You can't run an office, a warehouse, or any other facility without the right technology in place. In particular, you need structured cabling throughout your facility. An IT specialist can help you set everything up, but here's what you need to consider to ensure you get the right solution for your needs.  

1. Technology Needs

What type of technology do you need? Do you want workstations with desktop computers? How fast do the internet connections need to be? What type of bandwidth do you need to support?

Do you also need phone lines? Will you run phones over standard phone lines or do you want to use internet-based phone services instead? Think about all the tech you need to support your workflows.

2. Wireless Connectivity

Beyond the wired technology, you also need to think about your wireless needs. Your wireless devices won't be connected to the structured cabling, but they will connect to modems that are connected to the structured cabling. As a result, your modems need to be positioned so that they can transmit strong signals to your wireless devices. 

3. Office Layout

The office layout plays a significant role in how you set up the cabling. You'll need end-user ports at every workstation, but you may want additional hookups and technology options in conference rooms. You also have to think about the location of your equipment closet and how accessible it is for your IT support crew. 

4. Future Needs

Setting up structured cabling is an investment in your business, but before making this investment, you want to ensure that it can stand the test of time. Think about how you hope to grow over the next few years. Do you plan to add employees? Adopt new processes?

Then, consider how those changes will impact your technology. Talk with the IT team that you hire to set up the structured cabling. They will be able to let you know what you need to do so that you're ready for the future. That can include anything from having an equipment room that is large enough to receive new servers to setting up additional spots for end users. 

5. Support

Finally, who is going to support your structured cabling? This technology has a lot of components including horizontal cabling, patch panel switches, backbone cabling, core switches, routers, gateway routers, and more. Do you have someone on call to maintain it? How often can you reach support? What is their response time? Do they help remotely or in person? These are the types of questions you need to consider. 

Contact a local structured data cabling service to learn more. 

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