Category: Technology

As city populations increase every year, they get crowded, and resources are stretched to their limits. Today’s cities must evolve to meet the needs of their residents. Here are some interesting statistics:

• In 2020, 56 percent of the global population lived in cities.¹
• In the same year, 83.6 percent of North American countries’ populations lived in cities.¹
• The United Nations predicts that 68 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050.²

Cities must deal with the often overwhelming problems of social and economic imbalance among their citizens. One of the most viable ways to increase a city’s effectiveness and efficiency is through technology.

What is a smart city?

Let’s start with the digi.city definition:

Smart Cities use connected technology and data to (1) improve the efficiency of city service delivery, (2) enhance quality of life for all, (3) increase equity and prosperity for residents and businesses.³

City management is complex. The goal needs to be the improvement of the quality of life for its citizens. Each individual must be offered adequate resources to be self-sufficient in their environment in a way that consumes the least amount of resources. This is a tall order.

A smart city uses Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to create, install, and promote practices that address these urban challenges. Citizens are encouraged to engage with smart city ecosystems that improve things like energy distribution, trash collection, traffic congestion, and even air quality using the Internet of Things (IoT). Here are some examples:

• Connected traffic lights: Sensors send data to the traffic lights that inform them of real-time traffic conditions.
• Connected cars: Communication with parking meters and electrical vehicle (EV) charging docks that advise drivers on available spots.
• Smart garbage cans: Can automatically send data to waste management companies to pick-up refuse as needed.
• Smartphones: Can become a mobile driver’s license or ID card (digital credentials) to simplify city/government services access.

What are the benefits of a smart city?

There are many benefits when cities use smart technology, and many are vigorously engaging in these upgrades as we speak. According to Statista, technology spending on smart city initiatives worldwide will increase from 81 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 to 189.5 billion in 2023.⁴

Following are ten of the most significant benefits of the use of smart technology by cities:

1) Decision-Making Based on Data

Big data and connected devices enable cities to access more information than ever before. With this plethora of data, city planners can glean invaluable, real-time metrics that give them insights to make the best decisions possible.

This type of technology provides data to help identify and staff police in high-risk areas, forecast and plan for population growth and citywide expansion, identify citizen interests, concerns, needs, etc.

2) Increased Citizen/Government Interaction

Things like collaboration tools, intuitive websites, mobile apps, self-service portals, and online accounts enable residents to engage with their city government and its services in a quick, user-friendly way.

The ability for citizen access to government data, interactive maps, government performance dashboards, city budget transparency, live-streamed city hall meetings, and a healthy city media presence all make a city attractive to live in and help its citizens to trust city officials.

3) Community Safety

Simply put: A smart city is a safer place to live. Technology such as plate recognition, gunshot detectors, connected crime centers, next-generation 911, and police body cameras give law enforcement an advantage.

Here is another example: In 2016, the city of San Diego invested in smart streetlight technology. In addition to informing the town of things like traffic flow and pedestrian crossings, they found that the LED lighting helped them maintain public safety. According to LT. Jeffrey Jordan, Chief’s Office/Special Projects of the San Diego Police Department:

We use technology as a means of enhancing investigations, preventing crime, and interacting with community members to ensure their safety. We have only 1800 officers for a city of 1.3 million people spread out over 300 square miles. We can’t be everywhere all the time. But we can use the data being collected by smart streetlights to help provide evidence for violent crime investigations and fatal or near-fatal car collisions.⁵

4) Lessens Environmental Impact

Cities need to deal with environmental issues such as greenhouse gasses, ocean and water debris, and trash on highways and streets. Smart cities encourage the construction of energy-efficient buildings, the employment of air quality sensors and renewable energy sources to decrease their ecological footprint.

For instance, medical problems that stem from pollution kill millions of people every year. Deploying air quality sensors around a city can help track peak times of low air quality, identify the causes of pollution, and provide information to make sound action plans.

5) Transportation Improvement

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have the potential to enhance travel through a city significantly. ITS includes:

• Public Transportation Management: Provides automation and planning that encourages travel throughout a city and offers quick responses to schedule deviations or emergencies, ensuring the safety of the travelers.
• Route Information: Provides easy route scheduling, real-time information about traffic conditions, travel time, alternative routes, toll fares, and parking availability.
• Safety Control: Provides assessment of driving capabilities, road conditions, and vehicle performance. Advanced sensors assist drivers during poor visibility due to weather conditions or night driving.
• Electronic Payment System: One single electronic payment can buy tickets for different transportation modes: buses, metros, trains, etc.

6) Digital Equity

To ensure each citizen has access to a smart city’s technology, they must take steps toward providing digital equity. Adopting citywide public Wi-Fi hotspots needs to be strategically placed throughout a city to ensure internet services are available to everyone. Cities such as Portland, OR, Philadelphia, Austin, TX, Chattanooga, and San Jose, CA have all adopted smart technologies with built-in digital equity considerations.

