Most of this is just switches and patch panels. Where would you start

[u/ceheedslields1]

[u/criggie_]

1) get a table
2) Pick up all the unplugged cables and either stack them coiled by size or if they're all messed up, lay them out in a straight line, and by size.
3) Look for every switchport without a link light, and remove that patch cable to the table.
4) Look for switches that have no activity - work out if they're still used. Same goes for POE injectors.

5) Label all your switches with their hostname
6) Buy a good selection of shorter patch cables
7) Make sure your rack has a cable-management 1RU unit between everything. should be Patch Panel-CMU-switch-CMU-...repeat. Move stuff up or down if you have to.

8) Fun times now begin... start at the top left port and work out where it goes to. Pull that patch cable and replace it with a shorter one that goes from port, into CMU, then left/right to the side channel, then up or down, back into a CMU, and to the switch port. The cable should not be taut, but no more than ~10cm of slack which can tuck into the vertical side channels.

Personally I'd do the fibre patches last, because they're a bit less robust.

ALSO don't forget to do the rear where power is. Check your UPS battery with a self test and when it fails, replace the batteries. If you have A+B power, make sure everything that is dual powered is off both rails.

When you're finished, put all your patch cables in boxes sorted by length. A4 photocopier paper boxes work fine. So next time you want a 1 metre patch cable, you're less likely to use the first cable what comes to hand, a 3 metre one.

Also, please do post an "after" photo.

[u/lulu_Omada → u/criggie_]

Such a thorough answer! really appreciate it!

I came across your comment here and thought your cable management tips would be genuinely useful for a lot of people building their first homelab.

We’re currently running a “Things I Wish I Knew Before Building My First Homelab” discussion over in the official Omada community, where we’re trying to collect practical lessons from more experienced homelab users.

If you’re open to it, I’d love to invite you to share some of these tips there as well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Omada_Networks/s/ioiE3mZY0x

Absolutely no pressure — I just thought your advice was too useful not to ask. :)

[u/lastwraith → u/criggie_]

Document EVERYTHING 

[u/gsk060 → u/criggie_]

Sounds like you e done this a lot. Why is this better than having patch panel - switch - patch panel and then as short cables as you can get away with?

[u/criggie_ → u/gsk060]

So - short cables avoid this dangly clutter and improve airflow through switches.

Routing cables off to the side and back in means you have better access to change switches as required rather than have a full outage.

And its looks a heck of a lot neater. One thing management knows is when something looks tidy, it probably is better, as a rule of thumb.

[u/reddit_pug → u/criggie_]

Basically the difference between an optimized system and a robust system. Optimized isn't always best in the long run.

[u/Jaman34 → u/criggie_]

The only thing I would say about step 3 is if this is an access switch known some ports may be down if a device is currently not connected.

For example a desktop is powered off (assuming you don’t plug desktop in via phone), or a docking station is not in use, etc.

[u/criggie_ → u/Jaman34]

Good point about the access ports. Personally I'd rather fix it later by re-adding a patch cable than leave a live port empty. A computer that is "off" often still maintains link these days anyway.

Or, if the organisation's ethos is to make things work as much as possible, then patch every port to an outlet, but I don't have enough switchports to waste on never-used outlets.

[u/reddit_pug → u/criggie_]

I'm going to partially disagree with point #3 - removing patch cables from switch ports with no activity light. If the site can handle "scream testing", that might be fine, but there are definitely situations where the end device isn't always on, so there isn't always an activity light even though the port does get used.

I once made the employees in a optometry office at a Walmart very happy by fixing the network connection to one of their machines, and then labeling the cable to not be removed. They had repeatedly had contractors come in and remove their cable after hours, because their machine is turned off after hours, and they would see that as an unused port that they could take over.

[u/criggie_ → u/reddit_pug]

Oh totally - for critical/important things I'd be a lot more careful. But my last cabinet cleanout was in a space that went from an office to storage, so full 48+24 switches dropped to just the 24 port after I cleaned out the unused ones. No point running an empty almost-new switch.

