There are many different types of server racks on the market, like open frame rack, server cabinet, and rack mount and wall mount enclosures. Open frame rack, thanks to its reasonable price, and material saving, has attracted more and more customers. It is more convenient to ship and be packed. To help you better understand the open frame rack, this article will introduce it in three aspects.

Brief Introduction of Open Frame Rack

The open frame rack is an equipment to mount your servers and other network equipment. When you deploy equipment and organize cables in a computer room or data center,it is important to make proper and reasonable space utilization. Therefore, open frame server racks come at a right time to help stay organized in a cost-effective manner. Here I list four benefits of open frame server racks and why you should consider them for you equipment storage needs.

Benefits of Open Frame Rack

Fibre Channel (FC) is a serial I/O interconnect network technology capable of supporting multiple protocols. It is used primarily for storage area networks (SANs). Ethernet (and TCP/IP) is the most frequently used technology these days for communication between devices. But for storage, the dominant technology in a data center often is Fibre Channel. Fibre channel vs Ethernet switch: what’s the difference? This article makes an analysis from the following aspects: reliability, transmission speed, flexibility and cost.

Fibre Channel VS Ethernet Switch: Reliability

If you are actively engaged in optic communication, you may have noticed that the fibre channel switch is lossless while Ethernet switch is risk of dropping frame. Fibre Channel is often compared to Ethernet in terms of being a lossless protocol. As for fibre channel switch, it works smoothly without dropping a single frame, and frames must be delivered in order. FC switches will send signal when they’re congesting to other devices, so these devices stop sending frames, lest the frames are dropped. This in contrast to Ethernet which will just start dropping frames when congested, relying on upper layers (like TCP) to make sure everything keeps working.

Fibre Channel VS Ethernet Switch: Transmission Speed

The maximum data rate of the fibre channel switch in the very beginning is 1 Gbps. Now it has evolved up to 128 Gbps, with 8, 16, and 32 Gbps versions still available.

The Ethernet switch transmission speed ranges from Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps), Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000Mbps), 10 Gigabit (10/100/1000/10000 Mbps) to even some 40/100 Gbps speeds. In terms of transmission speed, the Ethernet switch seems to outweigh fibre channel switch. Whereas both are in a high speed evolution.

Fibre Channel VS Ethernet Switch: Cost

Cost is also an element to be considered. In most cases, Ethernet switches are much cheaper than Fibre Channel switches. What’s more, the maintenance is also a factor that should be considered. In large IT systems, if an Ethernet switch breaks down, most admins can deal with it. However, when there is something wrong with the fibre channel switch, you need to turn to manufacturers, instead. Comparing to Ethernet switch, fibre channel switch adopts more complicated design in that it should guarantee the extremely availability of data storage, and is equipped with management function.

Conclusion

Seen from above, there are significant differences between fibre channel switch and Ethernet switch. FC is a network standard to enable hosts (servers) to interconnect with storage devices. It’s completely different from Ethernet. A storage network switch is not the same as an Ethernet network switch. Initially, the only transmission medium of FC was fiber, but these days twisted pair copper wire is also available. That’s the opposite of Ethernet, which originally ran only on copper wires and then on fiber. FS.COM provides a variety of Ethernet switches  and fiber switches which are mostly upgraded and optimized by our research and development staff, ranging from 10gbe switch to gigabit ethernet switch. For more information, you can search “Fiberstore” on website or YouTube.

What Is a Patch Panel?

The patch panel is a device that integrates both cable management and termination functions. The patch panel cabling is conducive to the structured cabling as the cables are put orderly on the patch panel. As the interface between multiple optical fibers and optical equipment, it serves as a termination unit that helps networking and fiber distribution from wiring closet to various terminal applications.

Lying on the front of it are an array of ports where we insert the cables. The ports in the back will lead to a server, switch, or another type of device. Each port in the front will have a cable coming from a PC, phone, fax, or any other device that needs to be networked together. Each port on the patch panel labeled with a number will connect via an Ethernet cable punch down on the back, through the wall, cross space or added to another location in the house.

Benefits of Patch Panel Cabling

It lets you use the proper type of cable in the proper place. Other than the point-to-point cabling, the patch panel contributes to a structured cabling, representing you a professional and neat look. In a large home or office with lots of connections, patch panels make quick work of re-configuring networks by enabling operators to identify where the cable is coming from and going to. By managing varying port densities and speeds in a single high-density patch panel, you save valuable rack space, helping to lower data center costs. A single patch panel can manage as many as (168) 10Gb ports.

