Data Centers

Server room cabling nightmare

By · June 25, 2007, 6:45 AM PST · billdetwiler

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  • What I started with

    Although wireless technologies can reduce the cable clutter hidden behind many desks, server rooms remain a haven for power cords, network cables, and peripheral wiring. Unfortunately, many server rooms are built with little or no regard for cable organization. Such a lack of planning can quickly turn an orderly environment into a cabling nightmare.

    Our Server room cabling nightmare gallery chronicles a project that brings order to cable chaos.

    Just a complete mess of spaghetti.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • Another view of the start

    Plainly someone did not know how to do cabling.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • Tops of the racks

    Many 35-foot and 50-foot cables were run from rack to rack because the people who installed the wiring did not have the sense to order the correct lengths and used what they had.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • Cables all removed

    Half of these bins did not exist prior to the start of uncabling the mess.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • After removal

    This is how it all starts. Nice and clean. No idiotic mess of spaghetti!

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • More after removal

    My that looks so good!

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • Only power and network

    This is all that belongs on top of a rack in my opinion. These will be neatly coiled up before any wiring gets put back in.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • All my neat little bins

    All nice and neat and tucked away where they belong. Once all the wiring is completed, most of this will be given to other people

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • Everything re-racked

    Now everything is re-racked and the power has been completely re-done.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • Nice and neat power

    How the power should look. We don't like management arms.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • The Model

    This is our model rack.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

  • The Model II

    Top of the model rack.

    &copy Webshots - camarodave

What I started with

Although wireless technologies can reduce the cable clutter hidden behind many desks, server rooms remain a haven for power cords, network cables, and peripheral wiring. Unfortunately, many server rooms are built with little or no regard for cable organization. Such a lack of planning can quickly turn an orderly environment into a cabling nightmare.

Our Server room cabling nightmare gallery chronicles a project that brings order to cable chaos.

Just a complete mess of spaghetti.

&copy Webshots - camarodave

Related Topics:
Data Centers Networking Hardware Virtualization Storage Cloud

By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the ...

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