Cable management in rack systems

A method of routing cables between distribution modules in a rack system including at least a first rack at which a first distribution module is mounted, the method comprising:

• plugging a first end of a first patch cable into a cable port at a front of the first distribution module;
• routing the first patch cable through a management section located at a front of the first rack adjacent the first distribution module;
• routing the first patch cable through a horizontal channel from the front of the first rack to a trough at a rear of the first rack;
• routing the first patch cable along the trough to a first transition member and transitioning the first patch cable into a vertically extending travel channel at the rear of the first rack;
• routing the first patch cable downwardly along the first travel channel to a bottom of the first rack, across a first side of the first rack, to a first front channel at the front of the first rack, wherein routing the first patch cable across the first side of the first rack includes leaving slack length of the first patch cable at the first side of the first rack;
• routing the first patch cable upwardly along the first front channel to another management section at the front of the first rack;
• plugging a second end of the first patch cable into a cable port at a front of a second distribution module installed on the first rack;
• and
• routing the slack length of the first patch cable over a spool at the storage area.

A rack having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom, a first side, and a second side, the rack comprising:

• a plurality of front ports mounted to the rack at a location intermediate the front and rear, the front ports being configured to move horizontally relative to the rack between a retracted position and an extended position that is forward of the retracted position;
• a first plurality of bend radius limiters located at the front of the rack on at least one of the first and second sides;
• a plurality of retention fingers located at the front of the rack between the bend radius limiters and the front ports, each retention finger defining a channel that extends forwardly of the rack;
• at least one transition section located on the first rack, the transition section defining a contoured surface extending between the first ports and the retention fingers;
• a plurality of patch cables having first connectorized ends plugged into the front ports, a first slack length of each cable extending over the transition section between one of the front ports and one of the retention fingers when the front ports are in the retracted position, each cable extending through the channel of one of the retention fingers, and at least a portion of each cable being wrapped at least partially around one of the bend radius limiters.

A method of storing slack cable length in a rack system including at least a first rack, the method comprising:

• plugging a first connectorized end of a first patch cable at a first front port positioned at the first rack;
• routing the first patch cable forwardly and sideways from the first front port, over a transition surface, to a front of the first rack to provide a first slack length of the first cable at the front of the first rack;
• routing the first patch cable sideways through a retention finger towards a first management section located at the front of the first rack at which the first patch cable is routed around a bend radius limiter and into a horizontal channel;
• routing the first patch cable through the horizontal channel from the front of the first rack, beneath the first front port, to a rear of the first rack;
• routing the first patch cable over a trough located at the rear of the first rack towards a first travel channel located at a rear of a destination rack at which the first patch cable is routed downwardly to a bottom, rear of the destination rack;
• routing the first patch cable from the bottom, rear of the destination rack, around one side of the destination rack, to a bottom, front of the destination rack including leaving a second slack length of the first cable at the side of the destination rack;
• routing the first patch cable upwardly from the bottom, front of the destination rack to a destination management section at which the first patch cable is wrapped at least partially around a bend radius limiter;
• routing the first patch cable from the destination management section, sideways through a second retention finger, and rearward and sideways over a second transition surface to a second front port positioned at the destination rack;
• and
• plugging a second connectorized end of the first patch cable at the second front port positioned at the destination rack.

A method of coupling at least one distribution cable to at least one patch cable at a first rack, the method comprising:

• providing at least one coupler module at the first rack, each coupler module including at least a first front port facing a front of the first rack and at least a first rear port facing a rear of the first rack, each coupler module being configured to move forwardly of the first rack from a retracted position to an extended position and to move rearward back to the retracted position;
• routing the distribution cable vertically along a rear of the first rack to the coupler module;
• moving the first coupler module forwardly to the extended position;
• accessing a connectorized end of the first distribution cable from the front of the first rack and plugging the connectorized end of the first distribution cable into the first rear port from the front of the first rack while the first coupler module is in the extended position;
• moving the first coupler module rearward to the refracted position;
• and
• plugging a connectorized end of the patch cable into the first front port of the coupler module.