Organising Network Cabinets

[TheHyperTechie]

Hi all,

 

After some advice. It's on my summer list to organise the network cabinets and add some cable management.

 

We have three cabinets, CAB 1 has two switches, CAB 2 has a single switch, and CAB 3 has a single switch. What makes it difficult is that each cab has soooo many patch panels. Panels from our old phone system etc. It's also quite evident that the previous IT person only put in enough switching capacity for what is being used, rather than for all of the patch panel ports.

 

Normally I would simply follow the patch panel, cable holder, switch 'method' but I feel no matter where I place the switch, it will still look a mess. I am not sure what/how/where to place the switch to ensure it doesn't look a mess.

 

I was hoping to see what other people have set up wise with only a single switch in their cabs.

 

If I had it my way, I would rip it all out and start again, but I don't really have the time for this.

 

TIA.

[Olliedawg]

In this case i'd probably put the patch panels which have the most ports in use the closest to the switch, following the usual format of -

 

----- patch panel -----

----- switch -----

----- patch panel -----

 

like you say if you had time you could re-terminate, however not always ideal spending a full day tidying a cab up

[speakercon]

Unless money is no object and the switch per panel method can be done, I always go

 

Fiber Panel

cable management bar

patch panel

cable management bar

patch panel

cable management bar

patch panel

cable management bar

Switch

cable management bar

Switch

 

Looks neat and is easy to make changes, use some velcro cable ties to keep the cables tidy on their way down.

 

I'd remove the old voice panels.

[TheHyperTechie]

In this case i'd probably put the patch panels which have the most ports in use the closest to the switch, following the usual format of -

 

----- patch panel -----

----- switch -----

----- patch panel -----

 

like you say if you had time you could re-terminate, however not always ideal spending a full day tidying a cab up

 

Yeah to be fair, I think this makes the most sense. I might just have to accept I will have the odd cable looking a bit untidy!

[TheHyperTechie]

Unless money is no object and the switch per panel method can be done, I always go

 

Fiber Panel

cable management bar

patch panel

cable management bar

patch panel

cable management bar

patch panel

cable management bar

Switch

cable management bar

Switch

 

Looks neat and is easy to make changes, use some velcro cable ties to keep the cables tidy on their way down.

 

I'd remove the old voice panels.

 

I never thought about this actually... but this could make sense. Although the patch cables would need to be quite long? to reach from the top patch panel to the switches at the bottom. Unless I am thinking of it differently?

[speakercon]

I never thought about this actually... but this could make sense. Although the patch cables would need to be quite long? to reach from the top patch panel to the switches at the bottom. Unless I am thinking of it differently?

Yes, depends if its a wall cab or floor cab? I keep 1m and 0.5m in stock so whichever works best, you end up with a small loop at the bottom but doesn't look untidy imo.

[TheHyperTechie]

Yes, depends if its a wall cab or floor cab? I keep 1m and 0.5m in stock so whichever works best, you end up with a small loop at the bottom but doesn't look untidy imo.

 

Ah that makes sense. Yes they are all wall cabs. Would you mind messaging me a photo? I find it much easier if I can visualise what it might look like

[Jawloms]

I think when you do it, we're going to need before and after pics!

[TheHyperTechie]

I think when you do it, we're going to need before and after pics!

 

haha for sure!

[Jaan]

We sandwich the switch with a patch panel top and bottom.

 

This pic has two switches but its kind like two singles really.

 

Colours are device/vlans types

 

Fiber

Patch

Switch

Patch

Patch

Switch

Patch

 

 

These switch are location in a central IT room, there's 2 more IT rooms either side of it. So 3 IT rooms and the teacher PCs and printers.

 

Students blue

Staff Green

Printers Red

AP Yellow

Edited May 16, 2024 by Jaan

[pete]

We try to alternate patch panel and switch. We'll use cable management bars where appropriate, but not to excess (I'd rather retain the rack units and manage down the vertical posts).

 

While you're rearranging, buy a pack of Rackstuds (the Duo ones). Your hands will thank you and they're easier to use than cage nuts.

 

They're rated up to 20KG and we've hung PoE 2930Ms with all the bays populated with hardware without any concerns.

Edited May 16, 2024 by pete

[hardtailstar]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]71547[/ATTACH]

 

 

The company I work for has exactly this in our server room.

