Need some advice on learning networking

[Phil B.]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Will also show if you have a problem with porch pirates.. You might in the future have things shipped with signature required.

I always require a signature even for my coffee delivery.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

....



PowerEdge.jpg

[rthonpm]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Nothing like the new config, naming, and all the sundry setup of a new system. Enjoy!

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I got around to loading ESXI on my new Dell PowerEdge. It's pretty awesome. I'm gonna add more hard drives and memory and then I think I can stop buying computers and other equipment. I've accumulated a lot in a short period of time. The only other thing I'm gonna buy is a floor rack for the big ass Dell Server that I just bought. I have a lot of other equipment in the back server room that I can put in the rack, also.


On another note.....


Whether it's Windows Server or Cisco routing and switching, there's a lot of memorization that's required. Or to put another way, you need to log a lot of hours on the system that you're working on so that it gets burned it your mind. Repetition, repetition, repetition. That's what's required or you'll quickly forget what you just learned.

That's the reason I bought the last server. I use a lot of simulation tools and virtual machines and I was tired of running out of resources to run all of them. Now I don't have to worry about it.

[rthonpm]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

If you get more drives, you my need to rebuild the entire system as not all RAID arrays allow you to expand them.

Solid State Drives, go RAID 5. Spinning disks, go RAID 10.

Also keep in mind you may not need to activate all of your Windows servers if they're not going to be permanently used. I only activate systems that are pure production: anything else will be scrubbed within four to six months at the most so I just use evaluation copies.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

If you get more drives, you my need to rebuild the entire system as not all RAID arrays allow you to expand them.

Solid State Drives, go RAID 5. Spinning disks, go RAID 10.

Also keep in mind you may not need to activate all of your Windows servers if they're not going to be permanently used. I only activate systems that are pure production: anything else will be scrubbed within four to six months at the most so I just use evaluation copies.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

That's solid advice. Thanks.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Let's talk "wire management". This is something that I hadn't given enough thought to. That is until I installed a 48-port patch panel.


I have a 48 port switch sitting underneath the 48 port patch panel. You may ask yourself why do we need a patch panel? It's because we don't want to be unplugging and plugging back in Cat 6 cable or any cable that is running through a ceiling or wall. If it breaks, it's a job to replace. Whereas a 1 ft. patch cable from the patch panel to the switch is very easy to replace.

I made a few mistakes before I got it right. For starters, planning is key. Every keystone jack in all rooms must be labeled. And the labeling scheme needs to make sense for your organization. Next we need to group the rooms together on the patch panel. All trunk lines need to be grouped. Ditto for WLC's and AP's.

Last but not least, try to match the port number on the patch panel to the same number on the switch. Trust me or you'll regret it.

PS - Be sure to document everything. The school that I've been working on their network had no labeling or documentation. It's been a pain in the ass.

[slimslob]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Let's talk "wire management". This is something that I hadn't given enough thought to. That is until I installed a 48-port patch panel.


I have a 48 port switch sitting underneath the 48 port patch panel. You may ask yourself why do we need a patch panel? It's because we don't want to be unplugging and plugging back in Cat 6 cable or any cable that is running through a ceiling or wall. If it breaks, it's a job to replace. Whereas a 1 ft. patch cable from the patch panel to the switch is very easy to replace.

I made a few mistakes before I got it right. For starters, planning is key. Every keystone jack in all rooms must be labeled. And the labeling scheme needs to make sense for your organization. Next we need to group the rooms together on the patch panel. All trunk lines need to be grouped. Ditto for WLC's and AP's.

Last but not least, try to match the port number on the patch panel to the same number on the switch. Trust me or you'll regret it.

PS - Be sure to document everything. The school that I've been working on their network had no labeling or documentation. It's been a pain in the ass.

One other thing, double and triple check before punching down leads to the back of the patch panel. Correcting wiring on as wall jack is a piece of cake compared to the back of a completed patch panel.

[rthonpm]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

The most important lesson you can ever learn in IT is document and inventory EVERYTHING. Don't leave it for later: write it down immediately, even if you think you'll remember it: you won't, so write it down.

I have several physical and OneNote notebooks of all kinds of configurations I've done for multiple customers and myself. It comes in handy quite often: had a customer sell their business to a larger competitor. When their internal IT came in to take over I had enough notes and documentation down to individual system configs that they were able to integrate everything into their environment without anything breaking.

Document it; when it changes, update the docs; when you dump it, keep the docs but show it's been dumped.

[slimslob]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

The most important lesson you can ever learn in IT is document and inventory EVERYTHING. Don't leave it for later: write it down immediately, even if you think you'll remember it: you won't, so write it down.

I have several physical and OneNote notebooks of all kinds of configurations I've done for multiple customers and myself. It comes in handy quite often: had a customer sell their business to a larger competitor. When their internal IT came in to take over I had enough notes and documentation down to individual system configs that they were able to integrate everything into their environment without anything breaking.

Document it; when it changes, update the docs; when you dump it, keep the docs but show it's been dumped.

I had once installed a new Ricoh color at a water district office about an hour away from Bakersfield. They had just changed to a new IT service who hadn't had time to survey the site yet. They gave me an IP address to use. The next morning we got a call that they could not print. I got up there to find that at the bottom the of the display Ricoh was reporting an IP conflict and gave the MAC of the conflicting device. Contacted the IT and was told to change to the next IP address in sequence. He pushed the change out from the server to the work stations. Next morning same thing. I cycled the power and the Ricoh came back online and cleared the print queue. Before calling the IT I decided to do a little some network discovery. I found that the IP address current in use, the previous one and the next on in sequence were allocated to a VPN that the Kern County Water Agency used to access water usage reports every night. Contacted the IT and he annotated his records to include the VPN and assigned me another address.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I had once installed a new Ricoh color at a water district office about an hour away from Bakersfield. They had just changed to a new IT service who hadn't had time to survey the site yet. They gave me an IP address to use. The next morning we got a call that they could not print. I got up there to find that at the bottom the of the display Ricoh was reporting an IP conflict and gave the MAC of the conflicting device. Contacted the IT and was told to change to the next IP address in sequence. He pushed the change out from the server to the work stations. Next morning same thing. I cycled the power and the Ricoh came back online and cleared the print queue. Before calling the IT I decided to do a little some network discovery. I found that the IP address current in use, the previous one and the next on in sequence were allocated to a VPN that the Kern County Water Agency used to access water usage reports every night. Contacted the IT and he annotated his records to include the VPN and assigned me another address.

Good one.

rthonpm has given me a lot of good advice and tips. Some were more complex than others but sometimes it's the little things that really help. Take documentation, for example. I'll bet you anything that a lot of IT people don't document their work or if they do, they half-ass it. It's the difference between being a pro and an amateur. It also saves a shitload of time.


Learning networking is like laying bricks. You lay one at a time and try to do it as perfect as you can and do the next one the same way.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Here's another tip: Don't use zip ties around the bundles of wire coming into your wall rack. You'll end up having to cut them off every time you run another cable. Use Velcro strips.

[rthonpm]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Also use cables of the right length and use your cable management systems. Otherwise you end up with this.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[slimslob]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Here's another tip: Don't use zip ties around the bundles of wire coming into your wall rack. You'll end up having to cut them off every time you run another cable. Use Velcro strips.

It will also facilitate having to repair a connection.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

My 6 inch patch cables came in this morning. It may not perform any better but it sure makes me feel better.





pixxx.jpg