Data Center Cabling. Small Considerations that Can Make a Big a Difference. Making IT Matter. DEVICE42 WHITE PAPER April 2015

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Data Center Cabling

Small Considerations that Can Make a Big a Difference

DEVICE42 WHITE PAPER | April 2015

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INTRODUCTION

Managing the physical, logical and cloud infrastructure in a data center involves a comprehensive range of capabilities. These capabilities are expansive and are often categorized in to key areas:

▪ IP Address management ▪ Inventory/asset management

▪ Power and environmental monitoring and control ▪ Impact management

▪ Password management ▪ Cloud management ▪ Cable management

Regardless of how anyone defines these areas, effectively managing a data center all comes down to having a centralized data center management tool that makes IT assets visible, understandable, and controllable.

Despite the infrastructure complexity and accelerating rate of change within the corporate data center, there are issues that seem impervious to change. These topics regularly appear in chat rooms and blogs and while they may not be part of the latest technology trends, they are always relevant. One of these recurring data center issues is network cable management.

This white paper will provide practical guidelines for data center cabling best practices and insight to the tools that facilitate accurate cabling documentation.

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Despite the

infrastructure

complexity and

accelerating rate

of change within

the corporate

data center, there

are issues that

seem impervious

to change

SOLUTION

COMPONENTS

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The Impact of Data Center Cabling

Maintaining neat and orderly structured cabling in the datacenter can be challenging. We know that, because we have reviewed a large number of existing structured cable enclosures, both in person and via photographs. Based on that experience, we have a seen a remarkable number of data centers with cabling in various states of disarray! Because you are reading this, we believe you have also seen and/or dealt with less than optimal cabling. The fact is, even well planned data center cabling can go from neat and orderly to messy and unmanageable over a brief time period and with that comes negative impacts.

While the standards and practices for data center cabling can be extensive, rack cabling can have a significant impact on the serviceability of the data center. With consistent cabling practices, data center staff minimize the variability of rack cabling -- which can have a profound positive effect on planned service changes and service outage resolution times. Conversely, failure to adhere to basic cabling guidelines and standards can create delays in problem resolution, lengthily EMAC times, and generally poor appearance of the data center – to name just a few.

Here is a short list of the most common cabling problems found in many data centers:

▪ Improper cable length - both too long and too short ▪ Direct patching into the switch port

▪ Lack of cabling documentation

▪ Absence of cabling best practices standards

▪ Lack of training to ensure best practices skills and understanding

The remainder of this paper will address ways to prevent or address these problems.

Basic Best Practices Will Help

While cabling best practices documentation can be quite extensive and detailed, implementing basic cabling guidelines within the data center can go a long way toward improving data center operations and appearances.

Consider the following simple practices as a starting point:

▪ Maximize your use of patch panels whether or not the device is in a rack. Most importantly, make sure all switch ports are directly connected to (the rear of) a patch panel. Connections to a switch should always be via a patch panel port.

▪ Minimize or eliminate horizontal cabling into patch panel ports.

▪ Order custom cable lengths with a factory installed patch panel. For example, to connect a 24 port switch, measure the length of the cable run, and order cables pre-configured for the factory installed patch panel, i.e. make sure one endpoint is RJ45 and the other is patch panel.

Because you

are reading this,

we believe you

have also seen

and/or dealt

with less

than optimal

cabling.

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▪ Document patch panel and switch port connectivity. Creating a visual record of connections can expedite service resolution times and provide continuity to cable management teams.

▪ Create a document of best practices and review them with the data center staff. When possible, instruct “in the field” and demonstrate, and practice the correct way to perform cabling tasks. Emphasize that there are no short cuts.

In many instances, “simplicity is the essence of good design” and these guidelines can serve as a starting point for

addressing a host of common cabling issues and provide simple steps to maintaining an orderly approach to cabling in the data center.

A Basic Cabling Approach in Pictures…

The old adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words” is certainly applicable when it comes to data center cabling. The images that follow illustrate several basic cabling concepts.

In Cable Image 1, upper right, we see built-to-order

structured cable bundles. The other ends of these cables are terminated (from the factory) in the rear of 24 port patch panels. Notice there is no plugging into, changing, or touching switch port patch cables. All patching is performed between patch panels.

