On 09/29/2010 11:08 AM, John BORIS wrote: > Somehow someone here figures I am a network layout guru and I got tagged > to guide one of our schools in restructuring their Network. I am looking > for some type of guide or spec that would say when it is best to use a > Home run to Network Center or to set up a Terminal Closet and have just > one (with a spare) run back to the Network Center. > > The current situation has the Server Room (Network Center) in the > middle of the school (well it is about 50 feet off of center). On one > side of the building they have a Terminal Closet and one home run from > the TC to the Server Room as it is about 150 ft from Network Center. The > other side of the building are Home runs to the Network center. That is > the side that is in question. Runs to a Terminal closet may be the same > distance as the network Center. > > I have to add 8 drops to this side and have been having this mental > battle. Add a TC, no add the home runs. Back and forth. So is there > such a Rosetta stone that says when you reach the x ft limit put a > terminal closet. Or should the longest run be one from the TC to the > Center and keep your runs from the Peripheral to the switch as short as > possible. > > Thanks as always the list has always proven a great source.
When I'm designing wiring for access layer, I tend to strongly prefer fewer larger closets over many smaller closets. This provides a few benefits from my perspective: 1. I know which closet a given drop goes to. You don't have to remember which drops go to which closets. Proper labeling is also important here. 2. Fewer closets also tends to result in fewer things to manage. Rather than having to handle configuration on two or three switches, everything is on one. While some configuration is done on a per-port basis there is also a bunch that is per-switch. We tend to use stacking switches (Cisco 3750 line) in our closets, so I'm able to consolidate 9 switches into a single management point. Minimizing the management points can reduce operating costs down the road. The spec allows for runs of up to 90m from closet to station (this allows for 5m of patch on each end). Assuming the wiring is properly installed, the runs will work out to the 100m spec limit. The only significant concern I have with larger closets is it tends to make cable management more difficult. However assuming you are able to install proper horizontal and vertical management it can be very manageable. -- Thanks Jefferson Cowart j...@cowart.net _______________________________________________ Tech mailing list Tech@lopsa.org http://lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators http://lopsa.org/
