Tidying Data Cabinets

Tidying Data Cabinets -The Importance of a Server Room Tidy-Up.

A good IT infrastructure provides modern businesses with the backbone they need to stay productive, competitive and successful. However, IT technology is complex and it can be difficult to organise effectively. And, if you fail to keep your server room organised, you’re going to notice a drop in productivity. Thankfully, there’s a simple solution for keeping your IT infrastructure organised: data cabinets.

A server room or data cabinet is used to house and organise all the crucial elements of your IT infrastructure. So, for example, if you need somewhere to store your servers, storage space, switches, routers and patch panels, a data cabinet provides the ideal solution. However, data cabinets can’t be left to their own devices. Tidying data cabinets, and ensuring they are maintained, is crucial for them to be effective.

Untidy Data Cabinet Hazards

If you want to know what happens when your data cabinets aren’t kept clean, then you’ll find out pretty quickly. But it’s best that you avoid this and, instead, brush up on the potential risks:

• Separate networks merging: certain networks need to be kept separate, mostly for reasons of confidentiality and restricted access. However, if you fail to keep your cabling tidy, you run the risk of stray network cables being plugged into the incorrect network.

• Fire hazard: the amount of power running into a data cabinet is significant and, if the cabinet is not properly maintained, it can quickly become a fire hazard. If, for example, the components within a data cabinet are not laid out correctly, the temperature can quickly rise and create a fire risk.

• Loss of network: the internet is a vital part of any modern business, so you need to make sure this connection is maintained. Unfortunately, an untidy data cabinet is the perfect breeding ground for essential cables to be dislodged and damaged – an event which could take your internet (and productivity) down.

Tips for Keeping a Data Cabinet Tidy

Many people ask the question “How do you clean comms cabinets?”, and the answer is that it all starts with organising your data cabinet. Make sure you start by carrying out the following:

• Colour code your cables: there’s no two ways about it: cables are messy and confusing. Nonetheless, by creating and sticking to a colour coded system, you can minimise the hassle of dealing with multiple different cables e.g. yellow cables for ethernet usage and red for storage. This will make tracking your cables in the cabinet much easier and quicker.

• Velcro ties: cables often need grouping together to keep them tidy, so it’s here that most people reach for cable ties. However, it’s more beneficial to use velcro ties as these are easier to install and can be untied by hand – unlike cable ties which require sharp cutting tools and aren’t recommended near cables.

• Separate power and data cables: whilst both power and data cables are essential in data cabinets, the risk of crosstalk and interference is a big problem. Therefore, to avoid this – and make it easier to differentiate between them – make sure they are kept separate.
• Discard unused patch cables: if patch cables are no longer required, then remove them from the cabinet as they will only hinder your future troubleshooting efforts.

• Use cables of the correct length: as well as being expensive, cables which are too long are more likely to tangle and create operational issues. Accordingly, make sure you only use cables which are the correct length.

Read more  about Server Room Tidying and Data Cabinet Tidy Up

We offer full service including Data Cabinet Tidy Services and Cable Audits