Any thoughts on 6 inch ethernet patch cables?
Solution 1:
I would also like to also suggest getting patch cables in different colors. Each color could be for a department, vlan, printers, servers, voip, etc.
Solution 2:
Personally, I try to put the switches as close to the patch panels as possible. Typically, I'll put a 48 port switch between 2 24 port patch panels. So it goes like:
Patch Panel
Switch
Patch Panel
Patch Panel
Switch
Patch Panel
...
Then, I use 6" patch cables to connect the panel to the switch. The benefit is that everything is nice and neat, and organized... Then, any infrastructure related cabling (connecting switches, etc) I run out to the side of the rack and then up/down to where it needs to go...
Solution 3:
I have no problem using any patch cable that fits the application. If I need a bundle of 10' cables, or 24 6' ones to go from one panel to the switch, fine with me.
On a personal note, I prefer to run cables from the patch panel down to the switches, rather than have longer cables that go off horizontally, then down the side edge of the rack, then horizontally into the switch.
Solution 4:
Surely 6 inch cables are just too limiting, get the longest ones you can and loop them together to keep things tidy.
Like this:
(source: englishrussia.com)
or.. make or buy (if you can) some cables that are just long enough (but not so short that you put strain on the plugs - give it an extra inch or two for wiggle room). Our cables tend to be the long ones, but they are all pulled to the side, kept together and the other end pulled in - like you have a box of cabling at the side of the rack to store the main cable, pulling the ends out. That's tidier in many respects as you can still get your hands in there to change them, the cables aren't in the way. This is the main reason I can think of why very short cables would be a disadvantage. Similar to what you show in your pic, but a lot more disciplined - no cable gets added that isn't first put with the bundle on the side. Don't forget to label both ends though!