FAQ - PerfectPatch
(Click on the hyperlinks for more details.)
- How does using the PerfectPatch
stop my system from turning into a rat's nest? When utilizing
the PerfectPatch
in your management system, you will be required to remove your
patch cord (eliminating entanglements) to make an adjustment.
Then upon completion of the adjustment of the patch cord by the
PerfectPatch
to make the cord fit the exact length of the required patch (eliminating
all slack), you will be performing the maintenance of your management
system at the same time in only the seconds it takes to apply
the PerfectPatch,
thus making your system of patch-cord management self-maintaining
each time you move, add, or change a patch cord. This makes the
PerfectPatch
the only product in the market that turns the chore of having
to deal with the rat's nest obsolete forever. PerfectPatch
is the only product that takes management down to cord level.
This is a necessary requirement to achieve a self-maintaining
management system.
- Does it take long to install the PerfectPatch? No. Typically
it takes 30 seconds per patch
cord.
- Is the PerfectPatch
reusable? Yes. It has been tested more than 2,500 times for
durability and reusability.
- Why would I want to buy the PerfectPatch
when I can just make my own patch cords in the field to fit-to-length?
First of all it takes longer. Second, the reliability and quality
assurance from manufactured patch cords is better. Third, an extensive
industry study on patch-cord management shows that this method
does not solve the problem in real life. An industry study featured
in Cabling Installation and Maintenance (February 1997)
said,
"Ironically, hand-made cords
generally had the same amount of slack as manufactured patch
cords. At the time of the first use they may have been cut to
exact length, but over time these cords were moved around and
so the advantage of custom fit was lost." (Click
here for more details on "Other findings".)
- How much training is needed to show my staff how to keep
the patch panel system neat? It only takes the few minutes
that it takes you to show your staff how to use the PerfectPatch.
Training and maintenance, all-in-one, no product offers so much
for so little of a price.
- How does the PerfectPatch
make it easy for me to buy patch cords? It takes the guess
work out of patch cord purchasing by allowing you to have a 60%
(over half) margin for error. Plus, you have built-in versatility
in your patch cord because you will not have to purchase new patch
cords for future moves, adds, and changes because cords are too
short.
FAQ - Patch-Cord Management
(Click on the hyperlinks for more details.)
- How can the aesthetics of a patch-cord management system
have an impact on my network? If it takes longer to identify
and rectify a fault in your network because of the "rat's nest"
of your patch-cord management system. (See System
Functional Performance Level.)
- Is there any documentation to follow that
demonstrates how to design a proper patch-cord management system?
PerfectPatch, Inc., has developed the "Simple
Patch-Cord Management Guidelines"
is a document that instructs people involved with the structured-cabling
industry how to design, install, and maintain a patch-cord management
system. These guidelines were developed no matter what manufactured
components are being utilized. They show real life principles
that are common to management systems being employed today. They
can be printed out from our web site and work in conjunction with
our web site for more detailed information.
- What makes PerfectPatch, Inc., an expert in patch-cord management?
PerfectPatch, Inc., has looked to PerfectSite Corporation (a structured
cabling consulting firm) which performed the world's most extensive
study ever on patch-cord management in our industry today. As
you read excerpts of this study-"The
Reality of Patch-Cord Management," Cabling Installation
& Maintenance, February 1997, you will notice the striking
similarities in what has been reported and what you have experienced
in patch-cord management.
- I am in charge of the
department that controls the patch-cord management systems in
our building, but our management systems are a real "rat's nest."
I have explained numerous times to my techs in the field the need
to keep it neat? First of all, this was found to be a universal
problem in our industry, everyone's interpretation of neat is
different. "Neat" to your tech could mean a mess to you. Second,
patch cords are typically purchased longer than what is needed
by adding to the accumulation of slack in the system. This is
the #1 problem in patch-cord management.