7) Opportunities for Economic Growth

According to a white paper authored by ABI Research:

The impact of smart city technologies on economic development and gross domestic product (GDP) growth, in particular, will materialize according to three dimensions or phases:

1. Open Data Policies: Incremental GDP of close to US$1 trillion over the next decade
2. Public Investments Multiplier Effect: Incremental GDP of US$10 trillion over the next decade
3. Structural Smart Urban Economy Growth: Recurring, sustainable growth by 2.8% by 2026; (US$) 10 trillion GDP generated in the next 10 years.⁶

These statistics indicate that when cities innovate and engage in smart technologies, the result is significant GDP growth expansion. Large private enterprises are teaming up with city governments and investing millions of dollars in smart city infrastructure and initiatives—and intelligent cities attract new residents and businesses.

8) Efficient Public Utilities

Smart water sensors and intelligent electric grids reduce water and electricity waste, as well as damages. An example comes from Virginia Beach, which has deployed 40 smart water sensors that can predict floods from rain or storm surges for up to 36 hours in advance.

9) Infrastructure Improvement

Smart technology provides cities with analytics that predict and identify infrastructure areas that require repair or replacement before a complete failure occurs. Intelligent sensors send data that identifies structural changes in buildings and bridges and send messages that prompt city personnel of inspection or maintenance needs. This not only saves tax dollars but prevents injury or death.

10) Positive Employee Engagement

When cities use smart technologies such as those discussed above, they can free employees from many forms of day-to-day manual labor. With the ability to streamline these tedious processes, smart city employees can reach their full potential while providing excellent, upgraded services.

Wondering about how smart cities are powered? Check out this blog.

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1 World Economic Forum: How has the world’s urban population changed from 1950 to today?
2 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs: 68% of the world’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, says UN
3 digi.city: Definitions: What is a smart city?
4 Statista: Technology spending on smart city initiatives worldwide from 2018 to 2023
5 Security Infowatch.com: Public Safety is at the Heart of the Smart City Movement
6 ABI Research: Role of Smart Cities for Economic Development

One of the most common questions regarding Ethernet cabling is: What type of cabling should I choose? There is much confusion on this topic. When choosing the right cabling solution for your particular network infrastructure, you need to know the difference between the different cable categories. The purpose of this article is to help you determine which type of Ethernet cabling suits your needs.

All three cable types use an RJ45 end, similar to a telephone jack, only slightly wider. This means that the cables simply plug into the same Ethernet jack on your computers, routers, and switches. However, each cable category option has quite different specifications. More about that later. First, let’s compare the costs of these three cable types.

What about cost?

Probably the most significant difference between Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A cabling is the price, and price is often the biggest consideration when deciding which Ethernet cabling to purchase. Cat5e is the least expensive of the three. Cat6 is approximately 30 percent more costly than Cat5e, while Cat6A is in the range of 30 percent more expensive than Cat6. This means, if your Cat5e cabling job costs $10,000, then Cat6 cabling for the same job will cost $13,000, and Cat6A will cost $16,900.

There are a couple of other cost considerations when purchasing Ethernet cabling:

1. Plenum costs about 30 percent more than non-plenum.
2. Shielded cable (STP) is roughly 30 to 40 percent more expensive than unshielded cabling (UTP).

Of course, price is not the only factor to consider when choosing what category of Ethernet cabling to buy. Let’s break down each type of cabling to help you determine which is the best option for your network, for now, and for the future.

Cat5e

Category 5e is a high-speed enhanced version of legacy Cat5 cables and has been in use for 20 years. Cat5e cables were the first to deliver one Gigabit of network speed, which in most expert’s opinion is the least amount of speed that should be considered. If most of your network is cloud-based, Cat5e cabling may be sufficient—for the present. Cat 5e cables are typically:

• Made up of 24-gauge twisted pair wires
• Produces one Gigabit of network speed
• Offers Ethernet up to 328 feet
• Is rated and measured at 100MHz (which means the CPU can process up to 100 million commands a second)

Cat5e tends to have a slightly higher delay and skew than either Cat6 and Cat6A cabling. This means that Cat5e can give the appearance of being slower.

Cat6

Category 6 cables are the current cabling standard for high-speed Ethernet networks. Cat6 cables provide the following:

• 23-gauge twisted pair wires
• 10 Gigabits of network speed
• Offers this high speed up to 164 feet—for distances over 164 feet, delivers speeds at the same rate as Cat5e cabling
• Is rated and measured at a bandwidth of 250MHz

Additionally, Cat6 offers enhanced performance levels compared to Cat5e: e.g., a tighter twist in the cables that allow for two-way communication, signal loss reduction, and less cross-talk.

