Trying to practice cable management in a network installation must be a lot like leading a class of kindergarteners.

A kindergarten teacher finally gets all the students in their assigned places, but notices 15 minutes later that nobody is where they’re supposed to be. Likewise, an IT professional spends hours neatly installing cables in a data center, then notices a few days later that some of them are in a tangled mess – we call it cable chaos.

Thank goodness that, just as there are kindergarten teachers who possess the tools to keep a class happy and well organized, there are also cable management tools to keep your installation in order. In fact, there are so many cable management products on the market that it can be confusing to find what you really need. To simplify your search, below we have divided them into four main categories:

• Rack-mount cable managers
• Wire-mesh cable trays
• Plastic cable ties
• Hook-and-loop cable straps

Let’s explore how you might use each product category.

• 1.Rack-Mount Cable Managers

Rack-mount cable managers are arrayed either horizontally across the width of the rack or vertically mounted down either side. Here are the most useful types:

• Horizontal cable managers direct cables away from the front or back of a rack to alleviate the all-too-common traffic jam of connections. A cable raceway keeps cords tucked away and hidden as it directs their path. A cable cross bar, or lacing bar, extends a few inches from the front or rear of a rack to provide stress relief for connections. A panel of D-rings, or distribution rings, direct cables away from the front of a rack, making it easier to monitor the components and adjust their controls. D-rings work much like cable raceways except that they don’t hide your cords. A brush-strip panel creates a large opening on your rack front or back for cable access without letting in dust.
• Vertical cable managers gather cables together and neatly direct them up or down the front or back of a rack. Vertical cable raceways and vertical D-rings fasten to the outside of a rack rail, so they don’t require any rack spaces like their horizontal counterparts do. A vertical cable management rail, or lacing strip, is a flat metal strip that attaches to a rack rail. It has holes, slots, and other cutouts for securing cables. NavePoint offers 16 models from 35U to 48U long.

Away from network racks, cables need to remain organized and protected as they extend across a room or into another room. This leads us to the second category of cable management products.

• 2.Wire-Mesh Cable Trays

For transporting large numbers of cables across a room or from one room to the next, it’s impossible to beat the utility and cost-effectiveness of wire-mesh cable trays. They can mount to just about anything − walls, ceilings, floors, or under raised floors − to support, route, and protect cables. You can cut the wire mesh for custom lengths and bolt trays together for different configurations. The open mesh design keeps cables cool and the electro zinc plating resists weather and corrosion.

Cable trays come in many widths and heights to support dozens or even hundreds of cables. For instance, NavePoint has 18 models that comprise 9 widths, 2 depths, and 2 lengths. Our 2-inch-deep models hold from 50 cables at 2 inches wide to 590 cables at 24 inches wide. Our 4-inch-deep trays hold from 90 cables at 2 inches wide to 1,250 cables at 24 inches wide.

• 3.Plastic Cable Ties

Plastic cable ties, aka zip ties, are the most popular solution for bundling cables. They are inexpensive, resist loosening or breaking over time, and come in many lengths and strengths. Multiple color choices are useful in color coding your cable bundles.

• 4.Hook-and-Loop Cable Straps

Velcro-style hook-and-loop cable straps are great for cable bundles that might be altered a lot, as they are easier to open, loosen, and tighten than zip ties. They cost more than zip ties, but are easy to find in more economical bulk rolls – which also allow you to cut them to the exact lengths you need. See our blog post for more on plastic cable ties vs. hook-and-loop cable straps.

To stop cable chaos, NavePoint’s cable management products are in stock now and available with FREE standard same-day shipping. If you have product questions or need recommendations about our cable management solutions, contact our U.S.-based team of experts at +1 (866) 392-1613 or email us.