Module 2 Flashcards
Learning Unit 2 (25 cards)
Structured Cabling (ANSI/TIA-568)
- standardizing how mailroom conveyor belts, bins, and mail slots are laid out, ensuring all post offices are wired the same way for efficiency
- Standardized cabling system for enterprise networks.
- Published by ANSI/TIA; latest version: 568-D (2015–2017).
- Works with any media or transmission tech.
- Based on hierarchical, star topology design. * Minimizes upkeep, maximizes performance.
Core Components of a Physical Network
- EF: front door of the mail building
- demarc: official “line” where the public mail system ends and your private office begins
- MDF: central sorting room of your building’s post office
- IDF: mini sorting hubs on each floor that connect back to the main mailroom
- work area: individual desks where employees receive/send their own letters
- EF (Entrance Facility): ISP/LAN transition point, may include outdoor gear, protective boxes, and the demarc.
- Demarc: The physical boundary between ISP and customer networks.
- MDF (Main Distribution Frame): Central hub, usually contains main switches, servers, backbone links, and demarc extension.
- IDF (Intermediate Distribution Frame): Connects MDF to local users on each floor or building. Multiple per site, unlike MDF.
- Work Area: Contains user endpoints like workstations, printers, and jacks.
Data Rooms & Equipment
- like mailrooms that store sorting machines, filing cabinets, and delivery carts for internal use
- Houses switches, routers, patch panels, etc.
- Needs proper cooling, clearance, and security.
- Rack: Holds network hardware. Types include:
- 2-post (open or enclosed)
- 4-post / 6-post
- Wall-mounted or floor-standing
- Rack Units (RU): Height (e.g., 42U = full rack), 19-inch wide standard, depth varies.
Rack Features
- shelves and organizational systems inside the mailroom
- Rack ears for securing devices.
- Square holes (modern), threaded or non-threaded.
- Cooling systems (rack fans, trays, drawers).
- Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle: Layout for airflow — cold air enters front; hot air exits back.
Patch Panels & Legacy Terminations
- wall-mounted switching boards where different internal mail routes (cables) get plugged in, or old routes are still present but unused
- Central connection point for cables.
- Mounted to wall or rack.
- Front: Connects user ports
- Rear: Punchdown connections.
Punchdown Blocks:
* Older style; used with a punchdown tool (krone tool).
* Types:
- 110 block, Krone, BIX → Suitable for data
- 66 block → Legacy phone use
* Don’t untwist twisted-pair cables more than ½ inch.
VoIP (Voice over IP)
- sending voice messages as letters through the same mail routes instead of using traditional phones
- Transmits voice over TCP/IP networks.
- Components:
- Voice Gateway: Converts analog ↔ IP voice.
- SIP (Session Initiation Protocol): Used to set up/manage calls.
- VoIP PBX: Internal switch for IP phones; connects to voice gateway.
- IP phones: Hardware or software-based.
Types of Structuring Cables
- patch: a short conveyor belt connecting nearby sorting bins.
- horizontal: standard mail chute from each desk to the local floor mailroom (IDF).
- backbone: high-speed mail elevator or conveyor that connects IDFs to the main mailroom (MDF)
- Patch Cable: Short (3–25 ft) with connectors on both ends.
- Horizontal Cabling:
- From work area to IDF
- Max 100m total (90m + 10m patch)
- Backbone Cabling:
- Connects EF ↔ MDF ↔ IDF
- May include vertical cross-connects for floor-to-floor links
Work Area Components & Setup
- Devices: PCs, printers, phones
- Includes wall jacks, patch cables
- Wall Jacks: At least 1 voice + 1 data port per ANSI/TIA
- Configuration may vary (e.g., labs might have only data jacks)
Network Documentation - Importance & Purpose
- Documentation preserves valuable network info beyond memory or personnel changes.
- Improves communication, speeds troubleshooting, and provides historical reference.
- Includes broad network diagrams, detailed wiring, rack diagrams, and procedural info.
Network Diagrams - Types & Usage
- Network Diagram: Visual map of devices and connections; shows logical and physical topology, IP reserves, device names, transmission media, and layout.
- Logical Topology: Focus on how devices communicate (e.g., IP addressing, routing).
- Physical Topology: Actual physical layout of cables and devices (floor plans, rack diagrams).
- Network diagrams are often generated by network mapping tools (e.g., Nmap, Zenmap).
- Diagram software examples: Edraw, SmartDraw, Gliffy, Visio, Network Notepad.
Common Network Diagram Symbols (Cisco Standard)
- Router: Hockey puck shape with arrows in/out
- Switch: Rectangle with four arrows
- Wireless Access Point: Rectangle with squiggly lines
- Firewall: Brick wall
- Internet/Cloud: Cloud symbol
- Cisco provides a library of standard icons used industry-wide.
Wiring Diagrams & Rack Diagrams
- exact floor plan of mail chutes and how the mailroom shelves are arranged
- Wiring Diagram: Detailed illustration of every cable connecting devices; can be simplified by grouping wires.
- Useful for troubleshooting physical LAN connections.
- Rack Diagram: Scale drawings showing device placement in racks; aids installation and maintenance.
- Tools like Diagrams.net support rack diagram symbols.
Operating Procedures Documentation
- official handbook for how to run the mail system
- Includes logical/physical connections, inventory, IP address use, vendor info, SOPs, policies, and standards.
- SOPs ensure task consistency across employees and cover workflows, role assignments, equipment, compliance, safety, approvals, troubleshooting, and version control.
- Documentation format and update methods depend on company size, network complexity, and resources.
Network Documentation Components
- hardware: what mail machines you have and where.
