When you are setting up your business’s physical layout, you know that there are certain points that are important to consider. Yes, you must keep in mind that adequate rest rooms are an important part of the planning, and you know that you have to comply with city fire-codes about the exits. However, you should keep in mind another very important aspect of your layout – the telecommunications layout. Mapping of the phone closet and building DMARC (demarcation point) is very important not only for the current state of your business but for its future growth.

 Tip of the Day: Number One

 If you have a chance and a choice, always, ALWAYS run extra cable between the DMARC and the phone closet. When is there enough cable? There is never enough cable. Enough said.

 Plan like You Are Taking Over the World

 When you are mapping out your communications layout, think of the war room on any late night spy show and think big, think grand, think lots of wire and cables and connections and such. It is always better to have more lines and connections that could be used later than to not have enough and have to wait for an install or upgrade to be completed. 

 Tip of the Day: Number Two

 Extra cable today means less expense later. Remember the first tip when it was said that there is never enough cable? Here is where that gets put into play: you are expanding, you are actually growing to a second floor in the building. Do you have to wait for providers to run more cable and T1’s to be in business up there? No, because you had the foresight to bring in extra cable at the very start. Good for you.

 Extra cable stores easily until it is needed

 Coiled up and out of the way, the extra cable is ready for action when called upon and perfectly unobtrusive when it is not. Another huge advantage of having extra cable in place comes in when you are looking to switch providers, for instance when your contract expires. There will be no need for the new provider to come and bring in their own cable because you already have plenty onsite and ready to go.

 Tip of the Day: Number Three

 Never assume that you will not need the extra cable or that you can “squeak” by with just enough. Once your company starts taking off and you find all of your telecommunication needs going through the roof, will you still be satisfied with squeaking by or would you really prefer to have things done correctly?

 The final tip, never do things half way when you can do them the right way the first time and never have to worry about it. Unless, you really do not want your company to grow and prosper, you will have to plan for expansion down the road. And while that expansion may be a year or so in the future, it will happen. You could be ready for it, or you could have delays and backtracks in your own success, it is really up to you.

 By Mike Wolk