Cables sure are difficult to manage when they are in bulk. The cables attached to our personal computers are easy to manage and handle. But in the data centers, you will get to see thousands of fiber cables. It is not an easy job to handle this huge number of cables, nor can it be possible to zip them and bundle them. In such situations, there are two ways in which fiber optic cables can be managed. One is vertical cabling, and the other is horizontal cabling. Both of the ays are preferable and are in common use according to one’s need and preferences.
It isn’t easy to decide which cabling method is easier and more beneficial as cabling is preferable under certain circumstances and needs.
We will briefly discuss these two cabling ways, along with their pros and cons, in the paragraphs below.
What is a horizontal cabling system?
A horizontal cabling system is a type of cabling system in structured cables in which the cables connected follow a star topology. There are three main things in horizontal cabling you must know about; below are the three components.
- Workstation/ user
- Information outlet
- Telecommunication room
These three components connect so that the horizontal cabling provides a connection between the workstation and the telecommunication room through an information outlet. Horizontal cabling provides connectivity to devices within the same floor and is easy to manage. For horizontal cabling to comply with the standards, the cables must be 90 meters from the telecommunication room to the workstation.
Multiple types of cables are used for horizontal cabling; below is the list of few cable types.
- Cat5 cable
- Cat6 cable
- Cat5e cable
- Cat6A cable
Other cables are also preferable in horizontal cablings, such as coaxial cables and multi-mode cables, but fiber optic cables are more compatible in the horizontal cabling method.
What are the advantages of a horizontal cabling system?
Horizontal cabling has multiple advantages over vertical cabling. Below are the most prominent advantages of horizontal cabling over vertical or backbone cabling
1. Less messy
Horizontal cables are less messy and easy to manage. Each cable is in a different rack and at the height of two to three racks higher. Each cable in the horizontal cabling runs through its port, making it less messy and easy to manage.
2. Removal and addition of new cables are easier
As each cable runs through an individual port; It becomes more convenient to remove or attach any new cable. Adding new cables or removing the previous cables becomes messy in other cabling methods, and it takes a lot of time to identify the cable you want to remove from its port. If you are looking to install cables via the horizontal cabling method. In that case, you can hire structured cabling companies in Dubai to complete your installation process without causing any damage and mess.
What are the disadvantages of a horizontal cabling system?
The horizontal cabling method sometimes is not convenient to implement because of certain disadvantages.
1. Time-consuming to install
In the horizontal cabling method, you have to connect the cable to its port. It is too time-consuming to install. One has to properly organize the racks and install the cables so that they are easy to identify, remove and add.
2. Extra space requirements
The horizontal cabling consumes more space than other methods because the racks in horizontal cabling are at a certain height from the other rack. That is why they are less manageable because they are not congested.
What is a vertical cabling system?
Vertical cabling is also sometimes known as backbone cabling. In this cabling method, the cables and racks mount in an up and down order. Vertical cabling connects the workstations and telecommunication rooms from one floor to the other floor in a building.
Vertical cabling is preferable for entrance facilities and equipment rooms. It provides connectivity to the telecommunication rooms.
What are the advantages of a vertical cabling system?
Sometimes vertical cabling methods are preferred over horizontal cabling method, and the reason for it is as follows.
1. Less expensive
Vertical cabling is less expensive to install as you do not have to provide separate racks for each cable.
2. Less signal attenuation
The signal attenuation rates are less in vertical cables. The interference in the signals is minimal, which increases the signal strength and quality. For high signal transmission, the cables’ installation is very important for your needs; hire structured cabling companies in Dubai to install the cables by following all the fiber installation rules.
What are the disadvantages of a vertical cabling system?
The disadvantages of vertical cabling management are as follows.
1. Messy and consume a lot of space
Vertical cabling is messy, and cables are hard to manage. As all the cables share a single or common server rack creating a mess of cables.
2. Adding or removing cables is difficult
Adding or removing the existing cable becomes difficult in vertical cabling. You have to be careful while identifying the cable you want to detach. Any mistake can lead you to bigger problems and will consume more time to correct your mistake. To easily identify the cables, it is a must that the cables have proper labeling on them. Without labeling the cables, it is difficult to identify the exact cables.
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