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- Use your existing plan
as a basis: Begin with the plan which was created during
Activity
3. Detail will be added to this plan so that the original
ethernet LAN plan will now become accurate documentation that
is clear for future troubleshooters.
- To the existing plan, clearly and carefully
check or add the following information:
- Jack locations:
Ensure that the jacks noted on the plan are in the location
originally planned for. If not, move them on the plan accordingly.
- Jack Numbers: Ensure
that the jacks are correctly numbered and labelled both in
the documentation and in reality, according to the original
plan. If they are not, fix either the jack or the plan labelling
so that the two match, and there are no discrepancies or numbering
conflicts. (Make sure that no two jacks have the same number.)
- Colouring Scheme:
A colouring scheme may be used to indicate areas of
a building. In this case, labelling on jacks should match
labelling in the wiring closet. For example, one floor of
a building may have blue dots indicating jacks, while another
floor may have orange. If a colouring scheme is used, ensure
that the scheme noted on the documentation matches the colours
and locations used in reality.
- Conduit: On
the plan, carefully draw the location, length and colour of
any conduit that was placed.
- Placement:
Note where conduit was placed (ceiling, floor,
or in ground.) Give approximate measurements so that it
could be found again. If in a crawlspace or floor or ceiling,
try to count and note how many joists or rafters the conduit
is in from a given (i.e. North) wall.
- In ground:
If the conduit is in the ground, note the depth
it was placed at and its colour, as well as any potentially
harmful nearby obstacles. (For example: "black 1
1/4" conduit, 1.5' underground. Note that gasline
is two feet to the west of this conduit.")
- Other conduit
'tenants': Note if any other cables or services
also use this conduit, e.g.: telephone, coaxial cable,
etc.
- Pull Throughs:
Note if a pull-through has been left in the conduit, and
it may be wise to put a note asking future network troubleshooters
to ensure that they leave any existing pull-throughs in
place when their work is completed.
- Wiring closet:
Note its location and details regarding its security (where
the passcode may be found - secure location).
- CAT5 lengths: Note
by each jack number on the plan how long each cable length
is. If a tester is not available to give exact lengths of
each run, estimate as closely as possible by tracing and measuring
the route each cable takes. If estimating, don't forget to
include the travel of cables up and down in walls...
- Patch: In
the wiring closet, each of the CAT5 ends running from the
jacks will be punched down into its own port on the patch
panel. Keep a record of which port corresponds to which jack,
how long the run is, which device is plugged into which jack,
and if applicable, which floor the jack is on. This should
make the overall system connections appear very clear when
viewed with the network plan. Note that the cable lengths
are useful in determining which jacks and devices are located
together.
For example:
Main
Office Ethernet - Documentation. |
PATCHPANEL
PORT |
JACK
NUMBER |
Cable
length |
Device |
Floor |
1 |
L01 |
45 FT. |
Admin.workstation |
Main Floor |
2 |
L02 |
45 FT. |
Network Printer |
Main Floor |
3 |
L03 |
22 FT. |
Front Office
computer |
Main Floor |
4 |
L04 |
22 FT. |
Front Office
I.P. telephone |
Main Floor |
Note that on the actual patch panel, there is usually a label
area for device numbers and/or names. Ensure that this corresponds
with any documentation or tables created.
- Incoming services:
Carefully note the location and type of incoming services.
Note also the service providers company name and telephone number,
and the name of a specific person to contact should there be any
problems with the incoming service. (For example: Fibre Link comes
in through conduit on South-East side of building at roof level.
Provider: Copper Valley Cable 250-555-5555. Contact: Rob. ) This
information should also be located on the main ethernet plan/documentation.
- Date: Note
on both the plan and any corresponding documentation the date
that it was completed, along with the name of the person who completed
it, and any applicable notes about the network that future administrators
or people needing to make changes would find helpful information.
- Documentation copies:
Once the documentation is completed, showing EVERY aspect of the
ethernet, including the date that the documentation was created
and the name of the person who created it, make several copies.
One should be placed in a secure, known, offsite location, and
the location of the safe offsite documentation should be noted
visibly somewhere in the wiring closet. One copy of the documentation
should be posted in an easily visible location in the wiring closet
itself, and the administrator should keep a file copy safe elsewhere.
- Amendments:
When the network is changed, the documentation needs to be updated
and amended accordingly. This will ensure that the network can
easily be figured out again during any future troubleshooting.
Note also that any changes to the physical structure of the building
should also be updated on the documentation.
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