Cat6A

The “a” in category 6A cabling stands for augmented. These cables deliver warp speeds and are used for 10G networks or when high bandwidth speeds are needed. Further, Cat6A cables are thicker than Cat6 cables as they have a thick plastic around the wires and because the pairs have a tighter twist. This provides more copper per inch, which results in less cross-talk and less signal loss.

Cat6A Ethernet cables offer the following:

• 23-gauge twisted pair wires
• 10 Gigabits of network speed
• Provides Ethernet up to 330 feet
• Is rated and measured at a bandwidth of 500MHz

Cat6A offers double the speed and distance of Cat6, which makes it an ideal cabling choice for businesses.

A Quick Word About Cat7 and Cat8

Cat7

Cat7, although somewhat comparable to Cat6A, is not considered to be a good cabling choice. According to Massachusetts-based cabling company Cable Matters:

“. . . Cat7 specification is a proprietary standard developed by a group of companies. It is not an IEEE standard and is not approved by TIA/EIA. Cat7 cables don’t use the traditional RJ-45 Ethernet header (technically known as an 8P8C connector). The GG45 connector that is used instead is proprietary. Despite its backward compatibility with RJ45, these connectors are hard to come by. Cat7 cables are also compatible with the TERA connector, although that has also seen very little use in the industry.”₁

Cat8

Cat8 is the fastest Ethernet cable to date. It has the following features:

• 23-gauge twisted pair wires
• 40 Gigabits of network speed
• Provides Ethernet up to 98 feet
• Is rated and measured at a bandwidth of 2000MHz

Cat 8 is designed for high-speed switch to switch communication in data centers or server rooms with 25GBase-T or 40GBase-T networks.

To Sum Up

First, it is important to note that each cabling category’s transmission speeds are hypothetical and depend on all components to perform at the maximum speeds. For instance, you will never get an optimum speed using a legacy device that is not capable of attaining Gigabit speeds.

Cat 5e is the least expensive cabling option; however, it is also the slowest. It is certain that Cat5e can perform well for most of today’s applications, especially if your network is cloud-based—but leaves less opportunity to upgrade in the future.

If you need speed, Cat6 and Cat6A is your best choice of cabling. Cat6 does not provide the distance that Cat6A does; however, it is the less expensive choice. Also, choosing either Cat6 or Cat6A will help future-proof your network for at least a few years. Unless you have a 25G or 45G network, Cat 6 or Cat6A cables will be plenty fast enough for most situations.

Find out more about Versa’s Power over Ethernet technology.

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1: Cable Matters: What is Cat7—and why you don’t need it.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) delivers both power and data concurrently via twisted pair Ethernet cabling. This technology improves network agility and scalability in efficient and cost-effective ways. There are several types of PoE devices, for example, the PoE switch, PoE splitter, PoE injector, etc. This article focuses on the PoE injector: What is it? What does it work? Are there different types? How is it installed?

What is a Power over Ethernet (PoE) injector?

Let’s start with a definition. PC Magazine defines the PoE injector as follows:

“A device that adds power to an Ethernet cable for Power over Ethernet (PoE) equipment. Although Ethernet switches are available with PoE capability, millions of regular “non-PoE” switches are in use and continue to be installed. . .”₁

As stated above, these (also called midspan or PoE adapter) are used to make a non-PoE LAN switch port work with PoE devices. A PoE injector is ideal for low-power devices that need to be installed in hard-to-reach places where there are no power outlets available. This affords power with no impact on existing building structures at a minimal cost.

How does a PoE injector work?

These devices connect a wireless access point (WAP), PoE lighting, IP camera, or any IEEE 802.3af, IEEE 802.3at, and IEEE 802.3bt-powered device (PD) to a network switch. Power is then “injected” into an Ethernet cable. Typically, a PoE injector converts AC to DC to power these low-voltage PoE devices.

A PoE injector usually has two RJ45 ports, one labeled Data In and one labeled PoE/Data Out. Following is an overview of what each of these ports does.

Data In port

Let’s use the example of an IP security camera. The Data In port connects the security camera to the local network, the NVR camera port, or a network switch. If this port is not connected to the security camera, the local network is unreachable.

PoE/Data Out port

This port has two functions: 1) It delivers power to the IP security camera, and 2) it completes the network, so data is transmitted successfully. If this port is not connected to the security camera, it will not power up and will not connect to the NVR/network.

Setting this up usually requires three devices: 1) a connection to the network (E.g., a router or a switch), 2) the PD, and 3) the PoE injector itself.

 

Are there different types?

Active PoE Injector

Conforms to the PoE standard of IEEE 802.3af, IEEE 802.3at, or IEEE 802.3bt is considered to use active PoE. During the initial handshake, if the PoE injector does not receive the proper acknowledgment, it will not power up, ensuring the device’s safety. The typical 802.3at/af/bt PoE voltage is 44 to 57 volts (V) DC.

