Techniques to Improve Infrastructure Documentation and Configuration Management

Infrastructure Documentation

It’s common sense that you should know what is in your IT infrastructure and

how it is configured, so why is so difficult?

🤷Because infrastructure is complex and

there are multiple specialist teams!

Infrastructure Configuration Overview

Every organisation does infrastructure configuration management – with differing levels of gaps & productivity!

1.Understand infrastructure configuration management principles to aid selection of approach, appropriate supporting technology and techniques

2.Identify quick wins or tips that directly save cost and time, reduce the risk of changes and increase confidence in management controls

3.Communicate to colleagues the benefits and issues which can be achieved with adopting CM principles

The Focus

Physical Infrastructure

Buildings

Data Centres

Racks

Cabling / Power

Active components – servers, switches, PCs

Other hardware

Logical Infrastructure

Networks – LAN/WAN/SAN

Firewalls and rulesets

Servers – Physical, virtual, clustered

Applications and host dependency mappingFixed Infrastructure

(Cabling, Power, Cabinets, Buildings)

Hardware InfrastructureNetwork, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other

Virtual InfrastructureNetwork, Servers, Storage, DBMS

ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA

ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier

Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company

Infrastructure

• To communicate the issues and techniques that make it easier to implement infrastructure configuration management

• Getting the basics right

• Addressing both data and information needs

• Look at the people and process changes required – as discovery tools never fix problems –they only create more data to be managed

• Help achieve quick wins as well as long term gains

• Speed up project and programme delivery

• Reduce the costs and skills to maintain infrastructure documentation

• Support consolidation or optimisation programmes

• Make it simpler to produce and maintain recovery capability

Objectives

Types Of Configuration Management

• Software configuration management

• How software modules, releases are managed

• Asset management

• How assets are managed through their lifecycle

• Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

• Space, power and connectivity management

• Major system configuration management

• The components and versions within a system ie. Aircraft, ship

• Service and system mapping

• System/component dependencies for change/risk communication

• Infrastructure configuration management?

• What’s the difference, is there one?

Infrastructure Documentation

SERVERWIN0001

KVM

Network

Power Storage

MonitoringHardware

Config

Software

Config

Service

Architecture

Location

System

Architecture

Asset

Financial

Supplier

Customer

Recovery

Risk/ Plans

Application

Software

Planning Changes- Can We Put A Server Here?

01-07 - FRONT

A 0 0 5A 0 0 6A 0 0 7A 0 0 8A 0 0 1A 0 0 2A 0 0 3A 0 0 4 A 0 0 9A 0 1 0A 0 1 1A 0 1 2 A 0 1 3A 0 1 4A 0 1 5A 0 1 6 A 0 1 7A 0 1 8A 0 1 9A 0 2 0 A 0 2 1A 0 2 2A 0 2 3A 0 2 4

PP01-07-01

PWR01-07-APWR01-07-B

PROLIANT

DRIVE SURFACES

MAY BE HOT

ALLOW TO COOLBEFORE TOUCHING

WARNING:

SVR-BHAM-010701

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX05

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX06

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX07

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX08

Cable Mgmt 01-07-04

Typical Information Required

01-07 - FRONT

A 0 0 5A 0 0 6A 0 0 7A 0 0 8A 0 0 1A 0 0 2A 0 0 3A 0 0 4 A 0 0 9A 0 1 0A 0 1 1A 0 1 2 A 0 1 3A 0 1 4A 0 1 5A 0 1 6 A 0 1 7A 0 1 8A 0 1 9A 0 2 0 A 0 2 1A 0 2 2A 0 2 3A 0 2 4

PP01-07-01

PWR01-07-APWR01-07-B

PROLIANT

DRIVE SURFACES

MAY BE HOT

ALLOW TO COOLBEFORE TOUCHING

WARNING:

SVR-BHAM-010701

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX05

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX06

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX07

m ic r os ys t ems

1120

UK_BIRM_UX08

Cable Mgmt 01-07-04

Technical

Space

Weight

Power

Cooling

Connectivity

Business

Function

Location

Cost

Capacity

Risk

And Afterwards – Document the Change!

1. Update asset/inventory list

2. Update rack diagrams

3. Update network patching records

4. Update switch port usage and capacity

5. Update floor plan capacity view

6. Update power usage spreadsheet(s)

7. Update server recovery plans

8. Update storage / backup system documentation

9. Update systems architecture documentation

10. Update DR plan

11. Update maintenance records

12. Update change records

13. Update project documentation with the “as built” details

What?Where?Who?When?How?Why?

Documentation – Too Much Effort?

Design

Bid

Project

Build

Handover

Operate

MACD

Controls

Risk management

Paper

Word

Excel

Visio /CAD

Databases

Monitoring systems

Data centre toolsets

Cable management

Internal web portals

Work flow/service desk

Test results

And so on….

