Network infrastructure and server rooms at work: common mistakes

Short answer

At work, internet dropouts and a slow network usually come not from the internet line but from the infrastructure inside the building. Proper cabling, business-grade network devices, a tidy rack cabinet and a cool, protected server room prevent most of these problems from the start.

Network infrastructure is the system of cables, wall outlets, patch panels, switch, routers, firewalls and wireless access points that connects all the devices in a building to each other and to the internet. A server room is a specially protected room where these devices and the servers are kept.

Mistake 1: Exceeding the cable distance

With copper cables such as Cat6, a single run can be used up to about 100 meters. Beyond that limit, the connection becomes unstable, speed drops or the line does not work at all.

For long distances and between floors and buildings, fiber cable should be used. Large sites such as factories, storehouses and campuses are buildings we often see in Şanlıurfa; in these areas, building the backbone lines with fiber makes the network much more robust.

Mistake 2: Unlabeled, messy cabling

Unlabeled cables plugged straight into the switch without a patch panel cause no trouble in the first days. But when something fails, finding which cable goes to which room can take hours.

• Label every run at both ends, using the same system.
• Use patch panels and cable managers.
• Keep an up-to-date list showing which outlet is connected to which port.
• Do not cram power and data cables into the same trunking.

Mistake 3: Home-grade devices for business needs

Home-grade modems and switches are designed for a small number of devices. As the number of employees grows and cameras and printers are added, these devices fall short.

Managed switches, centrally managed access points and a firewall make it possible to split the network into segments, keep guests separate from staff and see problems.

Mistake 4: Not segmenting the network

When staff computers, guests, cameras and printers are on the same network, security is weaker and heavy traffic in one part affects the whole network. Splitting the network into segments with VLANs and setting access rules on the firewall reduces this risk.

Mistake 5: Not accounting for PoE power

IP cameras, wireless access points and IP phones usually draw their power through the network cable (PoE). If the switch’s total PoE power is not enough for the connected devices, some of them shut down at random or do not turn on at all. A switch should not be chosen before a device list is made.

Mistake 6: Using the server room as a storeroom

The server room is often set up under the stairs or in an unused room, among boxes. Yet servers and network devices give off heat day and night and are affected by dust.

In Şanlıurfa summers, temperatures can rise quickly. Opening a window lets in dust and humidity; if a single air conditioner fails, the devices are soon at risk. That is why redundant cooling, temperature monitoring and alarms matter.

• Dedicate the room to system equipment only; do not use it as a storeroom.
• Plan the cooling to run without interruption and, if possible, with redundancy.
• Install a temperature sensor and an alert system.
• Restrict access to the room with a card or a lock; add a camera if needed.

Mistake 7: Forgetting the UPS

Sudden power cuts and voltage fluctuations can damage devices and lead to data loss. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) keeps devices powered for a while, giving time for a safe shutdown or for the power to come back. How long a UPS lasts depends on its power, battery capacity and the connected devices; the batteries also weaken over time.

Checklist

Before setting up new infrastructure or renewing what you have, answer these questions:

• How many users and devices will connect to the network?
• How far is the farthest outlet from the rack cabinet?
• Which devices are PoE, such as cameras and wireless access points?
• Will guest and staff networks be separated?
• Is the server room cool, dry and locked?
• Are the devices connected to a UPS?

Let’s sort it out together

Structured cabling, business-grade wireless networks, rack cabinet organization, server room setup: we can work through your workplace infrastructure together. It would not be right to say anything definite without seeing your place; tell us what you need, and let’s decide together.

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