Passive PoE Injector

Adopts PoE technology that does not conform to the 802.3at/af/bt standard is considered to use passive PoE. Generally, passive PoE devices run on 18 to 48 volts. It is important to note that it may likely cause permanent electrical damage to the device if the wrong voltage is connected.

12 Volt, 24 Volt, and 48 Volt PoE Injectors

Depending upon the output power voltage a PoE injector supplies, it is put into one of three types: 12V, 24V, or 48V. The voltage of a PoE injector must be taken into account as its voltage and the voltage standard of the PoE device must be compatible.

In addition, they can also be typed by the number of ports they have (e.g., one-port PoE injectors, eight-port PoE injectors, etc.)

How do you install a PoE injector?

Let’s continue to use the example of an IP security camera. There are six steps to follow:

1. You will need the following equipment: an IP camera, a PoE injector, a standard network switch, and Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6a Ethernet cabling.
2. Test to make sure the IP camera, PoE injector, and the IP camera’s management work properly.
3. Make sure all video and network configurations are made before mounting the IP camera.
4. Plug the Ethernet cable into the PoE injector’s PoE/Data Out port, then connect the other end of the cable to the IP camera’s PoE port.
5. Mount the IP camera where there is adequate light to ensure it can capture a clear image on the screen.
6. Plug another Ethernet cable into the PoE injector’s Data In port, then connect the other end of the cable to the Ethernet switch.
7. Plug the PoE injector’s power cord into a local AC outlet.

How does a PoE injector benefit you?

There are three major benefits:

1. Easy installation: A simple play-and-plug solution to your PoE needs.
2. Flexible network expansion: PoE injectors add PoE capability to non-PoE switches, thus extending the network distance. Also, the use of Ethernet cabling allows for better end device connections.
3. Saves time and money: With a PoE injector, there is no need to perform the labor-intensive task of running both data and power cable from the network switch to the PD. PoE is fast and cheap—saving both time and money.

What things should I consider when purchasing a PoE injector?

When you are ready to purchase, make sure you have thought about the following three things:

1. The number of PDs: If there is only one PD, a PoE injector with a single port will do. However, if there are several PDs, make sure you have a sufficient number of ports.
2. PoE port power supply: The PoE injector’s PoE standard must conform with the PD. There are three primary PoE standards—802.3af (PoE) supplies power up to 15.4 watts (W); 802.3at (PoE+) supplies power up to 30 W; and 802.3bt (PoE++) supplies power up to 100 W.
3. Power supply voltage: Just as with the PoE power supply, the PoE injector’s voltage must be compliant with the PDs. This compliance will prevent overloads or operating issues.

A Last Word

Versa Technology has a line of high-quality PoE injectors that will enable you to couple non-PoE power sourcing equipment (PSE) with PoE PDs.

Contact us Contact us. We will be happy to advise you as to which PoE injector is best for your project.

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1: PC Magazine Encyclopedia

The Leading Educational Technology Trends for 2021 and Beyond

The digital revolution has significantly impacted the way we learn. In fact, one of the fastest-growing markets for new technology is education. Grand View Research₁ reports that the education market was valued at $76.4 billion in 2019 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.1 percent from 2020 to 2027.

Education is embracing the digital revolution in a big way. Today’s learning environments strive to be dynamic and creative. To accomplish this, schools and universities rely heavily on digital infrastructure and tools.

Ed Tech incorporates many of the most popular digital devices available on the IoT. Let us take a look at some of the current trends in education technology.

Connected Learning

The traditional teaching model goes like this: the teacher enters the classroom, lectures for about 30 minutes, then the students leave when the bell rings. However, technology has made it possible for teachers and students to stay connected. Devices such as smartphones, laptops, notebooks, and tablets enable teachers and students to interact more often. Pupils can team up, discuss classwork, and solve problems because of this increased connectivity.

Instructors are much more available to answer questions and mentor their pupils. And not only is the class subject taught, but this type of collaborative learning builds the student’s interpersonal skills as well.

Student-Centric Learning

More than ever before, education focuses on the welfare and continual improvement of each student’s learning experience. Some of the primary goals in the education sector are to use digital transformation to help accomplish the following:

• Decrease student dropout rate
• Increase student retention
• Improve student performance
• Reach a broader sector of students

Greater Access to STEM

Schools are particularly emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curricula. Digital technologies are increasingly being used to tackle subjects like robotics, coding, and programming.

Student Security

Because the coronavirus pandemic has closed schools, K-12 remote learning is the norm in many places worldwide. Vendors are providing schools with free or discounted access to remote learning resources.

With the increased use of Ed Tech, cyber-security and digital privacy for students have become of utmost concern, specifically SaaS architecture and engineering and OAuth risks. There is a strong push to improve existing products’ effectiveness and create new ones to help manage student data and protect their privacy.

