What is Data Center Cabling?

In today’s digital age, data centers are essential for businesses of all sizes. To maintain a high level of efficiency, you need to manage data center cabling strategically and effectively. By implementing proper cabling organization, data center operators will be able to minimize downtime, enhance data security, and optimize system performance.

Understanding Data Center Cabling 

To ensure network connectivity and power distribution, data center cabling connects various components of data center infrastructure and equipment. Efficient infrastructure management involves thorough planning, organizing, and maintaining structured cabling systems within your data centers. From fiber optic cables to copper wiring, proper cabling design is important for fast and reliable data transmission.

Structured Cabling vs. Unstructured Cabling 

To maintain a strong and reliable network, you must regularly connect your devices. Structured cabling and unstructured cabling are the two main cabling categories. Unlike unstructured cables, structured cables do not have individual connections. Instead, they run multiple cables into a patch that directs a single cable’s devices to a single device.

Structured Cabling 

Structured cabling is an organized wiring system that supports multiple hardware uses. It utilizes predefined standards with predefined connection points and pathways. Instead of connecting individual cables, it integrates multiple cables into a patch. This cabling type uses one cable to route the cable’s devices to a single device.

A structured cabling system properly routes, labels, and makes wires accessible. Structured cabling also transfers data faster, so the load speeds are faster. Structured cabling is flexible, so you can easily add new cables to the cabling system.

This makes it easy for your network to grow over time. Overall, the installation time is longer and the upfront cost is higher. However, the operating costs are lower and the lifespan of the system is longer.

The six components of structured cabling are:

1. Entrance Facilities
2. Equipment Room
3. Backbone Cabling
4. Telecommunications Room
5. Horizontal Cabling
6. Work Area

Unstructured Cabling 

Compared to structured cabling, unstructured cabling does not use predefined standards, connection points, or pathways. This type of cabling system is messy and features an assortment of tangled cables. Unstructured cabling may cause restricted airflow and cooling complications, downtime, and high operational costs.

An unstructured system may have a shorter installation time and lower costs, but the lifecycle will be shorter. To achieve enhanced efficiency and load speeds, you need to avoid this cabling type.

What are the Benefits of Cable Management?

If you’re running a large data center or home office, cable management creates a clean and organized environment. The benefits of data center cable management include:

• Protect cables and wires
• Increase troubleshooting efficiency
• Easy cable tracing and maintenance
• Improve uptime, safety, and aesthetics
• Improve airflow and cooling efficiency
• Reduce downtime, outages, and clutter
• Cost-effective solution
• Improve system performance and productivity
• Maintain clean and aesthetic work environment

How To Manage Data Center Cabling?

Organization and efficiency are crucial aspects to have in a data center. To properly manage your data center and its core components, here are 7 key practices to consider:

1. Cable Labels and Identification– By properly labeling your cables, it improves reliability and maximizes uptime. This is important for the upkeep of data centers and network facilities. Cable labeling is beneficial for troubleshooting or management activities in a data center.
2. Optimize Airflow and Cooling– Excessive cables obstruct airflow, leading to higher temperatures that could create downtime and waste energy. To optimize airflow, you need to remove unnecessary cables from beneath the raised floor or within the cabinets. This also means reducing clutter within your data center.
3. Cable Management– You cannot neglect the cabling and supporting cable management system. Proper cable management helps in accessing cables easily. It also helps in troubleshooting network and hardware issues.  Additionally, it allows for efficiently performing basic tasks, increases scalability and reduces downtime.
4. Route Cables Properly – Before installation, you need to know where to route your cables. If you incorrectly connect cables before organizing them, you’ll have to remove them all and restart. Additionally, you need to determine if the cables will enter from the top or bottom of your rack. This will help you plan the routes to properly separate the power and data cables.
5. Patch Panels–  A patch panel is the mounted hardware assembly or device that features a number of ports. It connects and manages the network. You can mount them within your server racks, with the blank ports on one side and the termination point on the other side. Additionally, you can terminate, label, and patch the cables into your network hardware.
6. Network Documentation– Network documentation is the technical record of your network. This includes its association with the hardware, software, and servers. It features information on the network structure, how it should perform, and where to troubleshoot. By monitoring data and circuits, you can plan capacity, analyze failover, and quickly respond to outages in real-time.
7. DCIM Software– DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) software enables data center operators to optimize their operations and infrastructure for planning and design. With DCIM software, it ensures efficient processes and enables easier network operation and maintenance. You can track, identify, and report detailed information on your cables. This means the point-to-point connectivity and endpoint details, including termination ports, connectors, parent interfaces, cards and devices.