MAPPING NETWORKS FOR DAY 3 MANAGEMENT

Mark Dansie, IT Infrastructure Consultant

Inflectiontech Ltd

mark.dansie@inflectiontech.net

www.inflectiontech.net

David Cuthbertson, Director

Square Mile Systems Ltd

david.cuthbertson@squaremilesystems.com

www.squaremilesystems.com

MAPPING NETWORKS FOR DAY 3 MANAGEMENT

Day 1 Planning an infrastructure

Requirements, proposals, tenders, contract award, architecture

Day 2 Building the infrastructure

Scheduling tasks, detailed work instructions, testing, verification, sign off

Day 3 Managing and Operating

Ongoing moves/adds/changes, risk management, optimisation,

transformation, centralised support, in/outsourcing, decommissioning.

Installing & connect equipment

Add/change/remove some infrastructure

New requirements & technologies

Fibre, power, copper, IOT

Refurbish / upgrade existing infrastructure

Develop operational management systems

Workflow and change processes

Monitoring, performance, capacity

Re-organise teams

Centralise expertise, outtask/outsource, replace

DAY 3 ACTIVITIES

DAYS 1 & 2Use standards / reference skills where possible

Communicate clearlyRequirements, Proposals

Project plan(s)

Testing and verification

Ongoing support and maintenance (O&M) and

handover documentation / manuals

Infrastructure built – everyone is happy

SOMETIMES WE GET

SOME OF THE ROOT CAUSES

Bad design

Over length cables

Inadequate supervision

Lack of planning

Change process gaps

Limited training

Fault finding

Lack of interest to fix

Lack of time for tasks

AND OCCASIONALLY WE GET…

A06

A05

A04

A03

A02

A01

BT-LCP01

BT-LCP02

BT-LCP03

BT-LCP04

BT-R01

BT-R02

BT-R03

BT-R04

CAB1

CAB7

CAB3

CAB19

CAB2

CAB1

We try for simplicityNaming depending on

when installed

But its not so easyDifferent technologies

have different needs

After a whileDuplication and evolved

build and naming methods

Less trust in

documentation!

WHICH RESULTS IN

Change tasks taking longer and cost more

Site surveys, emails, meetings

Increased risk of unplanned disruption

On site supervision

Constant rechecking / auditing

Capacity of backbone and network switches

Asset verification

Inadequate records and documentation

Tracing cables with every change (just to make sure the label is right)

1 Step Forward

2 Steps Back

What – Mapping a campus environment

20+ buildings

Why – Change of managed IT service provider

Handover of support roles – understanding of current estate

Resolution of network performance issues

Site development and refurbishment

How - Assess existing sources of knowledge – none!

Naming convention – building/devices, connections

Manual audit – inventory, space, connectivity, plans

Capture into AssetGen infrastructure database

Produce Visio diagrams and capacity reports

Deliverables

Lists of equipment and configurations

Visio schematics – network, campus, rack diagrams, floor layouts

Photos where appropriate to show installation quality and best practice

Backbone infrastructure layout and capacity – fibre / copper

Standards, distances, quality

Issues list

Core fibre location not known – hidden in unmarked cupboard

Logical and physical path views

Remediation /testing required

CASE STUDY 1

LOGICAL OR PHYSICAL DEPENDENCY VIEW?

Requirement:

The router needs a link to the

switch

Easy to understand!

