Top 6 Data Centre Cabling Tips & Best Practice Guide

[Part #3 Cabling Tips 2013] Mike has been busy network cabling around London but that doesn't mean he's too busy to share some troubleshooting advice for the most common network problems...

Data Centre Cabling Tips & Best Practice Guide

Many data networks are pushed to their limits as newer, faster technology like servers, switches, routers and storage are added to network. To make sure data centre cabling is working to the optimum, the installation needs careful planning to give maximum performance with minimum problems.

Every data centre has a different specification and lay out, but they all have the same requirement for high performance cabling to transport information. 

To help the system run smoothly, follow my top 6 data centre cabling tips & best practice:

1. Don’t compromise on performance
   Quality components give the best performance and compromising on cabling will slow down the network
2. Don’t underestimate capacity.
   Build in extra capacity from the start to avoid costly cabling upgrades. Allowing room for growth is cheaper in the long term.
3. Take time over design and specification.
   Get data cabling engineers to explain cable specifications and make sure the minimum technical spec matches your requirements.
4. Keep cables short.
   Data cables should be as short as possible and without kinks or bends to avoid performance deterioration
5. Separate power and data.
   Do not run data cables and power cables alongside each other – it’s better to have one in the floor and the other overhead
6. Keep cool!
   Data centres generate a lot of heat, so good ventilation that cools components is vital. Cooling the system can also save energy. 

Following data centre cabling best practice is money well spent that avoids introducing problems in to the network at installation that will need tracking down at a later stage.