It is a crucial component in the cable management subsystem, serving as the hub for interconnecting the vertical backbone and horizontal cabling subsystems. Patch panels are typically installed in server racks or on walls. They come in a range of sizes, and are typically mountable, whether that's on a wall, or on a rack to make for easier. A patch panel is a simple, passive device that serves as a physical interface for cable management. A patch panel is one of those components that is easy to overlook when planning a network — it does not switch, route, or process data, and to the uninitiated it can look like an expensive way to add an extra set of connectors between the cable and the switch. These connections can be for Ethernet cables, fiber optic cables, or even audio-visual wiring. Instead of plugging cables directly into.