3 Steps to Better Cable Management During Your Server Relocation

by Stephanie Faris on Monday, November 10 6:00

During a server relocation, a business has the opportunity to finally organize equipment, peripherals, and racks the way they've wanted to for a while. Over time, a server room can become cluttered and disorganized, making it difficult to manage. A data center relocation offers the perfect opportunity to dispose of clutter and ensure every piece of equipment is located in the best place in the rack.

One of the most important opportunities that arises during an IT relocation is cable management. Server movers will either procure new cabling or move existing cabling. Before the move date, IT professionals will set up routers and run cabling in office spaces to make sure the building is ready for computer movers to set up equipment and prepare it for use. In these early stages before a move, it's important that professionals use the best cable management strategies to provide long-lasting, reliable support to the servers, PCs, and mobile devices connected to the network. Here are three steps to help IT professionals set up cabling in advance of server movers arriving with equipment.

Purchase Cable Organization Tools

Before you begin your cable management project, there are a few things you'll need. Cable organization supplies are available that can help you hold cables together efficiently. These include:

Sleeving--Expandable sleeves wrap around multiple cables to not only hold them together but protect them.

Trays--For large quantities of cords, trays can be effective at holding them in place in sections.

Ties--Made from nylon, ties loop around, fastening tightly around multiple cables. Ties are best in situations where cables are likely to be fixed in a position for a long time.

Velcro Wraps--Less permanent than ties, velcro wraps hold multiple cables together but can easily be removed and reattached as needed.

Use Labels

Labels are essential both before and after the server moving company brings equipment from the old location. Invest in an easy-to-use label maker that will allow you to mark equipment, racks, and cables. Once labels are attached, it will be far easier to trace a cable from one point to the next when a port is suspected to be malfunctioning. You'll also be able to identify equipment by rack, which will save time when employees are sent to troubleshoot a problem or replace a piece of equipment.

Customize Cable Length

When your business orders cables in preparation for an IT relocation, you'll likely be asked to specify a length for each. Instead of blindly choosing cables of the shortest or longest length, carefully plan your equipment cabling and ensure you have the right length for each. While cables that are too short present problems for connects that are far apart from each other, excessively long cabling can result in excess length that must be bundled in order to prevent creating a mess.

If you're preparing for a server relocation, careful planning can make sure your cabling is neat and tidy following the server relocation. By purchasing the right products and organizing and labeling everything appropriately, you'll have a much smoother experience in your day-to-day IT management duties.