Increasing capacity and network applications create new challenges for both the planners who design and the operations personnel who maintain the network. A managed density approach that takes a long-term view of data center design is key to ensuring maximum density and growth without disrupting operations that can cause a huge drain on productivity, profits, and service availability. Successful network managers should always take into account the importance of planning and maintaining data centers to maximize density and minimize maintenance hassles.

This paper discusses the five key elements of maintaining managed density in the data center:

• Planning
• Installation
• Cable Management
• Accessibility
• Reliability