Proper cable management can mean the world for your equipment and for your job. By setting proper practices, you improve the safety of your work area, cut down on wasted time and frustration when trouble shooting a problem, increase air flow to your server rack, and you treat your cables how they were meant to be treated.

Why Cable Management?

When considering Cable Management, you need to keep in mind some very important factors.

• Space

• Appropriate cable lengths and colors

• Accessibility (such as products with removable covers)

• Expansion (always think of future growth)

• better cooling and airflow

• Fewer server failures

• density management and efficient use of space

• Enhanced and orderly troubleshooting

• Efficient hardware installation and maintenance

What do I need for my application?

Between spools, rings, horizontal, vertical, ladder racks, and systems like the Neat Patch, it can be daunting trying to select what’s needed for your space. Simply talk to us about what equipment you have and what your hoping to achieve and we can help guide you to the proper solution.

Tangled Up: 5 Cable Management Tips

Do you have spaghetti in your data center? No, we’re not talking about the Italian dish. We’re talking about spaghetti cables. We’re talking about cables so messy and terrifying that it looks like you might get tangled up with them if you try to fix it. That’s where cable management comes in. By following these 5 simple cable management tips, you can clean up your data center, improve your rack airflow, and prevent future problems.

1. Measure Twice, Cut Once

The most important part of this is to measure. Some cabling is so long it looks like someone was going to use it to suspend down Mount Everest. By appropriately cutting your cables you will prevent tangles, improve airflow management, and be able to locate cables much faster when in a critical situation.

2. Color Me Organized

Create a system and stick to it. Cables are not made in different colors to make your data center look like a rainbow. They are different colors so that you can stay organized! Here is an example of a 5 color coded system:

Red = Servers and network equipment

Black = Standard network node

Green = Network printers

Yellow = Guess Access Jacks

Gray = VoIP telephones

By having an organized system of cables, you and your employees will be able to navigate them with ease. And it makes your data center pretty too.

3. Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance

With how quickly IT is growing, you should always be planning for future growth in your data center. Positioning your server racks for optimal cable runs can help with organization, and prepare you for growth in the future.

4. Be Cool

Racks aren’t the only ones that get hot. Cables can overheat as well. There are tons of products available that can manage cables around racks in order to keep the racks and the cables cool.

5. With Great Power Comes Great Interference

Running your cabling and power together increases the chance of interference. The copper in the cables running along the power cables act like mini transformers and cause spikes. Separate the two as much as possible to increase the quality of your runs.

Along with implementing these tips, you can organize your cables with the hundreds of cable management products we have on our website! Additionally, if you are not sure which cable management products are best for you, just contact us! Stop serving up spaghetti in your data center. It’s time for organization!

Suffering from a Cable Conundrum?

Understanding cable seems to be an after thought when purchasing a more expensive item like a cabinet or rack, but a lot goes into choosing the right cable for your data center. Let’s dive into a couple of the basic differences between cable and their applications.

Cable: Shielded (STP) vs. Unshielded (UTP)

Common question – What’s the difference between shielded and unshielded… and which do I need?

Let’s look at the anatomy of the cable to see the difference. As Ethernet cables are twisted like so, there can be some interference… to help with this interference manufacturers provide the option for shielded. Each pair will have a thin shield wrapped around it to protect against possible crosstalk…

Shielded is a better solution when you have a greater chance of interference, such as in walls or outdoors. Unshielded is best used as a connection between your computer and the wall as you should rarely run into any kind of interference here.

Cable: Solid vs. Stranded

When talking about stranded and solid, we’re actually referring to the copper conductor found within the pairs.

Solid has a single wrap of copper… where as stranded… has multiple neatly bound together.

Because there are multiple strands, it allows for additional flexibility, making stranded a much better application where cables would be moved around frequently.

Solid is just as it sounds, firm and solid. It’s a far more durable cable, but it isn’t very flexible, so it’s best to apply solid cable in spaces where it will be near permanent such as inside walls or outdoor areas.

Neat Patch and Wire Minder Enhance Efficiency, Organization

NeatPatch Cable Organizer

If tangled and messy cables are giving you headaches — or you want to get your cables set up correctly for a new network — Rackmount Solutions has the answer for you. The Neat Patch Cable Organizer horizontal system stores your cables in an organized, efficient way and can make a dramatic, positive difference in your server room setup.

The kit, which promotes bend-radius compliance in patch cable management, is easy to use. You simply place the Neat Patch kit between a switch and a patch panel, and arrange your rack or cabinet. A patented plastic molded design, the Neat Patch is nonconductive and thus alleviates any concerns about surges.

You can select from three versions of the Neat Patch, depending on your specifications and needs:

• The NP2 horizontal 19” kit includes a wire manager alone, so you can use your own cables.
• The RS NPKIT24, available in a variety of colors, includes a cable organizer, as well as 24 two-foot, UL-approved, Fluke-certified, CAT 6 flush-molded snagless patch cables.
• Also offered in numerous colors, the RS NPKIT48 includes 48 two-foot, UL-approved, Fluke-certified, CAT 6 flush-molded snagless patch cables.

If you do not have two-foot cables available, Rackmount can provide them, and you can order extra cables in a variety of color choices at any time.

In addition to all of its organization benefits, the Neat Patch kit is priced lower than similar products offered by competitors.

The Universal Wire Minder

The Universal Wire Minder from Rackmount Solutions adds efficiency to your server room because — as the name implies — it keeps wires organized. It mounts in seven different positions, and its open channel design allows easy access to cables. Also, you can channel cables in any direction.

Is this the solution you’ve been looking for? Order online at RackmountSolutions.net or partner site ServerRack.com

Contact our helpful IT Pros directly by email or by phone at 866-352-6631.