subject: Basic explanation of Structured Cabling [print this page] Over the years voice and data cabling requirements have combined. Today, cabling infrastructures usually are designed to support voice, data and video not to mention other building communications services which includes video conferencing, cable television and security applications like Closed-circuit television.
The preferred cabling media in the UK is either unshielded or shielded balanced twisted pair cables which have progressed to a stage in development where a bandwidth of over 200MHz is now available.
Data cables have eight wires or four twisted pairs, generally from a communications cabinet to an outlet.
Structured cabling is a building's telecoms cabling infrastructure. This infrastructure all together is composed of a quantity of smaller elements often known as subsystems.
These types of subsystems consists of (but are not limited to):
* Backbone cables which connects anywhere between all the entrance facilities, equipment rooms and telecoms rooms.
* Horizontal cables which in turn connects telecommunications rooms to designated outlets on the floor.
* Telecoms rooms normally keep the equipment linking the actual backbone and horizontal cabling.
All of the design and installation associated with structured cabling is in fact governed by way of a set of standards with regard to data or voice communications, by means of category 5e or category 6 cable and telecom outlets. (Cables can sometimes also be identified as Cat5e or Cat6)
These standards define how to lay the cabling in a "star formation". This usually means that all the telecom outlets are terminated within the central patch panel (typically 19 inch rack-mounted located in the communications cabinet in the telecommunications room - also often identified a server room).
From this patch panel it will often be determined the easiest way these connections will be used.
Each single outlet can be 'patched' in to a data switch, or perhaps in to a voice panel' which forms a bridge straight into a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system - this will make the particular connection a voice port rather than a data port.
Current data cabling standards specify that all eight connectors in Cat5, Cat5e and Cat6 cable are connected, this means that you just can't 'double-up' or make use of just one cable for both voice and data.Structured cabling schemes provide you with connections from individual points all across a building to a central patching location in a communications enclosure.
Voice switch, LAN hub and telecoms services usually are presented at the patch panel and peripherals can be cross-connected to be able to deliver the necessary service just where they may be needed around the building.
Structured Cabling can now support data, voice, video, CCTV, TV distribution and seems to be supporting more and more devices as the years go by. It is essential to get this right as the cabling could be in your building for many years.
Your actual cabling infrastructure can be configured and adapted to meet new needs, and can allow for any moves office staff intend to make, either individually or collectively, on a temporary or fixed basis. Moves, adds and changes (MAC's) on your structured cabling can be made incredibly easily.
