Cabling infrastructure should be an important consideration during the process of upgrading your data center. Neglecting to do so may lead to numerous hours of fixing channels and links. The following lists three potential data center cabling problems.
- Incorrect Polarity – Signal transmissions from hardware to receive may fail, causing downtime for troubleshooting.
- Incorrect Cable Lengths – When too short, it will prevent the physical completion of a connection. If too long, this results in a sloppy appearance, reduction of airflow, and make MACs (moves, additions, and changes) more difficult.
- Insufficient Cabling Capability – Existing cabling capability may be inadequate for future upgrades of hardware so upgrades are needed for future proofing.
Recommendations of Data Center Cabling Experts
The first step is becoming familiar regarding your existing system. The identification of weaknesses and addressing these vulnerabilities are crucial tasks. Most companies cannot afford extended downtimes, so proper cabling installation is important. A comprehensive understanding of your cabling infrastructure will allow you to plan for future upgrades and maximizing the ROI of these investments.
Below are three crucial steps recommended by data center cabling architects.
1) Overhead Diagram
Always have available an up-to-date overhead diagram of your data center that lays out cabling pathways, including the types of media and specifications. Make sure that the diagram has the mounting locations of hardware, naming schemes, port counts, and color coding of cables.
2) Expansion Plan
Create an expansion plan that identifies the areas of your data center that will experience growth. If it is not yet in place, create a plan for implementing a structured cabling method (TIA-942). Doing so will enable easier upgrades to faster speeds in the future.
3) Proper Cabling to Support Installations
It is important that there is proper cabling to support installations. This will include correct trunking to the MDA (Main Distribution Area), enough open ports there, and the proper patch cabling for equipment racks as well as the MDA.
Progressive Office Cabling
Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking cost-effective solutions. Working together, Progressive teams are committed to getting your data cabling, access control, and telecom systems installed and operating while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.