Lifecycle FormatsExamples

Server

Switch

Focus - Basic Information Needs

1. What we have and what we have planned for

2. Where a device or component is

3. The current attributes or configuration parameters

Technical, process data, organisation, commercial

4. If a complex build – chassis/card/modules

5. What a device connects to and how

- LAN/WAN/SAN/KVM/Voice/Power/Video

6. What changes to devices or data sets have occurred

7. Presented in views that explain the configuration best

Form, list, report, physical / logical / build diagram

Gremlins do not really exist…It is people that make changes.

Example - Different views of a server

Claims

Processing

Payment Module

ACCOUNTS

Accounts Module

SVRWIN001

Accounts

Payable

Accounts

Receivable

PAYROLL

Sage Payroll

Payroll

SW-BHAM-

CORE1

SW-BHAM-

CORE2

SW-BHAM-01 SW-BHAM-03 SW-BHAM-05 SW-BHAM-02SW-BHAM-04SW-BHAM-06

UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX04UK_BIRM_UX05 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX06 UK_BIRM_UX07 UK_BIRM_UX08 UK_BIRM_UX10

99999

99999

UK_BIRMCC_PDU1

UK_BIRMCC_PDU2

PWR01-

03-A

PWR01-

04-A

PWR01-

05-A

PWR01-06-

A

PWR01-

07-A

PWR01-

03-B

PWR01-04-

B

PWR01-05-

B

PWR01-06-

B

PWR01-07-

B

UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX10 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX04

UK_BIRM_UX05

UK_BIRM_UX06

UK_BIRM_UX07

UK_BIRM_UX08

PP01-02-01

RTR-BHAM-01

PWR01-02-A

PWR01-02-B

NTU-BHAM-01

NTU-TEST03

Floor Plan

Rack Position

Service impact

Power Impact

LAN, SAN Connections

BLADE_BIRM01

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-01

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-02

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-03

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-04

BL

AD

E-B

IRM

01.B

LA

DE

-SW

1

BL

AD

E-B

IRM

01.B

LA

DE

-SW

2

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-05

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-09

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-10

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-12

H/W Build

Configuration Management Basics

• Identification of configuration items (CI)

• Naming and supporting attributes

• Types of relationships

• Space, build, connection, dependency

• Status accounting - workflow

• Process and policy

• Verification methods

You could do this in a spreadsheet for a

small environment, but a database solution

is normally better suited to complexity and scaling.

Why is Infrastructure CM Different?

• Standardised names and conventions

• Fixed infrastructure

• Active and logical components

• Connectivity power, network, SAN

• Multiple outputs from fewer sources

• Rack and floor management

• Capacity management space, power, connectivity

• Visual views, rack, network, power, system

• Inventory and asset management

• Combine multiple team data sets into a reduced set

• Project, operations, risk, asset, audit, platforms, service management

The Logical Dependency View

The router has

one link to the

switch

Easy to Understand!

Documenting a Connection

SW-BHAM-09

UK_BIRM_BLADE-03

Device Device

Port Port

Connection

23CAT6A Copper

NIC 1

Device

1

Port Connection Port Device

2

SW-BHAM-09 23 To be filled in by DC team NIC 1 UK_BIRM_BLADE-03

Documenting a Connection

SW-BHAM-09

UK_BIRM_BLADE-03

Device Device

Port Port

Connection

23CAT6A Copper

NIC 1

Device

1

Port Connection Port Device

2

SW-BHAM-09 23 To be filled in by DC team NIC 1 UK_BIRM_BLADE-03

Room

Rack

Position

Make

Model

Asset Number

IP Address

Room

Rack

Position

Make

Model

Asset Number

IP Address

Port Type

Speed

VLAN

Colour

Cable Label

Connection type

Length

Port Type

Speed

VLAN

The spreadsheet could be 4 to 30 columns wide!

The Physical Connection View

Equipment RacksMDFInter Room ODFInter Room ODFMDFEquipment Racks

E10

Q02

Q03

H06

K23

K24

I02F02 I15

E26

E22

E23

N04

Wing Loft

ODF01ODF12E15

PPF-326-E20-

U38 to E10

PPF-336-E22-

U40 to I02

PPF-336-E23-

U39 to I02

PPF-336/F02-U47 PPF-336/I15-U47

to ODF12PPF-336/I02-U47

to F02

PPF-336-I02-U40

to E22

PPF-326-I02-U39

to E23

PPF-336-I02-U38

to E20

PPF-326-H06-

U45 to E10

PPF-326-K23-

U46 to E10

PPF-326-K24-

U42 to E10

PPF-326-N04-

U41 to E10

PPF-326-Q02-

U44 to E10

PPF-326-Q03-

U43 to E10

PPF-300/ODF12-

U42 to 336/I15PPF-300/ODF01-

U47

PPF-326-E15-

U47 to 300

ODF01

PPF-326-E10-

U46 to K23

PPF-326-E10-

U45 to H06

PPF-326-E10-

U44 to Q02

PPF-326-E10-

U43 to Q03

PPF-326-E10-

U42 to K24

PPF-326-E10-

U41 to N04

Data Hall 1 Data Hall 2

10

09

08

07

06BA05

04

03

0201

01

MD

A2

MD

A1

77

50

(SR

12

)

