By Frank Llyod

Cable infrastructure- It is imperative to understand how important the correct data cabling infrastructure is, not only for the elimination of errors and high noise levels. Proper cabling also allows for quick and easy problem solving and overall management. Once installed the installation should also tested extensive to make sure that there are no lurking infrastructural problems which can cause major headaches unlike equipment faults which are normally easy to repair or replace.

Determine your needs- You or your cabling installer should give serious consideration and do a physical survey to the construction type employed, exact location of the wire closet or main server room, determine if an intermediate points from the main distribution point will be necessary (usually a must for larger company's or spaces), take measurements of the various cable runs and any special cable requirements including fibre optics.

Environment- The network environment plays an essential part in determination of cabling type. The installation should undoubtedly suit the environment as some networks are just plain incompatible with either optic fibre or copper installations. If you require very low noise levels, copper installations are the preferred choice as optical fibres, Cat5e and Cat6 have a greater tendency for transmission problems in the form of electromagnetic and radio frequency interferences.

Traffic analysis- Network traffic is accurately determined by usage of a network analyzer as well as network monitor. These tools give installers detailed insight into the broadcast traffic on a network segment as well as package transmissions. Network bandwidth requirements are assessed by using the network analyzer to monitor data over several day as well as different times of the day.

Future needs- As your business grows so will your network needs. That's why future bandwidth usage assessments and considerations are so imperative. It is recommended to rather have too much cabling implemented than too little. Inform your network administrator of any possible future plans for the business so that the relevant network changes can be taken into consideration.

Expense- Cat5e, Cat6 or optical fiber cabling options cost significantly more than your normal copper wiring. However there is no getting away from it. If your network requires a specific conveyance media-get it. Current short-cuts will cost a lot of time and effort in the long haul. Think away any bright ideas of getting away with cheaper alternatives. The concept behind current and future bandwidth requirement assessments is to save you money long-term. Don't try DIY cabling as the little money you are saving now will catch up when you make a huge mess of the whole infrastructure with you lack of knowledge and ability. Get a couple of quotes from cabling company's, price variations are guaranteed as each company has it's own pricing criterion.

Quality inspections and test- Quality control in the form of regular inspections is very important to make sure that the installer only uses quality cables, connections and cords. Bit rate error, bandwidth reservation, application identification and differentiations as well as web interfacing tests are absolutely essential.

Successful installation- Successful installation of cables will ensure that the network operates at it's highest potential and functionality. Remember to have the cable installer certify the installation.

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