Midspans for next-gen PoE

摘要

With the ratification of the IEEE 802.3at standard this month, Power over Ethernet will be ready to deliver 30W of power per port to a broad range of gear - everything from 802.11n equipment to IP video and thin clients. As such, you need to establish an enterprise-grade PoE plan that optimizes flexibility, scalability, energy efficiency, reliability, safety, maintenance and management.rnOne of the biggest predictors of PoE flexibility and scalability is whether it is delivered via the network switch or through a piece of equipment called a midspan. PoE switches and midspans both deliver the same amount of power over the same distances. However, today's PoE-enabled switches deliver basic industry-standard PoE capabilities to some or all network ports, with very few options over how that power is managed or budgeted.