 

We have four cabs

 

Servers all at the bottom and then just like the photo for many switches.

[TheHyperTechie]

Decided that I just need to take it one colour at a time. The cabinet has holes either side, so I will bunch each colour and run them down. I will be positioning both switches at the bottom though, as this way all cables will feed down, rather than some up and down.

 

Thanks.

[adamsund]

I much prefer brush management and I think it might help you on this occasion too. The job below was particularly satisfying. Far too many redundant patch leads so checked switch management software to work out what hadn't been active for x amount of days, made a patching schedule, reconfigured the switches and used new colour coded patch leads. Just the next 5 cab rooms to go......

Edited May 17, 2024 by adamsund

[TheHyperTechie]

I much prefer brush management and I think it might help you on this occasion too. The job below was particularly satisfying. Far too many redundant patch leads so checked switch management software to work out what hadn't been active for x amount of days, made a patching schedule, reconfigured the switches and used new colour coded patch leads. Just the next 5 cab rooms to go......

[ATTACH=CONFIG]71555[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]71557[/ATTACH]

 

Wow... this look great. Yeah I do think brush panels could work. Would you recommend one for for each patch panel?

 

Thanks.

[adamsund]

Wow... this look great. Yeah I do think brush panels could work. Would you recommend one for for each patch panel?

 

Thanks.

 

I would have at least 1 above or below a patch panel, so if you have 2 together, leads can escape somewhere. I created a design in Excel with a before and after. I've attached it if it's any help.

Cab- New layouts v2.1.xlsx

[bobsmith]

https://www.reddit.com/r/cableporn/

 

this should be your go to for rack design.

 

the favourite is:

 

patch

switch--

patch

patch

switch--

patch

 

As for our main cab - with the servers - we made the decision to ban copper from the room - so all the satellite cabs are linked with 10gb fibre back to the core switch - servers are also in that rack but all fibre too.

 

It only involved moving the adjacent classrooms to their own cab outside of the core rack room and then running a fibre back.

 

So much easier to work with.

[aydee]

IME, this is great looking and really satisfying to do, until you have to trace a cable back from patch panel to the switch! When it disappears, it becomes a nightmare to follow, especially if there are tight bends or a lot of cables together!

[adamsund]

IME, this is great looking and really satisfying to do, until you have to trace a cable back from patch panel to the switch! When it disappears, it becomes a nightmare to follow, especially if there are tight bends or a lot of cables together!

 

This is a downside. Thankfully it's very rare we have to do that, but it was even harder in the before picture for us to trace anything! Unless you can afford something like this that is cable management, ethernet cable management, network cable management, patching frames, patch panels (patchsee.com)

[PotNoodleTech]

IME, this is great looking and really satisfying to do, until you have to trace a cable back from patch panel to the switch! When it disappears, it becomes a nightmare to follow, especially if there are tight bends or a lot of cables together!

 

Label each end problem solved?

[TheHyperTechie]

I would have at least 1 above or below a patch panel, so if you have 2 together, leads can escape somewhere. I created a design in Excel with a before and after. I've attached it if it's any help.

 

I have sent you a PM

[TheHyperTechie]

Have ordered all the equipment for this... six cable management bars, a UniFi cloud key rack mount kit, a shelf for the firewall and some patch leads.

 

The school is open for a day over half term, so was thinking about doing it then. However... could be risky. Might just wait until summer

 

Thanks everyone!

Edited May 24, 2024 by HyperTech

[thebatman]

We have two stiles depending on what the cabinet is doing.

For flood wireing, where all ports are active we will do:

 

Patch Pannel

Switch

Patch Pannel

Patch Pannel

Switch

Patch Pannel

Cable Manager

PoE Switch

 

For low populated areas we will put Cable Magers in place of the switches and just have one or two switches at the bottom.

Doing it this way means if we want to go back to flood patching, we can remove the cable managers and put switches in the spaces.

 

[pete]

This is a downside. Thankfully it's very rare we have to do that, but it was even harder in the before picture for us to trace anything! Unless you can afford something like this that is cable management, ethernet cable management, network cable management, patching frames, patch panels (patchsee.com)

 

We had a few of the earlier versions of those patch leads (they send out free demo packs). Back then, the filament protruded enough from the patch lead end to cut into your hand.