Managing Data Center
Chapter 12.
Stocking and Standardizing
Equipping a Data Center
• The main idea for this book is to make Data Center robust, flexible,
modular, standardized, and intuitive to use.
• Data Center consumables are the everyday materials needed by
administrators and network engineers to make their equipment
function. So you need to Stock a server environment with carefully
chosen consumable. Example: Pallet jacks, power tools, and tile
lifters
• If your company has multiple Data Centers, be consistent with the
consumables and tools that you provide in each room, for space
and can find your needs easy.
• Data Center users can rely upon what materials are available for
them.
• Providing the same consumables and tools in multiple Data Centers
also lends itself to purchasing those items in bulk
Patch Cords and Adapters
• Always try to keep Patch cords (a preterminated fiber and copper cabling
bearing connectors at either end).
• The patch cords should match whatever
structured cabling exists in the server
environment.
• fiber patch cords are generally defined by their
diameter (62.5, 50, or 8.3 micron) and type of
connectors.
• copper patch cords are defined by their rating
(Category 6 or 5E) and the orientation of the
wiring pins within their RJ-45 connectors
Patch Cords and Adapters (Cont.)
•
many servers and
networking devices come
with their own patch
cords. However, there is
no guarantee that they
are made in the same
configuration as the
structured cabling that
exists within the Data
Center.
• The patch cord might be built to lesser specifications, which would
then lower the performance of the device it is plugged in to. For
example, if a Category 5 copper patch cord is deployed in a Data
Center equipped Category 6 structured cabling.
• Stock an array of patch cords in the server environment. Provide
cords with connectors that are compatible with both the room's
structured cabling and as many incoming servers as possible.
Patch Cords and Adapters (Cont.)
• Keep cords in multiple lengths. There should be enough variety so that a
Data Center user isn't forced to use a long cable to make a short
connection. Using overly long patch cords creates clutter and snagging
hazards.
• stock a Data Center with patch cords in lengths of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 20,
and 50 feet.
• The cables in greatest demand are those 2 to 6 feet, Because most
connections are made entirely within the patching field of a networking
cabinet.
• Slightly longer cables, 8 feet (2.4 meters), are for connections running
from a device in a server cabinet to the structured cabling either below
the raised floor or in a raceway suspended from the ceiling.
• Last are the patch cords 20 and 50 feet (6 and 15.2 meters). Because the
Data Centers you might manage are equipped with structured cabling at
each cabinet location, there is rarely a need for such long patch cords.
They are strictly for emergencies or temporary use, such as keeping a
server connected to a networking device while relocating from one server
row to another.
Patch Cords and Adapters (Cont.)
• Providing your own patch cords also enables
you to color-code them for greater clarity and
organization.(u can know the connection type
and what they connect)
• Businesses typically color-code their Data
Center patch cords in one of two ways,
– Either by configuration—how their internal wiring
is arranged—
– Or by function—how the cable is used.
Patch Cords and Adapters (Cont.)
• Establish a system of color-coding patch cords for your
entire business, not just those used in the Data Center.
Example: Data Center and lab groups happen to choose the
same color for different patch cords. Their cables might
appear identical on the outside but have different wiring
inside, which can lead to considerable confusion.
• Adopting one system of color-coding also facilitates
ordering patch cords in bulk, at a significant cost savings,
and then distributing them as needed to the respective
rooms and support groups.
• Because patch cord connectors aren't always compatible
with the data jacks found on servers, stock adapters in the
Data Center as well.
Patch Cords and Adapters (Cont.)
• Adapters can be used to connect patch cords to servers,
network devices, patching fields, or even other patch cords.
So-called straight-through adapters, which have the same
jack on either side, can be used to connect two short patch
cords and make them serve as one longer one
• prefer color-coding patch cords and adapters according to
their configuration because it reduces the chance for
confusion
Patch Cords and Adapters (Cont.)
• To properly care for your patch cords, do the following:
– Use care when plugging in or unplugging patch cords. Excessive
pressure can damage the cable.
