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Are there any current industry standards IEEE, ISO, ANSI.... available that state how a buildings physical infrastructure should be labeled at the rack and jack and how the documentation should be laid out? I know there is IEEE Std 200, but that is out of date, and I found a ASME standard for electrical stuff but I can't actually read it.

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I don't know that there are industry standards, but there are plenty of options. Some have been discussed here:

https://serverfault.com/questions/64259/what-is-the-most-effective-solution-you-used-to-label-cables

https://serverfault.com/questions/127454/whats-the-best-way-to-label-cables-in-a-data-center

I think the "standard" is Pick a labeling methodology for your site. Document it. Follow it. Kill anyone who deviates from it in a grisly and public way as an example to those who would break from the one true path of cable identification.

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    String the bodies up, using cables of the color that is documented to indicate heretics.
    – mfinni
    Aug 17, 2011 at 16:51
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The standards you are looking for are the

TIA/EIA-568 Structured Cabling Standards

These standards determine everything from precise dimensions of peripherals to their physical properties to labeling criteria. It has various sub sections that deal with particular areas in a structural cabling topology like Horizontal cabling, vertical cabling etc.

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  • Does the TIA standard include labeling? AFAIK it only deals with the cables themselves, not how the hell you figure out what they are a year later :)
    – voretaq7
    Aug 16, 2011 at 3:20
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    It does not deal exclusively with cables but all aspects of structured cabling, ie, patch panels, punchplates, connectors, cable trays etc etc. It also places emphasize on the size, color coding of labels to be used and labeling systems to be used for structured cabling. Various subsections of TIA/EIA 568 deals with all these aspects. Aug 16, 2011 at 4:30
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    I see Wikipedia confirms that this standard includes definitions for all aspects of inside wiring. I'd love to read the actual standard, but, since the TIA are a bunch of jerks that charge for access, I'll award the bounty if someone can link to a reasonable interpretation of the standard. I found this PDF ( usfsp.edu/computing/documents/network_wiring_standards.pdf ), but it looks like a very limited interpretation.
    – JakePaulus
    Aug 16, 2011 at 12:53
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    Here are some links that you may find interesting (mohawk-cable.com/support/ansi-tia-eia-606-a.html) ense.be/PDF/2060.pdf Aug 16, 2011 at 15:05
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It appears the most relevant standard is EIA/TIA 606-A. A summary of this standard can be seen here: www.flexcomm.com/library/606aguide.pdf

Since this standard isn't widely used/accepted, I'm awarding the bounty on this question to the highest rated answer.

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I've seen even the largest companies get away with "Building-Switch-Card-Port" type labeling. e.g. B1-S8-C3-P46

Which then patches over to your "Floor-Room" building wiring e.g. F4-R253

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  • This is a pretty standard scheme and usually works out well. Not sure if it's "standardized", but it probably should be...
    – voretaq7
    Aug 17, 2011 at 17:22

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