Third, patch cords are rarely pulled out completely on a
change order, but run atop other cords, causing an entangling
effect. Fourth, "until now" there has been no documentation
from manufacturers on this subject of controlling the effects
of patch cords in a management system. This is why PerfectPatch,
Inc., has developed a document called The Simple Patch-Cord
Management Guidelines
for designing a proper management system and The Management
Performance Level Matrix for controlling the system. The Management
Performance Level Matrix takes patch-cord slack, the #1
problem, and patch-cord entanglements, the #2 problem, and puts
it into an easily understandable format for the individual charged
with patch-cord management. This provides objective, measurable
performance - not someone's subjective interpretation of "neatness."
These documents can be used independent of whatever manufactured
components are utilized in the patch-cord management system.
- What is the most important factor to incorporating
horizontal and vertical managers into a high-density patch field
? The size of the managers. The bigger the managers, the better.
This prompts faster identification, better control, and less snagging
of patch cords. (for details see Patch-Cord
Management).
- I am having a hard time finding out how much space all my
electronic equipment, patch panels, and patch-cord managers, etc,
are going to take up in my standard 7' rack. Is there a method
to use for this? Yes, you would look in the manufacturer's
catalog or call the equipment manufacturer and ask for the size
(height and width). All items should fit the standard 19" rack.
Then convert the height dimension into Rack Mount Spaces (RMS).
Remember, there are 45 RMS in a standard 7' (2.13m) EIA rack.
Each RMS equals 1.75" (4.45 cm) which are three-hole slots on
a rack. (For details see Racks.)
- How do I know what length patch cords to purchase? Without
showing bias to the PerfectPatch,
this is very difficult task (if not impossible) to perform. It
is a "guesstimate" that winds up with having to purchase longer
cords than needed, creating an accumulation of slack from each
patch cord, that no management system or design methods can resolve.
In the industry study this accumulation of slack for 187 patch
cords equated to 312 ft., (96m) over a football field long. This
has devastating results to the management of the patch field.
By not having the ability to adjust your patch cords, the only
suggestion we can give is to review The Simple Patch-Cord Management
Guidelines.
- How big of a role do aesthetics
play in a patch-cord management system? Besides impacting
the time it takes to identify and rectify faults, it impacts the
emotional level of the people who have to work with it and see
it. In the industry study, the question was asked of the techs
who work with the "rat's nest" daily: "How did it get like this?"
The response: "It was made by 'someone else.' " Also, there was
a reluctance to resolve issues involving the patch-cord management
system-no one wanted to deal with the "rat's nest." So, tickets
that were to be resolved would take longer because the techs knew
what was ahead for them when they had to perform a MAC. They could
possibly even create a new problem. Management staff at these
locations would show signs of embarrassment when asked questions
about these systems. They would even have cabling contractors
come in once or twice a year to help clean up the mess. We caught
one cabling contractor cleaning up the patch-cord management system
because she was bringing potential customers over to show them
what their work looked like and did not want them to see the "rat's
nest" (for which the contractor was not responsible). She told
us that she strategically picked out one closet to show because
there was no way to clean up all the closets (for details see
BICSI NEWS, "Year of Aesthetics,"
January 1997).
- Why is it that I do not have the same problems
with aesthetics and management of my PBX cross-connect field as
I do with my LAN patch-cord field ? Because in a cross-connect
field you cut each connection to length, eliminating slack. In
a patch-cord field, cords are already made in certain lengths,
so you can not eliminate all slack. You just try your best at
routing and hiding the slack. This method typically turns your
patch-cord management system into a "rat's nest."
- How do you suggest
we maintain our patch-cord management system at 10, the highest
aesthetic performance level? Explain and post the Aesthetic
Performance Level Matrix at each patch-cord management system
and follow the Two Golden Rules for Success Patch-Cord Management:
• Rule #1: Eliminate slack in each patch cord,
and
• Rule #2: Eliminate entanglements in each patch
cord. If you manage a department and/or contractors, perform spot
checks to see if this task is being done correctly. Remember,
with the assistance of the Management Performance Level Matrix,
you are dealing with measurable performance levels, not someone's
interpretation of neatness. (For details see the Management
Performance Level Matrix.)
Have a problem, suggestion, or comment? Please email PerfectPatch
Technical Support.
|
|