Patch Panel Recommendations

We all know that the fiber transmits data faster than copper does. But the role of patch panels is to direct signal traffic rather than send the signal at a certain speed. Both copper and fiber panels are governed by the same TIA/EIA standards(the highest level of criteria that products must perform to) required to produce speed and signal performance for the rest of the cabling network. Patch panels must coerce data into performing up to the standards.

The 24 ports Cat5e shielded feed-through patch panel, a star product in FS.COM, can be mounted in to 1U racks. The shielded patch panel can minimize the crosstalk between cables, ensuring the smooth transferring of signals. It features with number coding, removable rear cable manager and rear cable management bar.

1U 19" high-density fiber patch panel offered by FS.COM can hold up to 48 fibers with 24 ports. High quality steel adapter panel is suitable for 1U 19" frame rack mount or cabinet, designed for backbone-to-backbone and backbone-to-horizontal fiber cabling. It is fully loaded with fiber couplers to save much cost.

Conclusion

A patch panel allows you great flexibility to move, add and change cables. It gives you the neat look and a simple way to manage and configure and reconfigure your network. If coordinated with a cable manager, the patch panels will do better in cable management since the cable manager has both horizontal and vertical options while the patch panel is only designed in horizontal type at present. It can be easily installed into the wall mount enclosure and rack mount enclosure. What’s more, the whole rack will be much nicer and the networks will work orderly. Remember that 30% space in the cable managers should be left for future growth.

What Is the “U” in 2U Cable Manager?

What’s the difference between 1U and 2U cable managers? The most distinguishable one in my mind, is the number lying in their name. The “U”, also known as “RU”, stands for rack unit that is a unit of measure defined as 44.50 millimeters (1.75 in) by EIA. It is most frequently used as a measurement of the overall height of 19-inch and 23-inch rack frames, as well as the height of equipment that mounts in these frames. With this standard, we don’t need to play with complicated numbers, instead, a simple addition can work. For example, a 12U cabinet can accommodate twelve 1U devices or six 2U devices or four 3U devices. And so on.

Where and When to Use 2U Cable Manager

As the data center grows, you may have many cables to handle, thus the point-to-point cabling is not workable any longer. To realize and maintain a neat and clean cabling, you may need such tools as patch panels, enclosures, and cable managers, among which the cable managers are the primary consideration when you want a good cabling. 1U and 2U cable managers are the most common products for horizontal cable management at present. As people’s demands vary, 2U cable managers come in to being. The 2U cable manager allows for front-to-back and back-to-front cable runs. The finger ducts can be used for both upside and downside cable management. These products can be used above and below patch panel and network switch to organize and store cables.

2U Cable Manager Options

FS.COM offers a wide variety of 2U horizontal cable managers that range from cable manager with finger duct to cable manager with D-rings and cable manager with end rings manager.

Cables are in the right position. Patch panels are terminated. All slack cables are put orderly in the cable manager. Let’s see what is missing? Well, where should the patch panels and cable managers be? Just lying on the ground? If indeed, the previous efforts for cable management is wasted. Just with a cabinet or a server rack, you can solve the problem. There are thousands of cabinet for different use, but here we refer to the network patch panel cabinet.

Network Patch Panel Cabinets Introduction

We have wall mount cabinets that has the maximum height of 12U and the normal cabinets standing on the ground that can reach to 45U. Unlike the open frame rack which consists of two or four mounting rails (called posts) without sides or doors, the wall mount cabinet is enclosed by SPCC cold roll steel panels and a glass front door to make its inside visible. The side panels can be removed easily for quick access to equipment and cabling. On the top of the patch panel cabinet, there is a cooling vent to ensure smooth airflow, preventing over-heat in it to further protect equipment. It is designed to house the 19-inch standard that is consistent with most patch panels in FS.COM or non-standard network equipment as well as network accessories. The wall mount cabinet is shipped fully assembled and is ready to mount to the wall.

As for the floor-standing network patch panel cabinet, the ventilation can be naturally achieved as the front door is perforated and the top panel is attached with brush guards to prevent over-heating. It has four casters helping with its move. Top, bottom and back cable access openings provide convenient and multiple cable routing choices to and from the patch panel cabinet.

Layout Inside the Patch Panel Cabinet

We all know that all patch panel are put in the cabinet, be it fiber optic patch panel or Ethernet patch panel. However, the question is whether it is on the front side or back and with the jacks facing in or out?

