A rack cabling system including a rack having mounted thereon a first hardware component and a patch panel housing mounted on the rack adjacent the first hardware component. The patch panel housing populates no more than a three rack unit (RU space), the patch panel housing including a front end having cable pathway openings and a rear end having connector coupler plates mounted therein. The patch panel may have a first cable pathway opening located adjacent the first side of the housing and defining a primary position and a first connector coupler plate mounted on the rear adjacent on the first side and the first connector plate having a first position corresponding to the primary position of the first cable pathway opening. Cable harnesses are routed with less than three bends of the cables between the first hardware component and the patch panel housing, so that the first cable harness is terminated at the first coupler plate in the first position.