The effective management of power and data cabling is vital to ensure efficient operation of data centres. There are lots of parameters that can be used to measure the efficiency of the power and cabling equipment in a data centre, including the general physical layout, cable traceability, ventilation and cooling performance, troubleshooting time, and so on. If you intend to install power and data cabling infrastructure in your data centre and want to get the most service from it, here are a number of effective tips you can follow during installation.
Avoid stacking bundles of cable high up
Tying up multiple data cables into compact bundles with cable ties is a good way to make the cables look neater and prevent them from cluttering your work station. But you should be careful not to put multiple bundles on top of each other, as this can weaken the performance of the cables beneath. In addition, avoid placing larger bundles of data cables on top of smaller ones because the cables underneath can easily get damaged under the weight of the cables on top of them.
Comply with industry standards
If you want to get top performance from your power and data cabling equipment, it pays to comply with industry standards. Use cabling components, such as patch cables and panels, cable ties, overhead cable pathways, etc., that are recommended by industry experts so you can avoid the downtime that is often caused by the use of substandard or inferior-quality components. Mark you, going for low-cost parts so you can save on installation costs is a move that can backfire when the cheaper parts end up calling for frequent repairs or premature replacements.
Reduce the effects of EMI
EMI is the short form for electromagnetic interference, which is a phenomenon that arises when current-carrying power cables or electrical equipment interfere with data transmission through data cables. Whenever possible, power cables and data cables should be segregated from each other. Aside from that, data cables should be kept a safe distance from electrical equipment used in the data centre, such as radios, TVs, computers, cellular phones, telemetry equipment, fluorescent lights, etc. If there is no other option but for power and data cables to cross, they should cross perpendicular to each other to help minimise EMI.
Setting up a data centre is not an easy job, particularly because you have to be sensitive to the different requirements for both power and data cabling. But with an experienced cabling contractor at your disposal, you have no reason to worry when it is time to install your power and data cabling infrastructure.
