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  1. #1

    Network cable color coding schemes

    I am measuring up cable for an install but would like to hear of color coding schemes folks are using for their network cable. Many thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Tampa, Florida
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    Are you refering to the color scheme of the wire in the cable or the color cables you use for which purpose (like cross connections are yellow and main uplink cables are blue)?
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    Backup Network - Gray
    SAN - Red
    Public Network - Purple most of the time.
    Uplink - they normally give us yellow
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    blue public
    green backup
    red kvm
    yellow pdus
    Yellow Fiber Networks
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
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    Chicago, IL
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    6,957
    Orange - Cabinet to cabinet connections/cross connects
    Black - Public Network
    Blue - Internal/Private Network
    Green - IPMI/SAN
    Red - Temporary Cable (Generally for IP KVM)
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  6. #6
    Color coding for identification. Beyond my firewall appliances and filers, mostly have physical hosts for virtualization. I am thinking of network cable color coding of the cable might work best together to coincide with my vlans so for example you can easily distinguish a connection to a management interfaces for you virtual machines or connections for IPMI etc. Anyway, just would like as much feedback as possible on this topic so I can act before I purchase cable.

    Quote Originally Posted by dspkable View Post
    Are you refering to the color scheme of the wire in the cable or the color cables you use for which purpose (like cross connections are yellow and main uplink cables are blue)?

  7. #7
    Color coding is an excellent idea and many others have already listed their color coding. There is a true color coding standard listed in the 568-A standard if you wanted to follow things to the letter. My advice is to pick the colors you feel best represent your network and then stick with it.

    We use
    ISP/External - Red
    DMZ - Orange
    LAN - Green

    Depending on the device,we might use different colors to help find them faster

    Email Server - Purple
    Database - Blue
    Jerel Byrd
    HostingTulsa.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Ashburn VA, San Diego CA
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    public network - Pink
    private network - Orange
    Cabinet to cabinet - gray if cat5, yellow if fiber

    Label the server id/nic and switchport on both ends of every cable to make life easier if you ever have to swap a switch or box out.
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  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by FastServ View Post
    public network - Pink
    private network - Orange
    Cabinet to cabinet - gray if cat5, yellow if fiber

    Label the server id/nic and switchport on both ends of every cable to make life easier if you ever have to swap a switch or box out.

    Yes, yes, yes. Even more important than color schemes are labeling for just what you mentioned. A switch swapout is a breeze if the cables are well labeled to each port, etc.

    We use yellow for public, red is our uplink(s), green for private, and orange is cabinet to cabinet.
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  10. #10
    Hi. I definitely appreciate the input and encourage others to reply. I think it is good to see a variety of schemes. I realize this is a personal choice. Color coding that separate key segments and then perhaps breaks that down further in some instances for critical devices seems a good way to go. As far as data center uplinks and cross connects, I'll contact the colo the equipment is going into and determine whether they have got specific colors in use for these (so not to conflict).

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    5,662
    Public: Blue
    Private: Green
    Xconnect: Orange
    KVM: Yellow
    PDU/Infrastructure: Red
    Security: White

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Troy, MI
    Posts
    266
    Quote Originally Posted by fairwinds View Post
    As far as data center uplinks and cross connects, I'll contact the colo the equipment is going into and determine whether they have got specific colors in use for these (so not to conflict).
    That's a good idea. You never want to have to think "is that my red or your red?"

    Blue might be slightly cheaper/easier to get, depending on your supplier, so you might consider using blue for whichever link you'll need the most of.

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