When designing our fiber optic network or structured cabling, it is very important to follow the PROY-NOM-001-SEDE-2018 standard, Article 770 “Cables and Conduits for Fiber Optics,” established in the Official Gazette of the Federation (for Mexico) so that our network is not canceled or suspended. Within this standard and other standards of the Administration Standard for Commercial Telecommunications Infrastructure, the importance of correct cable identification stands out.
As we saw in the previous post “Necessary elements for an underground installation,” there are several elements that will allow us to identify our fiber optic network, such as signaling tapes that will prevent excavation or perforation of the conduit where our cabling is located. There are also labels that can identify the cable (either by provider or service), and signaling tacks can be placed on the surface to indicate an existing link, or a flat pole to identify the service.
Another way to identify that a fiber optic link passes through is by the covers of prefabricated registers, which are usually engraved with the name of the carrier and/or the legend that a fiber optic link is located there. But in addition to identifying the external plant where a telephony, data, and voice service passes through, it is also important in the internal plant to define labeling for quick cable location, and thus resolve faults quickly, comply with regulations and standards, and maintain our network without many complications.
To identify cables in the internal plant, the easiest way is to use a label maker like those shown in Figure 1 that can generate the necessary labels. The labels are recommended to include the following information:
- Building number, if applicable
- Floor number or level where it is located
- The rack
- The patch panel and the outlet
Figure 1. Label makers.
Figure 2. Labeling examples.
