Datacenter Cabling
 

hi Folks,
I'm looking to refurb our aging datacenter (approx 1000U) and am looking at our cabling. Our finances are limited so budget is our main concern. Basicly we are at the point of having 25 racks layed out in a 5x5 grid with all aircon and power in place but now need to run our network cables. What is the best practice regarding networking? Do we put a patch panel in each rack, a matching patch panel in a comms rack and our switches in the comms rack? Do we run our network cables underfloor or overhead (our power is underfloor)? For cost reduction can we just run direct from our servers into our switches? Can we even put a switch in each rack? What physical setup do most people use and what are the pro's and con's of each method?

Thanks for any pointers

Hi, Gordon, and welcome to the forums. There is no "right" answer to your questions; people do all of the things you mention for a variety of good reasons. You'll have to decide which solution optimizes your requirements -- cost, space, bandwidth, scalability, manageability, redundancy, longevity, etc., etc.

In our own remodel, we're using an all-overhead approach: a mix of pre-terminated Cat 6A (Panduit QuickNet) and fiber for horizontal runs, in-rack switches for management networking, in-rack patch panels for commodity and SAN networking and redundant switching at separate locations. To retain flexibility, I recommend a design that allows racks to be replaced, as neded (so, no internal rack-to-rack or pass-through cabling, no hardwired connections, etc.).

I'm sure others will chime in with opinions. Here are some resources where you can read up on cabling:

• Build the Best Data Center Facility for Your Business, D. Alger, Cisco Press, 1-58705-182-6
• Enterprise Data Center Design and Methodology, R. Snevely, Prentice Hall, 0-13-047393-6 (Sun Blueprints series)
• Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers, TIA/EIA/ANSI Standard 942-2005. (Hardcopy version recommended from IHS/Global)
• Cabling Installation & Maintenance magazine

Ken

In a small site I am currently building (10 cabinets, 350 sq ft) for disaster recovery I have made one of the cabinets a zero cabinet for the network switch (Cisco 65xx) and have populated it with a patch field to maximize the use of my limited network ports using Carlyle Rapid Cabling Infrastructure (RCI).

Each cabinet is wired for 24 ports and goes back to the zero cabinet, then the switch will be wired with RCI's from the blades into their own patch field on the bottom of the cabinet panels so I can make cross connects within the cabinet.

This has worked well due to budget constraints, not having to bring in an outside contractor to do the work for me and having limited network ports.

It really depends on budget, your switch hardware and the number of ports per cabinet you're looking at running. Like Ken said there are numerous ways to kill this bird but you've made a good start by asking here.

Best of luck.

SmartCloset is the new standalone self-contained rack from Vertiv, along with inbuilt power and cooling. Also datacenter in cabinet are growing in size to accommodate the need for more IT capacity in data center rack. It facilitates the housing and trouble-free installation of active IT equipment like switches, routers, servers and so on – for which, an open environment is not conducive for healthy performance.

Доставка ролл
 

Доставка роллов Азнакаево +7917 930-95-20
Доставка: +7917 930-95-20 бесплатно от 500р. Режим работы: круглосуточно!

https://vk.com/rollyaznakaevo








"Доставка роллов Азнакаево" "Доставка еды Азнакаево" "Доставка роллов Яна юл" "Доставка еды Яна юл" "Доставка роллов Манауз" "Доставка еды Манауз" "роллы Азнакаево" ""роллы на дом Азнакаево" "еда на дом Азнакаево" "роллы на дом Манауз" "еда на дом
Манауз" "роллы на дом Яна юл" "еда на дом Яна юл" "еда Азнакаево"

Доставка ролл
 

Доставка роллов Азнакаево +7917 930-95-20
Доставка: +7917 930-95-20 бесплатно от 500р. Режим работы: круглосуточно!

https://vk.com/rollyaznakaevo








"Доставка роллов Азнакаево" "Доставка еды Азнакаево" "Доставка роллов Яна юл" "Доставка еды Яна юл" "Доставка роллов Манауз" "Доставка еды Манауз" "роллы Азнакаево" ""роллы на дом Азнакаево" "еда на дом Азнакаево" "роллы на дом Манауз" "еда на дом
Манауз" "роллы на дом Яна юл" "еда на дом Яна юл" "еда Азнакаево"