FlexLite™ Ribbon Cables: Lowering Design & Installation Costs Data Centers

Today’s data centers include a diverse number of devices like bladed servers, clustered storage systems, virtualization appliances, and backup devices. All these devices are interconnected by networking equipment and physical cables, which require a reliable, scalable, flexible, manageable, and high-performing cabling infrastructure.

Data Center and Rack designers will tell you that planning is the key to successfully cabling a data center. At Pactech, we’ve continued providing innovative cabling products to make things easier for our clients.

Introducing the FlexLite™ Ribbon Cable

The FlexLite™ Ribbon Cable is a set of multiple cables that run parallel to each other and are attached side by side. This creates one cable that looks like a ribbon. Both ends of the ribbon cable split out separately into the individual cables, to allow each cable to plug into switch ports and sever ports.

The FlexLite™ Ribbon Cables are customizable. Here are the options available:
1. Type of cable – FlexLite™ CAT6 or FlexLite™ CAT6A
2. Colours – yellow, blue, orange, black or gray
3. Number of cables per ribbon – Choice of 2, 4, 6, or 8 cables
4. Length of Section A (split out lanes to switch ports)
5. Length of Section B (main body)
6. Length of Section C (split out lanes to server ports)
7. Step Lengths
8. ID Labels on Section B
9. ID Labels near the plugs on Section A and Section C

How it works

1. Compile a list of cable lengths you need. We have 43 standard lengths you can choose from, which range from 24” to 108” in length in intervals of 2 inches. If you need a custom length, that is also possible. If you need help with measuring, you can ask us to send you our FlexLite™ Ribbon Measurer. It’s a 84” long ribbon cable which you can use as a sample to see what length cables you will need for your project.

2. Order cables. Send your list of part numbers to our sales team. If you would like to customize the length of your cables or if you require samples for testing before the production, let your sales representative know.

3. Pactech makes your ribbon cables order and ships the cables to you in 2-3 business days.

4. Install cables. Follow our “3-Thumb Rule” to install the pre-set or customized ribbon cables.

3-Thumb Rule

A. The shorter ribbons will connect ports of shorter distance.
B. The longer ribbons will connect ports of longer distance.
C. Stack up the main bodies of the ribbons. The shorter ribbons are always on the top of stack while the longer ribbons are always at the bottom.

The Benefits of FlexLite™ Ribbon Cables

1. Cabling Planning and Design Easier
Instead of hours that an engineer has to spend measuring everything on the rack, he or she easily measure every cable with the FlexLite™ Ribbon Measurer. Alternatively, basic information can be entered into FlexLite™ Configurator online, which will generate the cable lengths that are required.

2. Cable Installation Faster
The ribbon cables allow for much faster cable installation, because one does not have to spend as much time looking for individual cables or taking care of individual cables. To install, simple follow the “3-Thumb Rule” (refer to step #4 above). Because the ribbon cable lengths are very precise, there’s no extra cable slack to deal with. The logic is simple, making the cable installation go significantly quicker.

3. Easy Cable Management
The physical flexibility of Pactech’s Flexlite™ Ribbon cables means that the cables have an extremely low bend radius. This allows the installers the ability to bend the cables more than regular cables, which makes cable management and maintenance easier.

4. Good for the Environment
FlexLite™ Ribbon Cables are classified as an energy efficiency product because we use lightweight LSZH jackets (low smoke zero halogen) for our cables. Cables with LSZH jackets emit limited smoke and no halogen when exposed to high sources of heat.

5. Looks Neat, Organized, and Professional
FlexLite™ Ribbon cables not only function better, but they help make the entire server rack look more neat and organized. Not everyone can understand the complexity of a well-built data center, but anyone that physically sees a data server rack makes a first impression based on how it looks. Messy and untidy cables bundles will make the entire data center look unprofessional. Neat, tidy, and elegant cables bundles will make the entire data center look professional.

Our FlexLite™ Ribbon Cables

We have several FlexLite™ Ribbon Cables available for order in our estore. Take a look:

Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?

If you’re looking to try our FlexLite™ Ribbon Cables but can’t find what you’re looking for in our eStore, contact your sales representative or contact us here.

Toll-free: (866) 722-8324
Phone: (408) 526-9363
Email: sales@pactech-inc.com
Address: 2260 Trade Zone Blvd. San Jose, CA. 95131