OK, I have to vent ....
I just spent 3 days at a manufacturing facility that was having trouble with their shop-floor data entry stations. They were having problems, it seems - and it was my job to prove whether the cables were the issue, or if there were issues with their software.
What did I find? Well ...
The first problem is that I got the job. OK, so the manufacturer likes my employer. I get that. My employer has a long relationship with this firm, etc. What kills me is that no one in the shop has any special Data knowledge, and our tracing / testing gear is pretty primitive.
Even more surprising was that a data-specialty contractor was working another project on-site while I was there.
I've never had formal LV training - let alone BICSI certification. Still, it was clear to my untutored eye that the Cat-5E and Cat-6 cables were installed by someone whose main qualification seems to have been draping tinsel on Christmas trees.
Excessively long runs (500+ ft.) and multiple splices seemed to be the rule. Wires frequently lay atop magnetic ballasts and hot pipes. Support was generally lacking, or rigged from ceiling tie wires.
I see this sort of thing far too often. Personally, I consider it unethical to run "Cat 6" unless you know WTH that means- and follow the rules. This includes clear cable identification and some form of performance testing.
Shame also on the customers who specify "Cat 6" when they'll never need anything like the performance of Cat-6. They're setting the stage for some substandard kludge- sort of like specifying a BMW, and not noticing when the salesman substitutes a plain old Chevy.
