In the past few years, Power over Ethernet (PoE) has rapidly increased its penetration in the enterprise applications. This state of the art technology is being adopted more often today, due to the range of devices and applications that have become compatible with PoE, as well as its ease of installation and efficiency. PoE has already made huge advancements in health care, retail, security and the industrial sector, now high-power PoE is also becoming popular across the entire enterprise market. This is due to the following factors:
1) Reduced Cost – Compared to traditional cabling installation, Power over Ethernet offers a faster deployment solution and a significant reduction in cost. The reduced cost is not just limited to cabling, but also includes wiring installation supplies and components, as well as labour and maintenance. As there is only a single power and data cabling system to be maintained with PoE, the total operating cost of the system also drops.

2) Efficient Network Control – In any business network, downtime is a huge financial risk. The centralised control and simplified management capabilities of a PoE system can assist to reduce network downtime during unplanned maintenance. Power over Ethernet provides network administrators the freedom to continuously back up data from all connected devices on the network storage facility. The power sourcing equipment can be connected to an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) to prevent lighting, security, monitoring, and mission-critical systems from losing power during a localised power outage.

3) Increased Operational Efficiency- Devices connected by PoE, such as sensors and LED lights, are now capable of gathering data on a number of environmental factors, including humidity levels, temperature, and light. Power over Ethernet system has the capability to support applications that use data collection from employees’ cell phone devices and workspaces. Such data can then be analysed and used to make strategic business decisions for efficient staff management, improved space usage and maintain energy efficiency throughout a building.

4) Technology Scalability- Power over Ethernet is designed to support network enhancement and also the integration of next-generation applications. PoE mainly relies on a standardised RJ-45 connector interface across all network devices. This allows power and data connections to be made available anywhere in the enterprise with an efficient category rated cable. Such simple device integration and low technology enhancement costs help a business to add wireless application protocols, data collecting devices, lighting and numerous new technologies connected to the Internet of Things (IoT).

5) Future Networks- Power over Ethernet makes upgrades and enhancements less costly for an enterprise network. As an Ethernet-based protocol, PoE is inherently scalable and can easily meet the needs of a modern-day business as it grows. PoE systems can be efficiently designed to handle the demands of next-generation applications, making networks reliably future proofed.
High-quality connectivity is going to play a vital role in the current and future PoE network operations. i-connect PoE cables are designed to provide optimal performance, they are third-party tested and verified to meet and exceed industry standard performance, including higher bandwidth and power levels.