Equipment RacksMDFInter Room ODFInter Room ODFMDFEquipment Racks

E10

Q02

Q03

H06

K23

K24

I02F02 I15

E26

E22

E23

N04

Wing Loft

ODF01ODF12E15

PPF-326-E20-

U38 to E10

PPF-336-E22-

U40 to I02

PPF-336-E23-

U39 to I02

PPF-336/F02-U47 PPF-336/I15-U47

to ODF12PPF-336/I02-U47

to F02

PPF-336-I02-U40

to E22

PPF-326-I02-U39

to E23

PPF-336-I02-U38

to E20

PPF-326-H06-

U45 to E10

PPF-326-K23-

U46 to E10

PPF-326-K24-

U42 to E10

PPF-326-N04-

U41 to E10

PPF-326-Q02-

U44 to E10

PPF-326-Q03-

U43 to E10

PPF-300/ODF12-

U42 to 336/I15PPF-300/ODF01-

U47

PPF-326-E15-

U47 to 300

ODF01

PPF-326-E10-

U46 to K23

PPF-326-E10-

U45 to H06

PPF-326-E10-

U44 to Q02

PPF-326-E10-

U43 to Q03

PPF-326-E10-

U42 to K24

PPF-326-E10-

U41 to N04

Data Hall 1 Data Hall 2

10

09

08

07

06BA05

04

03

0201

01

MD

A2

MD

A1

7750(S

R12)

CF

M1

CF

M2

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07

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04

03

09

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7 8

19 10

MD

A10S

FP

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pty

2

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19 10

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pty

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Comms A

The Project:

The router needs a physical path to the switch. not so easy to

understand or communicate!

THE CASE STUDY 2

What – Mapping multi-site server/equipment rooms 50+

Why – Server and network refresh

Migration to IP telephony

Remediation – safety issues, cooling, power

Increased focus on security and governance

How - Assess existing sources of knowledge – some data

Naming convention – building/devices, connections

Manual audit – environment, inventory, space, ports

Capture into AssetGen infrastructure database

Provide consistent rack and connectivity Visio diagrams

Deliverables

Lists of equipment and rack positioning

Assessment of power sockets and UPS loads – before/after

Assessment of cooling capacity

Rack power delivery – redundancy and options

Energy efficiency of layout and cooling system set points

Photos and videos where appropriate to show installation quality and best practice

Issues list – overcome current challenges – short term

New design and comparison against internal best practice needs

AND IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS+

We’ll all probably have different jobs/roles

Removing “physical” constraints by virtualisation will continue

Computing, networks, cloud, storage, applications

More efficient use of power and hardware

Less efficient use of virtual systems and resources

Fewer people, less physical changes - memory leakage

Even less tolerance of system disruption by users

Increasing sets of controls and auditors – just to make sure..

Best to develop policy and best practices

now as the networks and risks are smaller!

Don’t put all your trust in version 1 of automation

1. Reduced time and cost to implement changes

2. Faster time to identify and resolve faults

3. Common understanding of change risks and impacts across project and operations teams

4. Improved interfaces between technical teams, outsource partners and 3rd party suppliers

5. Separation of design, build and operate teams

6. Infrastructure capacity management and optimisation

7. Implementation of risk management and recovery policies

Many ways to map a network

All may be needed at some stage

WHY MAP NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE PROPERLY?

ONE DEVICE HAS MULTIPLE VIEWS

Claims

Processing

Payment Module

ACCOUNTS

Accounts Module

SVRWIN001

Accounts

Payable

Accounts

Receivable

PAYROLL

Sage Payroll

Payroll

SW-BHAM-

CORE1

SW-BHAM-

CORE2

SW-BHAM-01 SW-BHAM-03 SW-BHAM-05 SW-BHAM-02SW-BHAM-04SW-BHAM-06

UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX04UK_BIRM_UX05 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX06 UK_BIRM_UX07 UK_BIRM_UX08 UK_BIRM_UX10

99999

99999

UK_BIRMCC_PDU1

UK_BIRMCC_PDU2

PWR01-

03-A

PWR01-

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PWR01-

05-A

PWR01-06-

A

PWR01-

07-A

PWR01-

03-B

PWR01-04-

B

PWR01-05-

B

PWR01-06-

B

PWR01-07-

B

UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX10 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX04

UK_BIRM_UX05

UK_BIRM_UX06

UK_BIRM_UX07

UK_BIRM_UX08

PP01-02-01

RTR-BHAM-01

PWR01-02-A

PWR01-02-B

NTU-BHAM-01

NTU-TEST03

Floor Plan

Rack Position

Application/

Service impact

Power Supply

Network Connections

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H/W Build

1. There will be always be duplication of device views – physical / logical

2. Changes in symbols, attributes, links, position can be automated using Visio

3. Think how many diagrams you need for a project – just a few

4. Think how many diagrams for operational support – just a few thousand….

5. Now you appreciate what AssetGen with Visio automation means

Mapping complex infrastructure with automated updates!

