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Observers are expecting great things from PoE+, according to a report out from Venture Development Corporation (www.vdc-corp. com). The IEEE-pending standard 802.3at is expected to provide between 30-60 watts to a single powereddevice (PD) over Ethernet.
Experts such as the IEEE, Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) have been working since September 2005 to set the PoE+ standard, which is expected to be approved in 2008. Aspects they are working on:
• Ensuring backward and forwardcompatibilities with current PoE devices
• How much power can safely be carriedon a CAT5 or better cable
• The number of wires per cable that arepowered
• The number of cables in a bundle
• The thermal environment in which thecables sit
Historically, PoE has aided in the reduction of cost and complexity of installing devices on an IT network, including VoIP, WLANs, and certain security camera applications. The emergence of new PoE+ device applications will allow for penetration into new markets, including Industrial, Pharmaceutical, and Retail.
In an industrial environment, dust and harsh chemicals can be hazardous to a PC’s health. Using a thin client to eliminate the needed for a PC’s fan and AC outlet would not only simplify installation and maintenance but also reduce total cost of ownership. An air-quality sensitive pharmaceutical plant would also benefit from a cooling fan around.
And PoE+ enabled RFID readers also offer a significant market opportunity given that shipments of UHF RFID readers are expected to double between 2008 and 2010, to reach 126 million. PoE+ would significantly reduce deployment costs of an RFID reader network, especially when there may be as many as 30 readers.
