What are the 6 Major aspects of Structured Cabling?

Structured cabling has experienced a sea of changes. Before, businesses were concerned about having structured cabling installation. Today, cabling is about having the speed of connectivity and the ability to connect with high-speed internet.

Structured cabling is one technology that improves connectivity and reduces downtime. Besides, Structured cabling installation technology outlives any other networking components, and it represents five percent of the total investment in the network.

Today, most SMEs are dependent on this futuristic cabling. Structured cabling is composed of six components, each forming a vital cog in the network.

What is a structured cabling system?

A good cabling system is based on standardization. A standardized structure is needed for scalability, integrating new systems, and providing the scope of development. The same requirement is applied to cabling and connectors. The American National Standards Institute and Telecommunications Industry have standards, ANSI/TIA/A-568, to ensure a quality cabling system is installed.

Why is structured cabling important?

Structured cabling installation simplifies the cabling infrastructure, enabling the company to access lightfast communication. Whether the business is going for optic fiber installation or cat6 cable installation, the components have to meet specific standards for electrical connection, cable fabrication, and length.

Structured cabling can improve the maintenance of the cabling system. While utilizing diagnostic equipment, the cable must be compatible with ANSI/TIA-568.0/1 standards. Installation becomes easy with structured cabling, as there is a standardized interface that uses features like snap-in connectors.

The importance of structured cabling is tenfold:

• It simplifies cable installation for SMEs.
• Enables quick setup of the cabling system.
• Makes cabling easily connectable to telecommunication devices and voice connections.
• Standardizes equipment, components, and spare connectors.
• Easier to identify defects and helps in the rectification process using standardized equipment.

Six aspects of components of Structured cabling

The structured cabling installation has comprehensive hardware and connected cables, enabling a perfect infrastructure for data connection.

Structured cabling enables the breakdown of components, making the business easier to troubleshoot, manage, and track. Structured cabling is aesthetically satisfying and helps to organize space.

Here are six important components of structured cabling:

• Horizontal Cabling

Horizontal cabling is found among the horizontal cross-connection within the telecommunication room and wall outlet of the workstation. The cables run horizontally under the floor or ceiling. Horizontal cable runs as far as cabling distances as a backbone of the entire system. As the purpose suggests, it forms the foundation of structured cabling.

• Backbone cabling

Backbone cabling, otherwise known as vertical cabling, helps to connect different rooms in structured cabling installations. Backbone cabling is vital for the access provision area, entrance to the facility, equipment room, and telecommunications room.

Vertical cabling can cover a wide area, run through various floors, or connect many rooms on a single floor. In many cases, vertical cabling has been used to run connections between various buildings.

• Work Space

This area includes various end-user devices connected to the cabling. These end-user devices include computers, laptops, and various other equipment that help support the communication part of SMEs and connect the panels and users with the communication network.

Patch panels are the hardware that provides multiple points, enabling cable organization. Every port in the patch panel contains a wire that goes to various locations. There are panels that are large with numerous ports, while there are others with few connections. Patch panels are a perfect match when opting for cat6 cable installation and fiber optic cable installation.

• Telecommunication Enclosure

A specific telecommunication equipment space is needed for structured cabling. The size of the room is determined by cable termination, cross-connection, distribution of the frame, and the amount of equipment the company requires for its connectivity.

• Entrance facilities

An entrance facility is needed for arranging the connection between the outside cable and the inside of the building. It is the point that marks the starting point of a private network and is the place where the telecommunication connection ends.

There are other pieces of equipment in the given location. This equipment includes connection devices, entering cables, various other cabling components, and materials that connect with private and public network providers.

• Equipment Room

It is the place designated for storing the equipment. It houses terminating devices and telecommunication systems like switches and servers and is stored in equipment. The equipment room is the most secure place, as all the complex technology is stored, which is more sophisticated than the telecommunication room.

Conclusion

Structured cabling is best suited for various small and medium enterprises. The cabling solution makes implementation cost-effective and has been preferred by various SMEs. Structured cabling is scalable, making it more efficient than other cabling solutions.

The components of the structured cabling make the system easy to navigate. Just like cabling has standardization, the component enables the users to understand the basic understanding of the cabling system and how it runs through the business.