Re: rack cable length

[shawn wilson]

Ok I've got a few comments offlist too and they all seem to draw the same
conclusion - crimp your own length. Thanks all for the input.
On Apr 17, 2015 4:11 PM, "William Herrin"  wrote:

> On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 3:17 PM, Joe McLeod  wrote:
> > Or you build the cable to fit the span.  I must be getting old.
>
> There's a "best of both worlds" version of this: buy lots of the
> short-length cables (1 to 6 feet) and "cut down" longer cables where
> the distance exceeds the short cables I can buy.
>
> I typically buy 25' cables each of which turns in to a pair of shorter
> cables with one manufactured and one field-terminated end. I end up
> with cables that are "just right" and well organized.
>
> Harder to do with power cables but still somewhat functional.
>
> -Bill
>
>
>
> --
> William Herrin  her...@dirtside.com  b...@herrin.us
> Owner, Dirtside Systems . Web: 
>

Re: rack cable length

[William Herrin]

On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 3:17 PM, Joe McLeod  wrote:
> Or you build the cable to fit the span.  I must be getting old.

There's a "best of both worlds" version of this: buy lots of the
short-length cables (1 to 6 feet) and "cut down" longer cables where
the distance exceeds the short cables I can buy.

I typically buy 25' cables each of which turns in to a pair of shorter
cables with one manufactured and one field-terminated end. I end up
with cables that are "just right" and well organized.

Harder to do with power cables but still somewhat functional.

-Bill



-- 
William Herrin  her...@dirtside.com  b...@herrin.us
Owner, Dirtside Systems . Web: 

RE: rack cable length

[Brandon Butterworth]

> From: "Bob Evans" 
> You must build them if you want the professional look. No way around that
> - unless you want to take up rack space with some sort of cable management
> wrapping system and that becomes a pain to make future changes or replace
> cables.

Re lacing is as much a pain (if you want to keep it looking professional)

brandon

Re: rack cable length

[shawn wilson]

On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 3:22 PM, Bob Evans  wrote:
> You must build them if you want the professional look. No way around that
> - unless you want to take up rack space with some sort of cable management
> wrapping system and that becomes a pain to make future changes or replace
> cables.
>

>> Or you build the cable to fit the span.  I must be getting old.
>>

I've found that the pre-crimped cables tend to hold up better than
those you do yourself...?

I can go fairly quick once I'm on a roll but I wonder if this is the
right way to go here.

Re: rack cable length

[shawn wilson]

On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 3:23 PM, Justin Wilson - MTIN  wrote:
> Copper and fiber patch panels are key.  This way you can control the length 
> from the patch to the device (router, switch,server).
>

Yeah, I am talking about just the runs in the rack - I don't see
a(nother) patch panel helping here.

Re: rack cable length

[Justin Wilson - MTIN]

Copper and fiber patch panels are key.  This way you can control the length 
from the patch to the device (router, switch,server).  

Justin

Justin Wilson j...@mtin.net
http://www.mtin.net  Managed Services – xISP Solutions – Data Centers
http://www.thebrotherswisp.com Podcast about xISP topics
http://www.midwest-ix.com Peering – Transit – Internet Exchange 

> On Apr 17, 2015, at 2:44 PM, shawn wilson  wrote:
> 
> This is probably a stupid question, but
> 
> We've got a few racks in a colo. The racks don't have any decent cable
> management (square metal holes to attach velcro to). We either order
> cable too long and end up with lots of loops which get in the way (no
> place to loop lots of excess really) or too short to run along the
> side (which is worse). It appears others using the same racks have
> figured this out, but...
> 
> Do y'all just order 10 of each size per rack in every color you need
> or is there a better way to figure this out? I'm guessing something
> like 24 inches + 1.75 inchex x Us) + 24 inches and round up to
> standard length...?
> 

RE: rack cable length

[Bob Evans]

You must build them if you want the professional look. No way around that
- unless you want to take up rack space with some sort of cable management
wrapping system and that becomes a pain to make future changes or replace
cables.

Thank You
Bob Evans
CTO




> Or you build the cable to fit the span.  I must be getting old.
>
> Joe
>
> -Original Message-
> From: NANOG [mailto:nanog-boun...@nanog.org] On Behalf Of Rafael Possamai
> Sent: Friday, April 17, 2015 3:00 PM
> To: North American Network Operators Group
> Subject: Re: rack cable length
>
> Hi Shawn,
>
> If you don't leave slack, you can't really pull the server out of the RU
> for maintenance (hot swaps, etc). Your best choice is to purchase cable
> management trays if that makes sense (Dell servers usually come with
> those).  Otherwise you just need to deal with the loops and whatnot the
> best way you can. If your colo hardware is really random (dells, HPs,
> supermicros) then it gets worse, but if your hardware is homogeneous then
> you can come up with some way of attaching brackets to the side of the
> rack that could help you avoid a rats nest in the back of your rack
> (granted you can't find cable management trays or they are too expensive
> to justify the investment).
>
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 1:44 PM, shawn wilson  wrote:
>
>> This is probably a stupid question, but
>>
>> We've got a few racks in a colo. The racks don't have any decent cable
>> management (square metal holes to attach velcro to). We either order
>> cable too long and end up with lots of loops which get in the way (no
>> place to loop lots of excess really) or too short to run along the
>> side (which is worse). It appears others using the same racks have
>> figured this out, but...
>>
>> Do y'all just order 10 of each size per rack in every color you need
>> or is there a better way to figure this out? I'm guessing something
>> like 24 inches + 1.75 inchex x Us) + 24 inches and round up to
>> standard length...?
>>
>
>
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>
> --
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>

