Definition of WIRING CLOSET in Network Encyclopedia.
What is Wiring Closet?
Wiring closet is also called an equipment room or server room (and various other names). It is a room on the floor of a building that contains hubs, switches, and other network components for the floor that is connected through a vertical backbone cable to the main equipment room, which is usually in the basement of the building (in a multi-floor building).
The wiring closet for a floor is the termination point for horizontal cabling running from wall plates in work areas on that floor.
This horizontal wiring typically terminates in a series of patch panels in the wiring closet. Patch cables are used to connect jacks on the patch panels to ports on hubs and switches to establish network connectivity between computers on the floor and with other floors. In a single-floor building, the wiring closet and the main equipment room are the same and are sometimes called the telecommunications closet because telecommunications services typically terminate in that room as well.
TIP
The EIA/TIA wiring standards recommend one wiring closet per floor, with a minimum size of 3 meters by 2 meters for up to 455 square meters of floor space. When stations must be located more than 91 meters from the wiring closet, additional wiring closets are recommended. Wiring closets should be well-lit and have adequate power supply. Equipment should be mounted on racks for greater security and efficiency. “Spaghetti” should be minimized – keep everything accurately labeled to save yourself hours of troubleshooting time when things go wrong. Keep access to the wiring closet clear and secure, and include fire protection devices.
