Q: I need cabling-system-management software. Help!
Richard Huang
Guokai Computer Engineering Co. Ltd.
Fuzhou City,
People`s Republic of China
A: Truthfully, we all do. The 1997 Cabling Installation & Maintenance Buyer`s Guide Issue has a section on cable-management software (see page 218). Check it out on the World Wide Web at www.lfw.com/www/cim/bg/pcimm130.htm#Top. This will allow you to browse and contact vendors for specific product information.
A few words of advice about cable-management software:
- Do not have upper management select the cable-management software package without input from the people who will use it. Otherwise everyone will be disappointed.
- Do not assign someone to implement cable-management software who does not have the knowledge, patience, stamina, and time. Tasking someone to get the new software up and running in a few months in addition to his or her current workload is a prescription for certain failure.
- Plan for extensive user training.
- When choosing a vendor, ask about the company`s service after the sale--especially technical support. Technical support is usually forgotten until the first problem arises.
- Ask about the vendor`s guaranteed response time. Is someone available 24 hours a day via e-mail or pager?