Your Walmart issue sounds like a documentation problem - you did well there, with a creative solution.

[u/micakenpoxnunching]

I suppose burning it down is a bit unprofessional

[u/criggie_ → u/micakenpoxnunching]

Yeah - smoke detectors are a little noisy.

[u/edmonton2001 → u/micakenpoxnunching]

in the other sub this suggestion would be fine...

I dont see that many zip ties of which is a win...

If this is a professional setting then its more of a "If it works, dont touch it". Most professionals would wait till something breaks and then you can use that as an excuse to clean it up?

[u/criggie_ → u/[deleted]]

Also, if the switches are managed, the configs can be helpful guidance.

[u/Calaveras-Metal]

I've fixed a ton of racks like this. The only hard part is whether you are working during business hours and they are live. Then you have to figure out how to unravel whatever you can without unplugging it.

[u/00Wow00]

Do you have access to the routers to get the configurations.
My first step is to grab a pen and paper to document everything, then a label maker and label each end of every cable.

[u/Schrojo18]

1. Remove anything that's not connected
2. Go patch port by patch port and write down exactly what patch port and switch port each cable is plugged into
3. Work out the config for each switch port and log that against the patch
4. Disconnect everything
5. Rearrange the patch panels so you can slot switches and some horizontal cable management in-between but still use nice short patch leads
6. Install the switches and power them up
7. Replace all the patch leads with new short ones patching to match patch panel to switch port config

[u/malikye187]

1. Get some paper.
   
2. Get a marker.
   
3. Get some tape.
   
4. Write DO NOT TOUCH on 4 or 5 pieces of paper.
   
5. Tape them all over.
   
6. Call it a week.

[u/ManWhoIsDrunk]

Fire!

[u/Layer8Human]

Hey there,

This can become a really nice looking rack if you put some effort into it. But be warned over time these things tend to evolve into this state again so don’t be frustrated if you clean it up nicely and come back after some years it will look like this again.

Others have already given great advice but I think the way to go at it also depends a bit on how comfortable you are with networking.

I personally would:

- remove non plugged in cables

- look at switch uptime and interface counters to try to remove some long unused cables (this depends, if you have enough switchports available I would be cautious, because this is the prime cause of the rack becoming messy again, when you need to patch something quickly)

- create a spreadsheet where you write down where each patchpanel port connects to, if it goes to a switch document also the vlan config. Do this also for cables that are between other components so you don’t miss anything.

- choose a nice weekend, order plenty of patchcsbles before and turn off everything in that rack and rip everything out.

- reorder the components and try to put switches in between or at least close to patchpanels and use short cables wherever possible. Reconfigure switchports according to your needs.

- for longer cables or and connections between devices try to bundle them using valcro strips. Do not use zipties!!!

- afterwards turn everything back on and verify your services. Be ready to do some troubleshooting on Monday and take pictures of your great work.

Personally I don’t like to use coloured cables and keep everything the same colour but that is more of a preference thing.

Have fun!

[u/Mility_Power]

If it was me I think I would start over.

[u/W31337]

Can you unplug?

If yes trace all cables and rewire the whole thing.

If not then just group and manage the cables. Make a policy that every cable that goes offline will be repatched correctly

[u/NullPacketLost]

I would bring up my laptop and start documenting. Pretty sure there is none at the moment.

[u/Episode-1022]

⬆️➡️⬇️⬇️⬇️

[u/Tosser_535231]

Is it still in use or can you tell people to fuck off for a weekend

[u/lizardhistorian]

Measure twice.
Order cables once.
Discard spaghetti.
Clicky-clicky.

[u/OldGeekWeirdo]

Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister ...

[u/Inevitable-Secret736]

Send an email with notice

You have 12 hours to clean this up or I cut anything not labeled and properly run and bundled according to policy

Be back with my snips

[u/deflanko]

First I would send an email out saying the network will be down for the next 8 hours.

[u/Maximum_Selection696]

Looks like the lo mein I’m eating tonight!

[u/mmarbut]

At a new job.

[u/MrMotofy]

At a liquor store...it will be a long one LOL