Smart Labeling for Data Center Organization

Cables, wires, conduit – these are the backbone of your data center, but their importance is often overlooked. If you’ve ever had to untangle a mess of wires to troubleshoot a problem, you know organization isn’t always a top priority for IT professionals.

When you label and color-code components, you can save a lot of time diagnosing connection problems or moving equipment. You can also save yourself some trouble by planning for growth, instead of getting the bare minimum equipment for your needs.

Smart labeling

Labeling may seem like an old-fashioned way of delineating the function of specific cords, but it’s not as if you’ll be scribbling on bits of masking tape to explain what’s what.

Modern label-makers can create thermal-transfer labels resistant to fading, moisture and ultraviolet light. Label tape comes in different sizes and multiple colors, so you can customize your labeling system in a way that makes the most sense and is easy for everyone to understand. That’s especially helpful when you must move and reassemble a lot of equipment.

Cord management

One reason cords become tangled or damaged is that they’re too long, but with a little practice, you can shorten patch cables yourself (make sure you test the connection afterward).

If racks are inaccessible, you could end up with a lot of dangling or tangled cords,

Many cord problems can be mitigated with good data center design, and that means also allowing enough space for growth.

If you’re running Ethernet cables through conduit, choose a conduit size that allows room for more cables. Otherwise, you may end up having to replace conduit, which can be a pretty labor-intensive task.

Being organized and doing a job right the first time can prevent a lot of headaches down the road. Always use quality products, too – a shoddy connector can cause equipment to fail. At Lifeline Data Centers, we use only the best accessories, so our clients can count on server uptime. Schedule a tour today and see what we have to offer.

Other resources:

• Infographic: The 22 Data Center Compliance Acronyms You Need to Know
• White Paper: Why Data Center Compartmentalization is Important
• Lifeline One Sheet: What You Need to Know About Lifeline Data Centers

Rich Banta

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Rich is responsible for Compliance and Certifications, Data Center Operations, Information Technology, and Client Concierge Services. Rich has an extensive background in server and network management, large scale wide-area networks, storage, business continuity, and monitoring. Rich is a former CTO of a major health care system. Rich is hands-on every day in the data centers. He also holds many certifications, including: CISA – Certified Information Systems Auditor CRISC – Certified in Risk & Information Systems Management CDCE – Certified Data Center Expert CDCDP – Certified Data Center Design Professional