Network Managment

When a network engineer is asked about network management one often thinks about CiscoWorks, HPopenview, SolarWinds etc. If only it was that simple. “Total” Network management reaches well beyond the configuring and monitoring of your switches and routers. Here are some things to consider when you are asked to think about network management.

Cable Management:
FYI, Poor cable management is my biggest pet peeve.
Orphan cables: Have you ever seen a cable hanging out of a rack with no home and not sure what port it is plugged into on the other end? Well get ride of it. Next time around someone will see it hanging there and plug it into something it shouldn’t.
Label your cables: I would never expect all cables to be labeled. But all key links such as inter-router, inter-switch, firewalls and circuit links should be labeled.
Cable Lengths: When ordering your cables always error on the side of too long. But too much excess cable rolled up in your racks is unsightly and takes up space in your cable managers.
Tie downs: When asked what kind of tie downs I prefer my personal preference is Velcro strips. Zipties work great as well. But zipties are not reusable and when you need to get inside a bundle of cables you always need to have scissors or side cutters handy. Sharp objects around delicate fiber optics is not a good idea.
Cable Managers: If you have racks that come with horizontal and vertical cable managers, D-Rings and Chimneys just take the extra 90 seconds and pull your cables through them.

Tidiness and Cleanliness:
Much like the points made above, a clean and neat environment is an environment that is easy to work in and troubleshoot if necessary.
Keep the production areas clean: Very straight forward.
Surplus gear: If its not in use simply dismount it from the rack and store it, sell it, donate it, or trash it.
Wire-closets are not storage areas: I can respect that office real-estate space is premium. People will look for anywhere to store their office supplies and old files. But when you can, limit who and what has access to the areas you manage. High traffic areas can tend to be high damage and theft areas.

Living Documents and Diagrams:
Documentation can be a taxing demand, but they are necessary.
Diagrams: Network diagrams are mandatory for any network design because there are some things that one can not express in words. Network diagrams should be simple and expressed in a way so it can be easily read by others.

If a network design is too complex to express in Visio or if your diagram is a bloody mess you probably need to re-visit your design.

Most importantly, Network diagrams should be a living document. Networks are never static therefore once a change is made in the physical network environment the change should be reflected in the diagram as well. There is nothing worse than dusting off a diagram to research a problem just to find that the document has not been edited in 3 years.
Change Logs: For all core devices in your network you might want to consider creating a change log with an excel spread sheet. Whenever you make a change, add, delete to a switch configuration or a topology change, simply make a note in the change log. When researching network problems a change log is a valuable tool when you want to find out “who, when, where, and what” made the network changes. More importantly, a change log just might prove your innocence if something terrible happens. It has for me.

Crash carts
Prepare for the worse, hope for the best and always keep an emergency kit handy. When the network has failed every minute wasted trying to track down your equipment can cost your organizations thousands, perhaps millions $/per minute. Your crash cart should consist of….

- Laptop(s) with a power supply and working battery
- an extension cord
- Every type of console cable you require.
- Assortment of cables that are for emergency only. Fiber, copper, x-over, in varying lengths and corrector types that you require.
- Backups of config files and image files. This can be on a USB key or a system you have direct access to. *remember, the network might be down.
- Assortment of gbics.
- Philips screw driver.
- Side cutters. * see above if you use zipties.
- Up-to-Date diagrams * see above, Living documents.
- Phone number list. Co-workers, help desks, 1-800 numbers etc etc. Because everyone at one time or another needs to call for help. And if the network or email is down you will need to have those numbers in hand.

Lastly; know where your spare switches, routers and modules are and make sure you have boxes or containers to transport them. And make sure your stand-by devices are running the production image versions.

Addition reading:

Excellent list of rules for document writing

http://etherealmind.com/rules-design-documentation-etherealmind/

images of cable management No No’s

http://www.vibrant.com/cable-messes.php

If there are any points you would like to add please leave a comment.