The data center is one of those rooms many people don’t get to see, usually because they’ll probably mess something up, so it’s easier to just keep them out. However, for those of us who are in the data center, here’s a few pro tips on implementing a data center cabling infrastructure the right way—the first time.
A Visual Representation Will Be Helpful
Before you walk in the data center, you should have a visual representation of how this project’s going to look once finished. A digital representation is ideal, but even if you draw it on the back of a napkin, it’s better than nothing. Your visual representation should include details such as the positioning of the cables, the lengths of cable you’ll need, and the type of cable (e.g. copper vs. fiber optic). That said, you’ll want to ensure that there will be room for cooling and identify the placement of the cabinets.
Have A Note Taker Nearby
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when implementing a data center is not documenting everything, in other words, you can never take too many notes in this scenario. For example, if you’re setting up the data center on your own now, but you decide to hire a network or IT professional later, they’ll need to know your processes. If you neglect to document this process, you will regret it when something goes wrong and you can’t remember the differences between all the cables.
Use Structured Cabling and Quality Cables
If you only take away one point from this, remember this one. By using structured cabling, you’ll avoid a mound of tangled cables as this method offers a way to organize your cables. And of course, it’s a method to connect all your cables to hardware such as bridges, modems, routers, and so on. With all this work, it’d be ideal to have your cables last without you, or an IT employee having to replace them a lot. That’s why we strongly encourage quality cables, especially considering you’ll need large amounts of cable to implement a data center.
With these tips on implementing a data center cabling infrastructure,you’ll be on your way to a more efficient network in no time. In addition, you’re going to need a versatile cable in bulk that will last, we would recommend a Cat5e cable in 1000 feet. Of course, we understand that cables will wear down over time—that’s why we offer a lifetime warranty on all our cables!
