Great Lakes Case & Cabinet: Breaking Down Cable Management

Data center managers and IT professionals will always have need for cable management accessories and network organizers. While some regulatory standards have been passed by TIA, especially for labeling and color coding, there is little enough in relation to cable management. By understanding the ten major organizational parts of a data center cabinet and the effect that proper organization can have on both efficiency and your bottom line, you can take steps towards implementing a holistic data center design in your facility.

1. Overhead Cabling Ladder Racks & Relays – These systems facilitate the flow of cable in and out of enclosures. The infrastructure supports cable bundles at the entrance point to the cabinets and should be completely separate from the cabinets to ensure quicker MAC (moves, adds and changes) work.

2. Cable Rings & Management Posts – Mounting rings and posts can attach to rails without interfering with EIA standards. Able to be used individually or in groups, cable rings expand your flexibility when addressing a unique need for your data center – whether that's a stray cable here or a larger breakout-kit there. By implementing posts in the design, too, cables are much more easily confined when breaking out from a waterfall or cable dropout.

3. Rack Mount Cable Organizers – Direct attach cable organizers are panels which can be applied between patch panels and other rack mount units. Covers hide cables as they connect, providing an extra layer of protection at the connectivity point, and a series of small channels help divert cable and installer to the proper port.

4. Vertical Management & Cable Organizers – Vertical management and organizers are perfect for safely enclosed routes bundled vertically into enclosures from overhead infrastructure. Variations can be fit into both front and backs of cabinets, allowing for an organized, neat approach from all sides.

5. Filler Panels – In order to prevent by-pass airflow or to save rack-mount space for future patch panels, filler-panels can be installed. The blank panels are very quick and easy to install.

6. Baffle Kits & Brush Grommets – Brush grommets and baffle kits and entrance and exit points in your enclosures, which allow cables to pass through while maintaining isolation of airflow. When used in conjunction, cool air is directed in and exhaust air is directed out of side-to-side airflow equiplement. They are also able to be mounted to rails with no tools!

7. Lacing Bars – Horizontal and vertical options that are fully adjustable through either the front or rear of cabinets. The bars can be placed at any necessary location and create attachment points for cables and straps.

8. Cable access & floor panels – Large cable bundles can easily pass through the bottom of enclosures. Floor panels, grommets and baffle kits maintain the airflow integrity of your data center design while deploying cabling in a hidden, organized manner. Often this is best used with a raised flooring solution.

9. Strain Relief Bars – Strain relief bars provide structural support for cables across the enclosure. These will come equipped with attachment points for cable straps.

10. Waterfall Brackets & Horizontal Troughs – Horizontal cable management routes large bundles from front to rear and from above cable lines to cabinets and enclosures. These pieces of equipment create a safe bend radius for distributed cables.

Cable management is not an accessory or an 'extra' for your data center. Maintaining an organizational element to your facilities design can drastically lower your bottom line for installation and upgrade costs. To see how additional components can affect your data centers operation and improve infrastructure for the better, see this guide by Great Lakes Case & Cabinet which breaks down cable management even further.

To learn more about Great Lakes Case & Cabinet or other telecommunications products, contact your local Accu-Tech representative today, here.