Wireless connections are a great thing, as you can connect devices to the Internet and one another without the need for cables. Sadly, many of us don’t use wireless devices much beyond Wi-Fi. As we continue to use an increasing number of devices, all of which use cables, it can be hard to keep them in order. If you have a mess of cables in your office, it may be time to straighten them out.
Like most things in business, organization is key, and a neatly organized cable system not only helps IT, but can help ensure you can troubleshoot/repair if an IT professional isn’t available to do so in person.
If your server room/office looks like a Jackson Pollock painting, there are a few measures you can take to ensure a neat and tidy set of cables.
Use a cabling professional. If you are starting out with a new system, or moving offices and need to lay new cable, it’s a good idea to skip the DIY and contact a professional who can help. This will help minimize cable mess along with potential performance and connection issues.
Make a device map. On a piece of paper or chart, depending on how many devices you have, mark every device, assign them a unique number and mark what they connect to. For example, if you have a server and five computers, all these should link to the server.
Tag on the hub. Use the numbers you’ve just applied to the devices and mark their current location on the Patch Panel – the panel on a server or electrical device where you attach cables. For example, If Computer #1 connects to Patch Panel B, mark this on the panel.
Untangle those wires. Once you know the connection location, you can unplug all the cables, untangle them and plug them back in, in an orderly manner. Use Zip-Ties or twist ties to link cables together to make them easier to move or keep track of.
Use colored cables. If you have different types of devices connected to one hub, it’s a good idea to use different colored cables so you know what is connected. For example servers could be red cords, printers yellow and computers white/blue.
Is your cabling in need of a good organizing but you lack the time or are unsure of how to go about it? Contact us, we can help.
Published on 19th October 2012 by Jeanne DeWitt.
