Improper cabling can be a major problem not only for your data center but also for your business. The good news is that, with some planning, you can improve your cable management and maximize the efficiency and reliability of your data center.
Here are a few maintenance tips you can use to boost your data center cable management and to get the most out of your cabling.
- Label your cables. One of the most important things you need to do for proper cable management is to label your cables. By not labeling your cables, you only create more work for yourself. Each cable needs to be labeled on both ends. This includes patch cables and short runs, too. Be consistent with your labeling to prevent confusion.
- Color-code your cables. Color-coding may seem over the top when you’ve already labeled your cables. But you’ll thank yourself for color-coding later when it makes data center cable management that much more efficient. Use one color for your patch cables and cable runs and be consistent with that color. Make sure that each color you use has a purpose. This makes it easier to troubleshoot problems and to follow cable runs.
- Keep your cables organized and neat. Proper ventilation and airflow management are crucial when it comes to cable management. When there’s a high volume of cable and poor airflow management, this can create hot spots in your data center. Make sure that your cables are organized for optimal heat dissipation. Cold aisle containment systems can help to provide cooling solutions and better airflow.
- Keep your design cable-friendly. Make sure when you’re designing your data center that you’re designing it in a way that’s cable-friendly. Cable management racks provide an open architecture cable management system to help keep large volumes of cables organized and easily accessible for swaps and add-ons. These racks also allow your network hardware to run cooler and provide optimal heat dissipation.
Up to 80% of data centers employ or are looking to install aisle containment systems, but data center cable management racks like the Titan Cable Management rack can help to keep your cables under control. To learn more about our other data center supplies for data center cable management, contact AMCO Enclosures today.