What Are the 6 Components of Structured Cabling?

Over the past several years cable systems have undergone significant changes. These systems used to consist of two to four pairs of copper wires that were connected to the main device with components. Modern systems offer cutting-edge connectivity, with systems that can now carry high-speed data and voice signals. New structured cabling systems consist of six components, each of which plays an important role.

What Are the 6 Components of Structured Cabling?

Structured cabling is a comprehensive system of hardware and related cables that provides a future-ready, flexible infrastructure for data communications. Structured cabling breaks down components to make them easier to troubleshoot, manage, and track. Not only is this type of cable system more aesthetically pleasing, but it allows you to organize your cabling and hardware, making it easier to add or change components and, in the event of a move, these changes will require minimal downtime.

Structured Cabling starts with a DESIGN that allows for the maximum data throughput using the most cost effective devices and labor.  Like plumbing, it includes everything “behind-the walls” that most people don’t see.

• Data and Voices Switches
• Network UPS systems 
• Internal and External cabling
• Wifi systems for maximum coverage
• Power for Power-Over-Ethernet devices like phones, security cameras, wifi devices, thermostats, etc. 
• Physical security with intrusion detection to keep the equipment safe

Horizontal Cabling

Horizontal cabling is found between the horizontal cross-connect in the telecommunications room and the workstation’s wall outlets. As you might have guessed, the cable runs horizontally, either beneath the floor or in the ceiling. As far as cabling distance goes, a horizontal cable, just like backbone cabling, has great demand.

Backbone Cabling

Also known as vertical cabling, a backbone cable establishes a connection between the different rooms in the structured cabling system. The access provider area, entrance facility, equipment room, and telecommunications room all rely upon this cabling’s connection.

Vertical cabling covers plenty of ground, running through different floors or just a single floor, with the potential to run between different buildings.

Work Area

The work area houses all of the end-user materials, such as computers, phones, laptops, and other types of equipment that a company relies on daily. Communication outlets and patch panels connect users with the entire network. 

Patch panels are pieces of hardware that feature multiple points that allow you to organize a group of cables. Each port in a patch panel contains a wire that goes to a different location. Some panels are very large and equipped with hundreds of ports, while others will have just a few. Patch panels are compatible with a variety of cables, including cat5 and fiber optic cables.

Telecommunications Room/Enclosure

The structured cables need a place for the remainder of its telecommunications equipment. The size of this room can depend on the cable terminations, cross-connects, distribution frames, and the amount of equipment a company needs space for.

Entrance Facilities

The entrance facility is responsible for housing the connections between the cabling outside and inside the building. The equipment in an entrance facility includes a network demarcation point. This is the point at which a company’s private network begins and its public telecommunication network ends.

Other equipment in this location includes protection equipment, connecting devices, entrance cabling, other types of cabling components, and materials that are used to attach the public or private network provider.

Equipment Room

An equipment room is a designated space used to store complex equipment. Termination devices for wiring systems, as well as telecommunication systems such as switches and servers, are often kept in the equipment room. The equipment room often houses very complicated technology compared to the equipment stored in the telecommunications room.

Why Structured Cabling Systems are Important

As IT infrastructures become more complex, high-performance cabling network systems become more valuable. Acceptable cabling systems make it easier for a network to change and grow, thanks to a modular design that supports new applications and equipment.

Proper planning of a structured network cabling system is essential. A company must plan out its cabling system with the future in mind, along with the standards that provide the foundation for structured cabling installation and design. An IT team will estimate the number of devices and users that need network connectivity, their location, and how much bandwidth will be needed to meet future demands.

Structured Cabling Solutions

At TechBldrs, we offer a wide range of network cabling system technology that meets the highest reliability, quality, and performance standards.

Don't settle for low-quality cabling systems. Our team of IT experts can design the right structured cabling system for your infrastructure based on the size of your company, future goals, number of employees and devices, and other factors, and ensure that the design and installation are EIA/TIA compliant. We can meet with you and go over the cable installation process, discuss cable layout, general maintenance of cable infrastructure, and how this cost-effective cabling solution can take your business to the next level.

Interested in Structured Cabling Services? Contact TechBldrs Today to Schedule a Consultation

If you’re interested in learning more about structured cabling solutions and the many benefits that it can offer your business, contact the leading structured cabling service provider. Call TechBldrs today to schedule a consultation with one of our IT specialists.