Untangling the secret to organizing your network closet

There’s nothing worse than messy things; tangled Christmas tree lights; knotted extension cords; poorly assembled Italian beef sandwiches. But when your business depends on clearly marked and organized network cabling – you can’t afford things to be messy. Before you ask, ‘well how hard can it be to organize a network closet?’ you might be interested to know the answer is: Very.

There multiple factors to consider when building a network closet:

So. Many. Cables.

Ethernet cables come in a variety of colors and depending on the size and scale of your business and you may be routing printers, computers, fiber optics, video systems, modems, security, internet, transaction data and UPS. Using different colors can help you partition each of these, making maintenance, moves or changes much easier on your technicians.

Fasteners

Whether its zip ties or Velcro, all cables need to be gathered so they can be neatly routed and organized for easy access.

Labels

If you’ve ever swapped out an HDMI or A/V component on your home stereo or home theater, you know how important it is to know which wire belongs to where. It can be extremely frustrating (not to mention time consuming) to backtrack through your wiring to discover that your DVD player is plugged into your auxiliary 1 and not your auxiliary 2 jack. Network closets aren’t exactly a home stereo, but you get the picture – labels are your friend.

Hardware

In addition to the items already mentioned, network closets can also include patch panels, hubs, bridges, switches and routers – all adding to the complexity and detail of the build out.

Regulations

That’s right – you can’t just install a network closet anywhere. Federal regulations provide guidelines for any network closet that must meet certain environmental requirements that include power supply, heating/venting/cooling and must be secure from unauthorized access and meet all applicable building/safety codes. At a glance, network closets should adhere to the guidelines governing items such as the following:

• Floor, ceiling and floor material
• Temperature and humidity
• Lighting
• Power outlets
• Cable access
• Room equipment and access

Understanding the scale and scope of the overall system, whether it’s a small office network or large-scale plant operation, no two network closets are the same and performance demands an organized and thought out cabling system before any build out can begin. Unless you have thoroughly trained technicians for your networking project, this isn’t DIY territory. Italian beef sandwiches on the other hand…

For more than thirty years, SYSTCOM has been providing a broad range of high-quality, low-voltage technology systems throughout the Mid-Atlantic area – more specifically the counties intersecting with Baltimore and Washington D.C.  One of SYSTCOM’s primary offerings is Professional Audio Visual (A/V) Services. 

As a local area leader in the design and installation of Professional AV systems, whether new construction or retrofitting older structures, SYSTCOM combines both the art and science to the growing demand for end-to-end A/V systems.  Careful planning and communication is key to the delivery of any successful project. In addition, there must be a thorough understanding project specifics such as acoustics, electronics and budget constraints which all play a part in any installation.

With so many different system configuration options, SYSTCOM has the right tools and talent for any type of job. Projects at a school with multiple classrooms, offices, music rooms, hallways, a cafeteria and auditorium can be very different than a business or government facility with web/conference rooms fitted with microphones, podiums, projectors and digital signage spread across multiple floors or buildings. The size, uniform placement, output levels, speakers, amplifiers and controls are custom to each installation.

While designing the visual piece of “A/V” is more formulaic (power supply placement, projection or light requirements), the audio piece can be more challenging. The overall performance of any system will be influenced by the overall acoustics and the space. With difficult room acoustics, combined with improper speaker placement, the effectiveness or fidelity of the sound will be impacted negatively. The most obvious of challenges in live environments include the size of the room – rooms are rarely designed with the audio experience in mind! At a glance, the following features can have an impact on a system’s performance:

• Room size/dimension: Will sound need to travel down a hallway? In a conference room or office? Or a loud auditorium or cafeteria?
• Construction: Is the environment constructed of wood or concrete? Does the environment have high amounts of glass, carpet or tile?
• Reflectivity: How will speaker placement handle different frequency sound waves or echoes?

At the end of the day, the end product should fit seamlessly into any infrastructure, almost invisible to the eye but integral to everyday activities.

Thanks to ongoing relationships built over time, the many customers across the 30-mile patchwork of counties in and around Washington D.C and Maryland have come to depend on SYSTCOM for an array of A/V expertise.