Network Infrastructure Planning

Overview

Communications Services and the Network Operations Center (NOC) provide planning and coordination resources for campus planners, architects, and engineers to support campus construction activities.

Network Infrastructure Planning includes:

• Project guidelines and management services

• UCSB wiring and construction standards

• Fiber optic cable plant
• Antenna installation information.

Construction and Wiring Standards

The University of California Santa Barbara has prepared a planning document as a guide to be used as a tool to assist in the design effort of construction projects at UCSB. This guide is not intended to include all applicable code, design, or performance requirements. This document is intended to identify Campus Standards and unique requirements for UCSB Communications Infrastructure installations that should be considered when developing construction documents and specifications.

These guidelines are not intended to be directly copied or used as actual specifications without review and consultation with the University's Project Representative. Should there be a variance between these guidelines and any existing codes, such variances should also be brought to the University Representative's attention.

In general, this document provides direction for UCSB staff, facility planners, architects, and other design professionals in the design and application of telecommunications media, pathways, and spaces. Standards objectives are to:

• Provide for the consistent application of guidelines for inter- and intra-building infrastructure design and deployment.
• Define minimum standards for spaces, pathways, and telecommunications-related infrastructure for new building construction or remodeling projects.
• Outline specific media selection and design criteria.
• Highlight technical issues that must be incorporated into the design and procurement process.
• Define methods and procedures for installing, testing, and documenting cable and related infrastructure.

Request Information

Dial 8700 from campus or 805-893-8700 from off campus. Support is also available via email at help@commserv.ucsb.edu or in person at the Customer Service Center located here.

You can find Current Communications Infrastructure Standards under the UCSB Campus Design Standards and Guidelines, Campus Design and Constructions Services.

Questions regarding these standards may be directed to cs-eng@commserv.ucsb.edu.

Special Considerations

See the Communications Project Planning Guidelines, below.

Support 

Dial 8700 from campus or 805-893-8700 from off campus. Support is also available via email at help@commserv.ucsb.edu or in person at the Customer Service Center located here.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Not applicable.

Communications Project Planning Guidelines

The UCSB Communications Project Planning Guidelines may be used by campus planners, architects, and consultants when preparing design proposals and cost estimates for communications facilities in new and renovated buildings. The Design and Construction Division of the Facilities Management Department bears the primary responsibility for campus construction and renovation projects, and coordinates development of the specific design and details of any project.

The guidelines are summaries of existing campus Standards Documents. The full documents, and the computer-aided drawings associated with them, may be obtained by contacting cs-eng@commserv.ucsb.edu.

The Guidelines

Follow the links below to view the guidelines online. Or, you can download the complete guidelines in a single Microsoft Word document.

• Communications for Temporary Facilities and Interim Locations
• Underground Conduit and Manholes
• Communications Backbone Cable Augmentation and Building Entrance Cables
• Main Terminal Room, Risers and Distribution
• Floor Terminals (Sub-Terminals)
• Workstation Conduit, Wiremold, Outlets and Wiring
• Attachment of Services
• Communications Network Design, Estimating and Documentation, and Budgeting
• Scheduling for Communications Facilities

Fiber Optic Cable Plant

Communications Services designs and constructs additions to the campus fiber optic network as part of both renovations and new building construction. In addition, the Office of Information Technology funds specific fiber optic cable segments based on the expansion of the campus Next Generation Network.

The campus fiber cable plant is built on building-to-building cable segments which are jumpered or spliced in buildings to form the required fiber point-to-point circuit. Fiber segment configuration has evolved over the 15 years of cable placement, and cable segments are composed of varying counts of multi-mode or multi-mode and single-mode fibers.

The fiber optic network is available for campus use without recurring costs. The one-time cost of fiber allocation, attachment, and testing is charged to work orders from campus departments requesting fiber usage.

It should be noted that the fiber optic cable plant is an "unsupported" service; that is, construction, maintenance, and repair are only available on a time and materials basis. Customers using the fiber optic cable plant should evaluate their need for spare components (e.g., fiber patch cables) and for response time for repair of fiber cable.

Documentation of the fiber cable plant, including routes, composition of segments, measurements, test results and proposed expansion, is maintained by the Engineering Group of Communications Services.

• Using Fiber Optic Cable for UCSB Campus Networks
• Fiber Optic Cable Plant Physical Connections
• Procedure for Allocation of Fiber Optic Cable Pairs
• Fiber Optic Cable Plant Logical Schematics

Antenna Installation

Communications Services oversees the installation of exterior antennae on UCSB facilities. Departments or organizations proposing a new exterior antenna installation must complete and submit an Antenna Installation Request Form to Communications Services. All proposals are reviewed by Communications Services together with Budget and Planning, Environmental Health and Safety, Facilities Management, and, as appropriate, the Co-Chairs of the Design Review Committee (DRC) prior to approval.

In reviewing a request for a new antenna, the committee considers whether the installation:

• Complies with Federal Communications Commission and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and codes.
• Is physically compatible with campus facilities.
• Unnecessarily duplicates other antennas.
• Creates interference with other systems.

For full details on antenna installation requests and review procedure, please read Antenna Installations Policy 560 (pdf).

Antenna Requests by Departments

To submit a request for antenna installation, complete the Antenna Installation Request Form (pdf), and send it by fax or campus mail to:

Antenna Requests by Vendors or Non-University Groups

To submit a request for antenna installation, complete the Antenna Installation Request Form for Vendors (pdf), and fax or mail it to the address below.

Note for Vendors: If your request is approved, you will also need an authorized contract. For details, contact the UCSB Purchasing Contracts Manager by email at kimberly.tapia@buss.ucsb.edu, or call (805) 893-5836.