Nikhef Patch Calculator

Eager to get your ERA-IX port live?

This tool allows you to easily calculate the appropriate length for the cross-connect required.
We woke up feeling good and felt like being nice, so we've allowed calculation of distance between any two racks 😉

Fill in or click on the A and Z side racks of your intended cross-connect and let the program do the rest.
Please take notice of the spare on each side and where you need to be in each rack for the best results.
You will also be presented with a suggested trajectory for the cross-connect.

Show me an example


Please select your A-side.
Looks good!
Please select your Z-side.
Looks good!
Looks good!

H140 Floorplan

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Using the calculator

Inputs

Source Rack
Commonly called the A-side for the cross-connect.
Destination Rack
Commonly called the Z-side for the cross-connect.
Spare
How much fiber should (at least) be left on each side, given in centimeters.

Instructions

Fill in your own rack number in the Source Rack field, fill in the remote rack (you will be provided this rack through a LOA) in the Destination rack. Continue by checking if the spare length will get you where you need to be in the rack.
Once filled in, click on Compute Length, the tool will perform the calculations necessary to ensure you get the correct fiber on the first try! Results are rounded up to the nearest 5M increment. On the floorplan the calculator will also display a suggested route.
Alternatively, you are also able to enter the racks by clicking on them in the floorplan.

Eager to learn more?

Check out these posts on LinkedIn: ERA-IX - Development Update Elias - Technical Details (Dutch)


About NIKHEF Housing

NIKHEF Housing provides a great environments for networks to establish themselves and through the availability of over 300 other networks address their interconnection needs.
For this reason ERA-IX was initially launched within the facility. NIKHEF Housing is located in the Science Park in Amsterdam, in close vicinity to other datacenters such as Interxion AMS9, AMS17 and Equinix AM3, AM4. So close in fact that you should be able to order cross connects from them towards NIKHEF Housing.

Installing cross-connects

In NIKHEF Housing, customers are free to install their own cross connects. Free of charge, this is a big advantage compared to their neighbors 😄.
When installing cross-connects please follow instructions provided by staff and adhere to the Nikhef Housing Cabling Guidelines

When installing a cross-connect to ERA-IX, your patch will be connected on the hot side of our rack. Your fiber must go down the spillway to enter the rack, be routed through the cable loops on the right of the rack and enter the pre-cabling from the right.