Dennis Mazaris, PerfectSite
Problem
Nothing looks as unprofessional or unappealing as cables strung across the floor or draped in an equipment room before they are routed into equipment racks that house the structured cabling system.
Solution
An 8- to 10-foot-tall metal channel attached to the side of the rack will provide a path for the cables and conceal them. It also provides easier cable routing and saves on cable footage, resulting in reduced installation time.
Procedure
1) Purchase a metal channel. These channels come in a variety of sizes and from different manufacturers.
2) For aesthetic reasons, you may want to paint the channel.
3) Attach the channel to the side of the rack. Drill holes into the rack and the channel and then secure the channel to the rack using nuts and bolts.
4) Secure cables in the ceiling space directly above the channel by shooting fasteners into the slab, or use whatever method is deemed appropriate for the installation.
5) Route the cables into the channel and sort to the appropriate position in the rack.
Dennis Mazaris, registered communications distribution designer (rcdd), is the principal consultant for PerfectSite (Sterling, VA), a consulting firm specializing in premises cabling management and design.
Cables are routed from the dropped ceiling through a channel. The cables are now ready to be sorted into the equipment rack.