Superior Essex International LP released a new white paper titled, “Alien Crosstalk: The Limiting Noise Factor in Category 6A Channel Performance,” explaining why Alien Crosstalk (AXT) is the key characteristic for improving channel performance in Category 6A U/UTP systems. Category 6A systems are impacted by an increasing amount of noise. The typical environment for data centers is characterized by multiple Ethernet protocols running over a significant volume of cable of differing designs, performance levels, and manufacturers’ brands. All of these cables provide a very noisy environment for 10GBASE-T systems.

10GBase-T transceivers employ multiple technologies to minimize the impact of noise in order to enable the requisite 10-12 bit error rate (BER). Modern noise cancellation algorithms have improved significantly since 2006 when 10GBASE-T was ratified. Today’s 10GBASE-T transceivers typically eliminate over 40 dB of crosstalk noise from adjacent copper pairs within a cable. However, these noise cancellation algorithms are ineffective in reducing crosstalk noise from nearby cables (AXT). The result of the improvement in noise cancellation technology over the past 8 years is that AXT has become the  limiting noise factor in CAT 6A U/UTP systems where cables are in close proximity to one another.

This white paper explains the advantages of additional protection against AXT, serving as the only way to reduce the overall noise floor of Category 6A U/UTP cabling system running 10GBASE-T.

Conversely the additional cabling system protection from internally generated noise (NEXT, ACRF) does not lower the overall noise floor of the channel.