Data Cabling: Understanding What It Takes To Get Your Business Connected
Data is a vital part of any business's infrastructure. Through data cabling, your employees get connectivity to each other (for file and data sharing), to the internet (for research, and communication), and to clients (taking orders, replying correspondence, offering after-sale support, general customer service, etc). But what is data cabling really and what does it involve? In this article, discover what it takes to offer you all the above through data cabling services.
Designing your network outlay
First, your commercial electrician and his team of technicians will meet with you to discuss your data needs and the outlay of your business. This is the design stage. They will want to know where you need connectivity and to what machines, (computers, faxes, printers, etc). The commercial electrician will then plan how to network all your machines, which types of cabling to use, where to pass the cables, and where to set up your data room.
Setting up the data room
Next, the electrician will identify where to set up the data rack or room. It should be conveniently located near your work places to ease the connectivity process that will follow. The data room is the nerve centre of a network system and all data connections flow through it. Here, the electrician will set up the data racks and then load the servers, switches, routers, and any other equipment needed for your network cabling
Pulling the cables
Then the main wok begins; pulling the cables from outside your premises (the main grid) to your data room. The electricians will need to prepare the cable ends, attach clips, hook them up to the servers, tie the cables neatly and label where each bunch directs to. Once done, they will pull the cables from the data room to your areas of operation. The cables can be passed under the floor, over the ceiling or behind the walls. The aim here is to keep them out of sight to avoid ruining your workplace aesthetics. Once the cables are pulled to their point of use, wall outlets will be installed and the cables attached to them.
Testing and setting up the network
Last, but not the least, the testing phase. Here, the electricians will ensure that all the pulled data cables are working as they should. This will involve connecting them to a computer and checking the connectivity status. Next, they will create a work network for your business, allowing users to send files within the intranet, to access and send commands to the faxes and printers, as well as to download content from the internet.
Once done, the data cabling process will be complete and your business will be ready to operate with unlimited connectivity to clients and partners worldwide.