Network Infrastructure Blog

When Siemon developed its new Value Vertical Cable Manager (VVCM) system, most of its features and capabilities were based on input from a wide range of company types and job roles among channel partners, end-user customers, consultants and system integrators. For the contractors and integrators tasked with installing racks and cable management on the jobsite, the focus was all about user-friendly features to enable faster, more efficient Day 1 deployments, and that input resulted in key VVCM innovations:

• Small, light modular design and packaging that is easier to store, transport, and move around the jobsite versus heavy, single-piece traditional 7-foot vertical managers.
• Intuitive, tool-less assembly process that takes less than 5 minutes start-to-finish (check out a time-lapse assembly video here.)
• Dual-hinged doors with spring-loaded “finger-operated” latches vs. snap on covers.

While those Day 1 VVCM features were also valued by end-users and consultants, the overall user/consultant demographic placed a higher premium and interest on Day 2 benefits. That is a logical outcome, as once the contractor has wrapped up the initial install, it is typically the end-users that are left to manage the ongoing moves, adds and changes to that beautifully installed cabling infrastructure. Day 2 is all about accessibility, scalability, and flexibility.

In terms of accessibility, the biggest challenge with most lower-cost vertical managers is the covers. These tend to be snap-on style plates that, while they can be removed to provide more or less unhindered access to the cable management space, are difficult to reattach properly. In fact, it isn’t uncommon to see snap-on covers left aside and not re-attached at all, which not only exposes the cabling pathways to potential disruption, it detracts from the space’s aesthetics.

Based on customer feedback, the VVCM was designed with proper doors. These doors are dual hinged so that they can be opened in either direction, providing excellent access regardless of the cable routing configuration or surrounding space challenges without the consistent need to remove the doors completely. However, if users prefer to remove the doors, the spring-release clips at each corner and easy-to-identify attachment points make re-attachment a quick and simple process.

Scalability should also be considered – and when thinking about cable managers, scalability equals room to grow. Like most vertical cable managers, the VVCM is available in a range of widths – the wider the manager, the more management space it provides. Choosing the best manager size for the application requires some pre-Day 1 foresight based on per rack equipment and patching field density, horizontal cabling density, and future expansions. As a general rule of thumb, it is far safer to go bigger than initial estimates if at all possible.

Once the system is installed, that extra management space will also make basic day-to-day maintenance easier by virtue of providing more room to work. Ongoing MAC work can be further simplified with well though-out, high-capacity cable and cord routing support, and the VVCMs cable management “fingers” were expressly designed to provide that support. Each finger opening aligns with the rack’s mounting spaces and can accommodate up to 48 Category 6A cables, providing a direct and orderly path from the rack-mounted equipment or patching ports to the vertical cable management space.

As cabling channels are re-routed, new channels are added, and additional equipment such as PDUs need to be deployed Day 2, the flexibility to reconfigure the cable management space becomes a key consideration. While most value-level vertical managers provide limited, static space for cabling support accessories such as cable ties, the VVCM’s rear divider plates offer an almost countless number of potential configurations. The plates feature integrated attachment points for cable tie-downs, ¼ turn cable management accessories, and fiber spools, as well as standard PDU mounting points, allowing the managers to support power cable management in addition to network cabling. The divider plates are custom mountable, allowing users to put management support where it is needed, and are reversible to provide more pathway space to either the front or back of the rack as needed.

These Day 2 considerations should be top of mind in a user’s cable management selection regardless of which solutions are on the short list, but a complete analysis must include costs. In the past, the market primarily offered lower-cost bare-bones options or feature rich premium solutions, with a significant cost delta between basic and premium options and little or no middle-ground options. The VVCM was specifically developed to fill that market gap. Combined with Siemon’s 2-Post Value Rack and RouteIT Horizontal Cable Managers, the VVCM completes an integrated rack and cable management solution that is both cost-competitive with basic options, yet offering enhanced features typically limited to more expensive premium systems.

To learn more about the new Value Vertical Cable Manager, visit Siemon’s eCatalog

When it comes to racks and cable management, it seems like there’s always been a de facto line between basic, more or less bare-bones options aimed at typical, day-to-day contractor needs and feature rich premium solutions for higher-end “project work”. And, as any cabling pro can attest, crossing the line into premium solutions usually means a hefty price increase. That may not have been so much of an issue in the good old days, when those everyday jobs rarely required anything more than bare-bones racks and cable managers; but as technology advances, those routine small and medium installs start to feel far less routine.

