BICSI Fall 2024 Conference:
Key highlights and innovations

I’m back from Vegas and brought the inside scoop from BICSI!

As per usual, the conference was jam-packed with interesting presentations and emerging technologies + innovations that are reshaping the telecommunications and IT industries.

One thing that wasn’t a surprise was that AI was a consistent theme across presentations.

It’s not just a buzzword, it’s genuinely going to play a role.

Here are my 3 key takeaways:

1. The role of AI in the fourth industrial revolution is going to grow

One of the standout presentations came from Craig Scroggie, CEO of Australia’s NEXTDC, who gave the keynote address focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its pivotal role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The fourth industrial revolution is all about connectivity, advanced analytics and data-driven manufacturing. Think smarter automations, better data exchange, a quantum leap in interoperability…that sort of thing.

AI plays a role in all of that and as it grows more prominent, data centers will need to evolve to handle increased demands, particularly in terms of latency and power consumption.

Localized data centers

We’re likely to start seeing data centers placed closer to end users to meet demands, reduce latency and improve data-sharing efficiencies.

Pretty wild but some of these centers might even start generating their own power, including through cutting-edge solutions like small modular nuclear reactors.

What a time to be alive!

2. Fault managed power (FMP): Emerging tech that can change how we distribute power

Another key theme was fault-managed power (FMP), tech that can fundamentally shift how we deliver power to devices, particularly in commercial and industrial settings.

Fault-managed power, or Class 4 power, is something we’re pretty excited about and have covered before when introducing you to VoltServer.

We mentioned efficiency and safety as the hallmarks and several presentations echoed that by pointing out many of our devices inherently DC power and using FMP is much more efficient to deploy and use than AC.

You know this a big deal when all of these companies were talking about FMP:

• Volt Server
• CommScope (they introduced a brand new rack-mounted FMP receiver)
• Corning
• Panduit
• Wesco
• Cisco
• Mara Jade Consulting
• Cence Power

As far as safety goes, FMP allows for safer power delivery because it can detect faults and shut down power instantaneously, well before an accident occurs, reducing the risk of fires or electric shocks.

This is going to become more and more important as we transition to smarter buildings with higher power demands from various IoT devices.

3. CommScope's innovations: New tools for power and connectivity

CommScope's booth was buzzing with excitement, showcasing a bunch of their latest innovations.

Rack-mounted FMP receiver

One of the standouts was their new rack-mounted FMP receiver, which is going to be a winner due to its versatility and ease of installation. With no requirement for a specific enclosure, you can mount it anywhere and move on.

DC power supply

They also introduced a new DC power supply designed for their POE extender solution. This compact unit—just 1RU—connects to AC power using a standard C19 cord.

BONUS: No need for a licensed electrician to install this version.

GigaREACH XL

Better to show than tell…and that’s exactly what CommScope did with a live demo of their GigaREACH XL cable, showing us in person how the cable supports 250 meters (820 feet) of data and video transmission.

The UL Riser version is available now, with Outdoor-rated cable shipping in fall and Plenum-rated versions coming soon after.

What's next for you? 

Do you want to learn more about CommScope’s new gear? Get a better understanding of what the 4th industrial revolution means for you? Find out if fault-managed power is right for you?

-Mike