What is structured cabling?

Structured Cabling is a set of standards that determine how to wire a data center, office or building for data or voice communications, typically using Category 5 or Category 6 cable and modular sockets. These standards define how to lay the cabling in a star formation, such that all outlets terminate at a central patch panel (which is normally 19 inch rack-mounted), from where it can be determined exactly how these connections will be used. Each outlet can be 'patched' into a data network switch (normally also rack mounted alongside), or patched into a 'telecoms patch panel' which forms a bridge into a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system, thus making the connection a voice port.

Lines patched as data ports into a network switch require simple straight-through patch cables at the other end to connect a computer. Voice patches to PBXs in most countries require an adapter at the remote end to translate the configuration on 8P8C modular connectors into the local standard telephone wall socket. In the U.S., no adapter is needed, as the 6P6C plug used with RJ11 telephone connections is physically compatible with the larger 8P8C socket and the wiring of the 8P8C is compatible with RJ11.

It is normal to see different color patch cables used in the patch panel to help identify which type of connection is being carried, though the structured cabling standards do not require this, except in the demarcation wall field.

The standards demand that all eight connectors in the Cat6 cable are connected, resisting the temptation to 'double-up' or use one cable for both voice and data. This is generally a good thing as it means that they fully support features such as Power over Ethernet which require the so-far unused brown cables.

Structured cabling falls into the following key components:

Key Components
Key components of the Structured Cabling design include the entrance facility, main equipment room, backbone cable, backbone pathway, Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF), and horizontal distribution system. We can show you how to develop an online inventory and management system that will let you take control of these critical infrastructure resources.

New buildings require voice, data, and video wiring and electronics facilities within the building to support the newest forms of telecommunications. A series of standards has been developed to provide guidance in designing new buildings and remodeling older facilities. The list of facilities that need to be taken into consideration are building entrance facilities, entrance wiring closets, floor wiring closets protection and grounding, backbone raceways, horizontal raceways, backbone wiring, and horizontal wiring. A more definitive document exists which identifies the considerations and options for architectural and engineering areas supporting telecommunications within a building. The document should be used for design activities, as the following material is a summary.

Entrance facilities
Cabling must enter the building underground and usually within 4 inch conduits. Three or more of the conduits will be required to connect an entrance wiring closet to the nearest manhole or other location with telecommunications facilities. Consideration is required for the type of conduit, depth of bury, separation from other conduits bends in the conduit, conduit capping and seals, manhole sizes, and pull lines.

Entrance wiring closet
Exclusive use of a room for placement of electronics and terminations of cable of many types, which supply the building with telecommunications. Security is required and the room cannot be shared with other functions in the building. Considerations for the facility are floor weight load factors, water avoidance, lighting, electrical access, room size, electrical grounding, HVAC, and location near the building entrance facility.

Floor wiring closet
Exclusive use of a location on each floor to facilitate the electronics and cabling distribution for the floor. If the floor is large enough, with long cable runs, more than one room may be required on each floor. Security requires that the room not be shared with other building functions. Considerations for the facility are floor loading factors, water avoidance, ceilings and walls, fire door, lighting, electrical access, room size, electrical grounding, HVAC, floor location, and cable run maximum lengths.

Backbone raceways
Backbone raceways are a series of accesses that connect the entrance wiring closet to the various floor wiring closets. These paths permit cable to be placed between the floors. They may be slots, sleeves, conduits or trays and racks in which cables may be routed for support and protection. Considerations are the size, quantity, and seals. If conduits or sleeves are used, the 4 inch size is preferred. The in depth document contains a table giving the number of paths needed, based upon building size.

Horizontal raceways
The horizontal raceway carries the cable from the floor wiring closet to the various rooms on the floor. There are many types of systems available today and the pros and cons of each are covered in the detail document. Ceiling trays used in conjunction with utility columns and conduit paths are the preferred method of horizontal distribution. The nature of the building usage may justify another type of cable path. Considerations for the path include bends or curves, size, conduit run lengths, and outlet boxes.

Main Equipment Room

• Cables
• Cross-connecting blocks
• Patch panels
• Jumpers
• Connecting hardware
• Pathways (supporting structures such as cable trays, conduits, and hangers that support the cables from the Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) to the work areas)

Document your cabling using our RCDD services

Why Document Your Cabling?
Your network is one of your company's most valuable assets. It's the central nervous system of your organization and it's growing along with your network management problems. Your challenge is to harness the power of exploding technology and make it work for you. Every minute spent tracking data, reconfiguring your cable or searching for the source of a problem means loss of time and productivity and loss of profit. Cable  documentation can help maintain the integrity of the network by tracking the continuity through equipment, patch cords, cross-connects, connectors, cables, and outlets. It encompasses the design and maintenance of the cable . Cable  documentation can be an ally against the ravages of system downtime, giving you the power to configure your cable  so you have fewer network problems.
Cable  Documentation Can:

• Reduce the time it takes to modify the original installation.
• Minimize network downtime.
• Increase the life of a cabling .
• Reduces the number of technicians needed to handle problems.

Let us work with you to develop a Network Management system you can use to manage all of your cable , including all the connectivity, connectors, pathways, and device relationships to truly visualize and understand your network's infrastructure. Let's get started today.

Site Survey Free Accurate Estimates! Free Site Surveys are always given to qualified individuals to provide the customer with professional technical recommendations with no sales pressure. An accurate assessment of your requirements from day one is the only way to gather crucial information for you cabling installation. No two installations are ever the same, even in the same building. We do things right the first time. Various factors must come into consideration for any installation such as building structures, environmental concerns, building codes, building and town licensing, working along side other trades and so forth. Every piece of data gathered during this site survey will be incorporated into the entire scope of work. Often change orders after-the-fact can make a seemingly inexpensive installation quite costly in the long run. Mason Technologies Inc will never change an agreed upon pricing structure unless either the scope of work changes or an act of god. RCDD Design Assessment A Mason Technologies Inc. RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) will assist you one-on-one in assessing the needs of your simple to complex needs. We will address the immediate needs of your installation, as well as, brief you on the considerations for future growth and technology changes presenting future scenarios you may not have thought of. All specifications of your installation shall be met, complete with precise building and implementation of racks, cable trays, conduit, and patch panels, phone blocks and other related items. During our cabling runs we pay close attention to the important details that could affect the performance of your cables. Installation Workmanship Team Mason Master Technicians are the “best-of-breed” when it comes to industry hiring standards. You can be assured of always having clean-cut professional Master Technicians to work with you every step of the way. We work on YOUR schedule, adhering to YOUR timelines. Mason Technologies Inc ensures that the design and workmanship comply and often exceed the BICSI standard to provide you worry-free integration and future consideration for applications. Safety Mason Technologies Inc. is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for our coworkers. Our business is always conducted in such a way that ensures the health and well being of our employees, contractors and any person affected by our activities. We believe all accidents are preventable, and we continuously develop an uncompromisingly safe and healthy work environment for all employees Certification Upon completion of any work performed, Mason Technologies Inc undergoes a series of industry standard testing and certifications on your cabling which guarantee your installation is top-notch to ensure your new or existing infrastructure meet and exceed the industry standards. Customers are also provided with documentation in both hard and soft copy formats with any recommendations for improvement of the infrastructure. Warranty Our assurance protection policy provides limited lifetime warranty for the passive components of your structured cabling system and any related changes or additions that you, the user, purchase, as long as they are designed/approved, installed, verified, and maintained by Mason Technologies Inc, exclusively. Assurance protection means that your System will work now and in the future. Mason Technologies Inc warrants that the cabling system will continue to operate the application or applications it was designed to support.