- software: any digital tools used for tracking or sorting mail.
- network configuration: rules for how mail flows.
- special instructions – e.g., how to handle confidential mail (HIPAA compliance)
Hardware
* Devices: switches, routers, firewalls, APs, servers, UPSs, printers, backups, clients.
* Details: quantity, physical/virtual, model, vendor, ownership, configuration, location (rack, floor), power/water shutoffs.
Software
* OS and apps: configurations, licensing, versions, vendor info, license restrictions, product keys, usage limits.
Network Configuration
* Protocols, backups (how, what, where, restore), passwords, IP addressing (static/DHCP), subnets, VLANs, server roles, access methods, baseline configs (stable state before changes). Procedures
* Task details, workflows, roles, equipment, compliance, safety, scheduling, training, approvals, troubleshooting, revision tracking.
* Contacts vendors, decision makers, team members, utility contacts (alarm, electric, water), support agreements, warranties, special troubleshooting.
Special Instructions
* Emergency contacts, backup access, privacy/security protocols (e.g., HIPAA compliance, breach response).
Inventory Management & System Life Cycle
- keeping track of every stamp, truck, and filing cabinet in the post office
System Life Cycle phases:
1. Requirements Analysis (business needs)
2. Design Planning (high-level to detailed)
3. Development & Testing (purchase, pre-deploy tests)
4. Implementation (deploy & stabilize)
5. Documentation & Maintenance (monitor, update docs)
6. Evaluation (cost-benefit, end-of-life decisions)
* Inventory Management = tracking all hardware (model, serial, location, support) and software (version, vendor, licensing, support).
* Helps in upgrades, troubleshooting, cost analysis, lease tracking, and avoiding unnecessary purchases.
Labelling & Naming Conventions
- putting clear labels on every mailbox, shelf, and mailbag
- Use descriptive but secure device names (avoid sensitive info).
- Include only essential identifying info (e.g., building, floor, rack, continent/country codes).
- Consistency: follow existing company conventions and top-down approach (broad location to specific). * Keep naming info secure and access-controlled.
- Label cables, ports, jacks clearly using tags or labels; do not rely on cable colour alone.
- Use portable label makers with durable, adhesive labels for cables and devices.
- When space is limited, use diagrams to indicate port/slot functions.
Change Management Overview
- process of planning and approving updates to the mailroom
- Networks constantly change due to tech evolution, user needs, security risks, and vendor updates
- Change management ensures efficient transitions and service availability
- Poor planning of even small changes can cause major downtime
- All changes should be:
- Carefully planned
- Documented
- Approved when impacting many users or costly equipment
Types of Software Changes
- installation: adding a new digital tracking system.
- patch: fixing a glitch in the tracking system.
- upgrade: replacing your old system with a better one.
- rollback: going back to the old system if the upgrade fails
- Installation: New software (e.g. CRM, finance tools) added to devices and integrated with network resources.
- Patch: Small updates fixing bugs/vulnerabilities or improving features. Patch management includes monitoring, testing, and installing patches.
- Upgrade: Major software improvement enhancing functionality, fixing bugs, and addressing security issues.
- Rollback: Reverting to a previous version after a failed patch/upgrade.
Types of Hardware Changes
- replacing or updating the mail carts, conveyor belts, or label printers
- Include simple swaps (e.g. hard drives) to major upgrades (e.g. backbone cabling). Examples: adding cameras, replacing workstations, updating VoIP hardware.
- Firmware Updates: Can improve features or fix security issues but may cause compatibility problems. Best practices: source from manufacturer, apply correct version, test before/after, document effects, and assess risks vs. benefits.
Rollback Guidelines
- what to do if your new mailroom setup causes chaos
- OS Patch: Use automatic uninstall utility.
- Client Software Upgrade: Use uninstall utility or reinstall old version.
- Shared App Upgrade: Use uninstall utility or reinstall full old installation.
- OS Upgrade: Backup system beforehand; restore from backup if needed.
- Avoid OS uninstall unless absolutely necessary.
Other Types of Changes
- updating weather-proofing, reorganizing mail bins, or changing policies about who gets mail where
- Network: e.g. connecting to a new ISP.
- Environment: e.g. installing a new HVAC system.
- Documentation: e.g. upgrading to a new call tracking system.
Key principles for all changes:
1. Go through proper channels.
2. Minimize business impact.
3. Plan thoroughly for success on first try.
4. Document every step.
Change Request Document Components
- formal proposal to alter the mailroom
Usually submitted by authorized personnel like a network admin or application owner
* Submitter and approver
* Type of change (e.g. software patch)
* Reason (e.g. vendor-reported bug)
* Configuration procedures (e.g. new templates or converted data)
* Potential impact (e.g. user training needed)
* Rollback plan (e.g. revert to old version if problems arise) * Notification plan (e.g. email alerts)
* Timeline (e.g. 2-hour downtime)
Approval Process & Project Coordination
- getting the green light from management before you tear down and rebuild the sorting system
- Approval depends on change type and scope: Minor = department manager; Major = review board. Factors: cost, time, users affected, rollback difficulty.
- Change Management Database may log requests, allow comments, and store documentation.
- Change Coordinator (for major changes): Manages training, scheduling, cross-department communication, notifications, budgets, and problem reporting.
Additional Required Documentation
- extra paperwork that tracks who approved what, when, and why — for accountability
- Test data/scenarios
- Step-by-step change procedures
- Vendor documents and contact info
- Backup locations (for config and rollback)
- Network documentation updates:
- Configuration changes (e.g. VLANs/subnets)
- IP address utilization o New hardware (e.g. routers/switches)
- Physical moves (e.g. relocating devices)
