INTERNET-DRAFT EXPIRES JANUARY 1998 INTERNET-DRAFT
Network Working Group J. Walker
INTERNET-DRAFT Cisco Systems, Inc.
04 July 1997
The Site Installation Handbook
<draft-rfced-info-walker-00.txt>
Status of this Memo
This document is an Internet-Draft. Internet-Drafts are working
documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas,
and its working groups. Note that other groups may also distribute
working documents as Internet-Drafts.
Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
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material or to cite them other than as ``work in progress.''
To learn the current status of any Internet-Draft, please check the
``1id-abstracts.txt'' listing contained in the Internet- Drafts Shadow
Directories on ftp.is.co.za (Africa), nic.nordu.net (Europe),
munnari.oz.au (Pacific Rim), ds.internic.net (US East Coast), or
ftp.isi.edu (US West Coast).
This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo
does not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is
unlimited.
Introduction
This memo is a first attempt at providing guidance on how to deal with
the perplexity of new LAN and WAN site installs. Experienced and
less experienced network engineers often do each installation blindly
without any form or fashion. This document is an attempt to document
specific install issues, practices and procedures. It is also
intended to be a future installation reference handbook. Please
email me with any comments or additional items that may have been
overlooked. Hopefully you will see this as a starting point to
collect data for the site installation that you are completing.
Purpose of this Work
This handbook should be used as a manual for necessary details
pertaining to site installs. This manual lists issues and factors
that a site must consider when setting up their own Data closets,
Wiring closets, or Data Centers. This handbook is only a framework
for setting install procedures and practices. In order to have an
effective set of procedures and practices, each location will have to
make decisions particular to their needs and requirements.
Audience
The audience for this document is network engineers, system
engineers, systems integration specialists, and cable installation
specialists. The focus of this document is on the procedures and
practices that need to be in place to support any technical data room
that a site may be implementing.
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Scope
This document covers issues about what a site implementation guide
should contain, and what kinds of procedures are needed to ensure a
successful install. This memo assumes that all preliminary user input
into the network design has been completed before site installation.
Remember each site has different needs; the installation in one
building with one set of requirements might well be different from
another building or site. Be sure it fits the needs and requirements
of the site and the users involved. To work and be successful it must
be timely and functional.
Documentation
The most important process of the whole install is documentation.
This begins with the pre-install document and ends with a post-
install document. The items to start with are initial physical and
logical network diagrams. Next, what specific protocols and their
addresses per interfaces will be needed. All standard contact info
for SNMP should be entered into the device and on the documentation.
Relevant information that will be used can be very important both
before and after the install. It should include circuit numbers
along with any other pertinent information like DLCI numbers or
framing or encapsulation type, carrier phone numbers and your
company's contact names and numbers, utility company phone numbers,
and equipment manufacturer numbers along with serial numbers and
warranty contract numbers. It is helpful to have a sheet showing
rack placement and equipment location placement. To reduce
confusion, labels are helpful to document where lines go. However,
do not forget to place them on the lines. Also, take advantage of
any vendor's place to input descriptions into the network hardware
configs. After the install the pre-install documentation can be
turned into post-install documentation that can aid in
troubleshooting or disaster recovery later. Minimum user guides for
equipment installed should be left with the equipment along with the
completed post-install documentation.
Communication Lines
This section deals with what communication lines you will need for
the particular site install that is being completed. The most
important line that will ever be needed is an async line preferably
installed in wiring closets with at least "800#" access for the
purpose of troubleshooting with data centers or vendor tech support.
In the event of voice troubleshooting the network equipment with a
technician or dialing into that same equipment, you will really need
this line. In addition to your primary lines, if budget allows, an
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ISDN line for WAN backup will save a lot of time and money for you
and your users in the event of dedicated line outage. If your budget
is tight you can still use an async line for a primary link backup as
well. As for the LAN lines this will depend on your environment,
just be sure you have enough interfaces for your particular needs,
i.e. ATM, Ethernet, Token Ring. The WAN lines should also be ordered
for the particular bandwidth requirement this particular site has,
i.e. DS-3, OC-3, T1 or FT1. Also, be certain that you know if you
need ATM, SONET, Frame Relay, or ISDN. Before you go to the site or
send the equipment out, make sure you have all the LAN, WAN, and
general cables that are needed to complete the install.
Premise or Structure
If this is a new install, take measures to ensure that you have the
proper location for the data or wiring closet, preferably in the
center of the building. Equal distances to all four corners of the
office space could save issues with cable run distances. Actual runs
of LAN cable should be certified to be of correct distance and type.
