Great data center cabling can make a huge difference to the overall performance of a business. But all too often this complicated task is overlooked, with IT professionals instead turning their attention to other responsibilities.
With the complexity of systems increasing, and the demands on IT facilities growing, it’s time for companies to prioritize their data center cable management.
If you’d prefer to let the professionals handle it, here at TRG Datacenters we offer fully managed colocation options which include rack and stack and best-in-class cable management with our Colo+ service.
Rid your systems of spaghetti cabinets and convoluted excel spreadsheets by practicing better cable management, and you might be surprised by the benefits.
What Is Data Center Cabling?
Before we dive into our best practices for data center management, let’s take things back to basics as we look at what data center cabling is – and what goes into doing it well.
When we talk about data center cabling, we’re really talking about the physical aspect of connecting the components that go into a data center. Organization is absolutely essential here, because the structure of the cabling has a huge bearing over how well it performs when it’s put to the test.
Types of data center cabling
A good cabling system will minimize latency and maximize performance. It’s all about ensuring that data can move seamlessly between devices, in the fastest and most efficient way possible. There are many ways to achieve this, however, and many different cables to choose from.
The most commonly used types of cabling are copper and fiber optic cables. Copper cables, like twisted pair cables, and coaxial cables are often the go to choice. This is because they’re cost-effective, and usually compatible with existing infrastructure. These cables lend themselves well to short- to medium-distance connections, and work with a range of different data transmission speeds.
The other option is of course fiber optic cables. There are a few advantages to using these over copper, but the main pro of fiber optic is speed. Fiber optic cables use light pulses to transmit data, which means they can work far faster than copper over long distances. They’re often relied on for long-distance connections, or in high-speed data transmission.
Structured and unstructured cabling
It’s not just what the cables are made of that affects how fast they transmit data, of course. Structuring is also hugely important. There are two main forms of data center cabling that you need to be aware of: structured and unstructured cabling.
Structured cabling is a type of cabling infrastructure which uses predetermined specifications, cable types and connection methods. This provides the means to create a scalable and incredibly reliable network infrastructure.
Using predetermined specifications means that systems are always consistent, and that’s great news in terms of efficiency. This consistency also means that a huge range of different applications and devices will be supported.
When we use structured cabling, we tend to organize and manage cables using twisted pair copper cabling, fiber optic cabling and patch panels.
Unstructured cabling is quite different. In an unstructured setup, cable installations do not benefit from the same levels of organization, and this lack of consistency tends to result in inefficiency.
It’s easy to find yourself up against network performance problems with unstructured cabling, because it doesn’t provide the same reliability that a structured setup does.
Data Center Cabling Standards
There are industry standards for data center cabling, designed to protect customers from inefficiency and performance issues as a result of poor organization. These standards provide guidelines on how to build an integrated infrastructure, while also maintaining high levels of performance that are future-proof for at least the next few years.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common data center cabling standards.
- ANSI/TIA-942: Outlining the functional areas specific to the data center, this standard provides minimum recommendations on pathway and space. It specifies required distances between the backbone and the horizontal cable medium, redundancy and cable management. Distances between environmental considerations are also specified.
- ISO/IEC 24764: This is an international standard, which specifies which cabling is used in data centers. It is based on TIA-942 and EN 50173-5.
- ANSI/BICSI 002-2014: This data center standard gives guidelines on design and operation. Issues like maintenance, planning, construction and management are all covered in this standard. It’s essential for reliability, providing its own availability class structure.
Data Center Cable Management Solutions
Good cable management and great performance go hand in hand. And that’s why it’s so important to recognise proper cable management from the very beginning. Take a look at our tips on how to practice effective cable management.
Design in a visual way
First and foremost, the layout of the cabling system needs to work in a visual way. So, start by considering a visual design.
Think about where cabinets will be located, and consider cable pathways and spacing to ensure your cable routing is as efficient as possible.
By visualizing your design, you’ll give yourself (and your team) the opportunity to spot any potential problems and rectify these at an early stage, minimizing interruptions further down the line.
Create clear and concise instructions
Now it’s time to get your plans down on paper. Work on a set of detailed instructions to allow for consistent installation from all members of your team.
Make sure all the information professionals need is readily available, form cable types and connectors to routing paths and termination points. The more information you provide, the less chance there is of mistakes or miscommunication.