With technologies like IP-based A/V, surveillance, access control, WiFi, and other intelligent building systems not only communicating through the IT cabling infrastructure, but being powered by it through PoE, the density and complexity of the network can quickly outgrow the capabilities of contractor-priced, basic rack and cable management options. Toss in larger-diameter category 6A cables, and installers are often forced to either live with the limitations of the basic solutions and figure out a way to shoehorn 10lbs of, umm . . . “network infrastructure” into a 5lb bag, or upgrade to more expensive premium options. To make a long story short (or at least shorter), the market was missing a complete rack and cable management solution that could meet “value-level” price points for day-to-day work, and offer the enhanced features needed to support the increasing demands of those everyday jobs . . .

(Now, if I was going for the full-on marketing hard-sell here, I could follow that last sentence up with something like “. . . UNTIL NOW” – but since you’re probably as sick of hearing that kind of thing as I am, I’ll just get to the point.).

Siemon just launched a new Value Vertical Cable Manager (VVCM) system. I’ll cover its features in a second, but I want to start with what this launch means from a system standpoint. Combined with Siemon’s 2-Post Value Rack and RouteIT Horizontal Cable Managers, the VVCM completes a comprehensive, unified rack and cable management family that is both cost-competitive vs. the common, stripped-down options, and packed with features typically found only on premium systems. To put it another way, this value-priced system is designed to simplify the deployment and long-term management of the “new everyday” install: efficiently handling high-density patching and backbone cable routing with capacity for future scalability, providing equipment mounting flexibility for a wide range of applications, supporting space-saving power distribution and cord management options – everything you expect from the premium-level systems, but without the premium price tag.

Back to the new Value Vertical Cable Manager. Rather than make you read about all of its cool contractor-focused features and innovations, we’ve created a brief video for you. (Frankly, the video only takes a couple of minutes, and covers more detail than I could manage in 4 or 5 more pages worth of writing). Check it out on the Siemon eCatalog.

Just in case you can’t spare a second to watch the video now, I’ll give you a Value Vertical Cable Manager teaser:

• It ships small and light, so it is easier handle in the warehouse, on the truck, and at the jobsite. (No more lugging heavy boxes around or cramming huge 7-ft boxes in elevators.
• It only takes 5 minutes to install. Other than bolting it to the rack, assembly is tool-less
• It has REAL DOORS. No more dealing with those snap-on covers. You know: the ones you can never seem to get back in place without a 5-minute wrestling match and a few mangled fingers (both your fingers and the cable manager fingers). The VVCM has real, spring-loaded latches that you can operate with one finger.
• There’s tons more to talk about on the eCatalog

Network infrastructure pros are well aware of the revolution happening inside the walls and ceilings of modern buildings, and they know what is driving it.  It’s the advent of intelligent buildings – the Internet of Things – where virtually every device is connected to the network cabling infrastructure, allowing building systems to communicate via Internet Protocol.  And thanks to advancements in PoE technology that cabling infrastructure is often expected to go beyond data communications, directly delivering low-voltage power to end devices.

In a traditional network infrastructure, horizontal cables terminate to work area outlets, with equipment connections made via double-ended patch cords. While this configuration is very commonly used is intelligent buildings to connect IP devices such as PoE lighting, security cameras, wireless access points, digital displays, and building automation controls, it is not always the most efficient method.

This “straight to the point” configuration offers a range of potential benefits, such as:

• Enabling more rapid deployment of IP devices
• Simplifying project BOMs
• Cutting products costs
• Improving security by eliminating patch cords that can be easily disconnected from devices like surveillance cameras.

However, despite the market availability of field-terminable plugs, the wide adoption of plug-terminated links has, to date, been limited by a number of factors – most critically performance limitations and ease of use.  Again, in the simplest terms, these plugs did not perform as well as the traditional outlet and patch cord configurations and were difficult to terminate.

But today, thanks to innovations such as Siemon’s new Z-PLUG, the benefits of plug-terminated links for high performance, direct connections to IP devices may be realized.

