Infrastructure wiring, also known as structured cabling, is an important part of any business whether you notice it or not. In fact, the best examples of infrastructure wiring are the ones that do their job without anyone being the wiser. As the saying goes, “if the infrastructure wiring is done right, nobody will be sure there is any infrastructure wiring at all.”
Visibility
Simply put, good infrastructure wiring should be out of site, and therefore out of mind. All wires should be neatly packed away when possible. When this is not possible, they should still be neatly bundled and aesthetically pleasing. Nobody wants to come into your office or place of business and see wires strewn all over.
Safety
However, there is another reason your wires should all be neatly tucked away, and that is safety. Simply put, unmanaged wires are a workplace hazard that your employees should not be exposed to. They can cause:
- – Trips and falls (the most common workplace injury)
- – Fires (possible widespread damage)
- – And electrocutions (can be extremely dangerous)
If your wires are managed correctly, they will not be running across the floor for someone to trip over. There also should not be any exposed wiring which could lead to fires or electrocutions. By correctly managing your infrastructure wiring, you can effectively eliminate three causes of workplace injuries in one. However, updating your infrastructure wiring to be safe can be a dangerous job in itself, so make sure it is done by a seasoned professional who knows how to do it right.
Scalability
Aside from safety, which is important for business of all sizes, one of the most important aspects of infrastructure wiring for growing business is scalability. When your business scales up, your structured cabling should be able to handle it without compromising your daily operations. To this end, a good system will already have excess wiring in place for future growth and will be easily accessible for when the time comes to add even more.
Scalability is an interesting aspect of infrastructure wiring because it may seem pointless at the time of an installation. However, this is vital for any business which plans to expand. If a system is not scalable from the start, it is difficult to retroactively add scalability in.
Reliability
Being able to physically see poor wire management is one thing, but often times it can be seen through the unreliability of your system. If your intranet is constantly having connectivity issues, the problem can likely be solved by implementing better infrastructure wiring. Tangled and knotted wires can cause connectivity issues on their own, and having someone trip over a wire only for it to come unplugged only adds to the problem.
If your wires are all hidden away and bundled together neatly then your devices will have a more reliable connection free from external pressure. And, more reliable connections means less downtime, which translates into an increase in productivity.
Simplicity
They say that “less is more,” but what does that mean when it comes to infrastructure wiring? While it can mean less footage of physical wiring due to a more effective network layout, the “less” can also refer to less headaches for you and your employees.
Even the best-managed structured cabling has its issues, and while they will not be as common as with poorly managed systems, the results are the same, downtime. Luckily a good wire management plan will be set up in such a way that makes problems easy to diagnose and fix. So even when your internal connections do fail, they will not stay down for long.
But, a simple design is not only helpful for when things go wrong, it is the backbone of everything else covered so far. A simple infrastructure wiring layout is easier to hide from view, safer due to a lack of “rogue” wires, and more easily accessible for when things go right and it is time to upscale your system.
Conclusion
Remember, good infrastructure wiring should be invisible, safe, scalable, reliable, and simple. If your structured cabling does not meet your standards for any of these five aspects, it may be time to take another look at your setup. So to come full-circle, “if the infrastructure wiring is done right, nobody will be sure there is any infrastructure wiring at all.” It is only noticeable when something is done incorrectly and causes an issue for yourself or your business.
Contact ITSG
Whether you have a brand new office in need of infrastructure wiring, or if you have old, sloppy wiring and are ready to get it cleaned up, ITSG is here to help. Our Infrastructure Team will design and implement a simple, safe, reliable, and scalable infrastructure wiring plan. And once it is complete, you will hardly know it is even there. Contact I.T. Services Group today for help with all your wiring needs!