Flipped Learning

A new teaching trend is called “flipped learning.” This approach does just as the name suggests by turning traditional teaching methods upside down. In a flipped classroom, pupils use videos and other digital educational technologies at home and then go to their physical classroom to complete their “homework” under a teacher’s supervision.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is one of the hottest technology trends right now. 5G devices and smartphones are on the way and will bring AR to the classroom. AR enhances learning and even provides a student with the opportunity to create their own content.

There are various AR tools and apps on almost any subject, making the academic content immersive and enjoyable. Educational AR technology aims to promote such 21st-century skills as creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, analysis, coding, and iterative testing.

Virtual Reality

Another immersive technology trend for the classroom is virtual reality (VR). Gone are the days of students sitting passively at desks trying to learn. With VR, students can travel and explore the world. And recent improvements to this technology has made it seem less gimmicky.

Terry Heick, founder, and director of Teach Thought states:

“Through the use of digital technology, virtual realities can be designed precisely for human interaction for very specific reasons to create experiences not otherwise possible.”

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gathered quite a lot of momentum and will continue to do so in the future. In a lead-up to a deep-dive on the AI market in the US Education Sector, Research and Markets states forecast for growth at “47.77% during the period 2018-2022.”

Educators use this technology as virtual mentors and teaching assistants to personalize students’ learning processes and improve grading systems.

Big Data

Internet users generate about 205 quintillion bytes of data each day.₂ Organizations use big data systems to collect, store, and analyze vast amounts of information to gain valuable insights into their operations. Likewise, educators can use this type of data to discover further just how children learn. The big data technology trend in education is being used to create new teaching models, such as digital learning and customized curricula.

Massive Online Open Courses

Because of the increase of mobile computing devices, along with affordable and reliable bandwidth, the e-learning market and particularly massive online open courses (MOOCS) are positioned to become a multi-million dollar market in coming years. The success of MOOCS has been so dramatic that universities are forging tie-ups and partnerships that make their mainstream program available online.

SCORM and xAPI

Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) and xAPI (also known as Tin Can). are “communication protocols for tracking learning-related activity. They provide a framework and structure to pass data and information between learning content and technologies.” ₃

Both Scorm and xAPI have become dominant standards in the e-learning industry and will continue to have broad adoption.

Digital Classrooms

The Internet of Things (IoT) is replacing items like chalk and chalkboards, and even pencils in the modern classroom. There are interactive whiteboards, and an ordinary smartphone with an internet connection supplies students with tons of educational information and e-books.

Last Words

The Internet of Things has been a godsend for education. IoT enables cutting edge concepts such as flipped classrooms, online courses, integrated mobile technology, and immersive, creative, and efficient teaching methods. IoT-enabled connectivity replaces pencils, paper, chalkboards, and hard-copy textbooks.

Equally important, IoT is vital to a secure and comfortable school campus environment. It provides necessities like security via smart cameras, climate control through smart HVAC systems, smart lighting systems, and much more.

To read further about Power over Ethernet (PoE) for smart academic institutions, click here.

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1 Grandview Research: Education Technology Market Size Report, 2020-2027

2 Techjury: 25+ Impressive Big Data Statistics for 2020

3 SCORM vs Tin Can (xAPI)

Technology Solutions: Getting Your Small Business Back to Normal

2020 has been quite a year!

The global pandemic has changed every sector of our society, and small businesses have been significantly impacted. Because of the recent approval of COVID-19 vaccines, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, we are not out of the tunnel yet, so 2021 will continue to be a time of transition and evolution. Some things will stay the same. Power over Ethernet (PoE) continues as a technology backbone of IT networks supporting small business priorities and the development of IoT.

In 2021, however, those small businesses that can not participate in digital transformation and the technology involved, will not keep up. According to Businesswire:

The corona pandemic will only accelerate these trends as organizations look to leverage technology to manage through the crises and better position themselves for the eventual recovery. At the core of these developments are what are collectively called 3rd platform technologies, comprising cloud, mobile, social, and Big Data technologies, as well as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), AR/VR, blockchain, 3D printing, robotics, and next-generation security technologies.

The technologies listed in the Businesswire quote above, particularly when combined, are significantly changing how we make our money. In this article, we will take a look at some of these trends.

Digital Everywhere

Forrester predicts that in 2021, companies will step up their digital transformation. Users need all crucial work data available on any device at any time. It is imperative that small businesses continue to adopt collaborative software, customer relationship management (CRM), and other software applications that users expect on their devices.

• Small businesses need to be looking for client-facing technologies that directly impact customers. Here are some examples:
• Zocdoc is an app that enables you to find a doctor in your insurance network and get a same-day appointment.
• Restaurants are implementing digital menus and touchless payments. Chipotle has gone as far as to launch the first digital-only restaurant.
• Electronic payments highlight the value of digitization as businesses get better access to customer information and census data.

