Structured Cabling Systems - Page 2

Creative Compromise -
Interior Layout of the Telecommunications Room by Chuck Siebuhr

Another instance of poor planning and lack of communication created a situation that, fortunately, could be corrected without too much trouble or expense. The door was 36 inches by 80 inches, but it opened inward instead of outward. Problem? It opened right into the planned location for a floor-mounted equipment cabinet, which would only allow the door to open approximately 18 to 20 inches. Solution? The door was simply re-hung to open outward, as it should have been done originally.

Had accurate and detailed drawings been prepared, neither situation would have occurred. One extremely important consideration is exactly what to include in the drawing and what may be better defined in a legend either on the plan itself or as an attachment. Smaller plans may present call-outs on the drawing, which are explained in the legend. On larger plans, more details can be included in the drawing itself. In either case, include all information that could affect the completed design. For example, note the exact height of equipment AFF (above finished floor) and that fluorescent light fixtures shall be mounted 8 1/2 feet AFF. Provide exact reference measurements and any additional helpful information wherever possible, such as "Emergency power fail transfer spotlight to be mounted on north wall, Room 521, 8 feet AFF, adjacent to utility shaft as indicated on plan drawing."

Special notes or specific detailed drawings may be required to clarify pathways, routing or equipment layouts. Outlines of other support fixtures or furniture should be represented as well, in order to coordinate actual space requirements and safe workspace. Examples would be desks, chairs, bookshelves or storage cabinets and the necessary free space to open cabinet doors, etc. It may sound unbelievable, but we have seen plans that allowed for a 30-inch by 60-inch desk but did not consider space for the chair that went with it. Copies of all documents should be maintained in a master file and used to prepare final as-builts to be provided to the client upon completion and acceptance.

Other details to consider might include specifications for particular components or hardware. For example: "Ladder rack, width 6 inches, supported at 8 feet AFF along east wall of Room 521, 4 inches above plywood backboard." This notation should correspond with dimensions provided for the placement and mounting of backboards elsewhere on the plans. An 8- foot by 4-foot panel mounted horizontally, with the upper edge 4 inches below the ladder rack would place the lower edge 44 inches AFF. Details like this become increasingly important as all of the pieces come together and can be painfully obvious oversights during the construction phase, if not carefully attended to in the initial planning stages.

Room 522 is laid out to accommodate the full potential of the area being served, including nominal growth for the number of WAOs and necessary equipment. This room actually serves as both an ER (equipment room) and a TR and, as such, qualifies for the more stringent environmental conditions of an ER. (Refer to TIA 569A.) Details such as the size and type of sweeps and waterfalls are included, as well as placement of the equipment cabinets, depth and direction of door openings and notes on where dedicated power, as well as convenience AC outlets, will be placed. As in Room 521, the location of fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and shelves/storage units are also indicated on the plan, as is the penetration between the two rooms and the type of firestopping to be used.

Note that the level of detail should even include the colors associated with termination and equipment fields, depending on the function(s) being served. Much more often than not, we hear complaints about requiring details to this degree, but the fact is that it makes all the difference between a successful, professionally executed project and one that is the old "ready, fire, aim" concept that gets band-aided as it progresses. Planning and detail-orientation are inarguably the keys to any successful implementation effort and complex projects require more detail.

As the industry's technological capabilities continue to advance at dizzying speeds, our almost total dependence on infrastructure reliability is one of the most critical issues addressed on a daily, if not hourly, basis. Every link in this chain is vital to continued flexibility, adaptability and interconnectivity.

Examples presented here, among many others surfacing across the industry, are only the tip of the iceberg. Many more will surface as data speeds jump from 10 to 100 and 1000 Mbps. With each migratory step, more complex problems will be evident, as will the associated costs to provide viable solutions. Poor planning efforts suddenly will be in the spotlight, and penalties will be severe in some cases. Now is the time to proceed carefully, take the time to do the extra research, analyze the plan, and then analyze it again. Leave out no detail and ensure that everyone involved with the project has a clear understanding of expectations, methods and procedures. Document everything.

Evolution can be briefly described as the process of natural selection. As the industry evolves, natural selection would seem to favor something that provides whole solutions, rather than proposals that address just a portion of the problem. In this context, that something would be defined as the infrastructure in its entirety, from the first conceptual sketch to the last TSB95-compliant test report printed and everything in between. No detail is unimportant!