Untangling the secret to organizing your network closet

Untangling the secret to organizing your network closet

There’s nothing worse than messy things; tangled Christmas tree lights; knotted extension cords; poorly assembled Italian beef sandwiches. But when your business depends on clearly marked and organized network cabling – you can’t afford things to be messy. Before you ask, ‘well how hard can it be to organize a network closet?’ you might be interested to know the answer is: Very.

There multiple factors to consider when building a network closet:

So. Many. Cables.

Ethernet cables come in a variety of colors and depending on the size and scale of your business and you may be routing printers, computers, fiber optics, video systems, modems, security, internet, transaction data and UPS. Using different colors can help you partition each of these, making maintenance, moves or changes much easier on your technicians.

Fasteners

Whether its zip ties or Velcro, all cables need to be gathered so they can be neatly routed and organized for easy access.

Labels

If you’ve ever swapped out an HDMI or A/V component on your home stereo or home theater, you know how important it is to know which wire belongs to where. It can be extremely frustrating (not to mention time consuming) to backtrack through your wiring to discover that your DVD player is plugged into your auxiliary 1 and not your auxiliary 2 jack. Network closets aren’t exactly a home stereo, but you get the picture – labels are your friend.

Hardware

In addition to the items already mentioned, network closets can also include patch panels, hubs, bridges, switches and routers – all adding to the complexity and detail of the build out.

Regulations

That’s right – you can’t just install a network closet anywhere. Federal regulations provide guidelines for any network closet that must meet certain environmental requirements that include power supply, heating/venting/cooling and must be secure from unauthorized access and meet all applicable building/safety codes. At a glance, network closets should adhere to the guidelines governing items such as the following:

• Floor, ceiling and floor material
• Temperature and humidity
• Lighting
• Power outlets
• Cable access
• Room equipment and access

Understanding the scale and scope of the overall system, whether it’s a small office network or large-scale plant operation, no two network closets are the same and performance demands an organized and thought out cabling system before any build out can begin. Unless you have thoroughly trained technicians for your networking project, this isn’t DIY territory. Italian beef sandwiches on the other hand…