A structured cabling system is the integral wiring network that transmits all data, voice, multimedia, security, VoIP, PoE and wireless connections throughout an office or building. This network is critical to creating a seamless flow of information through each of your technical devices. A flaw in any structured cabling system can decrease productivity and efficiency, therefore it is important to create a well-planned system that facilitates the continuous flow of information, but also one that offers growth as your organization increases.
Growth
With regard to growth and expansion, this is the most important factor to consider. If your network is currently hosting 5 users, in a year, 6 months or more, will you need to add more users? Is your bandwidth supportive of the workload and needs of your current users? As bandwidth is concerned, the more bandwidth, the faster you can get work done. Simply stated, but often overlooked, bandwidth demand continues to grow as more and more applications and content require strong digital support. Proper planning will assist you in ensuring that there is adequate system support as your organization thrives. A strong structured cabling system should be based on open standards and capable of supporting multiple applications regardless to the vendor. Versatile systems should enable easy changes and expansion without difficult and inconvenient cable re-wiring and equipment replacements.
Certifications
Standards are established in every industry to create a template for service quality and ensure consistency in service delivery. Structured cabling systems are no different. Standards create technical criteria to guarantee uniform performance among network components and systems. Today, there are various organizations developing standards for communications and cabling. From The ANSI (American National Standards Insitute) to the TIA (Telecommunciations Industry Association), perform clear research on your structured cabling system provider to make sure they are certified to perform the desired work your organization needs.
Applications
The second factor to consider includes applications. Are you currently using voice, data, video and multimedia? Technology evolves and changes every 2-5 years. Anticipate more applications requiring VoIP or PoE support, wireless and of course, security. Many modern security systems are supported on a wireless cable and this element should be kept in mind for your structured cabling systems. Although, your organization may not be using each of these applications, creating a system that has the foundation to expand (again, growth is a key factor), as applications are needed for business functions, will save you time and money.
Local
Who performs your services is a concern as when you need assistance, how far away is your service technician? Will you be able to receive timely support if there is a system failure or outage? Select a technician for your structured cabling system that is local and on call for all of your service demands.
