Structured Cabling Installation
“Structured cabling” is an industry term that gets thrown around a lot. Some people use it as just a buzzword, but it actually refers to how a cabling system is designed and installed within a building. Along with the cables themselves, this also includes any hardware being connected during installation plus anything else that may be added later on. Planning for the future is one of the major considerations when it comes to planning out structured cabling installation.
Network cables such as ethernet, telephone lines, coax cable, and fiber optics are all commonly found during these installations. Some general methodology does apply for all installations but it can change depending on what kind of facility is being prepared, such as standard practices for an office vs. a school. The individual, specific needs of each project allows for further customization from those guidelines on a case-by-case basis. In the United States, standards used for these projects are set by the Telecommunications Industry Association, specifically TIA/EIA-568.
Each blueprint for a structured cabling installation plan can be broken down into six sections: entrance facilities, equipment rooms, backbone cabling, telecommunications rooms, horizontal cabling, and work-area components.
Entrance Facilities
An entrance facility is the area where cables coming from utility providers stop and cabling classified as part of the building starts. This access point allows equipment inside the building to be connected to the Internet, telephone lines, and other local area infrastructure. It is commonly marked by a demarcation point. The entrance facility also includes entrance pathways, connecting hardware, transition hardware, and circuit protection devices.
Equipment Rooms
Equipment rooms are the central location for IT hardware used to run systems inside the buildings. They can be as the center of a network and are more expansive than telecommunications rooms. Equipment rooms feature heavy-duty hardware such as servers that are used to network the rest of the system together. This type of equipment is often stored on racks or cabinets for stability and security. An equipment room is generally off-limits to non-IT staff and temperature controlled to keep equipment running optimally.
Backbone Cabling
Backbone cabling refers to the wires used to connect the entrance facility, equipment room, and telecommunications rooms. Depending on the type of hardware being used in those locations, this can include ethernet cable, telephone cable, coax cable, and/or fiber optic cable. These cables handle the majority of traffic running through the network, hence the name “backbone”. Backbone cables can be divided into two sub-categories, intrabuilding and interbuilding. Intrabuilding cabling runs between different rooms in a single building. Interbuilding cabling is used to connect networks between two or more buildings. Along with the cables themselves, the term “backbone cabling” also refers to hardware used to install those cables such as conduit, firestops, and grounding equipment.
Telecommunications Rooms
A telecommunications room is an off-shoot from the main equipment room. Whereas the equipment room only connects to servers and other primary hardware, the telecommunications rooms will connect directly to user devices such as computers and printers. These smaller rooms will house the backbone and horizontal cabling, connecting them to hardware with smaller patch cables.
Horizontal Cabling
Horizontal cabling refers to cables that run between the telecommunications rooms and wall outlets. These cables are what allow individual computers, printers, and other devices to have network access. This term refers to cables used for Internet access and will consist of either ethernet or fiber optic lines depending on your network set-up. Since these cables commonly run through walls, ceilings, and floors, they often need to be plenum rated.
Work Area Components
Work area components are the cables used to connect end-user hardware to the horizontal cabling. Typically, this refers to ethernet patch cables running between the back of a computer and a wall outlet.
Benefit from Structured Cabling Today
Having a centralized hub for a network allows data to transfer faster. Imagine data needs to go from one computer to another. With structured cabling, it will go from Point A (Computer 1) to Point B (a telecommunications room) to Point C (Computer 2). It is possible to make direct connections between your hardware without structured cabling and crisscross everything together. But a network Frankensteined together will have fewer direct connections. Moving data might make it go from Point A all the way through Point M because all the equipment is connected haphazardly. Needless to say, going through a dozen connections takes a lot longer than going through three.
In the event of a problem, solutions are also easier to implement with a structured cabling system. With the more delicate parts of the system under the lock-and-key of trained IT professionals, human error is less likely to cause problems. If there is an issue, components can be fixed or replaced simply and rerouting network traffic to other parts of the system can reduce downtime as well.
At INC, we perform structured cabling installations for offices, educational facilities, residential buildings, industrial plants, and more. A simple site survey will allow us to start preparing a custom plan for optimizing hardware installation and network usage just for you. Whether a network uses fiber optic, ethernet, or even wireless systems, INC is ready to get the job done right.
If you have additional questions on this process, please call us directly at 888-519-9525 or request a quote here. Our team will work with you to prepare the site survey and customize your installation project.