Robotics and Automation

When you think of robotic process automation (RPA), you may conjure up visions of metal and lasers. However, RPA is not Star Wars; at its core it is a piece of robot software that reduces the number of repetitive tasks a user needs to do to a computer by imitating those actions.

RPA tools can get rid of routine tasks, such as timecard management or data entry. This technology frees up employees to engage in activities that increase productivity.

Researchers at Forrester predict that the RPA market will grow from $250 million in 2016 to $2.9 billion in 2021.

Omnichannel Strategies

These days and clearly into 2021, customers go to digital-purchasing first—buying everything from groceries to furniture and even cars online. Here are four cardinal rules to follow if you want to succeed in this arena:

1. Keep it personal: Customer’s needs and interests must be paramount.
2. Use Chatbots to increase customer contact: Even though chatbots are not human, with the right tools, your customers can still feel their interaction was personal.
3. Use cloud-native software for remote working: The pandemic has taught us we can work almost anywhere. Cloud-native software makes work easier for your employees and can also improve customer engagement.
4. Focus on mobile integration: Customers love to cuddle up and do business from their phones. According to Statista, by the end of 2021, almost 73 percent of eCommerce sales will be made from a phone.

Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Extended/Mixed Reality

Let’s start with a definition. According to IDTechEx:

The basic definition of these terms are as follows:

• Virtual reality (VR): this replaces reality with a completely new 3D digital environment.
• Augmented reality (AR): this overlays digital content on top of the real world.
• Mixed reality (MR): adds superimposed digital content that superficially interacts with the environment in real-time.

In 2021, reality tools will play a larger role in education, healthcare, commercial, and industrial settings as companies continue to engage with their customers.

IDTechEx also points out that with the limiting of physical interaction due to COVID-19, virtual communication and interplay will be the norm for many years. They predict that the market will be $30 billion by 2030.

Cloud

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the internet. These services include analytics, databases, intelligence, networking, servers, software, and storage. The cloud benefits are numerous and include cost reduction, efficiency, data security, scalability, mobility, disaster recovery, and control.

Forrester states:

After some softening in public cloud revenue growth rates in late 2019, the pandemic turbocharged the market by mid-2020, and Forrester now predicts that the global public cloud infrastructure market will grow 35% to $120 billion in 2021. Alibaba will take the number-three revenue spot globally, after AWS and Microsoft Azure. Buckle-up—the cloud ride is taking off . . . again.

Privacy-Enhancing Computation

The need to protect information confidentiality is paramount and will be a continuing concern for small businesses in 2021. With privacy-enhancing computation, organizations can share data discretion. Privacy-enhancing computation features three technologies that protect data while it is in use. The first technology provides a safe environment where sensitive data can be processed or analyzed, while the second processes the data in a decentralized fashion. The third encrypts the data for transmission.

Big Data

Small business owners are beginning to realize that big data and the associated technology is not just for large corporations. This term describes the large volumes of information that a business creates while performing its normal operations. Disorganized, raw data is not very useful, however, if this data is cataloged, it becomes easily searchable, and a business can obtain a wealth of information that will give it an edge over its competitors.

The need for big data has been amplified by the pandemic and will be a business trend for 2021.

5G

According to Statista, by the year 2025, there will be 2.61 billion 5G subscriptions. If your small business is not currently taking steps to prepare for this fifth-generation wireless technology, you better get on board. 2021 is the year the first real-life 5G use cases will go into production, and many 5G-capable devices will hit the market.

Ecommerce, omnichannel, and brick-and-mortar businesses with an online presence will benefit significantly from this ultra-speedy technology. 5G will also allow small companies to add more IoT devices, such as alarms, printers, shipping trackers, and inventory control tools.

What other small business technology trends will 2021 bring?

This may not seem like the best time to make business transformations for the future. Indeed, the next several months will not be easy, but with the vaccines now being administered, the end of this horrible pandemic could be near.

Per a recent McKinsey study, it seems likely things for our globe will be back to normal by quarter three of 2021. Now is the time to think about not just how your small business will survive the next few months, but how you can position your company to thrive in the next ten years.

Find out more about Versa Power over Ethernet Technology.

With the arrival of wireless technology, Power over Ethernet (PoE) may seem to be outdated technology.

Not so.

Power over Ethernet is crucial for powering devices such as VoIP phones, security cameras, and wireless access points over the same UTP cable used for data.

In the early days, PoE technology was a sort of mixed bag of home-brewed proprietary methods. However, in the last ten years, PoE technology has evolved into a safe, reliable IEEE 802.3af standard, as well as the IEEE 802.3at (PoE+) standard. Power over Ethernet is in use everywhere and is an exceptionally viable choice for powering a smart building.

Despite PoE’s remarkable advances, misconceptions about this technology still linger today. Let’s look at a few of the most common myths that surround PoE and debunk them.

1) Power over Ethernet is not reliable.

