CABLE CERTIFICATION SERVICES
We’ve all heard that most network problems are related to cabling. In the event that those problems appear, your customer will likely call you to help solve them. Certification provides a significant level of protection if things go wrong.
Here are three reasons why cabling certification is more important than ever:
1
Proof that the work was done correctly:
Cabling problems can appear right away if the customer starts using the new system and experiences network problems. Issues may also occur months or even years later. Network switches, routers, and servers get replaced many times during the life of the cabling infrastructure. You can count on any new networking equipment to demand more of the cabling system (requirements always get tighter as time passes). If what worked before works no longer, the cabling is likely to get the blame — and you’ll be called in to help.
Certification reports can protect you by proving the work was done correctly. They can demonstrate to your customer that the cabling plant is as good as it was required to be. If a check of the cabling now indicates the performance doesn’t match what you installed and tested, a money-losing callback can become a revenue-generating repair.
2
Finding bad cabling:
Bad cabling is out there, and certification provides additional protection against them. Some customers like to save money by specifying questionable materials. On rare occasions, a reputable manufacturer can produce a batch of marginal cabling. When you certify the cabling, you know what you’re installing — you can even catch problems before you get too far into the job.
Testers such as the Fluke Networks DSX CableAnalyzer series will diagnose the problem in the connectors or the cable itself. If you end up in a dispute with a customer or a supplier, producing a passing certification report will usually end it. And if your DSX identifies the cabling as a source of the problem, most manufacturers will accept the result; if they show up to investigate the problem, it’s likely the same tester that they’ll bring. At G6AV we use the Fluke Networks DSX2-5000 CableAnalyzer.
3
Quality Control:
Cabling manufacturers won’t stand behind their warranties without proof of certification. It’s the only way to assure that installation best practices are followed, and that installer workmanship meets standards. If you certify, you can stand behind your work the way the manufacturers do. You can even use certification as a point of differentiation from your competition.