What is Structured Cabling

What Exactly is Structured Cabling?

In the digital era, wherein connectivity above all things is maintained, any technically advanced organization must be made to understand the details of the structured cabling system.

Why Structured Cabling is a So Important

Think about a world without structured cabling—just a mess of wires, cables, and connections; it looks just like a giant ball of yarn. This may be a nightmare in networking! Structured cabling, from this point of view, brings order to the present chaos, making it efficient, running well, and secured.

As such, structured cabling is the backbone of any modern communication system; this is why data, voice, and video transmissions have been made possible within an organization. It is the invisible hero that keeps devices connected, staff busy, and your business operations working like a well-oiled machine.

Structured Cabling System Elements

Structured cabling is a set of network infrastructure that integrates individual subsets. Let's have a look at these important components individually:

Cables: The life blood of every structured cabling system, these twisted pairs of copper or fibre optic go in and out of work areas and telecommunications closets in the support of voice, data, and image.
Patch Panels: Organized panels where individual cables come together for those of a network switch or other network-related equipment.
Outlets: These are jacks on the walls used to connect devices to the network.
Cable Pathways: These are conduits and raceways, thoughtful routes that guide the cables inside the building, and make the installation neat, orderly, and organized.
Telecommunications Rooms: Specially dedicated areas for network equipment with centralized locations for cable terminations and connections.

Advantages of Structured Cabling

Enough said about the components of structured cabling; let's proceed forward toward some of the myriad advantages of having structured cabling installed:

Scalability: A structured cabling system is designed such that it is scalable, allowing your network system to grow or expand to be able to handle the increasing needs you may have.
Flexibility: How easily the workstations can, therefore, be reconfigured or moved without disturbing the other network elements within a structured cabling solution.
Enhanced Performance: Industry standards-based structured cabling systems provide an ideal flow of signals without coupled noise, which consecutively ensures faster data transfer rates and hence better performance of the network.
Higher Security: The structured cabling system gives assured dedicated cable pathways and secure telecommunication rooms that protect from illegal network access and the possibility of a security breach.
Low Maintenance Costs: Structured cabling can be easily maintained and troubleshot, saving a good amount of valuable time and resources in the long run.

Designing a Structured Cabling System Plan

The planning and design of a workable structured cabling system has critical consideration.

Assess Your Needs: Evaluate your present and future needs of the network regarding the number of users, applications, and growth.
Design Cable Pathways: Do the routing of cables keeping in mind details about the layout of the building, obstacles, and future expansions and keep a secure copy of any documentation created from this.
Choose Quality Components: Invest in quality cables, connections, and equipment for good and consistent performance, such as Excel Networking, with their 25 Year Manufacturers Warranty when installed by an approved install such as us.
Futureproofing: Use technology solutions that are scalable and based on technologies that can be used in the future—say, Cat6a wiring—to take care of upcoming trends and technologies.

Different Types of Structured Cabling Systems

No two structured cabling systems are the same. Here are some typical forms to consider:

Copper Cabling Systems: The equipment is based on the use of twisted-pair copper cables like Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6a in data and voice transmissions.
Fibre Optic Cabling Systems: Systems built with fibre-optic cables provide more bandwidth, transmission distance, and better security.
Wireless Cabling Systems: This is not a cabling system by itself, but it is the interconnection of the wireless access points and antennas within the structured cabling. Whether this be a wireless mesh, a wireless P2P or Point-to-Point Transmission or the cabling system behind modern access points.

Myths of Structured Cabling

Like all the complex technologies, there are a few myths around structured cabling that require to be addressed:

Myth: Structured cabling is only for large enterprises. False! Structured cabling systems offer an organization an improvement, no matter the size—from the small business to the multi-national corporation.
Myth: Cabling is expensive to be structured. Although the cost could be a little higher in the beginning with compounding, in the long run it is more cost-friendly due to better productivity, easy maintenance, and futureproofing.
Myth: Wireless networks eliminate the need for structured cabling. Wireless Networks that use the correct infrastructure like Access Points, simply converts the wireless signal used by a wireless device to ethernet for transmission. Access Points are usually powered with PoE (Power over Ethernet) and deliver this data across the network.

Structured Cabling: Futureproof Your Network

Since the technology is changing very first, it's also good for one to future-proof the network. Structured cabling systems are flexible and scalable solutions that can be adapted to technology changes and evolving requirements.

With fibre optic cabling added to this, with its greater bandwidth and transmission distances, it shows a network has been designed to handle the greater demand from data-intensive applications such as video conferencing, cloud computing, and virtual reality.

Also, technologies, such as Power over Ethernet (PoE), which powers the devices directly from network cables, easily integrate with structured cabling systems, resulting in less clutter and easier installations.

The Advantages of Structured Cabling for Your Network

Structured cabling is the backbone of any reliable network. A well-implemented structured cabling system not only improves performance, security, and scalability but also reduces the cost of maintenance. Whether you are a small business owner, or an IT professional embrace the power of structured cabling within your network against challenges and opportunities yet to be discovered.