RE: rack cable length

[Joe McLeod]

Or you build the cable to fit the span.  I must be getting old.

Joe

-Original Message-
From: NANOG [mailto:nanog-boun...@nanog.org] On Behalf Of Rafael Possamai
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2015 3:00 PM
To: North American Network Operators Group
Subject: Re: rack cable length

Hi Shawn,

If you don't leave slack, you can't really pull the server out of the RU for 
maintenance (hot swaps, etc). Your best choice is to purchase cable management 
trays if that makes sense (Dell servers usually come with those).  Otherwise 
you just need to deal with the loops and whatnot the best way you can. If your 
colo hardware is really random (dells, HPs,
supermicros) then it gets worse, but if your hardware is homogeneous then you 
can come up with some way of attaching brackets to the side of the rack that 
could help you avoid a rats nest in the back of your rack (granted you can't 
find cable management trays or they are too expensive to justify the 
investment).



On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 1:44 PM, shawn wilson  wrote:

> This is probably a stupid question, but
>
> We've got a few racks in a colo. The racks don't have any decent cable 
> management (square metal holes to attach velcro to). We either order 
> cable too long and end up with lots of loops which get in the way (no 
> place to loop lots of excess really) or too short to run along the 
> side (which is worse). It appears others using the same racks have 
> figured this out, but...
>
> Do y'all just order 10 of each size per rack in every color you need 
> or is there a better way to figure this out? I'm guessing something 
> like 24 inches + 1.75 inchex x Us) + 24 inches and round up to 
> standard length...?
>


--
This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, 
and is believed to be clean.


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dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

Re: rack cable length

[Rafael Possamai]

Hi Shawn,

If you don't leave slack, you can't really pull the server out of the RU
for maintenance (hot swaps, etc). Your best choice is to purchase cable
management trays if that makes sense (Dell servers usually come with
those).  Otherwise you just need to deal with the loops and whatnot the
best way you can. If your colo hardware is really random (dells, HPs,
supermicros) then it gets worse, but if your hardware is homogeneous then
you can come up with some way of attaching brackets to the side of the rack
that could help you avoid a rats nest in the back of your rack (granted you
can't find cable management trays or they are too expensive to justify the
investment).



On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 1:44 PM, shawn wilson  wrote:

> This is probably a stupid question, but
>
> We've got a few racks in a colo. The racks don't have any decent cable
> management (square metal holes to attach velcro to). We either order
> cable too long and end up with lots of loops which get in the way (no
> place to loop lots of excess really) or too short to run along the
> side (which is worse). It appears others using the same racks have
> figured this out, but...
>
> Do y'all just order 10 of each size per rack in every color you need
> or is there a better way to figure this out? I'm guessing something
> like 24 inches + 1.75 inchex x Us) + 24 inches and round up to
> standard length...?
>

RE: rack cable length

[Jameson, Daniel]

Cables should be within 2 feet of the total distance,  if you order a stack 
several sizes too long then add something like above/below the switch:
http://www.chatsworth.com/products/cable-management/horizontal-cable-management/
Slack should never be stored in the vertical,  only in the horizontal.


-Original Message-
From: NANOG [mailto:nanog-boun...@nanog.org] On Behalf Of shawn wilson
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2015 1:44 PM
To: North American Network Operators Group
Subject: rack cable length

This is probably a stupid question, but

We've got a few racks in a colo. The racks don't have any decent cable 
management (square metal holes to attach velcro to). We either order cable too 
long and end up with lots of loops which get in the way (no place to loop lots 
of excess really) or too short to run along the side (which is worse). It 
appears others using the same racks have figured this out, but...

Do y'all just order 10 of each size per rack in every color you need or is 
there a better way to figure this out? I'm guessing something like 24 inches + 
1.75 inchex x Us) + 24 inches and round up to standard length...?

rack cable length

[shawn wilson]

This is probably a stupid question, but

We've got a few racks in a colo. The racks don't have any decent cable
management (square metal holes to attach velcro to). We either order
cable too long and end up with lots of loops which get in the way (no
place to loop lots of excess really) or too short to run along the
side (which is worse). It appears others using the same racks have
figured this out, but...

Do y'all just order 10 of each size per rack in every color you need
or is there a better way to figure this out? I'm guessing something
like 24 inches + 1.75 inchex x Us) + 24 inches and round up to
standard length...?