12 INSTALLATION www.cablingbusiness.com Cabling Business Magazine • May 2005 N ew Technology. Workplace Expan-sion. Repairs and Upgrades. With every change in the workplace comes a correspond- ing need to find, move, repair, or add cables to your system. Over time, your telecommunications closets can become an impenetrable jungle of cables, and any work on your telecom system becomes an exercise in trial and error. Without proper documenta- tion and labeling, any effort to work on your telecommunications system or do a physical audit can take hours or even days. Proper documentation and label- ing of your network, using the ANSI/ TIA/EIA-606-A Administration Standard for Telecommunications Infrastructure, can save you time and money in many ways: • Faster, more efficient installation and maintenance • Easier physical audits • Aids in troubleshooting • Helps locate unused cable – saves money on time and materials • Avoids network downtime Keeping your network up and run- ning is vital to the profitability of compa- nies that rely upon their telecom systems to conduct business or complete trans- USING THE CLASS SYSTEM TO DOCUMENT AND LABEL YOUR INSTALLATION By James Pettit actions. W h i l e many telecom- m u n i c a t i o n s installers may balk at the time they think is needed to implement a 606-A compli- ant solution, the right labels, printing system and software can make documentation and labeling a nearly seamless part of the installation process, saving countless hours in the future. By reducing network downtime, a 606-A compliant documentation and labeling solution can be easily cost-justified. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE 606-A STANDARD The 606-A standard is a simplified version of the old 606 standard, and it has been in use for a few years. The new standard is clearer, easier to fol- low, modular and scalable – so that you can expand to higher classes within the standard without changing any existing identifiers or records. While the 606-A standard is not a code (there are no penalties for non-compliance), it is a best practice that will help your company maintain an efficient telecom system that runs at peak performance. The standard specifies a uni- form administration approach for telecommunications cabling systems that supports a multi-product, multi- vendor environment. This means that the labeling and documentation sys- tems outlined in the standard are inde- pendent of any specific applications, which change as technology changes. The 606-A standard works over the life of your telecommunications system, no matter what additions or changes may be made to your technology over time. In fact, with proper documentation and labeling, these additions and changes are made faster and easier through consistent cable documentation and labeling. 14 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR www.cablingbusiness.com Cabling Business Magazine • May 2005 The standard is not only for tele- com installers. It establishes guide- lines for company owners, end users, manufacturers, consultants, contrac- tors, designers, installers and facilities administrators. By using one standard- ized system, the documentation created with the 606-A standard will be useful to anyone who needs in-depth infor- mation about their telecommunications cabling system. CLASSES OF ADMINISTRATION The 606-A standard is scalable, offering four levels of administration guidelines depending upon the size and scope of your cabling system: Class 1 – for systems within a single building with one Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Room (TR) that all workstation cables for that system run to. Class 2 – for systems within a single building that are served by multiple TRs. Class 3 – for a system that spans multiple buildings, called a campus environment. Class 4 – for systems that span multiple campuses. This is also called a multi-site system. This structure allows for a clear understanding of what must be labeled and documented at each class level. Through a consistent labeling standard, it is possible to know the nature and location of every cable for every work- station for any compliant telecommuni- cations infrastructure. This offers huge advantages to installers, administrators and maintenance technicians – a com- pliant labeling system expedites instal- lations and repairs and keeps end users more productive. IDENTIFIERS AND RECORDS FOR THE 606-A STANDARD Labeling and administration of your telecommunications infrastructure is INSTALLATION 606-A COMPLIANT SOLUTIONS FROM BRADY PRINTERS IDXPERT™ LABELING SYSTEM • Portable, flexible printing system • Drop, Lock, and Go Smart Cartridge allows users to easily switch label materials • Edge-to-edge printing capabilities • Uses continuous tape or pre-cut labels to avoid waste • Frequently-used label formats can be stored for easy retrieval TLS2200™ PRINTER • Handheld and desktop versions available • Prints self-laminating, die- cut, and continuous tape labels • PC compatible for fast label formatting and data downloads • Ideal for medium-volume label printing ID PAL™ LABELING TOOL • Entry-level, value priced tool • Easy to use, ideal for on-site, on-demand labeling • Prints continuous tape, six 606-A-compliant colors available • Prints Brady high-quality labels that stick to wires, curved surfaces, or powder-coated surfaces • Recommended for low volume label printing clearly outlined in the 606-A standard for each class, as follows: Class 1 – This level calls for the identification and record of the Tenant Space (TS), all horizontal links (where the cable is from and where it goes), the Telecommunications Main Grounding Busbar (TMGB) and the Telecommunications Grounding Busbar (TGB). Practically speaking, Class 1 identi- fiers and records focus on labeling and documentation of cables from the work- station to the Telecommunications Room (TR), including all outlets and grounding points. From a user’s or installer’s per- spective, this allows for easy identifica- tion of application cables for computers, printers, phones, etc. Anyone who has followed a cable from one end of the office to the other, just to see which cable needs to be moved or replaced, can