What Does MDF Stand for in Networking?

An MDF distributes incoming telephone wires throughout a building.

MDF stands for "Main Distribution Frame." It is a cabinet specially designed for connecting telephone systems. It contains a rack with connection holes to which telephone wires are clipped.

Function

MDFs connect the telephone network of an organization to the outside world. The box containing the framework can be several stories high. The MDF contains slots for connections between wires from the Public Switched Telephone Network to the private phone network.

Features

All incoming wires run to the MDF. Internal cabling then routes to a number of Intermediate Distribution Frames (IDFs), each of which will connect to the telephone lines in a physical area of the organization.

Future

Modern telecommunications technology has introduced digital voice services to companies. These include IP-PBX which combines internal telephone systems with the data network; and SIP trunking which channels external calls from a business over the Internet. Both of these developments make MDFs obsolete.

References

• Javvin Network Management and Security: MDF: Main Distribution Frame

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish