Keeping cables organized in racks and cabinets can be tedious, but it is well worth the effort. Nothing is worse than needing to get to a single cable having problems while trying to sort through a jumbled, unorganized mess of wires. Luckily, there are a number of options for keeping cables organized so that any repairs take minutes instead of hours.

Size is the main factor to take into consideration when looking at cable management equipment. The standard width for all racks and cabinets is 19 inches across, so that will be the size of any cable management equipment that does not say otherwise. The length of the equipment is measured in rack units (RU). A single rack unit consists of one pair of holes used to secure equipment on either side of the rack/cabinet and the space around them, measuring 1¾ inches total. When selecting cable management equipment or any other equipment, make sure to check how many RUs of space are available first.

Cable Ducts

Cable ducts are made to route, organize, and protect cables running through an open frame rack. They are fairly large, designed to run the entire length of the rack. Sizes range from 8 RU (the smallest racks made by most manufacturers) to 45 RU (the largest rack size generally available). Each cable duct has a slotted back (the slots are called “fingers”) that can be easily removed when cables need to be added, removed, or reorganized.

Rack Cabinet

Cable Spools

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