Since its standardisation in 2003, Power over Ethernet (PoE) has found widespread application in markets such as VoIP telephony, wireless LANs, IP video security and access control. As discussed in Veracity's earlier article, Power Without the Struggle, its benefits as a power delivery method include drastically lower installation and maintenance costs, and its technology offers a supply that is reliable, safe, efficient and robust, while being as simple as possible to install.

PoE gives network installers control over the power distribution to their equipment, however for many this is not their forte: while the concepts behind PoE are straightforward in absolute terms compared to the complexities of other IT technology, the fundamentals of electrical power and its delivery are new territory to a significant proportion of users.

This white paper, therefore, intends not only to serve as a reference to those technical features of PoE that are relevant to users of network equipment, but also to provide further explanation of the basic principles behind the technology, so that these features may be understood well enough to enable the effective design, installation and troubleshooting of PoE-enabled networks.

What's inside?

• Concepts and Terminology
• Electrical Power
• Cat 5 Cable and Power Transmission
• Power Classification
• Power Management
• Safety Measures
• PoE Plus and Custom PoE
• Conclusion