If you’ve been in the colocation and data center industry for a while, you’ll know it doesn’t take long to realize how important data center cable management is to the success of a facility. In fact, bad cable design has the potential to “wreak havoc” across an enterprises’ data systems.
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That’s according to a new ebook from Sunbird Software that outlines the “7 Best Practices for Simplifying Data Center Cable Management.” That’s right, it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it has been in the past. Enter: Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software.
In years past, data center cable management was often a problem reserved for network engineering experts. But what’s known in the industry as “Spaghetti” cabinets — among other issues stemming from faulty or ill-considered cabling — makes it hard for even these experts to do their job, and can also create an unsafe operating environment for your equipment, Sunbird points out.
Perhaps even more alarming, bad cable management practices can even keep modern data center environments from being able to adopt and adapt to new tech, like the Internet of Things (IoT) or big data.
More organizations are recognizing the importance of good cable management for modern data centers.
Although there have been improvements in cable design and installation in recent years, according to the report, “many still struggle to instill good data center cable management behaviors across their environments.”
DCIM software is being used as a data center tool to cut down on the complexity of cable management.
In the new Sunbird Software eBook, the company walks through a list of best practices for good data center cable management, as well as real-world tips from our experts and examples of how DCIM software can potentially work in your own enterprise.
The seven following steps are outlined in detail in the new Sunbird eBook:
- Design your data center cabling infrastructure visually.
- Document cabling installation.
- Measure the length of cable you need before installation.
- Create precise instructions for data center cable installation.
- Validate your connections.
- Leverage data to keep track of your data center connectivity capacity.
- Plan for now and in the future.
The job of data center cable management can often keep network engineers and data center managers busy dodging problems like “spaghetti” cabinets, poor documentation, and an inability to adapt to new technology — instead of focusing on innovation and customer needs.
That said, good data center cable management has the potential to do quite the opposite — making it faster and easier for network teams to efficiently troubleshoot and maintain your data center environment
“Combine these data center cabling best practices with DCIM software, and you’ll be well on your way to driving sustainable behaviors that foster precise and accurate cable planning, installation, and management,” the new Sunbird report states.
Download the new eBook, “7 Best Practices for Simplifying Data Center Cable Management,” courtesy of Sunbird Software, to learn more about how DCIM can work for your enterprise.
Data Center Frontier is edited by Rich Miller, the data center industry’s most experienced journalist. For more than 20 years, Rich has profiled the key role played by data centers in the Internet revolution.