– Keep caps on fiber patch cords and the jacks they plug in to. This keeps
away dust, which can cause signal loss or even scratch a fiber cable's
polished end.
– Don't drop patch cords, especially fiber patch cords. Connectors might
become damaged.
– Apply the same minimum bend radius to your patch cords that you
apply to your structured cabling. Recommend 2 inches (5.1
centimeters).
– Before reusing a fiber patch cord, clean it at each end and recheck it
with a fiber tester. Cleaning is typically done with a lint-free wipe and a
drop of 99 percent isopropyl alcohol. Lightly pass over the fiber tip in a
figure-8, once with a moistened part of the wipe and then again with a
dry part of the wipe—don't rub hard or you might scratch the fiber.
After cleaning, test the patch cord to confirm that it meets the same
performance standards you specify for new cords.
Server Cabinets
• The next most valuable items to stock in a Data Center are server
cabinets. Cabinets can often be provided by the manufacturer
whose servers your company buys
• Before you accept a manufacturer's proprietary cabinets, however,
make sure that they are compatible with your Data Center.
• A preferable alternative to this is for your company to standardize
on a generic cabinet design and deploy it in the Data Center as
much as possible. A Data Center that houses only one model of
server cabinet is much easier to manage.
• If an older cabinet model becomes less compatible for newer
servers, perhaps due to changing equipment footprints or
increasing weight, consider standardizing on a newer cabinet style.
Server Cabinets (Cont.)
• How many server cabinets to keep on hand
depends on the size of your server
environment, how quickly new equipment
might arrive for installation, and how fast an
order for additional cabinets can be filled.
• Server cabinets can come pre-equipped with
their own power strips or be outfitted with
others. If you stock power strips as a distinct
item be sure to include them when stocking,
ordering, calculating lead times, and so on.
• Stock an ample supply of cabinet shelves in
the Data Center, too. Depending upon the
size, type, and number of devices that are
installed within it
Tools
• Provide a common group of tools in your Data
Centers, This isn't just a convenience issue—
when downtime occurs, every minute that
doesn't have to be spent retrieving tools is
hopefully how much faster devices can be
brought back online.
• Anything that helps a Data Center user complete
their work in the room should be considered a
tool not only handheld tools.
• Next slides will describe helpful Data Center
tools.
Tools (Cont.)
1- Anti-tip brackets:
–
–
Some models of servers and
networking devices are heavy
enough to cause a cabinet to tip
over, assuming that the cabinet
isn't bolted to the ground. This
can occur during the item's
installation, removal, or regular
maintenance.
Equip all Data Center cabinets
with their own anti-tip
mechanisms or provide
independent rails that can be
attached to a cabinet when
these three functions are to
occur.
Tools (Cont.)
2- Cabinet screws
– Stock the Data Center with screws that are compatible
with the mounting rails for your standard server cabinets.
– The tiniest misalignment can lead to stripped screws,
broken tools, scraped hands, and raised blood pressure.
Don't rely solely upon the screws that come with
individual servers and network devices.
3- Cable ties:
– Cable ties, also called zip ties, are useful for neatly
gathering excess lengths of patch cords and power
cables, securing bundles of structured cabling, so that
they don't drift from the specific server cabinet location
they are to terminate at.
4- Flashlights [torches]:
– While server environments are generally well lit, have a
few flashlights available for working under the raised
floor or within the recesses of large infrastructure items
such as a power distribution unit.
Tools (Cont.)
5- Equipment lift:
– equipment lift has a shelf that can be
placed under a heavy object and then,
typically by the use of a hand crank,
raised to eye level.
– This item is especially valuable at a small
site with few employees, because it is less
likely that a system administrator there
can find someone to help lift and install a
heavy piece of equipment
6- Handheld tools
– Screwdrivers (slot and Phillips head) and
wrenches are the most useful. A hammer
can be helpful for tapping bent metal
back into place
Tools (Cont.)
7- Information tags
– These tags can be custom made at most print shops or
office supply stores. Tags can also be used by Data Center
support staff to alert system administrators and network
engineers about conditions that need to be corrected with
their machines, such as missing labels or power cords
plugged in to an incorrect electrical receptacle.
