Video: 10 Minute IT Jams - Who is Fluke Networks?

Fluke Networks wants to make it easier for businesses to test and maintain their IT cabling. From fibre optics to copper cables, the company is focused on helping customers understand what is going on inside their networks – and what could go wrong.

Speaking to 10 Minute Jams, Mark Mullins, Fluke Networks' Product Marketing Manager, outlined the company's evolving approach to testing technology and why its people are as essential as its products, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

At its heart, Fluke Networks provides test equipment for those installing, maintaining, or troubleshooting copper and fibre IT cabling. "We really try to focus on two different types of customers who do that," Mullins explained, pointing to systems integrators and installers as one key segment. These customers work on "large volumes," so they look for "efficiency – how can I cut my costs and be efficient and make sure that every time I do it I get it done right the first time," he said. 

For those large projects, the company offers its Versiv line, "designed specifically to…make it as efficient as possible to install fibre and copper cabling and make sure then that it's done right." This system tests hundreds of different worldwide standards, offering flexibility for customers. A crucial add-on is its Linkware software, which "allows them to collect and manage their results and then present those results either to the customer or to the manufacturer," Mullins said. This is especially important, he added, when manufacturers offer warranties on cabling: "They want to see that it's done right before they, of course, offer that warranty."

Fluke Networks also has solutions for private network owners. These are often organisations "more concerned about testing small numbers of cables and troubleshooting." In response, "we make our products as easy to use as possible," Mullins said, noting that the company still recommends its Versiv line for troubleshooting, with the OptiFiber Pro for fibre specifically. For customers testing fewer cables, Fluke Networks offers more affordable tools. "The one we just introduced was our Link IQ," he said, which "does cable testing, it will tell you the performance of the cable up to 10 gigabits per second, but then it will also allow you to see what's going on on the other end of that cable."

The trend towards simplifying complex network setups is reflected in the company's latest innovations. "The biggest one…is the Link IQ which we just offered," Mullins said. This tool helpfully features a "basic little speedometer on it that says, okay, here's how fast you can run data across this cable." It also generates performance reports and can pinpoint connection issues, a common headache for office relocations or device changes. "They can plug in, they can see what it's connected to – maybe it's on the wrong VLAN…maybe there's no Power over Ethernet. If you're trying to install a security camera or an IP phone, this is a great tool to help you really quickly figure out if the cable's going to be able to handle it," Mullins added.

On the fibre side, the company has also developed solutions for data centres, including the FI-3000 Fiber Inspection Scope. This tool is "designed for the large data centres that use…multiple push-on fibre optic connectors for their trunks," Mullins explained. "They need to be able to inspect a 16-port MPO connection and make sure that it's clean, so this allows them to do that very quickly and efficiently."

Looking ahead, Fluke Networks sees Power over Ethernet (PoE) and fibre technology as major industry drivers. Mullins pointed to ongoing product development "right on the horizon" in Power over Ethernet: "There's a lot of development work going on…both as I discussed, you know, being able to tell if the infrastructure…can provide the amount of power that you need, and making sure that it's really there when you need it," he said.

One recommendation from Mullins for anyone installing cabling today is to ensure it will support new forms of PoE, especially as network infrastructure can last decades. "We highly recommend when customers get their cabling installed, if they think they're going to use power over ethernet on it – and who knows, cabling lasts 20, 30 years in an office environment – that you have it checked and make sure you run the extra tests," he said. This, he noted, gives confidence for using more powerful network devices in the future.

Fibre networks are also becoming more prominent, especially as workplace patterns change and data requirements soar. "One of the things we're seeing as a trend is fewer people are going into the offices, but that doesn't mean that there's less cable being installed – it's just that we're seeing less copper and a lot more fibre," Mullins observed. For data centres, the company is meeting increasingly stringent performance requirements: "Sometimes less than 2 dB on a link, which is not very much."

A technology to watch is single-pair Ethernet, allowing Ethernet at lower data rates but over much longer distances – up to a kilometre – and powering multiple devices on one link. While the technology is not yet widespread, Mullins sees "a huge market for that in building automation, probably in industrial automation, and even probably within automobiles."

Fluke Networks' Asia-Pacific operation is underpinned by its people. "One thing I've learned about this business after all these years is that while we make great products, I'd say 51% of the reason that customers buy from us is because of our people," Mullins reflected. He cited teams in China, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, India and Thailand, "everywhere I see hundreds of years of experience that those people have."

Local support in the region is vital, he continued: "We've got people on the ground…that can really help you answer your questions; they can help you understand complex technical issues, even consult with you like, how do I test these certain things." For more complex cabling scenarios – such as modular plug terminated links or bespoke data centre limits – being able to speak to someone "right in the same time zone, the same country, the same language…that's what we do."

Training is another big focus. Fluke Networks runs a Certified Cable Test Technician programme for installers, with more than 10,000 people worldwide having taken part. "People out there can get trained up…and understand you know, how do I hook this up, how do I set it up to do a test so I get it right and I give the customer the information they need," Mullins explained.

Asked for his advice to enterprise customers wanting to engage with Fluke Networks, Mullins suggested, "Probably the easiest way is to just go to our website…we have local numbers in every country you can just call us. We've also got a technical assistance centre…where you can actually talk to people who understand this sort of stuff." The company offers a huge online knowledge base and video training, and is also responsive to email and social media. "A lot of people think I know everything – that's just because I know who to ask," Mullins said. "We've got a lot of smart people around and I know who to ask and then I'll send the response on."