Catalyst 3650 stacking and stack cable length?

[andrew.butterworth]

I am wondering how flexible the default 50cm stacking cable is when stacking Catalyst 3650 switches in a rack and leaving space for cable management bars?

I have various stack sizes to be built for a project and all the switches come with the default 50cm stacking cable (STACK-T2-50CM) that comes with the Catalyst 3650 stacking kit (C3650-STACK-KIT=).  For stacks of five or more switches the 1M cable (STACK-T2-1M=) has been included in the BoM.  If the switches are stacked directly on top of each other I think this will be fine, however I am looking to install some cable management bars between the switches to keep the cabling tidy and was wondering whether the 50cm cable will cut it for stacks of four (or even three) switches?  If I installed a 1U cable management bar between each switch in a stack of four switches that would be 7U the 50cm cable would need to stretch to?

Does anyone know whether this would work OK or is the cable not that flexible (bendy...)?

Cheers

Andy

[chrihussey]

Don't know if this will help, but I just installed a 3850 two switch stack. I spaced the switches 1U apart with the default stack cable. It reached fine. However, the cable is pretty rigid and not that flexible. Really no need to tie or dress it. I personally think a cable management bar in the back would only get in the way and wouldn't be needed. 

Hope this helps

[andrew.butterworth]

Hi Chris and thanks for the reply.  I am not talking about installing management bars at the back for the stacking cable - I am talking about installing management bars at the front between the switch to keep the user cabling tidy.

My concern is that in a stack of four switches with a management bar between each one there will be 7U between the top switch and the bottom one so to make the redundant stack cable between the top and bottom switch will the default 50cm cable be enough?

[chrihussey]

Oh, sorry I misunderstood. I don't think so. You'll need the 1m.

[Iulian Vaideanu]

You could try a different cabling scheme - like the one in the middle in the attached picture ( taken from http://networkswoot.blogspot.ro/2014/02/3850-switch-stacks-stackcabling-and.html ).

Also, if such a front management bar could hold cabling for two switches, you could install one at the top of the stack, then two switches with no space inbetween, then management bar, then two switches, then management bar at the bottom - you'll save a couple of rack-units this way...

[andrew.butterworth]

I did look at alternative ways of connecting the stacking cables but I fear the support implications and it just looks haphazard.  Following a consistent scheme for every stack makes more sense to me.