Network Documentation Flashcards
Internal operating procedures
- Organizations have different business objectives
- Processes and procedures
- Operational procedures
- Downtime notifications
- Facilities issues
• Software upgrades - Testing, change control
- Documentation is the key
- Everyone can review and understand the policies
Mapping the network
- Networks are built in phases
- Large chunks at a time
- You can’t see most of it
- Fiber and wires in the walls and ceiling
- Documentation is essential
- Both physical and logical
- One of the best things you can do
- Especially as the new hire
Logical network maps
- Specialized software
- Visio, OmniGraffle, Gliffy.com
- High level views
- WAN layout, application flows
• Useful for planning and collaboration
Physical network maps
- Follows the physical wire and device
* Can include physical rack locations
Change management
• How to make a change
• Upgrade software, change firewall configuration,
modify switch ports
- One of the most common risks in the enterprise
- Occurs very frequently
- Often overlooked or ignored
- Did you feel that bite?
• Have clear policies
• Frequency, duration, installation process,
fallback procedures
- Sometimes extremely difficult to implement
- It’s hard to change corporate culture
Managing your cables
• ANSI/TIA/EIA 606
• Administration Standard for the Telecommunications
Infrastructure of Commercial Buildings
- Presentation of information
- Reports, drawings, work orders
- Pathway, space, grounding
- Identifiers, Labeling
- Cables
- Identifiers, labels, color coding, bar coding
Labeling
- Everything is tagged and labeled
- A standard format
- Port labeling
- CB01-01A-D088
- CB01 - Main facility
- 01A - Floor 1, space A
- D088 - Data port 88
- All cables are documented
- Central database
System labeling
• Many people will work on a single workstation or
server
• There needs to be a standard reference
- Unique system ID
- Asset tag
- System name
- Serial number
- Clearly visible
- Especially in a data center
Circuit labeling
- WAN circuits aren’t a problem
- Until they are a problem
- It’s outside your control
- All components of the WAN
- Demarc interface
- CSU/DSU
- Router
- Label information
- WAN provider Circuit ID
- WAN provider phone number
- Internal reference name
Patch panel labeling
- Not much real estate
- Fit a lot into a small space
- Number each side of the link
- Incremental
- Geographically descriptive
Baselines
- Broadly defined
- What does it mean to you?
- Application response time, network throughput, etc.
- Point of reference
- Accumulated knowledge
- Examine the past to predict the future
- Useful for planning