Managing cables

The minimum bend radius for a 50 micron cable is 2 inches under full tensile load and 1.2 inches with no tensile load. Cables can be organized and managed in a variety of ways, for example, using cable channels on the sides of the rack or patch panels to minimize cable management. Follow these recommendations:

Note: You should not use tie wraps with optical cables because they are easily overtightened and can damage the optic fibers.
CAUTION:
Before plugging a cable into any port, be sure to discharge the voltage stored on the cable by touching the electrical contacts to ground surface.
  • Plan for rack space required for cable management before installing the switch.
  • Leave at least 1 m (3.28 ft) of slack for each port cable. This provides room to remove and replace the switch, allows for inadvertent movement of the rack, and helps prevent the cables from being bent to less than the minimum bend radius.
  • If you are using Brocade ISL Trunking, consider grouping cables by trunking groups. The cables used in trunking groups must meet specific requirements, as described in the Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide.
  • For easier maintenance, label the fiber-optic cables and record the devices to which they are connected.
  • Keep LEDs visible by routing port cables and other cables away from the LEDs.
  • Use hook and loop style straps to secure and organize fiber-optic cables.