appreciate the advantage of a clear labeling and documentation standard. Horizontal links include identifiers for cable (at both ends), faceplates/out- lets and termination hardware (patch panels, 110 blocks and 66 blocks). Class 2 – These systems require everything specified for Class 1, plus identifiers and records for intra-building backbone cable, pair, and/or strand, and firestopping points. Building on the Class 1 system, these labels and records show con- nections between TRs within a building, grounding points throughout the build- ing, and the locations where firestopping material has been installed. Documentation also must include dates of firestopping installation, the name of the installer, and the service record for each firestopping location. This helps maintain a fire-safe work envi- ronment and can help make any build- ing inspections faster and smoother. Your system documentation should also include detailed information about the horizontal links, including the identi- fier name, cable type, location of outlet/ connector, outlet connector type, cable length, location of TS, cross-connect hardware type, and service records for the horizontal link. This complete record of your system provides you with every- thing an installer, inspector, administra- tor or technician would need to know to keep your system up and running. In general, documentation must include complete information regarding the type of materials or hardware used for cables, location of grounding points and firestopping materials, the start and end points for all cables, complete ser- vice records, and access and contact information. This helps your company on a number of levels, including faster maintenance and easier inspections and audits. Beyond that, documentation will show you if there are any gaps in safety protocols within your telecom infrastruc- ture, which can help your protect your technology investment and ensure the safety of your employees. Class 3 – Campus environments require all of the elements specified in Class 1 and 2, plus identifiers and records for interbuilding backbone 16 INSTALLATION www.cablingbusiness.com Cabling Business Magazine • May 2005 Circle Reader Card #111 cable, pair, and/or strand, and building records. A multi-building environment, as is often seen in universities or hospitals, is a complex system involving hundreds of workstations, dozens of TRs, and miles of cable. This is where a clear label- ing format is vital, and documentation essential, since multiple people will be responsible for installation, upgrades, and maintenance of the telecommunica- tions infrastructure. Class 4 – At this level, administra- tion is required for each site, as well as for all of the elements, already listed for Class 1, 2 and 3. WHY USE THE 606-A STANDARD? Because the 606-A standard is not a code, companies are not required to follow the guidelines in their entirety. But why follow them at all? Why not develop your own labeling and docu- mentation system? The 606-A Standard has several and consultants. Up until recently, many compa- nies had one person who knew their system’s ins and outs and who was in charge of all installations, upgrades, and maintenance. This leaves the company vulnerable if that person is off, leaves for another position, or retires. Suddenly you may find yourself with hundreds of unlabeled, undocumented cables and no idea what goes where. Or, you may have an idiosyncratic system that makes sense only to the individual who designed it, making it useless for a new a d v a n t a g e s , making it a best practice for all telecom- munications infrastructure labeling and documentation. THE 606-A STANDARD: • Is simple enough to be administered and maintained; • Offers a huge ROI in terms of mainte- nance and upgrades; • Is scalable for future expansions, upgrades, or new building locations; • Is intuitive to technicians, contractors, 17 www.cablingbusiness.com Cabling Business Magazine • May 2005 INSTALLATION Circle Reader Card #112 Circle Reader Card #113 person or an outside technician. This leaves your company investing more time to re-locate and re-label your tele- com system. By using the 606-A stan- dard, your labeling and documentation can be done once and updated as your system is updated. WHAT ABOUT UNLABELED EXISTING SYSTEMS? For many companies, their tele- com infrastructure started with a one TR containing a few cables for a hand- ful of phones and computers. As the company added technology and work stations, more cables were added and outdated technology was disconnected, all without the benefit of a standardized documentation or labeling system. Now these companies find that they’ve got multiple TRs and a network of seem- ingly random cables, several of which may be entirely unused. Labeling and documenting such a system can be a daunting prospect. If you’re starting or moving to a new location, then of course that’s the ideal time to start using a 606-A compliant solution. But if not, you don’t have to label all of your old cable at once. The best time to begin using 606-A compli- ant solutions is during new installations or expansions, moves/adds/changes (MACs) in your office, or while updating technology or adding bandwidth. This will show you the nature and location of 18 INSTALLATION www.cablingbusiness.com Cabling Business Magazine • May 2005 the newest cables, and you can label the older infrastructure over time and/or as you perform maintenance. LABELING FORMATS IN THE 606-A STANDARD The 606-A Standard calls for a standard labeling format that indicates the type, location and purpose of all cables and endpoints, plus color coding for faster and easier identification of all elements. These labels serve as the key to finding additional information included in the documentation. Overall documentation includes materials and maintenance information for horizontal links as listed above, plus additional access or personnel infor- mation as needed for larger systems. For example, the required record for a Telecommunications Space (TS) as specified in the 606-A standard would include: the TS identifier name, type, room number, key or access card iden- tification, contact person, and