented, “With the innovative network design from VT Group and Tellabs Optical LAN, we reduced the construction impact on cable risers, horizontal cable pathways and telecom rooms, which was very important considering we were modernizing historic buildings. The one centralized Tellabs Optical LAN optical line terminal located at the one main data center at the Sinclair building offers a tremendously efficient means to manage and operate a single network that serves multiple buildings and mixed-use tenants.”
In the Sinclair Building, the LAN architecture is a fiber-based point-to-point design that connects a multitude of Internet of Things endpoints. “This is a far better means of designing a LAN’s distribution and aggregation compared to legacy copper-based LAN’s point-to-point footprint,” Tellabs explained. “At the Sinclair Building, VT Group installed the Tellabs Optical LAN ONT that provides gigabit connectivity to the Universal Power over Ethernet switches, and wireless access points. All the building’s voice, video, data, lighting, control and automation are then connected to ports either on the OLAN ONT, UPOE switch or wireless access point.”
The Sinclair Building (pictured, top) is a 16-story structure built in 1929 located at 512 Main Street, Fort Worth. It houses the 165-room Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel, business offices, restaurant and rooftop bar. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The STS Tower (pictured, middle) is an 8-story building built in 1925 located at 515 Houston Street. The building includes a pharmacy, business offices and service-provider data centers. A pedestrian bridge connects the Sinclair Building and the STS Tower that allows the Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel access to spa, banquet facilities, hotel amenities and other hotel services.
The Hotel Texas Annex Building (pictured, bottom) is a 13-story structure built in 1921 located at 811 Commerce Street. It is home to 152 furnished apartments, business offices, retail outlets and parking. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
