Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
the norm in some areas. However, it provides a very useful documentation and
administration plan from which to model your record-keeping.
The guiding rule of a proper LAN documentation system is “mark everything.”
That is, systematically identify every outlet, cable, termination block, patch panel,
cable pathway, and telecommunications space. Then, record those identifications on
drawings and in a database for quick reference.
If you do not carefully manage your LAN wiring installation, the constant pace
of changes to the system will soon disorganize things so much that you will be for-
ever lost in the cabling maze. The extent to which you need to implement the full
complexity of the EIA/TIA-606-A system depends on the size of your cable plant.
Large systems need much more careful documentation than small systems, under 50
stations, but all cabling systems will benefit from proper recordkeeping.
What should you document? As a minimum, the wiring outlets and cable ter-
minations (patch panel jacks or punchdown blocks) need to be given identifying
numbers. It is also a good practice to permanently label the ends of each cable run.
Telecommunications outlets should be clearly numbered. The standard method
is to place a label on the faceplate above each jack. Many manufacturers have
responded to this requirement with special faceplates that have a recessed label area
below a removable protective plastic cover. An example of these faceplates is shown
in Fig. 16.3. Patch panel jacks should also be labeled on the front of the panel.
Labeling on the back is optional, but is a very nice feature for troubleshooting.
Patch cords that run from cable terminations at the patch panel to the hub
equipment ports are also numbered to make it easy to find which station cable cor-
responds to which hub port. Patch cords should be numbered with a removable
label, if possible, as they are intended to be moved around. This practice makes it
easy to identify the proper jack location for each cable end. Perhaps, in a very small
installation, you will be able to maintain a one-to-one correspondence between the
two patch jacks, but a larger facility will soon lose this neat arrangement. There is
nothing worse than a loose patch cord end hanging down with no idea where to
plug it back in.
Large installations will benefit from the labeling of cable pathways, such as
ducts, sleeves, cable trays, and conduit. Raised floors, while not directly marked,
can also be identified by drawings showing grid numbers for each floor area. Work
area and telecommunications spaces should also be identified, with a marking at the
entrance to the area. For many buildings, this requirement is easily handled by exist-
ing room numbering.
Additional information is recorded, along with the identification number of
each element in the wiring system. The exact information required varies with the
type of item, but it always includes the identifier and the item type. Additional
