Data Center Cabling Pathways

Datacenter should ensure that capacity of pathway has been estimated as per quantities cable when the data center is fully populated, and all expansion areas are built.

Cabling pathway design should have an adequate capacity of pathways at entrance rooms, main distribution areas (MDAs), intermediate distribution areas (IDAs), horizontal distribution areas (HDAs), and intersections of cabling pathways.

Data centers cabling should not be routed through spaces accessible by the public or other neighbors and make sure that cables are enclosed conduit or other secure pathways.

All maintenance holes; pull boxes or splice boxes should be equipped with a lock and entrance cabling for data center should not be routed through a common equipment room and it should be a monitored datacenter security system using a camera or remote alarm.

Utility tunnels used for datacenter entrance rooms should be keep locked, if tunnels are shared with other data centers, it has to be in good metallic conduit or secure pathway separation.

Ensure that there is a proper distance between power cables and balanced twisted-pair cables as per ANSI/TIA 569 C Standards and there should be horizontal and vertical separation of power and network cables.

Make sure that different rows of tiles in the main aisles for power and network cabling. Provide vertical separation by placing network cabling in cable trays or baskets.

Twisted pair cable must be separated from fiber if used in same pathways. Cords and jumpers should be separated from other cabling.

Telecommunications pathways for datacenter should pass through underground and overhead pathways are not recommended. The entrance pathways should also have adequate capacity to handle growth and additional access providers.