Installation Manual

Page 3
Introduction
The Panduit Pre-Configured Micro Data Center (MDC) is a versatile framework that facilitates
the rapid deployment of Information Technology (IT) or Operational Technology (OT) network
capability that can be used in the small office as a complete datacenter in a single space, or in
the industrial environment as stand-alone system that runs Manufacturing Execution System
(MES) applications such as:
 Scheduling, process and event monitoring, production tracking
 HMIs, real-time device control and security
 Asset management, alarms and event handling and simulation
 Process automation, process optimization and safety
 Quality control, databases and historians
 Secure links to enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for reporting and analysis.
The Micro Data Center design addresses the need for a structured approach to implementing
robust, integrated and secure networks in the industrial space. Adhering to Converged
Plantwide Ethernet (CPwE) principles, the MDC design represents the basic requirements of the
manufacturing environment including:
 Cabinets
 Equipment Layout
 Network Cabling – Media Selection and Security
 Power and Grounding
 Cable Management.
The purpose of this Application Note is to provide a guide for equipment layout, cabling
infrastructure, grounding/bonding and labeling for a variety of possible MDC configurations. It is
not comprehensive in that every potential use is defined, but rather serves as a starting point
and roadmap for the development of a stand-alone datacenter that can deliver a broad range of
IT and OT capabilities.
Equipment Layout
Equipment layout in a cabinet depends on the number, weight, and type of components as well
as segregation. Common design practice locates enterprise network equipment at the top and
industrial network equipment at the bottom, with the DMZ positioned in the middle of the housing.
Typically, heavy components are located at the bottom of the cabinet with the patch field located
at the top for best stability. In general, like equipment should be grouped, and space left between
groupings for expansion, improved airflow, and cable management.
Common practice, when combining servers and switches in the same cabinet, is to reverse the
switches so that connectivity for all devices is positioned to the rear of the cabinet. This promotes
ease of access and cable organization, and mitigates the risks of network interruptions resulting
from cabling errors.
Network designers may wish to combine DIN rail mounted appliances within the Micro Data
Center cabinet. The MDC design if flexible enough to allow for components such as PLCs,
manufacturing switches, power supplies, batteries, and other industrial devices to be mounted in