The fact is Power over Ethernet IS exceedingly reliable. PoE relies on Ethernet, which means it is merely a different take on a well-known technology. This means that a local IT team can corporate PoE into an existing network easily.

PoE has limited interference and enhanced security features, and includes manageability of power sources and battery backups that protect against outages and power spikes.

And PoE has a flexible design. PoE can be positioned wherever needed because this technology does not require an outlet connection. PoE is particularly applicable to wireless access points and digital security cameras.

2) Power over Ethernet is not cost-effective.

One of the main benefits of Power over Ethernet is its cost-saving features. Here are a few.

Cable Costs

PoE provides two vital services—power and communications—over a single cable, which cuts the cost of cable in half. In addition, there is no need to install a power outlet next to a powered device (PD) because the power is supplied by the PoE switch or PoE injector (PSE) over the Ethernet cable.

PoE is simple and easy to install by IT teams and does not require an electrician’s expense.

Design Flexibility

Power over Ethernet makes networking improvements that reduce costs further. With PoE, network devices such as IP cameras or sensors can be mounted away from a power grid without installing more AC lines.

Energy Consumption

Reducing monthly overhead is paramount. Managed Ethernet switches include Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) that increases power consumption control. SNMP is available on managed industrial devices; however, it increases the effectiveness of PoE by allowing the monitoring, reporting and management of power consumption of each interface. With PoE, the devices do not require individual AC to DC converters that consume extra power.

3) Power over Ethernet has limited application.

Earlier versions of PoE technology may have had limited application. However, the latest version—IEEE 802.3bt—allows 90W of power to a PD. Today, the semiconductor industry is actively driving down individual transistors’ power consumption, which allows integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) to accomplish more with less power. As a result, the industry has more power available to a PD, as well as PDs that require less power to do more.

Engineers now have larger power budgets to work with before needing to contemplate the use of offline power and all its attendant expenses. With these facts in mind, it is accurate to say that PoE can meet more application requirements than ever before.

4) Power over Ethernet cannot be used to outfit a building.

On the contrary, Power over Ethernet is revolutionizing smart buildings. At one time, POE was used mainly for VoIP phones and IP security cameras; however, PoE technology has evolved to the point that now it is used to enable numerous devices, which include: human-centric lighting, occupancy sensors, asset tracking, access control, and more.

5) Power over Ethernet is not suitable for the Internet of Things (IoT)

The truth is that PoE technology has become the new favorite of the IoT.

The number of IoT endpoints increases each year. Many of these will be smart sensors or actuators that use only small amounts of power but must be connected to the Internet. As these endpoints require a direct IP address, they must be connected with the use of a local gateway.

Many of today’s more popular wireless protocols continue to struggle with providing IP addressability. As a result, they must be connected utilizing a local gateway that will most likely connect to the Internet using a wired Ethernet connection.

Adding PoE to these local gateways is an inexpensive option. Wireless endpoints require power which is often supplied by primary cell batteries (that need replacement) or the utilization of offline power (that needs an AC-DC converter). The use of PoE eliminates the need for primary cell batteries, offline power, and the wireless connection.

IoT security is always a concern and is closely linked to wireless connectivity. These concerns are greatly lessened with a wired Ethernet connection, as it requires physical access to the endpoint.

Finally, PoE is reliable, stable, and does not experience problems such as RF congestion or dropped packets that need to be re-sent.

6) Power dissipation in the cable is an issue with Power over Ethernet

Engineers are understandably concerned with signal integrity and power dissipation when it comes to conductors initially designed purely for data. So, it is important to note the IEEE 802.3 specifications were developed with these issues in mind.

For example, the IEEE 802.3bt standard requires the following:

• That 90W power must be delivered over all four twisted pairs within the cable.
• A maximum cable length of 100 meters.
• With the use of only two twisted pairs, the maximum DC loop resistance should not exceed 12.5 Ohms.
• The use of cable that is Cat5 or higher.

As long as these specifications are met, power dissipation will not be an issue.

7) The new Power over Ethernet standard requires new hardware.

The IEEE 802.3bt is entirely backward-compatible with IEEE 802.3af (12.95 W) and IEEE 802.3at (25.5 W)—and allows a mixture of PoE standards to coexist in the same network. Therefore, new PSEs or PDs on an existing network will not be needed.

A Last Word About Power over Ethernet

Power over Ethernet technology has kept pace with the evolution of IoT devices and is a safe, reliable power source. With the latest generation of PoE—802.3bt—there is higher power with more efficient delivery and backward compatibility.

To find out a bit more about the benefits of using this amazing technology, click here.

Is your LED lighting system vulnerable to cyber intruders? One of the hottest issues right now regarding the Internet of Things (IoT) is security. As more things become connected, new levels of exposure are discovered.

