this is a naive question, but as I am I'm new to managing a homelab with many physically connected devices, I'm trying to understand the value of a patch panel.
In my naiveity I see 2 possible values, but am probably missing things
1) the patch panel is cheap. instead of having cables that can get tugged on connected to one's expensive switch, you connect the fixed switch to the fixed patch panel with short fixed cables that should never be in a position to be even accidentally tugged on, and you connect the actual matchines to the patch panel which is a simple device and is easy to be repaired if something gets tugged and breaks something
2) "cleanliness"/"cable management". in a data center where one really want one's devices facing the "right" way for airflow reasons (though I guess one cold just as easily get a rear facing device that directs air the correct way, to avoid this issue?) one wants to be able to be more organized with one's cables.
A combination of #1 and #2 would be that its more easily to adjust cables to different ports along your switch if one is just changing a patch cable. i.e. in this scenario, the patch cables are more "dynamic" (i.e. reconfigurable) and the patch panel really is cable managed on the back of the rack to go to specific slots and tied down nicely. i'm wondering how common that is (vs simply reprogramming what the managed switch does with said port? i.e. if ports couldn't be reconigured easily, it make sense, but in a world where they can be, why not just do that without moving the patch cable? On the other hand, perhaps this is also "cable management" keep specific port usages clustered together physically, not just clustered together programmatically.
anyways, as I said, this is somewhat of a naive Q, but figure best way to learn is to ask naive questions.
In my naiveity I see 2 possible values, but am probably missing things
1) the patch panel is cheap. instead of having cables that can get tugged on connected to one's expensive switch, you connect the fixed switch to the fixed patch panel with short fixed cables that should never be in a position to be even accidentally tugged on, and you connect the actual matchines to the patch panel which is a simple device and is easy to be repaired if something gets tugged and breaks something
2) "cleanliness"/"cable management". in a data center where one really want one's devices facing the "right" way for airflow reasons (though I guess one cold just as easily get a rear facing device that directs air the correct way, to avoid this issue?) one wants to be able to be more organized with one's cables.
A combination of #1 and #2 would be that its more easily to adjust cables to different ports along your switch if one is just changing a patch cable. i.e. in this scenario, the patch cables are more "dynamic" (i.e. reconfigurable) and the patch panel really is cable managed on the back of the rack to go to specific slots and tied down nicely. i'm wondering how common that is (vs simply reprogramming what the managed switch does with said port? i.e. if ports couldn't be reconigured easily, it make sense, but in a world where they can be, why not just do that without moving the patch cable? On the other hand, perhaps this is also "cable management" keep specific port usages clustered together physically, not just clustered together programmatically.
anyways, as I said, this is somewhat of a naive Q, but figure best way to learn is to ask naive questions.