Tag Archives: Networking

2014 11 05 21 43 35

How to produce good documentation – Part 2 – Rack and Server Diagrams

Oh no, diagrams! But, but, I’m not creative!

So we covered the foundation an environment in part 1, which is that hated word, which is documentation,

But that means you need diagrams, which is something most people struggle with, especially using Visio.

You’re not alone, I was the same, my documentation in my early days was shocking, and then I took on a consultancy role, where I was implementing solutions and having to produce documentation for customer. I had a steep learning curve.

So I’m going to take you into the first steps on how to diagram your Racks and the servers in them.

Visio and your stencils

So your going to need Visio, preferably 2013, but 2010 will be fine. And you need stencils of the hardware you’re creating a diagram of.

The best place to get 90% of your Visio Stencils is VisioCafe.

For others that do not appear on there, its easy enough to just google the vendor name plus Visio ;).

Here’s the file for the Visio diagrams.

Creating a diagram of your rack

So this is something I do for most of my customers, creating a diagram of the rack, mainly to show the bits I’ve stuck in, and so the customer knows which server is which, and then can refer to the rest of the document for what that bit of kit does.

2014-11-05_19-52-45 Continue reading How to produce good documentation – Part 2 – Rack and Server Diagrams

vmware

Using VMware and CDP information (HP and Cisco Switches)

So on of the most valuable networking features of VMware is setting up CDP information or LLDP (if using non cisco devices). We can see exactly which VMNIC is plugged into which port.

ESXi can receive and display CDP information within the client or web client, but this doesn’t work with HP switches which use LLDP, which you will see in the below examples for both vendors.

Below the environment is plugged into a HP switch and no CDP information is being displayed into the standard switch, however we can send CDP information from VMware ESXi to the HP switch. (But from a Cisco Switch the information does show)

2014-10-06_18-27-09

Continue reading Using VMware and CDP information (HP and Cisco Switches)

Cisco CCNP Training Course – Day 3 – ROUTE

On to-day 3, most of you have probably noticed that I am posting these online a day behind when I actually take the class, which is helpful, as I spend the evening typing up my notes and building the topologies etc in Visio. It’s a good way to re-cap stuff.

So I cheated a bit on the last post as I stopped before OSPF, so we hit all the main points in one big go.

So heres a quick summary of what will be covered in this post;

  • OSPF
  • OSPF Timers
  • Packet Types
  • Hello Packet
  • OSPF Convergence
  • OSPF Convergence Troubleshooting
  • Router ID
  • OSPF Virtual-Link
  • OSPF Authentication
  • DR/BDR Concept
  • Point-to-Point Links
  • Broadcast Multi-Access Network
  • Non-Broadcast Multi-Access Network
  • Point-to-Multipoint
  • Point-to-Point Subinterface

Continue reading Cisco CCNP Training Course – Day 3 – ROUTE

Cisco CCNP Training Course – Day 2 – ROUTE

So lets dive into Day 2,

One of the things I will also aim to do is re-create the topologies in Packet Tracer and upload the files for your use at some point in the future, here’s what we covered today;

  • EIGRP Cont…
  • EIGRP Authentication
  • EIGRP Summerization
  • EIGRP route propagation
  • EIGRP Stub Networks
  • EIGRP Timers
  • OSPF Intro

 

Continue reading Cisco CCNP Training Course – Day 2 – ROUTE

Cisco CCNP Training Course – Day 1 – ROUTE

Note: This is a dump from my notes of the day, I will write more posts on each subject for my training in the future and elaborate as I go on.

Just a quick late night post. Due to the changing of the CCNP exams from 31st January, its spurred me on to do something Exam wise, I’m self studying the CCNA Security, but after finding a cheap last-minute deal with the Knowledge Academy, I’ve booked myself on a 10 day CCNP course.

I don’t expect to be able to pass the exam’s at the end of the course, after all its essentially 3 Cisco Press books, once per exam (SWITCH, ROUTE, TSHOOT). And some training vendors offer this course for 15 days +. Therefore I expect to be catapulted into the CCNP curriculum allowing me to continue my deeper studies further and pass the exam.

Just before I booked this course, I also bought Chris Byrant’s video course on udemy.com (gave me free CCNA Security Videos too!), I’ve not watched the videos for the CCNP yet, but for the CCNA Security the website seems buggy!

What I learnt today – Start on CCNP Route

Continue reading Cisco CCNP Training Course – Day 1 – ROUTE