5 Important Considerations When Planning For Structured Cabling

Planning for structured cabling can be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to setting up new building projects or adding wiring to existing structures. Done correctly, structured cabling can provide a building tenant with a cohesive system that offers uninterrupted service. Here are five important considerations when planning for structured cabling.

1. Indoor Vs. Outdoor
Will your cables be placed inside or outside? This decision has a big affect on the layout of your cables and the kind you use. Outdoor cables need to be installed in a specific way if they are to work as effectively as possible. On the other hand, indoor cables need to be installed in a manner that does not interrupt the aesthetic of the building.

Ask yourself this question: Have you considered the importance of using direct burial cables even in PVC in order to prevent major outages and digs in the event that cable is damaged by water, frost or other acts of nature?

2. What Kind Of Bandwidth Will You Require?
This is a huge concern for businesses that are going to be transmitting a large amount of data through their networks. If your structured cables cannot support the amount of bandwidth that your organization requires, it can lead to some serious issues and have a negative impact on the bottom line.

Ask yourself this question: You may have the newest and fastest hardware in the data center, but does your cabling support your head end today and into the future?

3. Moves, Adds, Changes and Your Furniture Locations
How well will your structured cables handle moves and changes, sometimes referred to as MACs? This is an aspect of planning for structured cabling that is critical to providing scalability and flexibility for the structure. If your structured cables do not support moves, it will be very limiting for the building’s tenants. Consider how likely it is that the cable layout in the building in question will need to be changed.

Where in your building will desks, conference tables, and server racks be located? This information plays a critical role in deciding how you go about planning the layout of your structured cabling. Certain kinds of furniture may support a specific type of cabling, which means you have to be certain that the cabling you install matches the furniture being used in the building. If not, it could lead to an unattractive office space or one that does not work as effectively as it could.

Ask yourself this question: Are you setting up for just what you have today or for what may come in the future?

4. Planning MDF and IDF Locations
Many people don’t realize that different cable types are limited as to how far they run. For instance, network cable isn’t supposed to run over 300 feet and if it is run further then signal can be lost to the devices at the edge.

For those less familiar with the term MDF and IDF, think of MDF as the hub for your equipment and IDF as the spokes. By properly planning where your head end system is and then planning for your spokes, you can make sure that cable runs are never too long and any changes down the line are less labor intensive.

Ask yourself this question: Have you planned for flexibility by putting your network closets in the right locations?

5. Government Regulations
Some states and cities require a specific kind of cabling system to be used based on the way that municipal power networks are set up. Be sure that you are well aware of any of these regulations before you start designing your structured cabling. If there are any doubts, get in touch with the governing body that oversees cabling regulations in your area and see what they say about rules that are in place about cabling.

Ask yourself this question: Do you know which cables need to be in conduit? How about which cables need to be plenum versus non-plenum?

Once you have been able to think about these and other considerations when planning for structured cabling, you can begin to move towards finalizing your design and getting your cabling installed. Be sure to work with a company that you can depend on to help you come up with a strategy for structured cabling and then execute it properly so that your cabling fits your budget as well as your operating needs.

At Pentegra Systems, we work closely with our clients to provide them the right audio, video, low voltage and collaboration technologies that support their business goals. Serving customers throughout Chicagoland, Pentegra aspires to be the first company you call for your system integration needs. Ready to learn more, connect with us here. We are happy to help!