In most cases, we will start with an empty patch panel cabinet, and then install the devices on its front rails from top to the bottle. First comes the cable manager 1, then follows the patch panel 1, cable manager 2, switch 1, cable manager 3 and switch 2, with all the connectors on the back side of the patch panel cabinet. All gadgets ready, we can go on with the cabling. The patch panel here can be fiber or copper patch panel.

The importance of a patch panel cabinet is no less than that of a tiny screw or a nail. And great attention should be focused on it since the patch panel cabinet can support the other device and prevent them from external damages. A solid and durable patch panel cabinet is necessary, which is actually what FS.COM aims at. There are 9U and 12U, two choices for you to meet different application. To ensure the best performance, 1 bag of nuts and bolts, 1 T-Shaped Lever will be offered for free. And there are so many surprises in the patch panel cabinet that I want to leave it for you to find yourselves. You will find them when installing and using the patch panel cabinet from FS.COM.

Have troubles in vertical or horizontal cable management in your data center? Confused at the cables’ destinations and start points? With slack cables hanging here and there in server rack, blocking and pathway? Well, all these issues brought by point-to-point cabling will become the thing of the past as the structured cabling comes into being.

What Is Structured Cabling?

Before the 1990s, data and cabling system were proprietary which means they were vendor specified, each vendor had his own cabling system design and it was hard to have products from different vendors to work together. In the mid 1980s, the EIA was asked to develop a specification that would encourage structured standardized cabling. In 1991 the TIA published the first version of the commercial building telecommunications cabling standard, better known as TIA/EIA-568.

In the United States, we follow TIA/EIA-568-C as the structured cabling standard. It covers subsystems of structured cabling, installation methods and practices, connector and pin assignments, media types and performance specifications for horizontal and backbone cabling, connecting hardware performance specifications, recommended topology and distances, and the definition of cable elements (horizontal cable, cross-connects, telecommunication outlets, etc.)

How to Design Your Own Structured Cabling Solution

Presume that we have an empty building of four storeys, we need to design a structured cabling solution for different uses in it. One solution we must apply, also one of the subsystems of structured cabling, is horizontal cabling which can not be skipped in each floors. Horizontal cabling is the cabling that extends from horizontal cross-connect or main cross-connect to the work area and terminate in telecommunications outlets. Horizontal cabling includes the following: 1.Cable from the patch panel to the work area; 2.Telecommunications outlets; 3.Cable terminations ; 4.Cross-connections(where permitted); 5.A maximum of one transition point; 6.Cross-connects in telecommunications rooms or enclosures.

Furthermore, to achieve the connection between different floors, we need the backbone cabling, also known as vertical cabling. We can adopt it to to connect entrance facilities, equipment rooms, and telecommunications rooms and enclosures. Backbone cabling consists of not only the cables that connect the telecommunications rooms, equipment rooms, and building entrances, but also the cross-connect cables, mechanical terminations, or patch cords used for backbone-to-backbone cross-connection.

The work area is where the horizontal cable terminates and wall outlets also called the telecommunications outlet. In the work area, the users and the telecommunications equipment connect to the structured cabling infrastructure. The work area begins as a telecommunications area and includes components such patch cables, modular cords, fiber jumpers, station equipment such as computers, telephones, fax machines and so on.

The telecommunications rooms and telecommunications enclosures are the location within the building where cabling components such as cross-connects and patch panels are located. These rooms are where the horizontal structured cabling starts from. The telecommunications room and enclosure may also contain networking equipment such as hubs, switches, routers, etc.

The equipment rooms is a centralized space specified to house more sophisticated equipment than the entrance facility or the telecommunications rooms. Most often, telephone equipment or data networking such as routers, switches, and hubs are located there. Backbone cabling is specified to terminate in the equipment room.

The entrance facility specifies the point in the building where cabling connects with outside world. All external cabling such as campus backbone, inter-building, and telecommunications provider should enter the building and terminate in a single point.

Digital data is growing faster than any other commodity and its importance to businesses of all types cannot be underestimated. To learn how you can use structured cabling to better manage your data center, contact the experts at FS.COM.

Introduction

Long before the born of cable manager, the mess cable management with cables hanging here and there has been a cloud over the data center and server room. How can you realize each smooth and convenient operation on your network application with network cables looking like messy spaghetti? Here we list four common cable managers to simplify your cabling and minimize the trouble during operation.

