The 6 Components Required for Commercial Structured Cabling
Learn about the interconnected subsystems that make up a unified network infrastructure
Your Morristown, NJ, business relies on a vast, robust network to power all the connected devices that facilitate business operations — AV systems, data centers, Wi-Fi, telephones, lighting control, security devices, access control, and so much more.
Commercial structured cabling is the backbone of your network — it’s the interconnected system of cables, hardware, and equipment that keeps your network functioning smoothly. Structured cabling is made up of six subsystems that work together to support the network. Learn more about each subsystem below.
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1: Entrance Facilities
An entrance facility is a place where a public internet service provider or private telecom’s cabling ends, and your building’s private cabling begins. Entrance facilities include cables, connecting hardware, protective devices, demarcation points, and anything else you need to join the cabling systems. Demarcation points (or “demarcs”) are the precise spots where the cabling switches over. Your business (or the third-party property owner of your building) is responsible for all cabling costs and issues within the demarcation points.
2: Equipment Room
The equipment room houses major equipment like switches, servers, routers, data processing hardware, power supplies, and other telecommunications hardware. It’s the centralized consolidation point for the entire structured cabling system. The equipment room is controlled for cooling to prevent your electronic hardware from overheating and malfunctioning.
3: Backbone Cabling
Backbone cabling (also called vertical cabling) is the physical system of cables that connects equipment rooms, telecommunication closets, access provider points, and entrance facilities. As the name suggests, it’s the “backbone” that joins all the subsystems into a single infrastructure. Cabling contractors follow ANSI/TIA-568 and ISO/IEC 11801 cabling standards to guide the organization, layout, and installation of commercial cabling.
4: Telecommunications Room/Enclosure
A telecommunications room functions similarly to an equipment room. These enclosures (entire rooms or dedicated cabinets) house termination points and cross-connect points for backbone and horizontal cables. Patch cords, connecting hardware, and jumpers commonly reside in a telecommunications room. A room or enclosure might also house telecommunications hardware that operates only in a small section of the building.
If your building has multiple floors, you’ll need at least one telecommunications room on each floor.
5: Horizontal Cabling
Horizontal cabling is the physical system of cables that connects telecommunications rooms to information outlets in the work area. It links each information outlet to the main system frame.
6: Work Area
The work area is a workstation or space where the end-user equipment is located. Workstations contain equipment like telephones and computers that plug into information outlets in the wall.
Alliance Telecommunications is your trusted cabling contractor in the Morristown, NJ, area. If you need commercial structured cabling services, call us or fill out an online contact form to schedule a consultation with our experts.
