Arnaud Coudray says invest in cable management software to get the best out of a physical network.
Cables are the nervous system of a company. Although people who use computers and telecommunications equipment ignore the reality of the physical network, the fact is communications rely on a complex network of cables, cabinets, patch cords, hubs, outlets, and other active and passive components.

A building with 1000 employees needs around 160 km of cables, 3000 outlets, 8000 connections, 2000 patch cords, and 3600 hours of technician work to adapt and maintain the infrastructure.

Keeping track of all moves, additions, and changes can quickly become a nightmare, and cabling management software has to be included in the project from the very beginning.

Physical network management

It is a difficult job to identify the user of a specific line instantaneously, the user distribution from a complete riser, or the available outlets for the relocation of a group of employees.

With the increased complexity of information systems, specific tools have been developed to support people in the supervision of the network, in giving users assistance through a helpdesk, in keeping track of the company's computers and software resources, and so on. Monitoring and maintaining the physical network is a job in itself, and no communication could exist without it.

Using professional cabling management software, the manager of a network has a powerful tool to:

  • enjoy a complete and up-to-date picture of the network;

  • visualise and navigate through all the installed equipment;

  • master the continuity of a user's connections, reducing the network failure rate;

  • control cabling system costs with average annual savings of 35%.

    Developed with a job-processing approach in mind, the software will act like an interface between the network manager and the physical network. Managers can take advantage of immediate statistics on the use of their physical network, for example, the percentage of use for each component or for the global network, detection of dead patch cords, and so on.

    What about costs?

    Two years after the installation of a structured cabling network, an approximately equivalent investment should have been made in terms of a daily follow-up of the network's physical layer (moves of employees, integration of new technologies etc). After these two years, a company that does not operate a specific management tool will start to lose control of its network, and performance can deteriorate. Therefore, the installation of software should be considered at the very beginning of a structured cabling project.

    The installation of a structured network is a costly investment – around US$1·3 million over five years, for a company with 300 employees. With an estimated 20% of the company affected by moves each year, operating costs cannot be ignored either. In addition to providing ease of management for daily operations, cable management software will bring significant savings.

    Initially, an outlay of around $80 000 for software may seem high, but over the five year period its use will halve operating costs (from $500 000 to $250 000) and management costs (from $300 000 to $150 000). And so, instead of costing the user $80 000 it saves them over $300 000.

    Practically speaking

    When it comes to the installation, first input the information about the installed network into the software engine.

    From the cabling infrastructure to patching, every link must be identified in the software, often with precision to one pair. Even if this job is to be done through a computer, the task lends itself more to a cabling technician with good computer skills, rather than a computer specialist.

    In today's global markets, information is critical. The ability to communicate and exchange information relies on the company telephone and computer network. Everyone has to be conscious that the network is a complex and highly sensitive asset, mainly built with cables.