Focus on documentation during installation
The installation process should be fully documented. You’d be surprised how many professionals skip this step, only to be faced with huge headaches years later when the information they need just isn’t there.
Document the entire process to simplify any future maintenance and troubleshooting your team may have to undertake. Taking the time to focus on this at an early stage will improve efficiency in the future, and could reduce downtime significantly.
Check connections
Once you’ve completed your installation, you’ll be able to validate connections and ensure they are working as expected. Testing equipment can be used here to verify the performance of every connection. If there are any poorly terminated cables, or any faults in your system, you’ll be able to pick them up quickly to ensure you’re working at optimum performance.
Prepare for growth and change
Cabling systems should be designed with the potential for growth and change in mind. So, think about whether extra equipment might be needed in the future, and make sure you’ll be able to add that equipment or make those upgrades when the time comes.
Ideally, you’ll want to avoid retrofitting or other costly expansion projects by making your data cabling future-proof from the very beginning.
Data Center Cable Management Best Practices
Put data center cable management at the forefront of your plans and your business will be well placed to manage growing demand as your company expands. Take a look at our best practices for data center cable management for all the tips from our experts.
Design your infrastructure with cable management in mind
If you’re in the process of designing your network, make data center cable management one of your top priorities. While you put your plans for structured cabling infrastructure together, ask yourself whether or not you’ll be using top or middle of the rack switching, and whether you’ll be opting for fiber or copper cables. You’ll also want to think about the particular equipment that you’ll be using, considering the port density and bandwidth of your servers as you design your infrastructure. By putting questions like these at the forefront of your mind as you plan, you’ll immediately be practicing better data center cable management.
Record new cabling installations
This may seem like an obvious point to make, but all too often companies fail to make proper records of their new patch cabling installations – and this can come at a huge detriment to the organization of cables in the future. So, we always recommend that IT professionals document everything about new patch cabling installations, from cable types and connections to cabinet elevations and the specific requirements of these installations, to ensure that any risks of downtime are minimized. Diagrams can be a huge help here, enabling all those working on the system to visualize connections easily.
Think about new cable installation requirements
Loose cables can significantly hamper the potential of a system, making it difficult for those working on the system to make improvements and avoid hazards as they do so. And that’s why it’s always worth thinking about the exact lengths of cables needed before any installation plans go ahead. By doing so, you’ll avoid having unnecessarily long cables which can quickly make a setup messy. Not only that, you’ll save money by avoiding the element of waste that’s involved in cables that are too long for their intended purposes. There are even environmental benefits to making sure that you use the exact right length of cables because less copper will be wasted.
Make a plan and stick to it
When it comes to installation, make sure you’ve got a plan in mind and you’ve recorded instructions for anyone who may need to access them in the future. Bear in mind that tasks may not always be done by the same individuals, so it pays to have a clear record of how the installation has been done, and how your connections have been organized. Consider using data center management software to help here, and make sure you also have printed records of the information anyone who will be working with your system might need.
Think about compatibility
When it comes to installing your cables, it’s easy to become centered around the physical distances of connections. But this shouldn’t be your only consideration. Compatibility is also important, and by thinking about these two factors together you’ll be able to create a more organized, capable system. The software will help you narrow down options according to compatibility, and avoid common pitfalls like accidentally using cabinets that don’t have the number of available connectors you need.
Future-proofing your environments
Demands on IT systems are growing at a rapid pace, as businesses introduce increasingly complex digital processes to facilitate growth. As a result, IT teams are having to think carefully about how to future-proof their systems, to ensure that current setups do not put a dampener on the company’s potential to grow over time. When you think about your data center cable management, plan for both current requirements and the requirements you think your business might need in the future to avoid costly and time-consuming alterations in the months and years to come. That way, your systems will always be available to meet the company’s growing demands.
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Great data center cabling management can make all the difference to a company’s ability to grow. As you make plans for your data center, prioritize cable management to make sure your systems aren’t held back by disorganized cables, or a lack of clear instructions for those who need them. Here at TRG Datacenters, we offer fully managed Houston colocation which includes rack and stack and cable management. We use best-in-class cable management hardware so your rack stays neat and organized from day 1 to 1,000. If you’d like to learn more about our Fully Managed Colocation offering, don’t hesitate to contact our team.