Smart lighting is a good example. Other terms for “smart” might be connected, IoT, Industrial Control System, and Operational Technology (OT), all of which are similar, although not entirely synonymous.

It is important to note that connected lighting systems without an IP address communicate only with devices within the building. They pose a relatively low-security threat because a person has to be in the building to attack the system.

However, devices with an Internal Protocol (IP) address communicate outside the building and are most at risk. Connected LEDs with security flaws can be hijacked by a bad actor who is not even in the building. Today, there is a comparatively small number of these devices in use. However, Persistence Market Research forecasts that globally, consumers will spend over $125 billion on LED lighting by 2025.

So, can your LED lighting system get hacked?

Depending upon the quality of installation and the type of design your system has, the answer could be yes. Smart bulbs are among the most popular automated products on the IoT. According to TechTarget:

A smart bulb is an Internet-capable LED light that can be customized, scheduled, and controlled remotely.

However, a smart office could be vulnerable to hackers through its light bulbs if the system is infrared enabled. Attackers can use the invisible infrared light emitted from smart bulbs to steal personal data as delineated above.

Murtura Jadliwala, a research expert at the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA, says):

Think of the bulb as another computer. These bulbs are now poised to become a much more attractive target for exploitation even though they have very simple chips.

What types of attacks should I look for?

Hacking activity on connected lighting systems often takes the form of these three attack methods: Distributed Denial of Service, Sniffing, and Vectoring.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

In a DDoS attack, an online service system is flooded with traffic from multiple sources. This type of attack happens most often in residential lighting products, such as Wi-Fi-enabled light bulbs.

Solution: Suggest that the IT department test any devices with an IP address before it is used.

Sniffing

In sniffing, the intruder listens into a network’s data traffic to capture a unit of data (called a packet). Because the packet is not encrypted, it can be changed by the hacker (e.g., seizing a lighting bulb output valve and turning off all the lights in an office).

Solution: Try to use only encrypted systems. For non-encrypted systems, a virtual LAN (VLAN) can be integrated between the light fixtures or network switches.

Vectoring

In vectoring, an attacker enters an unsecured network system to secure access to other systems via the network.

Solution: Secure systems. Use encryption, authentication, and air gaps between crucial systems.

Best Practices for LED Lighting System Security

While the cybersecurity industry has a great depth of knowledge and experience in this field, for the lighting industry, security is a relatively new issue. However, ensuring that networked lighting systems are a strong and secure link to the IoT is a major focus of the lighting industry these days.

As lighting system security continues to develop, it is essential to be as informed as possible. Let’s take a look at best practices for lighting system professionals that can enhance LED lighting system security:

1. Familiarize yourself with cybersecurity “hygiene.”

Make sure you know about basic concepts and protocols.

2. Discuss cybersecurity with your client.

Make sure your client knows about the security needs of the product. Be ready to talk to IT department personnel. Be able to answer questions. For challenging questions, help your client contact the manufacturer.

3. Ensure adequate encryption.

In a May 2018 bulletin entitled Cyber Security for Lighting Systems, the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) recommends AES 128-bit encryption.

4. Provide an adequate authentication method.

The essence of authentication is to make sure only devices that trust each other can share data. The FEMP recommends the use of both a public and private key.

5. Protect the lighting network.

Provide a firewall. A virtual local area network (VLAN) should be added if the lighting and corporate networks touch.

6. Articulate client responsibilities.

Clients should be advised about administrator permission delineation, the importance of software update installations, changing passwords, etc.

7. Secure after commissioning.

It is a FEMP recommendation that any radios used to commission the system to be turned off after use. However, if the radios are needed for ongoing system operation, they should at least be secured.

8. Research products.

Educate yourself. Learn to evaluate products. Be able to compare products/manufacturers that have similar security features but implement them differently. Discover suppliers that use vigorous security features, can explain them, and will support you when needed.

The lighting industry’s new connected LED lighting systems present compelling advances in energy and operational efficiencies. However, the integrity and security of these innovative devices must be guarded.

The bottom line: Cybersecurity takes diligence, dynamic management, and monitoring, as well as the selection of the right product.

With a VX-GPU2626 (V2) L2+ 24-Port Managed GbE UPOE Switch (2000W), you have access to advanced security features:

• VLAN: Support for up to 4K VLANS simultaneously.
• IGMP v1/v2/v3 Snooping: Limits bandwidth-intensive multicast traffic to only the requesters.
• MLD v1/v2 Snooping: Delivers IPv6 multicast packets only to the required receivers.
• Traffic Monitoring: Displays a visual chart of network traffic of all devices and monitors every port at any time from switches.
• IP Source Guard: Prevents illegal IP addresses from accessing specific ports on the switch.
• DHCP Snooping: Acts like a firewall between untrusted hosts and trusted DHCP servers.

For more information about Versa Technology PoE networking equipment, including support for LED lighting be sure to follow us on Facebook and YouTube.