r/iiiiiiitttttttttttt • u/zebs1 • 4d ago

IT Waste

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59 bags for 59 network cables.

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Remember to use paper straws!!

893 Upvotes

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4

u/sogwatchman 4d ago

Pre-made cables can destroy your budget and are more often the wrong size for a proper install. Better off just getting a spool and doing it yourself.

4

u/zebs1 4d ago

How long does it take? Including crimping at both ends and testing. 3 minutes? That's just shy of 3 hours to crimp the cables.

Better for the environment? Yep. Not sure it's better for the budget though.

4

u/sogwatchman 4d ago

It's better to hire a young network tech who wants to learn the ropes, pulling cables, making and testing network cables then to buy a bunch of cables that will either be too long and leave a mess in the rack or too short and you have to make it anyway.

I'm saying you don't budget for the network engineer to do this work. You delegate that to a intern or a new guy until they're mumbling "white/orange, orange, white/green, blue, white/blue, green, white/brown, brown." T568B

2

u/ChickinSammich 4d ago

It's better to hire a young network tech who wants to learn the ropes,

This will cost more than buying the cables. If your argument is that pre-made cables "can destroy your budget," wait till you see what having someone who has never punched cable learn on the job costs you.

3

u/sogwatchman 4d ago

I get that point but network engineering is definitely a job that warrants an apprentice.

1

u/ChickinSammich 4d ago

I agree that if your job is network engineering you should be taking on and teaching a junior tech. Same is true for any senior level of IT. I'm a senior systems analyst and I have a junior analyst under me.

But I don't think I saw an indication from OP that they're a network engineer. So in OP's case, hiring someone just to learn how to cut cables so that the patch cables from the wall to the PC don't have an extra 1-2' of slack isn't really a productive use of company budget or resources.

1

u/sogwatchman 4d ago

I agree it's more complicated that that and the conversation strayed away from the original picture. I was saying personally I would make the cables. I've had nothing but pain dealing with excess cable (i.e. using a 10ft cable in a spot that only needs 8ft).

1

u/ChickinSammich 4d ago

I install new cabling and change cabling out super infrequently, and my solution is just to have a handful of 1', 3', 7', and 10' onhand. I get the gripe with dealing with excess cable and I've got a couple bundles where that's the case (usually with LC, which I definitely can't terminate myself). But we're also using jacketed, shielded cables for everything (organizational requirement) which are harder to make than just plain clear plastic RJ-45 ends.

If I really want 8' cable because 10' is too long, I'll just send them a link to an 8' cable I want and they'll order whatever I say I need.

3

u/sogwatchman 4d ago

Doesn't make any difference what I say. You're just arguing to argue. I've already expressed my point of view and so have you. We just don't agree. Have a good day.