Data center is the heart that pumps the
lifeblood of your business. Without it, everything stops. And when there
is anything wrong in the data center, so does your business. For many
data centers, managing cables is an afterthought. But actually, cable
management is one of the most important aspects of data center design.
Following cable management tips are helpful in the day-to-day facility
management of a data center.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
It’s an old adage, but an important one.
If you don’t carefully measure your cables, not only you create a
tangled mess, but also you create a lot of expensive waste. You may
think that two feet of wasted cables does not amount much, but when add
up those wasted feet, it would be a huge cost. So please remember to
measure twice while cut once to save yourself a lot of time and money.
Cable Labeling
Be it a power or data cable, labeling
cables can prove to be critical if a problem arises. Cable labels should
be secured in a way that will make them accessible, yet difficult to
remove. If you don’t label your cables, you are only making more work
for yourself. Imagine you have to test a bunch of circuits quickly. You
scramble and unplug a few patch cables, and when it’s time to reset them
back to their default locations, you have no idea where each cable
goes. Avoid this problem by taking a little time to slap a cable label on each end.
Cable Testing
All cables should be pre-tested prior to
installation. Once installed, it is much harder to test and identify
problems. If a test doesn’t pass 100%, redo that cable. After a few
tries at termination, if the cable still doesn’t pass, trash it. And
make sure you’re using a quality tester for your cables and you know
precisely how to use it. This simple step can prevent a lot of extra
work in the end.
Run Cables in Hot Aisle
Proper airflow in and around the data
center is critical to optimal operating efficiency. Keep underfloor
power cables in the hot aisle running parallel to the computer room air
conditioner (CRAC) unit’s airflow. Consider elevating mounting positions
for the receptacles to help protect against possible pooling water and
cable air dams, allowing for better air flow and improved CRAC unit
efficiency. Running data cables only in the hot aisle, organizing cables
using horizontal and vertical cable managers will help to improve
airflow through the racks, avoiding hot spots and possible outages.
Cable Ties
Use cable ties
to hold groups of data cables together or to secure cables to
components. Velcro cable ties are versatile and can be reused or
adjusted as cables are added or moved. If you use zip ties, make sure
clipped ends of the ties are disposed properly and don’t end up a
contaminant in the plenum cooling system.
Color Code
Color provides quick visual
identification. Color coding simplifies management and can save you time
when you need to trace cables. With data cables, use color to identify
their role/function of the cables or the type of connection. With power
cables, use different colors to identify and organize dual power feeds
for redundant power sources.
Cable Managers
Choose the best cable managers
for your application. No one cable manager can be universally used.
Some cable managers are simple and use hooks to organize cabling
bundles. Others are more complex and allow individual cable runs to exit
at various points. Some of these more elaborate cable managers have
covers to hide bundles and keep your installation neat.
Summary
This article have introduced several tips
for improved cable management. It is a simple and inexpensive cable
management solution to keep your data center cables organized according
to predetermined scheme and routed in specified locations. Hope the
cable management tips mentioned above can do you a favor in your data
center cable managing.
Originally published: www.fiberopticshare.com/get-proper-cable-management-data-center.html
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