Different Types of Cable Manager

The following cable managers which you may have heard of or seen before are the most popular types in the market. Each has its unique design and characteristics.

The panel is designed to be mounted on any 19in EIA style rack or cabinet and features built-in brush that allows passage of up to 25 cables while blocking airflow, ensuring optimal thermal performance. The steel construction provides durability, resists corrosion, and keeps your rack looking smooth and professional.

Not so long ago, fiber optic communication came into people’s life and provided us with great convenience. Its advantages could be found in such aspects as long transmission distance, large capacity and fast transmission speed. Therefore, the demand of fiber optic products like fiber optic transceiver, fiber optic patch panel and fiber optic enclosures has been soaring these years. But the products on the market are miscellaneous. Today, we will have a closer look at the two major fiber optic enclosure manufactures, namely Panduit and FS.COM. Panduit fiber optic enclosure and FS.COM fiber optic enclosure, which will you choose?

Comparisons of Fiber Optic Enclosures in Panduit and FS.COM

Panduit is a global manufacturer of physical infrastructure equipment that support power, communications, computing, control, and security systems. FS.COM (Fiberstore) is a leading global high performance end-to-end cabling and connectivity solutions provider which provides a complete portfolio of products and solutions.

Focusing on three groups including rack mount fiber enclosure, wall mount fiber enclosure and enclosure accessory(fiber optic cassette for example) which are all applied in 1U cable managemet, I have summarized several critical items that are most concerned by customers in the following table.

The patch panel, a significant element in cabling design, has many ports on it. Through these ports, the cables are located elsewhere in your building. Patch panel at present has fiber and copper patch panel(also known as Ethernet patch panel), two choices for us. As we all know, a single fiber optic patch panel is not available to all kinds of fiber cables. The same is to copper patch panels which are classified as Cat5e patch panel, Cat6 patch panel and so on.

CAT5e Ethernet Patch Panel VS. CAT6 Ethernet Patch Panel

Both as the copper patch panel, Cat5e patch panel and Cat6 patch panel don’t have many differences, except that Cat5e patch panel usually works with Cat5e, while Cat6 patch panel can work with both the corresponding Cat6 cable and any earlier generation of Cat cable. The patch panels themselves don’t have many practical differences. However, there is indeed a difference in the wire gauge specified between Cat5e and Cat6. The cat6 wire is thicker in that Cat6 usually has 23 AWG copper conductors compared to only 24 AWG in Cat5e cable.

The 24 port patch panel used for different cables are both welcomed by customers. 24 port cat6 patch panel offered by FS.COM acquires acknowledgments from many customers and IT experts. With easy installation and top-quality performance, the high quality patch panel is designed for Fast Ethernet applications. 24-port Cat5e patch panel is the most popular in the market, which has punch down and feed-through patch panel for customer choice. And when applying patch panels to special environments, for example nearby motors, generators, air conditioners, and even office mainstays such as fluorescent lights and printers, you should carefully consider between shielded and unshielded patch panels.

Shielded Ethernet Patch Panel VS. Unshieleded Ethernet Patch Panel

Shielded and unshielded patch panels are required to match with the shielded and unshielded copper cable applications. Shielded patch panels are designed for high EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) environments. If the application environments have special requirements for crosstalk and EMI functions, especially when the copper cable runs near power cables then you should choose to use shielded Ethernet cables with shielded patch panels. However, someone may wonder whether they can use unshielded patch panel for shielded cable. To be honest, it depends on the environment in which your cable will run through. If the place has no high power electrical wires, you can go with unshielded patch panel. On the flip side, if you are in a noisy environment like using arc welders or near high power radio transmitters, then you’d better select the shielded one. FS.COM shielded and unshielded patch panels can meet not only 1G network speed, but also 10G network.

For both shielded and unshielded applications, you can find what you need at FS.COM. The port number marked on the FS.COM patch panel provides easy cable identification. The cable manager on the rear side is removable, providing efficient and organized cabling.

Conclusion

CAT5e and CAT6 cables are the most popular Ethernet cables on the market. To create a nicely organized cabling environment, choosing the right patch panel is essential. Sometimes Cat5e, Cat6 or other Ethernet cables need to be managed in a single panel, in this type of situation, the blank keystone patch panels can support mixed cabling with installation of different rj45 insert modules. In addition, you can customize your patch panel according to your specific applications. FS.COM provides a large variety of patch panels and Ethernet cable and also presents a selection of cable managers to help you create your ideal cabling network. For more details, please visit our website.