On Thu, Feb 7, 2013 at 11:00 AM, Adam Levin <levi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think every case is slightly different. In general I like the cable > identifier method (2 above). In your case, that alone won't help you, > because you'd still have to search for the correct cable at the other end > (if you're at the host), and if you're at the switch, well, good luck. > > I agree with this. You're on you own :-). If you're sure the racks are going to be fairly static, then labelling both ends can work. Keep a knife handy for cutting off old labels when needed. In dynamic spaces like labs I've used a serialnumber-length code. That way each cable is unique *and* I know how far away I need to look for the other end. Brady labelers will do auto-increment runs of pairs of labels for serial numbering. There's also no reason you can't do both. Label each cable uniquely with a serial number and length. Add a second label with the end points if needed. If you're really into it, you can put three labels on each end: 1) unique identifier 2) near end port name/identifier 3) far end port name/identifier It takes some patience, especially if you're working in bulk to set up a space, but it has paid off. My favorite lab trick was to color code serial vs network cat5 cables, and then have one more Cat5 color (purple) for quick runs. Each purple cable was serlal number-length as above and could b used for anything. The lab users were told to use purple cables for anything they needed to do quickly and didn't have time to run properly. The did not have to follow proper cable run or labelling rules for those runs. If I saw one I would put a tag with an expiration date and my contact information on it. If it was there at the expiration date and I had not been contacted to do a proper run for them, I claimed the right to remove it without notice. You could use a spreadsheet to track where the other end is, so cable > 000001 goes from host A port 1 to switch X port 32. That way, if a cable > gets replaced it's easy to just change the ID in the spreadsheet without > having to make new labels, and cables can be moved around as long as you > keep the sheet updated. > > If you have a CMDB, the host CI is probably a good place to put the cable > label and where it goes. Again, that doesn't help from the switch side, > though. > > > -Adam > > > On Thu, Feb 7, 2013 at 10:46 AM, Matt Simmons < > standalone.sysad...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> So, my current situation is that I'm working in a datacenter with 21 >> racks arranged in three rows, 7 racks long. We have one centralized >> distribution switch and no patch panels, so everything is run to the switch >> which lives in the middle, roughly. It's ugly and non-ideal and I hate it a >> bunch, but it is what it is. And it looks a lot like this: >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/bandman614/7835443304/in/set-72157604826850180 >> >> >> Anyway, so given this really suboptimal arrangement, I want to be able to >> more easily identify a particular patch cable because, as you can imagine, >> tracing a wire is no fun right now. >> >> While everyone that I've talked to agrees that both ends need labeled. >> The question is what do you put on them. The schools of thought as far as I >> am aware are: >> >> 1) Every cable end's label says exactly what the other end is connected >> to, including hostname and port number >> >> 2) Every cable end's label is uniquely identified to that cable, because >> things move and relabeling sucks. >> >> 3) <insert your other viewpoint here> >> >> Is there actually some best practice that I'm unaware of? How would you >> do it in this case? >> >> --Matt >> >> >> -- >> LITTLE GIRL: But which cookie will you eat FIRST? >> COOKIE MONSTER: Me think you have misconception of cookie-eating process. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech mailing list >> Tech@lists.lopsa.org >> https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech >> This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators >> http://lopsa.org/ >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Tech mailing list > Tech@lists.lopsa.org > https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech > This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators > http://lopsa.org/ > > -- ---- Mark Lamourine <markll...@gmail.com> Dad, Hubbie, Software Developer, System Administrator, Road Cyclist
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