When networks go down too often, even after hardware changes have been made to improve performance, system administrators start to worry that the cause of the problem might not be so evident. At that moment, they usually regret not having followed the standards of structured cabling installations.
When the standards are met, such installation allows the integration of all media (voice, data, audio, video…) in one system, apart from providing administrative and management capabilities.
Workstations are connected individually to a centralized cross-connect in the network room or server room. This general structure and organization enables network administrators to identify cables for each individual workstation or area using a simple labeling and coloring system. So we could say that the network room is the center of the network, a place of contact between the workstations and the servers. This is why administrative changes, additions and upgrades must start there.
Before we go deeper into this concept called network topology, let’s mention two benefits of Structured Cabling Systems.
Scalability – We have already said that they are convenient when it comes to performing hardware upgrades (like adding multimedia applications or video conferencing): these changes will take little time and effort. While these upgrades won’t be welcome by what we could call a closed and hard installation, they won’t make a single noise if you’ve followed the standards of a Structured Cabling System. And later, when common issues arise, you can rest assured they will be easily identified.
Control – Centralization of data flow means easier access to information, statistics and the ability to implement internal monitoring and communication tools such as e-mail, file servers, secure messaging, automatic software updates across the entire network, and so on.
Topology of Structured Cabling Systems
Structured Cabling System design begins at the building entrance facilities. There, external cabling interfaces make contact with the internal backbone cabling of your building .
Then, the cables are directed to meet in a passive centralized cross-connect in the network room and equipment room. The interconnections between each of the telecommunications closets, the equipment rooms, and building entrance facilities are made by the backbone cabling, which may include vertical connections between floors, cables that connect equipment rooms and building cable entrance facilities. They may also incorporate cables between buildings for inter-building communication and access. This backbone cabling is what feeds centralized hubs, from which each work group is connected via what is called horizontal cabling systems.
Horizontal cabling sub-systems connect telecommunications outlet and network hubs to each individual workstation. These may be computers, data terminals, telephones, and so on; and they may need special cables, such as patch cables, modular chords, PC adapter cables and fiber jumpers, but remember that this fact won’t affect the structure of your network if it was installed following the standards.
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