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By following these basic guidelines, you can avoid spaghetti monsters that can result in loose connections and instead leave behind a masterpiece for everybody to admire as they troubleshoot with ease. TECH TIP: The Importance of Proper Cable Management By Ashley Kellison, Adjunct Instructor, Networking Technology at Ozarks Technical Community College Have you ever had a job that required troubleshooting as soon as you walked into the telecommunications room because of the giant cluster of cables sprawled across the racks? Keeping in mind a few key points during installation can aid in avoiding the spaghetti monster scenario. Proper cable management is not a difficult task. Not only does it make troubleshooting and management of your network easier, the results can be a work of art. Lack of correctly sized service loops and incorrect rack management can create strain on your cable. Even if properly terminated, too much excess cable can cause intermittent connectivity issues. With overlapping cables and gravity weighing down cables, combined with the vibrations of the device, connections can loosen and not have consistent full contact with the pins. This isn't always easy to identify, so a great way to help prevent those situations is to use proper vertical and horizontal rack cable management to prevent any excess tension, along with proper boot support on the cables. Also, be sure to measure and use the correct cable length, including making service loops a consistent length. Label both ends and color code your connections to easily identify them. I also recommend using Velcro instead of cable ties to hold your cables in place. This is to prevent the possibility of installing a cable tie too tightly and possibly damaging your cables. Spaghetti Monster Proper Cable Management EDUCATION Page 26