Server Rack Cable Management — Best Practices

The process of arranging cables is a creative and, at the same time, technically challenging task that requires logical thinking and the ability to anticipate possible changes in a managed cabling system (MCS). There are no uniform standards and rules for laying power cords in server cabinets.

Reasons for Wire Management

The MCS design process is more about engineering than system administration. However, many system administrators solve these tasks on their own. Proper server rack cable management will provide users with a number of benefits and allow coping with the following objectives:

1. Improve system performance.
2. Achieve proper operation of the cooling system and better air circulation.
3. Provide the possibility of potential network scaling.
4. Reduce troubleshooting time.
5. Ensure quick, safe, and easy replacement of particular equipment and entire modules in a server cabinet.
6. Enhance the availability of both wires and hardware and their maintenance. Proper server cable management tips is the absence of tangles in the wires and a pleasant appearance of their neat and thoughtful laying.

Server rack cable management guide

To ensure server rack cable management best practices, follow the next stages and pay particular attention to each step.

1 Planning

Here, it is important to clearly define how many wires will be used to ensure their effective allocation. It is recommended to turn to the advice of a skilled engenderer to develop the best possible layout of future wiring.

2 Define the routes for power

Now, it’s time to decide on whether wires will enter the server furniture from the top or bottom. Depending on this decision, further laying of smaller wire groups will change. When dealing with routing at this stage, you should also make sure that fiber optic and copper wires do not interact.

3 Identify cables

One of the rack cable management best practices is labeling, which will help you quickly figure out all the connections. You can sign wires or entire bundles with a marker, however, this method turns out to be extremely inconvenient in practice. There are modern cable marking solutions that will serve for a long time and ensure convenient use.

• Color marking

You can use cables of different colors to mark them in several ways:

1. by type – one color is designed for optical fiber, another one is for CAT 5e twisted pair, etc. Given the number of available shades, any type of cable can be visually distinguished from each other.
2. by purpose – one color is for cables that connect user equipment, and another shade is for wires that ensure the operation of a server cabinet directly (internal wiring).
3. by connected areas of an office or an entire company. Here, the marking strategy is to color-code the wiring according to the office area or floors to which cables belong. This option is suitable for large enterprises.

The contrast between the color of the wiring will allow the maintenance staff to quickly determine to which group particular cables belong.

• Label marking

Using labels as an independent method of identification or together with color-coding will allow you to mark each wire individually. It is better to do this from both ends. The durability and reliability of marking are provided by heat-shrinkable labels. They are based on flexible plastic. You will need the appropriate tool to attach these labels to the cable.

4 Secure cables

Note that they must be reliably mounted and fastened to avoid extra movement, which can lead to increased wear. For example, cables can be hidden behind a wall. You can read more about this in the article.

5 Avoid thermal problems

Make sure that cables do not interfere with proper airflow. An optimal environment must be sustained inside the server cabinet to ensure proper conditions for device performance. High temperatures will lead to overheating and system failure.

6 Document and maintain organization

Upon the agreement and approval of routing, make all the required schemes and diagrams. Document all the related datum on this issue.

Accessories for Cable Management

There are some types of server rack cable management accessories:

1. Vertical accessories. This organizer is used in places where cable array routing is planned. The advantage of server rack vertical cable management is the ability to install it in any place where there are guides of a suitable size. Rings come in several sizes; fixation can be central or lateral.
2. Horizontal manager. The accessory is used for laying both large bundles and single wires. It is a bar with mounting holes, on which rings with a slot for laying the wire are fixed. Due to rotation around its axis, rings are set in the desired position.
3. Patch panels. The patch panel is one of the main components in the construction of MCS, refers to passive telecommunication equipment, and is designed to transmit information in computer networks and for easy switching between active network equipment and workstations. Fiber optic patch panels serve as an advanced type of a large group of server cabinet accessories. You can read more about patch panel in the article «What is a Patch Panel and What is it Used for?». 
4. Hook and loop cable ties. Classic plastic ties are one of the most obvious rack cabling best practices. They are cheap, sold at any hardware store, and come in different sizes and colors, which can serve as an additional marking. However, using ties with loops and hooks is more of a half-measure or a temporary solution in the case of professional installation, as there are more versatile clamping options.

Cable routing is an important issue when designing server cabinets. The level of wire arranging influences the performance of the entire system and hardware durability. Thus, do not neglect this point and consider it thoroughly.