Structured cabling refers to the concept of implementing a cabling system that is designed in a such a way that it is flexible to accommodate future expansion with regard to scale and the application of the network infrastructure. In other words structured cabling system will be able to accommodate future additions of devices used for different applications. For example in structured cabling ; CAT6 cables run for workstations may easily be used for a voice over IP phone without having to run a separate cable to add a new phone.
Structured cabling is compared with older point to point cabling method. However in present day IT infrastructure solutions point to point cabling is hardly used.
Some of the best practices in structured cable installation.
Plan for the future. Use cable management. Stay away from interference sources. Select the correct cable type to suite the cabling environment. Be mindful about the maximum cable distances. Follow the laws and codes. Testing and labeling. Documentation.
