Systems and methods for managing a network

A communications system comprising:

• at least one active jack adapted to be connected to at least one networking device via horizontal cabling, said at least one active jack comprising a network-side connection, a user-side connection, a storage component storing identification information associated with said at least one active jack, and at least one indicator light indicating a connection status of said at least one active jack, said at least one active jack further adapted to be connected to at least one user device at said user-side connection of said at least one active jack, said at least one active jack being adapted to report to said at least one networking device the status of its connection to said at least one user device thereby enabling the sectionalizing of faults along a communication pathway between said networking device and said user device, said at least one active jack comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) containing said storage component and a power management component adapted to provide power to said storage component and to said user devices through said user-side connection, said at least one active jack further comprising a heat dissipation component, said heat dissipation component containing a conductive member extending from said power management component to a user-side panel housing said user-side connection.