In a nutshell, patch panels get rid of the spaghetti factor. Let's say
that you've got 500 drops coming into a datacenter. Other than the mess of
cables you'd have around every switch, you'd have to search heavily to
figure out which cable is where. When patch panels are in place, you
arrange them in an orderly fashion so that you know where each drop is
located. For example, panel 1 may contain all drops from floor 1 in the
building. You eliminate a lot of mess because you only need patch those
drops that are hot or in use. If you change switches in the future, it's
relatively easy to see which drops are being relocated.
When you punch down a drop, you're actually doing it at two locations: the
termination point at the wall jack, and the back of the patch panel. You
use a punch tool to perform this operation. When completed, you have a
RJ-45 jack at each end, ready to plug your cable into.
I suggest you look for a book entitled "LAN Wiring". I believe that it's
now in its second edition.
Craig
At 07:27 AM 1/17/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>Could someone please elaborate on patch panels, or point to some
>reading.
>I understand the use of panels when you have your switch/router in,
>say, rack1 and your devices in rack5, you then have patch panels in
>rack5 hardwired over to rack1.
>I'm missing the practicality in other cases:
>Your router/switches are in rack1 and you have them hooked up to patch
>panels also in rack1. Why not bypass the patch panels in this case?
>Wiring closets; you have hubs in the closet, wired to patch panels in
>the same closet. Again, why not bypass the panels?
>When a workstation needs to be "punched down", does that mean you need
>to hardwire a port on the patch panel to the hub, then run a line from
>workstation to the patch panel? Any info available on the "punch down"
>methodology?
>
>Any clarifications greatly appreciated.
>
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