Data centres, servers and the associated network cables are integral parts of any office’s IT network. Their quality and effectiveness determine the speed at which critical data can be transferred between connected devices, and any issues with them can have a profound effect on a business’s overall efficiency and productivity.
It is crucial, therefore, that any firm’s office cabling is installed, maintained and managed efficiently but unfortunately this is quite often simply not the case. If this sounds like a problem your own business has encountered, the following top office cabling tips could help you to establish and maintain a far more efficient network.
Take Time to Label
An office network is no straightforward thing. Servers, data centres and associated hardware require a myriad of office cabling to work effectively. If you do not label the network cables, therefore, you are just making more work for yourself in the long run.
It just makes sense, therefore, to avoid all of that hassle by placing a label at each end of every cable when it is installed. If you do this, even for the shortest runs of cable, it makes things so much simpler for you and for any members of your staff who may need to deal with your network cabling in the future.
Introduce Colour Coding
Once you have labelled your cables, introducing colour coding may seem like overkill but it can still prove very beneficial. Using different colours for cables serving certain purposes makes troubleshooting connectivity issues quicker and simpler – even for someone who was not involved in implementing the office cabling system in the first place.
This is the case as having specific colours for cables with different roles within your network infrastructure makes following cable runs easier. When specific issues arise with your network, therefore, the cabling and connections which could be contributing to the issue can be rapidly identified and checked.
Pay Attention to Cable Lengths
This may sound like common sense but it is important to ensure that each network cable you use is the correct length. In many cases, companies will use cables that are simply too long for the connection they are making and that causes a number of easily avoidable issues.
As if that weren’t reason enough to pay proper attention to cable length, wasting network cable is also far from cost-efficient. The cost of an extra foot of cable here and there may not seem like a big deal but it all builds up and is money that you do not need to be spending.
Plan your Infrastructure with Cabling in Mind
It is astonishing how often companies will place their servers and data centres without giving office cabling even a modicum of thought. Poorly designed network infrastructure can lead to the inability to run cable efficiently and is what explains why many offices have unsightly and potentially dangerous cables hanging from the ceiling or running along the floor.
Taking just a few moments to optimise your network infrastructure so that your office cabling can all be run properly and so that is kept cool, therefore, can eliminate those issues before they have even arisen.
If you feel that your office cabling could be made more efficient and that you want some expert help to make the correct improvements, contact Mustard IT today.