Tools (Cont.)
8- Label makers
– Label makers are also helpful for the Data
Center support staff, enabling them to
update immediately minor labeling in the
room such as when a server cabinet is
placed in a new location and needs new
power circuit information.
9- Moving dolly, pallet jack, and equipment
cart
– Just as an equipment lift helps Data Center
users raise and install heavy servers, so do
dollies, pallet jacks, and carts make it
easier to move items around the room.
Stock one of each in a Data Center, perhaps
two if the room is particularly large.
Tools (Cont.)
10- Power tools
– Manual screwdrivers are acceptable for
installing a few cabinet shelves and
servers, but for more demanding jobs
provide a power screwdriver or electric
drill. Include a bit set and plenty of
rechargeable batteries to prolong how
often the tool can be used.
11- Stepladder
– Having a stepladder in a Data Center is
helpful for both system administrators
and the room's support staff. They
make it easier to reach servers installed
high in server cabinets and hanging
signs.
– provide multiple stepladders in the
room so that users always have one at
hand.
Tools (Cont.)
12- Tile lifters
– If your Data Center has a raised floor and infrastructure that terminates in the
space below, provide tile pullers so that Data Center users can easily gain
access to that area. There are multiple types of devices for lifting floor panels.
a collection of Data Center tools, wallmounted near the room's entrance.
Provide this cluster of helpful items
immediately inside each door to
make them readily available for users.
Accessories
1- Cable testers:
– A cable tester is useful for double-checking the quality and
performance of both structured cabling and patch cords.
Available for copper and fiber media, cable testers can gauge
the strength of a signal as it reaches the end of a cable,
measure different forms of interference, as well as map the
wiring within a patch cord. It is especially important to confirm
the quality of any patch cord you intend to reuse. Patch cords
that have been used or discarded or both can become kinked,
dirty at the connection points, or otherwise damaged.
2- Electrical circuit analyzer:
– Say that you've installed a new server in a Data Center cabinet
and for some reason the device isn't receiving power. Is the
problem with the server's power supply? The cabinet's power
strips? Perhaps it is the power receptacle provided to that
cabinet location in the Data Center? Provide a simple threewire electrical circuit analyzer in the Data Center. Smaller than
a pack of cigarettes, this device indicates how the hot, neutral,
and ground wires are configured at a given electrical outlet.
Accessories (Cont.)
3- Clocks:
– Having clocks in the Data Center makes it less
likely for someone working in the room to
lose track of time. This is helpful if a system
administrator has arranged with their clients
for a specific amount of downtime and must
complete the upgrade of a machine on a
deadline.
4- Fireproof Containers:
– Provide trash cans to discard paper products
into and a larger bin to place
decommissioned equipment into. Both
should be fireproof.
5- Hanging bins:
– Cable ties, cabinet screws, and other minor
Data Center items need to be stored should
be Installed near each Data Center entrance
to make them easily accessible and simple to
keep in stock.
Accessories (Cont.)
6- Spare floor panels:
– If your server environment has a raised floor, keep a handful of extra
panels on hand to facilitate such adjustments by the Data Center's
support staff.
7- Tacky mats:
– Place these sticky mats just inside your Data Center entrances to
reduce the amount of dirt and other contaminants that people track in
on the bottom of their shoes. The mats contain several layers of
adhesive sheets. When the top sheet becomes dirty, you peel it away
to reveal the next clean sheet below.
Equipment Spares
• At many large companies, servers are purchased and
supported by distinct groups. Even if multiple groups are
using the same model of servers, they might or might not
coordinate their efforts to make bulk purchases or obtain
companywide service maintenance agreements.
• Take advantage of this perspective by stocking spares of
those servers and networking devices that are most
commonly used. Stocking a few extra power supplies or
data drives for the most prevalent servers can let a system
administrator swap out a bad one in minutes rather than
having to wait for a replacement to arrive. This dramatically
reduces how long a malfunctioning system remains offline.