MDF vs IDF question 1

[bigtee959]

I have a question about the MDF & IDF room/closets. Is there a standard with where you move cables when moving stations. I have always moved stations, on the same floor at the IDF closet and never the MDF or feeder. I am working with someone who only wants cable moved at the MDF and never in a remote IDF closet. It doesn’t really affect anything but I was wondering if there was a standard for this and if there were any PRO’s and CON’s of both.

T.




Terence Phillips
Telecommunication Specialist

 

[donb01]

I don't know if there is a standard, but the way I was "taught" is that once a jack up on the floor is cross-connected at the IDF, that pair stays with the jack as long as the jack exists. All connections to equipment are done at the MDF. In this way, every jack has it's unique pair ID written on the front of it, and when I need to move a phone from one location to another I just move the cross-connect at the MDF from pair 325 to pair 500 or some such thing, and never have to waste time toning things out unless some moron doesn't write the number on the jack.

I keep a spreadsheet that has all the jack numbers, port numbers and other data in it, and when I need to plan a major move for a department I can use the spreadsheet and write my "From - To" list in advance, and the day of the move all I have to do is change the cross connects and move the phones and it goes real fast.

 

[phoneguy55]

This only works with good doucmentation and a good cable map. Without these you will spend a lifetime walking between stations, IDF, and MDF.

If I am at the IDF there is no reason for me to walk all the way back to the MDF to make an x connect just so that I can walk back to the station to see if it works...

 

[ravnz5]

I prefer doing station moves from the closest point available to the station locations, sort of what phoneguy is talking about. However; I don't know of a standard for this. I have been doing this work for 26 years.

We all need a little help once in awhile. Tony the Phoneman..

 

[GMgerry]

bigtee you are doing the righ thing by doing it in the IDF. Unless you have a huge system and time to keep up great docuemntation your on the the right track.

Being a RCDD, there is no standard.

 

[paterson]

There is no right way to do it, only a consistent way. The bottom line is getting the circuit to desktop. Some outfits like to work fast and some like to work professional. If it is just you doing the moves and x-connects, then keep to one standard.

The problem comes when more than one guy starts doing the work. I do my best to follow what is existing, but that doesn't always work. Some customer sites I go to will not let any tech do x-cons, they do it in an effort to keep things clean and documented.


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My Biggest problem is that I almost always believe what I tell myself.

 

[aarenot]

first of all, if the feed has a pair for pair equality from the jack, to the idf, through to the mdf then why pull off cross connect at all. just add new ones when you need. then eventually all pairs from jack to mdf will be connected. if this is not the case, then i see no point to it, just do it at the idf.

the other consideration is this. if the guy is your boss, do what he says, if not, then ask him why, and make your own decision. further note, the customer is the boss.

 

[Trotski]

Any way that you do it is fine as long as you update the records!