Four good practices for network cable management

In addition to specifications, network engineers should also keep in mind some cabling best practices so that they can continue to be used after the cable has been pulled out. To prevent cables from tangling, please consider these four cable management ideas.

If a wiring project is to be successful, it first needs to understand the requirements of the required cables. The speed required, the distance covered, the need for power, all these factors will determine where to plug in and place Cat5, Cat6, Cat8 or any other cables. The specifications of different types of cables will determine: the maximum distance of cable running, cable bending radius, wiring board specifications and other standards. These considerations should help avoid major mistakes, such as hanging network cables over transformers and elevator motors. But in addition to specifications, network engineers should also keep in mind some cabling best practices so that they can continue to be used after the cable is pulled out. To prevent cables from tangling, please consider these four cable management ideas.

1. Organize the cables

In the data center, make sure that cables are kept away from pedestrian aisles and work areas behind rack equipment. Use cable trays overhead or under raised floors. Please use the cable support and organizer on the back of the rack. In terms of equipment, whether it is a server or a switch, leave some space for jumper cables so that you can easily plug in and unplug from the device. The same advice applies to patch panels. Outside the data center, cables can be hidden in closets, walls, and ceilings, and fixed with cable ties, such as metal ties, plastic ties, or Velcro straps. This cleanliness prevents cables from being jammed by other infrastructure, and prevents cables from being lost in the physical environment and difficult to find when repairs are needed.

2. Pay attention to cable weight

Bundles of network cables can be heavy. If the cable is not placed on the floor, always provide adequate support, which can double as a cable organizer in some cases. When upgrading old cables, weight can be a pressing issue. Newer specifications that support Power over Ethernet (such as Cat6A) may be much heavier than the old cables they replace. This can be a problem for overhead ducts in data centers and cable supports in data centers, wiring closets, or elevated ceilings.

3. Use colors and labels to distinguish cables

Every cable has two ends, and you need to make sure you handle both ends of the same cable. For convenience, there should be cable labels with numeric or alphanumeric codes on both ends, which embed information about the operation, such as which cabinet the cable comes from. As a whole, the cable code does not have to be unique. Only the cable ends need to be uniquely identified, such as in a cabinet or in a data center. In the cable label code, obtaining more specific information than the cabinet identifier is usually not helpful. Some network administrators want to embed switch, panel or rack numbers, or even patch panel sockets or switch port numbers, but all of these may change. The wiring closet where the end of the cable is located rarely changes. When troubleshooting or when moving, adding, and changing cables, color coding is another way to easily identify cables. The cable used for the data connection can be one color, the storage network connection can be another color, and the keyboard, video, and mouse connection can be a third color. The disadvantage of color coding is that the reuse of jumpers is more restricted. To avoid this, use colored tape near the end of the cable instead of color-coding the cable itself. You can even match the label and color code by printing the cable code on the color label.

4. Record, record, record

If you don't know where the cable is, it is difficult to manage the cable. In places where the cables cannot be seen, make sure that there is a map or diagram showing the location of the cables. This includes cables laid under the raised floor, because you can hardly find or see them under a fully loaded equipment rack. Maps and diagrams are also very important when cables pass through underground pipes between buildings.