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What is a Meet-Me Room?

Published Date
Author Bailey Verreault

Put simply, a Meet-Me Room (MMR), otherwise known as ENI (External Network Interface) or MDA (Main Distribution Area), is a relatively small but very important space inside a data center where internet service providers, telecommunications carriers, cable companies, etc. converge to interconnect¹ or cross-connect² with one another and exchange data before distribution of services to other areas of the building.


Advantages

  • An MMR can be used as a base area to control access to large site backbone interconnectivity
  • By avoiding local loop³ communication fees, an MMR can distribute data traffic more cost effectively
  • Clients have the advantage of being able to access high bandwidth connectivity directly within the MMR, thus avoiding the need first travel out of the data center to get to a telco facility

Disadvantages

  • 2 MMRs would need to be created to keep redundant paths separate, taking up data center white space that might otherwise be used
  • An MMR can be classed as a point of failure
  • Anything that interrupts the continuity of a direct connection, for example, interconnection points or cable joins, will increase latency and decrease performance
  • Close attention must be paid to standards that include interconnection methods, cable counts, color codes, and labeling

With compelling reasons both for and against incorporating an MMR in your data center facility, AFL has the infrastructure and capabilities to support both designs. Our Solution Engineers work with you to help you secure an optimized, flexible and scalable network you can grow and depend on.
 


¹ Interconnection: a connection scheme that employs connecting hardware for the direct connection of a cable to another cable or to an equipment cable without a patch cord or jumper.

² Cross-connection: a connection scheme between cabling runs, subsystems, and equipment using patch cords or jumpers that attach to connecting hardware on each end.

³ In telephony, the local loop is the physical link or circuit that connects from the demarcation point of the customer premises to the edge of the common carrier or telecommunications service provider’s network.