The deployment of large installations involving telecommunications and data communications technology systems can be incredibly complex. It’s critical to have a thorough understanding of various communication cabling such as copper-based distribution systems, optical fiber and the electrical systems that drives these systems. It’s also important to know the local codes technicians need to follow when installing these complex systems.

Increasingly it is necessary for companies to rely on people who have obtained RCDD certification to help design and implement large scale technology projects. Why is RCDD certification important? Individuals who have gained RCDD certification have extensive knowledge of design standards in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. People with RCDD certification also have demonstrated field installation experience. While the minimum amount of experience is 5 years, Bailiwick RCDD technicians have an average of 30 years of field experience. This level of experience is invaluable when it comes to successfully designing and installing large ICT projects.

There are about 7,500 people in the world who have passed the RCDD certification exam. Most companies are content to have one or two people on their staff who are RCDD certified. Bailiwick has six individuals who hold this valuable certification. Bailiwick as a company is also dedicated to investing in these individuals so that they maintain RCDD certification and continue to bring their deep knowledge of ICT to our client’s projects.

The Value of RCDD Certification

What makes RCDD certification so valuable? People with RCDD certification have gone through a rigorous testing process administered by the Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI)—the largest governing body for cabling infrastructure. That certification demonstrates an expertise in designing structured cabling projects. Anyone who has successfully completed the RCDD certification process demonstrates a high level of knowledge as well as their commitment to that knowledge.

The RCDD exam is extremely difficult. There is a high failure rate in the first, and even second attempt to pass. Once RCDD certification is achieved, you need to take continuing education every year to stay current. You cannot be RCDD certified unless you have a commitment to the industry.

At Bailiwick, our clients have developed an expectation that we have the level of knowledge needed to accurately design and install large-scale cabling projects. They’ve come to expect exceptional design work from our engineers, and we are dedicated to meeting those expectations.

RCDD certified engineers at Bailiwick also have a great amount of field experience, they didn’t just sit behind a desk. Many of them came from the field, so they have tremendous knowledge that they bring to projects. We have Bailiwick RCDD certified engineers integrally involved in the design phase of projects and they go out into the field to work with installers to verify that installations go properly. The fact that they do spend time in the field only adds to their level of experience.

What Type of Projects Need a RCDD Certified Designer?

RCDD certification is important for large or small, complex projects that might take months to complete. These types of complex projects typically involve building out a data communications infrastructure for an entire facility or multiple facilities. If we are going to develop a design that will go into a one million square foot facility, we make sure that one of our RCDD certified designers are involved. In fact, our RCDD certified designers are typically involved in much smaller installations as well.

Infrastructure cabling can be particularly complex because oftentimes they combine fiber-optical cabling and copper wiring. Different cables create more variables in a project that need to be considered during design and installation. We need to be certain that we use the right conduit and that we understand what type of signals will be sent through the conduits. It’s important to consider signal bleed, which can negatively affect the performance of your network.

Other projects may be on a smaller scale, but still benefit from engaging an RCDD certified designer. For example, some of our retail customers may want to develop a system that they install at 5,000 sites across the country. It’s imperative that we make sure the system developed is going to work at all sites. It can get very expensive to alter the design of systems to accommodate issues at individual sites. We want to ensure that designs work at all sites and meet local building codes.

Summary

Bailiwick clients have developed a level of expectation regarding our knowledge of infrastructure cabling projects. They trust that we are up to date on industry standards and local codes and that Bailiwick managed projects will meet or exceed their expectations. Having six RCDD certified designers on staff allows Bailiwick to consistently deliver outstanding results to our clients.

Bailiwick engineering consists of a multi-disciplined team with experience and skillsets that vary from structured cabling to wireless design to electrical work to CAD and Revit drawing.