Request a free Z-PLUG sample

In terms of performance, Z-PLUG delivers a high level of 10 Gigabit system transmission performance and supports advanced Power over Ethernet.  In fact, where switching from the traditional outlet and patch cord device connection to a plug-terminated link once forced cabling pros to sacrifice performance, deploying Z-PLUG to eliminate additional outlets and patch cords can actually improve transmission performance and enable more efficient power delivery.

Z-PLUG also delivers excellent flexibility, supporting the most common cabling types and configurations in a single product/part number. Z-PLUG can be quickly terminated to shielded and UTP, solid and stranded Category 6A and Category 6 cables in conductor sizes from 22 to 26 gauge, allowing it to be easily deployed in a wide range of projects and applications.  To further improve usability, all Z-PLUG components can be plenum-rated for use in air handling spaces.

In addition to application flexibility, the Z-PLUG’s innovative termination process significantly reduces termination time while simultaneously helping ensure repeatable connection performance. This contractor-friendly, intuitive termination process centers on Siemon’s hand-held, ergonomic Z-PLUG tool.  The steps are extremely simple:

1. Strip the outer cable jacket and lay the conductors into the Z-PLUG lacing module
2. Lace the conductor pairs according to the integrated color-coding guides and trim
3. Insert the laced module into the plug housing
4. Insert the plug assembly into the Z-TOOL and finalize the termination in one easy motion
5. Plug into your IP device!
6. Z-PLUG can be disassembled and reterminated up to three times

Z-PLUG can be terminated with or without the optional boot.  Coupled with the plug’s rounded corners and reduced-length plug body, Z-PLUG’s ability to “go bootless” make it ideal for connecting devices with limited plug space and depth, such as IP cameras and WAPs.

Other unique features include an optional latch guard that protects the latch during cable routing, provides improved accessibility when unplugging/connecting devices in tight spaces, and supports simple color coding of links through 9 different colors options.

The exponential growth of intelligent buildings and PoE device technology presents an excellent opportunity for network infrastructure professionals: the technology is established, the devices exist, and the volume of network cables needed to support this trend will increase. As such, Z-PLUG’s simple and straight to the point approach to IP end-device connectivity can be a significant advantage.

• Learn more about Z-PLUG
• Request a free Z-PLUG sample

Broken USB phone charging cord in an airport RJ45 outlet

Anyone responsible for network infrastructure probably has stories of  questionable foreign objects stuck in their ports and outlets.  While it may be more of an issue in publicly accessible ports, it can happen wherever you might find childish mischief, malicious intent, or old-fashioned stupidity (in other words, anywhere).

Gum in a grade school computer lab port

I’ve collected a few good examples in my travels, including gum in an elementary school outlet, the remnants of a USB phone charger jammed into an airport kiosk port, and my personal favorite: a half-smoked cigarette in a TR patch panel, left by a tech who obviously intended to smoke the rest of it later.

But I’d be willing to bet that my examples would be child’s play compared to what you contractors and network pros have seen over the years – and we’d love to hear about it.

Share your best “foreign object in a port” story via Twitter @siemoncabling #siemonlockit and we’ll send you a Siemon gift pack, including a few samples of our LockIT outlet lock (which, not coincidently, was designed to help keep all manner of unauthorized things out of your network ports).  Include a picture of the offense and we’ll throw in a Siemon bucket seat and a hard hat*.

LockIT Outlet Lock and locking patch cord

And, once we’ve all had a good laugh, you can check out an easy way to make sure it never happens again – with Siemon’s LockIT outlet locks.

*In US only, while supplies last.

Looking for a cost-effective, feature-rich 24” (600mm) cabinet solution? Check out Siemon’s V600:

1. Standard footprint 24” (600mm) width, 40” (1000mm) and 48” (1200mm) depth options, 45U
2. Flexible mounting options Standard 19” mounting rails are depth adjustable to support multiple equipment types
3. Enhanced thermal management High-Flow Doors exceed major IT equipment air flow requirements. Compatible with thermal management options including exhaust fans and brush guards. 48” (1200mm_ depth version compatible with VersaPOD Vertical Exhaust Ducts (chimneys).
4. Enhanced accessibility Quick-release, field-reversible single hinge doors and split-level removable side panels provide excellent cabling and equipment accessibility in limited-clearance applications.
5. Easy Installation Ships fully assembled for rapid deployment