Active / Passive Equipment Build Layout is Needed

- Chassis

- Cards

- Power supplies

- Modular Fibre

COMPLEX DEVICES – CHASSIS/CARD/MODULE

MAPPING ABOVE THE PHYSICAL LAYERS

MAKING IT EASY – USE THE ASSETGEN SYSTEM

Fixed Infrastructure(Cabling, Power, Cabinets, Rooms, Buildings)

Hardware InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other

Virtual InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, Storage, DBMS

ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA

ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier

Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company

Inventory & Connectivity

“Connect”

ServiceMapping

“SysMap”

SQL Server platform

1. Reduce 1000s of spreadsheets into one database

2. One data source for detail, capacity and audit trails

3. One data source for 1000s of Visio diagrams and views

4. One data source to maintain and administer standards

5. One data source to link to monitoring and workflow tools

6. One data source for projects, operations and risk teams

HOW MUCH EFFORT/COST IS INVOLVED?

Manual method – draw a rack diagram 2 – 5 hours1. Gather inventory and positioning

2. Find Visio shapes for equipment

3. Draw the rack

Automated method with AssetGen system 10 seconds1. Tick rack for cabinet drawing

2. Visio rack diagram produced

If there are 100 racks then what does it mean?Time Engineer Cost

25 days or 16 minutes $20,000 vs $26 ($100hr)

AssetGen could automate multiple diagram updates for multiple locations every night with consistent data and symbols – No effort!

How about updating every network diagrams for every site - easy1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 249 10 11 12 13 14 15 161 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 249 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

PP01-03-01

UID

HP

ProLiant

DL380 G5

COMPACT

1 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

POWER

SUPPLY SUPPLY

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SPAREONLINE

MIRROR

CAGE

RISER

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COMPACT

microsystems

UK_BIRM_UX01

PROLIANTPROLIANT

SERVERWIN0001

tsr 4554

PROLIANTPROLIANT

SERVERWIN0099

PROLIANTPROLIANT

SERVERWIN00078

Factor in the other outputs and reports also available from the same AssetGen source. Compare to how many are manually created and maintained by IT teams.

Diagrams Reports

Floor plans Rack and cabling capacity

Network diagrams Switch port allocation

System diagrams Patching lists

Architecture diagrams Audit trails

Application maps Change impact reports

ITIL service maps Dependency lists

WHAT SHOULD DAY 3 MANAGEMENT LOOK LIKE

1. Established policies, standards and ownership

Makes it easy for engineers to plan and deliver

Simplifies roles and understanding or responsibility

2. Project / operations use common terms & formats

Common templates, naming system, labels, etc.

Easy to create, update and integrate data sets and schematics

3. Less documents / files to maintain

Use of centralised systems and internal portals

Visio diagrams, reports, Excel from infrastructure databases

4. Infrastructure knowledge is maintained by process

Changes can be efficiently delivered and managed

Less reverse engineering, more reuse of data

Documents and audit trails as evidence of control and governance

Workflow, monitoring and support systems work together

WHAT ASSETGEN CAN DELIVER

While you sleep

Changes to the IT systems and infrastructure across multiple locations are

updated into various Visio diagrams and Excel outputs overnight –

automatically!

On day 3, 4, 5, 6 and for ever…..

MAPPING NETWORKS FOR DAY 3 MADE EASIER

1. Defined naming conventions across the enterprise

2. Defined equipment, groupings and lifecycle processes

3. Replacement of Excel with database driven systems

AssetGen infrastructure database for mapping complexity

Workflow (ITIL service desk, SCM/ALM)

4. Presentation of data and views to suit information need

Views by building, floor, device, network, service, cabling, system

5. Verification processes

Manual and automated checks of both data and process