n networking, ensuring your components and systems are wired up with each other correctly is crucial. Buildings and campuses are expensive to cable, so it’s imperative that your structured cabling meets the needs of both today and the future.
What is structured cabling? Why is it important? What are the most important components and considerations for this approach to network wiring?
In this article, we’ll tell you all you’ll need to know about structured cabling in networking.
Structured cabling refers to the design and installation of network cabling systems that split a building or campus’s wiring requirements into specific sections or subsystems.
The idea here is to ensure complete compatibility and interoperability between different devices and hardware uses.
In structured cabling, your network will be mapped out before installation. Network designers will usually split your network into zones based on rooms or hardware uses.
Key equipment can then be organised into component rooms where they can operate most efficiently – reducing component redundancy.
This approach differs from point-to-point cabling – where devices are hooked together in an unstructured fashion wherever needed.
What are the key benefits of structured cabling?
There are six main components and areas that make up a standardized structured cabling system.
These are:
What sort of cabling do you need for a structured system as specified above?
For backbone cabling, you’ll need wiring that can handle a large volume of data with no degradation or interference.
CAT6 or CAT6a cabling can handle 10Gbps at a maximum bandwidth of 500MHz, but many large structured networks use single or multi-mode optical fiber cables for backbones.
Your horizontal cabling choices will be dictated by your organization’s specific needs. CAT6 cabling is great here if you are looking to deliver gigabit and above speeds. CAT5e is still popula
n networking, ensuring your components and systems are wired up with each other correctly is crucial. Buildings and campuses are expensive to cable, so it’s imperative that your structured cabling meets the needs of both today and the future.
What is structured cabling? Why is it important? What are the most important components and considerations for this approach to network wiring?
In this article, we’ll tell you all you’ll need to know about structured cabling in networking.