Bringing Cable Distribution Down to Earth (Or, at Least, the Floor)
Chuck Ross
Think of cable distribution for either power or data, and you might first picture overhead racks, either solid or ladder-style, loaded with wiring, with dropdown channels for access to the equipment being served below. While these systems might be the most common, facility designers have a couple other options when designing power and data distribution that connect to equipment from underneath, rather than above. Both raised floor systems and walkable cable tray offer options for facilities where overhead trays aren’t appropriate.
Raised floor designs have become common in many settings, especially data centers that are already using the plenum space created by the raised flooring for HVAC air distribution. Accessing cabling is as easy as pulling up a floor tile whenever moves and/or changes mean power and data systems need rearranging. One disadvantage of underfloor approaches, though, is that obsolete cables can become buried if not removed when new cables are connected. Over time, this can lead to a real mess under all those floor tiles.
Where ground-level wire and cable distribution is the best option but underfloor designs aren’t possible, walkable cable tray can be a good choice. These products are essentially similar to some overhead systems, but are much sturdier and feature solid metal covers, creating sturdy pathways for workers and protecting cabling from dust and dirt infiltration. Plus, cables can be easier to access than in underfloor schemes when changes need to be made. This makes it less likely that no-longer useful cabling will build up over time. And walkable tray designs can easily be added to or reconfigured to suit future facility needs.
Raised floor designs have become common in many settings, especially data centers that are already using the plenum space created by the raised flooring for HVAC air distribution. Accessing cabling is as easy as pulling up a floor tile whenever moves and/or changes mean power and data systems need rearranging. One disadvantage of underfloor approaches, though, is that obsolete cables can become buried if not removed when new cables are connected. Over time, this can lead to a real mess under all those floor tiles.
Where ground-level wire and cable distribution is the best option but underfloor designs aren’t possible, walkable cable tray can be a good choice. These products are essentially similar to some overhead systems, but are much sturdier and feature solid metal covers, creating sturdy pathways for workers and protecting cabling from dust and dirt infiltration. Plus, cables can be easier to access than in underfloor schemes when changes need to be made. This makes it less likely that no-longer useful cabling will build up over time. And walkable tray designs can easily be added to or reconfigured to suit future facility needs.
Photo courtesy of Chalfant Manufacturing
