So I was debating with co-workers what TIA defines as a cross-connect. We have the technical definition but the actual details behind it is fuzzy.
A cross-connect--in my mind--is the number of hops from point A to Z. So to get from a switch to a server, if we're going directly from port-to-port without the assistance of patch panels, is 0 cross-connects in my mind because we're going directly from device to device.
Now if we had to connect the two points via an MDF then I would consider the MDF to be one cross-connect. And if we had to cross-connect through multiple MDF's--let's say one additional--then I see that as two cross-connects.
What my co-workers are arguing is that it is 4 cross-connects because they're counting the number of patch panels in between. So if we have a situation where we're going from server rack (which has a patch panel), to an HDA consolidation point (which has 2 patch panels one from the server rack and a second one to another networking rack) that connects to another consolidation point (same configuration as the previous HDA rack), that goes to another server rack I'm counting 4 cross-connects. They're insiting that it's 8 because they're actually counting the number of patch panels that the signal has to travel through to get from point A to Z.
I personally would have to agree with the co-worker on this one. Although you both have very good argument. I think it really depends on each person, and that no one is really right or wrong on this.
Cross-connects
