There have been some fantastic examples recently on LinkedIn and from our engineers, of flawless datacomms cabinet patching, along with perfectly dressed cables along the containment and within the cabinets. 

It is a major skill to be able to dress cables into cabinets perfectly, but looking good is not everything is it?

At Scenariio, it is not just about the cables and how they look, it is also about how both the cabling and the cabinet and their contents improve business performance.

Although it is not just about the cabling, we will always advocate using a quality product set to ensure the longevity and excellent performance, that’s why we recommend Commscope because of the performance above standards, and the fantastic 25 year warranty, customer service, support and training program.

On top of that at Scenariio, we take an holistic view to ensure a cabinet's content functions and performs seamlessly with the entire IT networking infrastructure.

So what are the top 10 things to consider when installing a new cabinet or updating one?

1. Location –

Is it going at high level to avoid forklifts or people interfering? If so how do you access it easily?

Is it going at low level to assist the constant access requirements? If so where is it best to go so that it is not a physical obstacle?

Is there enough space around it to get the doors open and for getting servers and large switches in and out of the cabinet and also in and out of the room?

Obviously you need to consider the cable run distances to be able to meet the current Cat6/Cat6A/Cat7/Cat8 standards, but you must also consider cable routing, cable volume/capacity, along with the patching design and general cable management within the cabinets.

Is it in the best position for the business? Remember that the small cleaning cupboard at the end of the building on the 7^th floor is not always the best place for the nerve centre of the business!!

2. Power protection –

Does the cabinet or Comms Room need a UPS and/or generator for power backup? This provides a battery backup in the short term, and a generator powered system in the medium term, to ensure that crucial IT services remain up and running, if there was to ever be a power cut, power surge, or even to protect it against an accidental (or deliberate) switch off.

3. Fire suppression –

People sometimes consider what to do if the power is cut, and the effect that it will have on the network when the power first goes down, and subsequently afterwards whilst it is down. Normally power outages are short term.

Unfortunately, not enough people consider the effects that a fire would have on the down time of a comms room or even a remote cabinet location through fire or serious heat exposure, and therefore the overall effect that this will have on the business.

There are a number of solutions, that can be cabinet mounted, or standalone for the entire room. Either way, these do not need to be expensive at all, but offer substantial value for money versus the replacement of the IT infrastructure costs without even considering the business costs.

Current standards are based on providing an HFC227EA, FM200, or Heptafluoropropane, gas system that suppresses the oxygen in the cabinet or room, and as a result removes one of the 3 elements required for a fire – fuel/heat/oxygen, therefore stifling the fire whilst remaining safe for humans.

Smart sensors can identify the rising temperature before a fire starts, and also identify the oxygen levels as the systems operate.

4. Access control –

You must seriously consider who might get in the Comms Room or cabinet, and who do you actually want in these important places?

Who should have access to which rooms or cabinets?

Using smart tech control systems will provide you with instant information on who has gained access and when if required.

5. Surveillance –

Smart cameras linked to the security system will also provide valuable eyes in remote locations, if they are set up correctly and provide useful and prompt notifications.

6. Environment –

Does it need IP environmental protection from dust or water spray, or even on some of our more industrial sites, advanced IP rated kiosk for rain and snow protection?

Will it remain dry and clean over time?

How do you know if there is water ingress or high dust levels without a smart sensor detecting the environment?

7. Temperature –

If the cabinet is indoors, does it need air-conditioning? If so is there enough power for the air-conditioning and the cabinet when it is fully loaded (future proofing)?

Does the room need hot and cold aisles?

If it is outdoors, does the cabinet need air-conditioning or warming?

Either way, you will also need to consider the power protection to the air-conditioning or warming units.

Smart sensors will also tell you the temperature, and help identify if the is an A/C failure before it becomes a problem.

8. Power design –

It is really important to consider both the current and the future room or cabinet usage in relation to the power requirements especially as the business grows, and the room or cabinet expand and evolve.

Consideration must also be made for the power reliance – are twin power feeds required?

9. Floor weight loading –

What is the cabinet weight when it will be fully loaded with cabling and all the hardware, and what else may end up being put into the room? Can the floor take that loading? Is it future proofed?

10. Monitoring –

The power, environment, access, security, temperature, humidity, moisture and oxygen levels (and more besides) can all be monitored using smart sensors, but have you considered windows being left open/closed, doors being left open/closed, or lights left on or off?

Why not monitor these to help keep costs down by not excessively heating or cooling rooms, control these all remotely, and even turning individual lights on and off with activity automatically, whilst providing data from these sensors that help you run your business more efficiently?

At Scenariio we don’t just care what it looks like – we also care about how it performs for our customers, and the effects on their business, whilst also taking into account the effects on the environment and keeping to our customers’ financial constraints.