It is suggested that additional cables are pulled at time of
installation if possible, this will allow migration to future
technologies and general growth. Always be sure that you have a
large enough room for today's equipment and tomorrow's expansion of
technology. You can never have enough room or cable. Both existing
and new installs should accommodate for equipment rack placement and
be free of any hazards such as water pipes that could damage or
obstruct the equipment. There should be 36 inches clear on all four
sides of the rack. Equipment should be placed in racks in such a way
that the removal/replacement of circuit card assemblies is easy. If
forced to choose between placement for the viewing of LEDs verses
ease of repair, repair wins. Cables should be installed in such a
way that they are easily traced and not block access to card removal
or installation. Equipment itself should not be placed in such a way
that it becomes a tempting shelf. This could block cooling of the
equipment or worse, become a shelf for a liquid that could be spilled
on the equipment. This can be avoided by placing the equipment near
the top of racks or by installing an actual shelf above the
electronic equipment. The shelf, mentioned above can make a great
location to rest a PC used for configurations or a LAN Monitor device
for traps and troubleshooting. It is also very important to have the
proper air conditioner tonnage for correct cooling of the room and
that it will be on twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. Check
with your State and City laws about emergency power shutoff
regulations and accommodate accordingly. Two items that are often
overlooked are power requirements and receptacle types. Tied in with
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this is UPS sizing. Check your equipment first, to see if it is AC
or DC, next check WATTS, AMPS, VOLTS, and possibly receptacle plug
types. Decide if you need online, backup, or standby UPS. Grounding
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is also a very important issue for the safety and longevity of your
devices. You may want to look at your particular City's Code Book
for Data or wiring closets. You may need certain types of fire
extinguishers or sprinklers. Remember the old adage, "better safe
that sorry." All equipment, if possible, should be mounted so that
the power switch and cord are out of the way of traffic. This also
applies for LAN and WAN cables. Tie wrap all cables to the data rack
for a clean and manageable installation.
Security Considerations
Physical security of the data room is very important not only to
prevent purposeful tampering, but accidental tampering as well. A
log should be kept of anyone who walks into the room. This will help
in tracking down issues that may mysteriously arise. Alarms for fire
should be heard if this is a Data Center room.
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Install Template
DOCUMENTATION
Diagrams
Physical
Logical
Rack Placement
Equipment Placement
Interfaces
Protocols
Addresses by Protocol
Snmp
Contact
Location
Chassis' ID
Numbers
Project Contact Phone Numbers
Circuit Numbers, DLCI info, PVC info, and Framing info
Carrier Phone Numbers and Contacts
Utility Companies Phone Numbers and Contacts
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Equipment Manufacturer Phone Numbers and Contacts
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Hardware
Device Serial Numbers
Device Warranty Numbers or Contract Numbers
Hardware Description Field in Device Software
To and From Information per Interface
Circuit Number on WAN Interfaces
Contact Phone Numbers per Interface if Needed
Purpose per Interface
Labeling
Device Name
Interface Information
COMMUNICATION LINES
Async Lines
Number Needed
LAN Lines and Type
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Number Needed of Each Type
Ethernet
Fast Ethernet
ATM
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Token Ring
FDDI
WAN Lines and Type
Number Needed of Each Type
OC-3
DS-3
T1
64K
56K
Type I.E. ATM, SONET, FRAME-RELAY, DEDICATED, SWITCHED
Speed I.E. OC-3 at 10Mbps or DS-3 at 20Mbps
Cables
Purchase all required cables for LAN and WAN
PREMISE
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Location
Size
Placement of Equipment on Floor and in Racks
Tie wraps for Dressing
Air Conditioner Sizing
Emergency Power Shutoff
Power Requirements for Each Device
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Receptacle Type for Each Device
UPS Sizing and Type
Grounding
Fire Equipment Needed
City Codes
SECURITY
Physical Security
Locks or Card Readers or Combo Locks Audit Trail
Logbook or Card Reader Logs
Alarms
Audible Alarm Siren to hear building Alarms
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to my wife for putting up with the long hours and many
frustrations during my numerous installations.
Thanks goes to Kevin Hanahan (Cisco Systems, Inc.) who is right now
going through numerous installations of his own and suggested that we
document the procedures in writing not only for us, but for the
Internet Community and every engineer out there. His added comments
and editing have been immensely appreciated.
Thanks also go to my Professor, Chip McGinnis (NCR/Park College) for
direction on my Senior Computer Science project.
Author's Address
James Walker
Systems Engineer
Cisco Systems, Inc.
9300 W. 110th St.
Suite 260, Bldg. 55
Overland Park, KS 66210
Phone: (913) 344-6114
EMail: jawalker@CISCO.COM
July 11, 1997
INTERNET-DRAFT EXPIRES JANUARY 1998 INTERNET-DRAFT