hours of access. This helps maintenance and repair people do their jobs more effi- ciently, and gets all users up and running faster in the event of network problems. LABEL AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS A compliant 606-A administration system may be managed through a paper-based system, through general- purpose spreadsheet software, or with a special-purpose cable management system. Each has its advantages in terms of cost, availability and ease of use. While a paper-based or spread- sheet system may cost less to imple- ment in the short term, a special-purpose cable management system is faster and more complete in the long-term, saving time in the creation of both labels and documentation. This savings of time can translate to dollar savings very quickly for a medium-to-large telecommunica- tions system, or for one that upgrades technology frequently. All labels used in cable marking should meet the following criteria: • Labels must be of a size, color and contrast to be easily visible and readable • Label materials must be resistant to your location’s environ-mental conditions (moisture, heat, UV light); • All labels used must have a useful life equal to or greater than the component being labeled (this means both adhesion and readability); • Printing of labels must be done by a mechanical device and not written by hand (Anyone who’s tried to read a handwritten label a year later, when the ink is smudged, can get behind this requirement.) Many people, hoping to save money on labels, will purchase standard office labels from their office supply vendor and print them on a standard printer. They are then surprised to see all of their labels littering the floor of the telecomm closet a few months later. Non-industrial label solutions are not designed to stick on wires, curved surfaces, or powder-coated surfaces. The result is that the labels that work just fine on file folders simply don’t stick on wires, faceplates and other components that are part your telecommunications system. If the labels don’t stick, all JAMES PETTIT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, BRADY CORPORATION, 800-541-1686 EXT. 7714; JIM_PETTIT@BRADYCORP.COM 606-A COMPLIANT SOLUTIONS FROM BRADY LABELMARK SOFTWARE • Seamlessly integrates with Brady’s NetDoc™ Cable Management Software • Prints directly to any Brady printer, or inkjet, dot matrix, and laser printers • Easy-to-use single screen editing • Easy template creation for label lists/formats/serialization • Can print bar codes NETDOC™ CABLE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE • Web-enabled solution, 606-A compliant • Seamlessly integrated with LabelMark™ label-creation software • Features easy-to-use login security, documentation wizards, user and date stamping, customizable fields, and attachment capabilities • Easily documents horizontal and backbone cables, hardware, assets, pathways, locations, users, and more 20 INSTALLATION www.cablingbusiness.com Cabling Business Magazine • May 2005 of your time and effort is wasted. For that reason, it is essential that you use labels designed for industrial applica- tions. Additionally, these labels should be available in a variety of die-cut sizes and continuous sizes to meet the needs of various applications and equipment without wasting label materials. The 606-A standard specifies that labels “must be printed by a mechanical device and shall not be handwritten.” Along with the obvious advantage of improved readability, printing labels vs. handwriting saves time and materials, and allows for more information to be printed on the label. Printers designed for industrial environments are ideal for this purpose, since they offer improved durability, include industry-specific for- matting and printing options, and fea- ture thermal-printing capabilities for lon- ger-lasting labels. Industrial printers are also available in portable models that allow installers to create labels on-site. THE ADVANTAGE OF CABLE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Integrated cable management and label software systems offer many advantages over other manual or gen- eral-purpose documentation and label- ing systems: • Complete documentation saves time in locating and correcting network issues, providing better internal sup- port and reducing network down- time. • An integrated cable management system with label design software will allow you to format and import your data for faster and more accurate label creation and printing – more effi- cient use of your internal and external resources. • Cable management software is designed to document and label as one integrated function, increasing the speed and accuracy of your doc- umentation process; • Simplifies the management of your physical network, and speeds the updating of network documentation. • A special-purpose cable management system will allow you to start your cablelabeling and documentation system with your next MAC and will help you build and update your docu- mentation as you go – working in the same scalable/expandable way that the 606-A standard does. • Integration of cable management software with testing and labeling software saves time and money. • The integrated system allows for direct connectivity between print- ers and testers – easier, faster, more efficient. • Cable management software allows you to easily document your entire infrastructure and generate reports. Ultimately, you must decide which system is the most appropriate for your company and your telecommunications system based on your budget, man- power, time and the size or complexity of your system. Whatever method you use for documentation and cable label- ing, following the 606-A standard will simplify installations and maintenance, eliminate conflicting information, reduce errors, and save time AND money for your company. . network downtime, a 606- A compliant documentation and labeling solution can be easily cost-justified. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE 606- A STANDARD The 606- A standard. newest cables, and you can label the older infrastructure over time and/or as you perform maintenance. LABELING FORMATS IN THE 606- A STANDARD The 606- A