ᐅ Planning the Network Cabinet and Its Contents

Hello,

I am currently planning our network cabinet. How large should it be? What size do you use? 6U or better 12U? Or smaller or even bigger?

I need to fit in:

- 24-port patch panel
- 24-port switch
- Power strip
- 2 network-attached storage devices
- Router
- 2 shelves
- Fibaro Home Center 2

Have I forgotten anything important that should definitely go in? I also imagine it would be really fiddly to connect the 20 network cables to the patch panel once the cabinet is already mounted on the wall...

How did you handle this?

Thanks in advance,

Ecko

I have a 15U (rack unit) cabinet. Inside, there is a power strip, a satellite multiswitch, a 24-port switch, a 24-port patch panel, two PoE injectors since there is no PoE switch yet, a Fritzbox, and a UM router.

The cable termination process actually went quite well.

How did you handle the termination at the patch panel? Did you leave enough cable hanging out of the cabinet and then organize the cables behind the patch panel?

Reserve 2 rack units (2U) for a small UPS.
Cables are usually left 1m (3.3 ft) longer than the final position in the cabinet, so they can be comfortably laid on the patch panel before being screwed in at the end. The cables then disappear at the back of the rack.

I don’t need a UPS in the network cabinet; my E3/DC storage system seamlessly takes over in case of an emergency... Is there anything else that is often overlooked? Thanks for the tip about 1m (3 feet)...

A small UPS? What for... my patch panel is mounted above the fuse box, the speed box is placed on top of it, and next to it the electricians installed a double socket outlet for me.
I think this is how it looks in 95% of all new houses as well.