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How to Plan and Design a Structured Cabling System : Key Considerations

A strong structured cabling design is the foundation for a secure IT network. It is important that you invest time and resources to designing a properly designed cabling system that meets your organization's needs and goals. There are other factors to consider, including the location of your activities, bandwidth requirements, code compliance, indoor aesthetics, and more.

The growth of your business or operations requires adequate planning, design, and maintenance.

What is Structured Cabling Design (SCD)?

Companies and organisations prefer structured cabling architecture because it provides the greatest solution for a fast network with minimal power consumption. Structured cabling design refers to minimising the number of cables utilised in your company's network architecture while enhancing high-speed data transport.

A structured cabling system is the wiring network that supports your communication systems, including unified communications, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), data, multimedia, security, PoE (Power Over Ethernet), and wireless. The structured cabling system distributes those communication systems throughout the firm and organisation premises.

The thorough design of this infrastructure has a significant impact on daily operations and can help businesses scale. Companies that use structured cabling design can wave goodbye to tangled wires. This simplifies the task of network managers, as organised cabling systems allow them to identify problems faster. Furthermore, organised cabling design reduces the chance of cabling errors. This also leads to less downtime.

5 Things to Consider When Planning for Structured Cabling Design.

There are a few factors to consider while designing structured cabling for business success. Let us start.

Indoor vs Outdoor Cabling Systems

Will the cable system be indoors or out? That decision has a considerable impact on the design and layout of your cables. Indoor cabling, for example, must be installed in such a way that it does not detract from the overall aspect of a structure. Outside wires should be installed using a different way to ensure maximum efficiency. The cables must be strong enough to endure adverse weather conditions. When placing wires outside, consider direct burying cables.

Cable System Lifespan

Plan for the estimated lifespan of your organization's structured cabling system.

The least life span to plan for is ten years, the average life expectancy is fifteen years, and you should aim for a lifespan of 10 to twenty years. Although network cabling accounts for only 5% of the total network budget, it is the most difficult and expensive component of the network to replace. The labour involved causes severe disturbance to an organisation. So, of all the network components, the cabling system should have the longest lifespan.

Required Bandwidth

Are you a firm or organisation that often transfers huge files? Before installing your cable system, you need first establish your organization's essential demands. That involves determining how much bandwidth you require. Proper and robust technology is almost useless if you don't have the bandwidth to meet your requirements. So consult a contractor or outsourced IT professionals to ensure that your structured cabling system design meets the data transfer rates and hardware.

Keep in mind that you should probably strive for a little larger bandwidth than you now use. This applies to every organisation or company that intends to expand its operations or business in the next years.

Government Regulations

Certain states and towns require the usage of a specific sort of cabling system based on how municipal electrical networks are designed. Before you install your cabling system, make sure you understand the local laws.

If you have any queries about cabling legislation in your area, contact the authority that oversees such rules and ask for guidance. For example, determine which wires should be installed in the conduit. And thoroughly research which ones should be plenum and which should not.

Test Phase

The design process does not end with installation. After completing the basic structured cabling design, test it using commercially available testing equipment. That way, you'll know whether you're ready to install your cabling system or make some alterations and changes.

Without testing, you risk startup delays, downtime, callbacks to the manufacturer, and other difficulties that might lead to unexpected costs.

However, if you test your design and do well in tests of scheduled shutdowns and other circumstances, you will be more protected against unexpected issues.

Conclusion

FTT is your go-to partner for creating strong and reliable cabling systems that fit your business needs. We make sure your network is set up for smooth performance, easy expansion, and future growth. Whether you're building a new system or upgrading what you have, FTT is here to support you every step of the way. Count on FTT to give your business a solid network that stays strong as technology changes, helping you stay ahead in a fast-moving world.