Demand for data center services remains high, prompting significant investments in new construction and expansion. However, ongoing supply chain challenges remain a check on the industry. In a survey by the Uptime Institute, 75 percent of organizations reported some type … Read More
Data Center
Data Center Industry Standards: A Primer
Data centers are highly complex, with near-infinite variations. However, they share a common objective — the reliable delivery of IT services. Over time, various groups have documented methods that are calculated to achieve this result. Some of these methods have … Read More
Cloud Repatriation: Reverse Cloud Migration as a Data Center Strategy
Cloud adoption remains strong, but cloud repatriation is also a leading trend. In a recent AFCOM survey, 83 percent of respondents said they were repatriating workloads back to on-premises data centers or colocation facilities. Databases, enterprise applications, and custom software … Read More
Data Center Optimization: How to Improve Data Center Efficiency
In a recent Uptime Institute survey, 54 percent of data center operators cited staffing as their biggest management and operational challenge. More than half (53 percent) said they struggled to find qualified candidates, while 42 percent said staff retention was … Read More
6 Data Center Cable Management Best Practices
Most IT teams recognize the critical importance of data center cable management. Disorganized “spaghetti” cabling can cause serious problems, including increased operational overhead, slower implementations, troubleshooting challenges, and even unplanned downtime. Poorly managed patch cables can also impede airflow, increasing … Read More
Exploring the Benefits of Copper Cables vs. Fiber Optic Cables
In modern data centers and networking environments, there are two types of cables commonly used to transmit data, each with unique benefits and characteristics. Fiber optic cables represent the newer, more modern solution and copper cables represent the older, legacy … Read More
7 Network Rack Cable Management Tips to Reduce Cost, Headaches, and Risk
Busy network engineers may feel as if they lack the time for proper network rack cable management. However, a disorganized mess of patch cords and cables will only make maintenance more difficult and time-consuming in the long run. Improper cable … Read More
What is Copper Cable in Networking: An Overview
Cables are often described as the “pipes” of the network, the conduit through which data flows. Just as plumbing pipes come in various “grades,” Ethernet cables have different “categories” that determine the amount of data that can move through the … Read More
Ethernet Cable Fire Ratings: CMP vs. CM vs. CMR-Rated Cables
Because they are installed in walls and ceilings, Ethernet cables must meet fire safety standards. Ethernet cables are low-voltage, carrying only a small amount of electricity at high frequency to transmit data, so the odds of them catching fire are … Read More
Fiber Cable Management and Connectivity: Patch Panels and Cassettes
Fiber-optic cabling can deliver more data over longer distances than traditional copper cabling. As a result, more data centers are switching from copper to fiber. According to a recent report from Global Industry Analysts, the market for fiber-optic components is … Read More