Data Cabling, No Mess Or Fuss

By Frank Llyod
Cable infrastructure- It is imperative to understand how important the correct data cabling infrastructure is, not only for the elimination of errors and high noise levels. Proper cabling also allows for quick and easy problem solving and overall management. Once installed the installation should also tested extensive to make sure that there are no lurking infrastructural problems which can cause major headaches unlike equipment faults which are normally easy to repair or replace.

Determine your needs- You or your cabling installer should give serious consideration and do a physical survey to the construction type employed, exact location of the wire closet or main server room, determine if an intermediate points from the main distribution point will be necessary (usually a must for larger company's or spaces), take measurements of the various cable runs and any special cable requirements including fibre optics.

Link between environment and cable types- There is a direct link between your network environment and the required cable type. The cabling should without a doubt match the environment as some networks have major incompatible issues with for example fibre or copper installations. Copper cabling will be ideal for environments that require very low noise levels. This can be attributed to optical fibres, Cat5e and Cat6's inclination to interference when electromagnetic and radio frequency's are present.

Network traffic analyze- Network traffic analysis is done by means of a network analyzers or monitors. These tools give installers inside info into broadcast traffic on certain network segment and transmitter packages. Network bandwidth requirements are determined by usage of a network analyzers. These analyzers check the transmission of data over several day and at different times of the day.

Future needs- As your business grows so will your network needs. That's why future bandwidth usage assessments and considerations are so imperative. It is recommended to rather have too much cabling implemented than too little. Inform your network administrator of any possible future plans for the business so that the relevant network changes can be taken into consideration.

Expense- Cat5e, Cat6 or optical fiber cabling options may be more expensive then ordinary copper wiring. Unfortunately, no cheap short-cuts can be taken as it can result in a great waste of effort and money should the incorrect conveyance media be selected. If the network requires a certain cable-install it. Steer clear from any bright ideas that you can get away with cheaper alternatives. This will not save your tons of effort and money in the long run. Cost-saving is also the purpose of current and future bandwidth requirement assessments. Those who want to try do-it-yourself cabling may save a little money now but you most probably don't have the required knowledge and ability to tackle the task. Get as many quotes from as many company's as you possibly can, pricing can vary significantly, depending upon each individual company's pricing criterion.

Quality inspections and test- Quality control in the form of regular inspections is very important to make sure that the installer only uses quality cables, connections and cords. Bit rate error, bandwidth reservation, application identification and differentiations as well as web interfacing tests are absolutely essential.

Successful installation- Successful installation of cables will ensure that the network operates at it's highest potential and functionality. Remember to have the cable installer certify the installation.