DATA CENTERS — CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESSORY PRODUCTS

Data centers are engineered to connect cabling circuits to a variety of different equipment. To support this connectivity, they contain accessories including racks, cabinets, patch panels, cable management and power. All of these accessories contribute to the functionality or efficiency of the data center.

Racks and cabinets are used to hold and organize equipment within the data center. A 19-inch wide rack is the standard for data equipment. Transmission and communication equipment typically require a 23-inch wide rack. The height of these racks, as well as the equipment, is typically measured in "U"s, where 1U is equal to 1.75 inches. In addition to holding equipment that is designed to mount in the rack or cabinet, shelves are available to hold equipment not designed to mountable.

A patch panel houses cable connections and is an interface between the horizontal cable that is run within the walls and the short patch cables that connect to equipment within the data center. Patch panels are used for both copper and fiber optic cabling. Patch panels typically provide an area that can be labeled to identify the connection. This labeling is critical to efficiently troubleshoot and identify circuits and equipment.

Cable management is an important part of the cabling system within the data center. Cable management can include cable ties, cable raceway, cable trays, wire duct, conduit, raised floor troughs and overhead grids. These items allow the network administrator to organize and plan cable runs within the data center.

Power equipment within the data center provides the means for all of the equipment to operate. Accessories include uninterruptable power supplies (UPS), rectifiers, batteries, generators, rack and cabinet power distribution units (PDUs), and grounding equipment. Many of the power accessories such as UPS, batteries, and generators, ensure that the data center continues to receive power in the event of a commercial power outage. This can help avoid downtime that could cause financial loss for the business that relies on the data center. A rectifier converts AC power to DC power which is required by most equipment in the data center. The PDUs in a data center provide power to multiple devices, similarly to a power strip that would be used in a home or office. The grounding equipment used in a data center is used to provide a safe environment as well as limit the buildup of static electricity in the equipment.