Cable ties provide inexpensive cable management

Ken Metz, Teldata Systems Inc.

problem

When you are working with patch panels or racks that do not have built-in cord management, you can waste considerable time tracing the tangled path of a patch cord. When end-users do not implement any type of cord management, they often create tangled masses at these connection points.

solution

Using 12 cable ties for each bundle of 12 patch cords, you can keep the cords dressed and easier to manage than they would be without any type of management. Use one tie to loosely bundle all 12 cords, and each of the remaining ties to separate the adjacent cords from one another.

procedure

1) Loosely loop a cable tie around a bundle of 12 patch cords.

2) Cinch a second tie around the first tie perpendicularly, so that the second tie is between the first and second patch cords in the bundle. This tie will physically separate the two cords from each other and prevent them from becoming tangled.

3) Repeat the procedure for the remaining patch cords in the bundle.

4) While I recommend the use of cable ties here, I have also effectively implemented this technique using twine. Using the ties allows you to perform this procedure more quickly than using twine.

I suggest you use this method for bundles of 12 or fewer cords. I have found that using bundles of 12 is the most efficient use of time and materials, but the technique also works on smaller and larger bundles.

You can also use this method to dress patch cords or cables and maintain a neatly combed appearance.

Loosely wrap a cable tie around a group of patch cords.

Apply cable ties between each of the cords in the bundle. Cinch each tie around the original tie that bundles the group of cables, providing a physical separation between each cord in the bundle.

Ken Metz is a cable technician with Teldata Systems Inc. (Seattle, WA).