August 12 2021
There has been a massive development in communications technology in recent years. Organizations, all over the world, are now required to update their approach vis-à-vis network infrastructure design to maintain pace with the growing need for enhanced connectivity. This is the main reason why most companies are now opting for centralized systems.
However, bigger companies face challenges when it comes to creating a network setup that can accommodate a rising number of connected devices. They need a lot of wires for this purpose. And it requires infrastructure changes as well. These issues can be avoided by using the zone cabling network approach.
Let’s find out what is zone cabling and how it is better than the conventional cabling approach:
It is a network infrastructure approach that makes workplaces more flexible and easily adaptable. This approach provides a seamless setup that enables companies to manage a huge number of devices and connections over a single network. This is why it is considered the best choice for smart building connectivity.
The traditional cabling approach works by using structured cabling systems. These systems connect telecommunication rooms with patch panels. They are also connected to horizontal cables, which are linked to IP devices, such as Ethernet ports.
Zone Cabling, on the other hand, works by connecting telecommunication rooms and consolidation points. These points are set up in the ceilings of specific ‘zones’ in a building. It can be a room or a particular area. For example, the admin block of an office can be a separate ‘zone’. Every system or device within a zone is connected to its consolidation point.
Some companies also use power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology in order to power different devices. This eliminates the need for using different cables for network and power. To do this, they replace twisted pair or coaxial cables with Cat6 or Cat6a cables. This enables the network infrastructure to support PoE devices when the need arises.
If you also intend to do the same, make sure to get the best cabling solutions from Malco Technologies, as the effectiveness of this network architecture approach depends a lot on the quality of cables.
Let’s take a look at some of the major benefits of zone cabling:
Tangled nests of cables was the main problem associated with the conventional cabling approach. It was a real challenge to expand or even simply manage such a system. These issues, however, will not be prevalent if you’re opting for the zone cabling technique as there will be no requirement to use thousands of cables. Instead, there will be an orderly system of consolidation (connection) points. Short-run cables will be used to connect the devices in each zone. This takes care of the ‘tangled nests’ issue.
Zone cabling uses a minimalist layout. With no tangle nests and a huge number of cables, maintenance of an IT infrastructure won’t be a big hassle for the network administrator.
Adding a new device to the system is also not a major problem if you’re opting for zone cabling approach. There will be no requirement to connect more wires through the walls every time you need to connect a new device.
It is a more cost-effective method as compared to the conventional approach as it requires less labor and material. Furthermore, the easy management aspect also lessens the maintenance cost.
One of the biggest advantages of zone cabling is that it makes your business more expandable. By applying this approach, you are making your business future ready.
For example, it allows companies to easily add 48 connections in every connection point. So, even if you do not require as many devices right now, you can get these connections as the demand may arise in the future. This way, you will not have to fit additional cables or reorganize the entire office. This also saves the anticipated labor cost.
A range of devices and applications can be included in a zone cabling network solution. These include wireless, lighting, voice data, video surveillance, access control, HVAC, AC, energy management, AV and many more.
In all, zone cabling architecture offers numerous benefits. It is certainly not a waste of resources but a rather cost-effective solution that caters to the requirements of modern businesses. However, it’s important that the entire system must be carefully planned and implemented. Therefore, it’s recommended to rely on expert network administrators for a smooth transit