In the Cable Image 2, left, notice that the remote end of the yellow structured cabling bundles are terminated directly into patch panel ports. The white cabling is from racks, offices, cubicles, etc.

In Cable Image 3, bottom right, we see the front of the patch panels. This is a critical component in maintaining cabling order within the data center. The yellow ports are the switch ports, and in between we see the remote ports, color coded and labeled. The far end of these ports, i.e.: rack, office, cubicle, etc. will have corresponding colors and labeling.

This design utilizes 6 -inch patch cables (yellow cables) to patch the remote port (color coded ports on the panel) into a switch port (the yellow ports on the panel). This minimizes horizontal patching (red cables) into these ports. Notice, how-ever, that there is still some horizontal patching (red cables) present that should be eliminated, if possible.

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Documenting Data Center Cabling

While consistent cable termination practices are an important part of keeping “cable madness” out the data center, accurately documenting cabling connections is also a necessary component in efficiently managing the data center.

This raises the question about how cabling documentation can be created and managed. While documentation

solutions range from completely manual to highly automated,

this document will illustrate Device42’s capabilities. Nonetheless, the examples below illustrate a very effective way to keep clear and accurate representations of your data center cabling.

Using Device42 to document patch panels and switch port connectivity, data centers can elect to document all of their cable connections or some subset thereof. While it is optimal to visualize all port and device connectivity in Device42, some data centers may elect to partially document their cabling.

As a matter of practicality, it is not an absolute requirement to track every connection for effective patch panel and structured cabling management. But then, memorializing your connections only expedites service operations. In any event, you should consider using a cable documentation tool that can provide comprehensive cable management capabilities, such as Device42.

The patch panel layout view, shown in Cable Documentation Image 1 above, allows for visualization of local device, local port, remote port, and remote device.

The important benefit of visualizing data center cabling, as in the illustration above, is that the basics are documented.

The important

benefit of

visualizing data

center cabling ...

is that the

basics are

documented.

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Another example of cabling documentation can be seen in the Patch Panel Documentation images above. These images shows a patch panel connections record in page in edit mode (upper image). The lower image shows how color-coding can indicate the patch panel status (no back connection, open, connected, or one side connected).

The overriding point is that cabling documentation should be a part of your standard cabling practice. Cabling changes should be faithfully entered into your documentation system -- whether you are fortunate to use Device42’s automated cabling documentation or if you use some other form cable record keeping.

IN SUMMARY

The organization and methodology of data center cabling can have a noticeable impact on operations and infrastructure serviceability. Here are a few points to remember:

▪ In the absence of cabling best practices and standards, start simply. Create a few key rules and best practice guidelines that set expectations for data cabling. You can always expand on these practices; so don’t try to establish comprehensive guide-lines at some future date at the expense of starting with a few basics now. Where possible, provide images that illustrate the intended outcome of the guidelines.

▪ Communicate these guidelines in the form of training with data center employees. Despite the experience of the data center employee, it is most effective to make training practical and require employees to demonstrate their understanding of the material.

When possible, document data center cabling. If possible, acquire a tool that facilities the documentation process with features like auto-discovery of the terminated devices, along with drag and drop capabilities that enable easy, rapid documentation creation.

Cabling

changes should

be faithfully

entered into your

documentation

system ...

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ABOUT DEVICE42

Device 42 Inc., a leader in Data Center Infrastructure Manage-ment (DCIM), delivers comprehensive, low cost solutions that enable organizations around the globe to quickly, easily, and effectively manage their complex IT infrastructures. Device42 software centralizes data center management making IT assets visible, understandable, and controllable.

Using Device42, companies can identify, visualize, and manage devices (whether physical, virtual, or cloud), networks components, software, and passwords using a browser interface. Device42 helps companies visualize their infrastructure, understand network interdependencies, improve network security, and mitigate the impacts of planned and unplanned IT network changes. Device42 is delivered as a virtual appliance, is easily installed, and provides comprehensive features including auto-discovery via RESTful APIs for rapid data input and reliable results.

Download a free trial, or schedule a demo of Device42and see why an ever-increasing

number of companies around the globe are using Device42 to manage their data centers.

Additional information about Device42 can be found at www.device42.com.

Device42

enables quick,

easy, and

effective IT

infrastructure

management.