Enterprise Services - Cabling Requirements & Standards

The County’s goal is to standardize its cabling infrastructure to promote faster speed, better communication, easier troubleshooting, and less need for repair. The TEBS Office of Broadband Programs maintains standards for structured cable systems design and construction. It works with County Agencies and Departments to insure that Information and Communications Systems are built in a consistent and best practices manner.

DGS publishes a standards document for cable construction. It has been modified to reflect both active and passive network construction standards. The following describes the CSI MasterFormat framework DGS uses to communicate construction standards for county construction project:

The Construction Specifications Institute’s (CSI) MasterFormat standard breaks out specifications for building projects in the United States and Canada into 40 divisions, which is organized by work results (materials and methods). Division 27 covers Communications Systems, and Division 28 covers Electronic Safety and Security Systems. Within Division 27, the following systems can be found, all of which come with different certifications that owners or designers might require:

  1. Telecommunications infrastructure — the physical, non-active (non-powered) components, such as the copper and fiber cabling, which make up the telecommunications system as well as the equipment racks and pathways, such as ladder rack, cable trays, and conduit. (Yes, communications conduit has its own Division 27 specification section.)
  2. Network equipment — the active (powered) components that include routers, switches, servers, wireless, and other IT equipment.
  3. Audio/video (AV) infrastructure and equipment — permanently installed AV cabling and outlets and powered AV electronic equipment at both ends.

These means and methods are modified on a case by case basis during the design and construction phases of the project as facts and circumstances dictate.

Standards and Guidelines

The TEBS Office of Broadband Programs through IT Network Architect and Network Services team work with the County Departments and Agencies to maintain a cabling standard that should be referenced in all RFPs and Contracts that pertain to inside-plant network cabling.

Cabling Standards Document

If you have any questions about the cabling standards or need IV&V support please call or email the TEBS Enterprise Telecommunications Telecomm Manager at Jim.Colbert@montgomerycountymd.gov.