CF

M1

CF

M2

02 B 08

07

06A05

04

03

09

10

2

3 465

7 8

19 10

MD

A1

0S

FP

Em

pty

2

3 465

7 8

19 10

MD

A1

0S

FP

2

3 465

7 8

19 10

MD

A1

0S

FP

MD

A1

0G

LW

/LR

1

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LW

/LR

1

Em

pty

Em

pty

test

10

09

08

07

06BA05

04

03

0201

01

MD

A2

MD

A1

77

50

(SR

12

)

CF

M1

CF

M2

02 B 08

07

06A05

04

03

09

10

2

3 465

7 8

19 10

MD

A1

0S

FP

Em

pty

2

3 465

7 8

19 10

MD

A1

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FP

2

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7 8

19 10

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0G

LW

/LR

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0G

LW

/LR

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Em

pty

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pty

test

Comms A

So Make The Spreadsheet Bigger

Device Port Patch PPA

Port

Patch

Panel

A

Back

to

Back

Patch

Panel

B

PPB

Port

Patch Port Device

A 23 05 AA AC 05 NIC 1 B

The spreadsheet data may easily grow beyond 60 columns wide and as deep as the

number of connection paths

Room

Rack

Position

Make

Model

Asset Number

IP Address

Room

Rack

Position

Make

Model

Asset Number

IP Address

Port Type

Speed

VLAN

Colour

Cable Label

Type

Length

Port Type

Speed

Port Type

Speed

Port Type

Speed

VLAN

Type

Length

Colour

Cable Label

Type

Length

Room

Rack

Position

Make

Model

Room

Rack

Position

Make

Model

Contact

Purpose

Request date

Request Number

Project Code / Ref

UK_BIRM_UX01

SW-BHAM-01

Work number

Path reference

Scheduled date

Installed status

Path length

The Physical Reality – Sometimes?

21

Tips and Techniques – 1 Identifying

• Identify standardised naming for administration

• Labelling on devices and cables may be different

• May need to reference other names/labels in common use

• Don’t collect or reconcile any bulk data until you have names

• Reference standards / guidelines if useful TIA606, TIA942

• Keep it as simple as possible

• Minimise number of levels to drill down / record

• Use 01 rather than 1 if more than 9 (excel and db sorting)

• Prefix with an Alpha – A01 better than 01-01 for cabinet row/rack

• Use unique names if possible everywhere

Define Passive Infrastructure Naming

Patch PanelAB

B03-AB

B03-5

US-NY-DC05-H1-B03-5

PP B03-AB-U5

PP B03-AB-U5 to H07-AC-U2

PP B03-AB-U5 to H07-AC-U2/H06-AG-U9

PPC B03-AB-U5 to H07-AC-U2:Ports 01 to 24

Port SelectionAB-A Ports 1-6

H07-AC-B Ports 7-12

PCI AB-A Ports 1-6 to H07-AC-B Port 7-12

AC-03B Ports 1-6

PFI B03-AB-03B Ports 1-6 to H07-AC-12A Ports 1-6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 249 10 11 12 13 14 15 161 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 249 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12A

B/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

AB/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

BC/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

CD/

24 Port Copper Patch Panel

288 Port Fibre Panel

6 Copper RJ45 Ports

6 Fiber LC Ports

Ports and Connections

Equipment – use the physical label?

Port name

- 1 or 01 or 001?

- 2/1 2\1 2/01 SL2/1 Port 2/1 Gig 2/1 Fe2/1 Slot 2/09

- Mgmt MGT Con Console ILO Net Mgmt

- NIC 1 Eth A Net 0 hba0 bge1 12F1 primary

Cable Labels

1) port 2) local devices 3) end devices

4) full path 5) cable unique id 6) path unique ID

Define Active Device Naming / References

FANSTATUS

C6509-E-FAN

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

WS-C6509-E

1

FANOK

OUTPUTFAIL

2

INPUTOK

SWITCH MUST BE IN OFF “O” POSITION TO INSTALL/REMOVE POWER SUPPLY. FASTENER MUST BE FULLYENGAGED PRIOR TO OPERATING POWER SUPPLY.

CISCO SYSTEMS, INC.

INPUT 2100-240V ~16A60/50 Hz

INPUT 1100-240V ~16A60/50 Hz

INSTALL

RUN

1

FANOK

OUTPUTFAIL

2

INPUTOK

SWITCH MUST BE IN OFF “O” POSITION TO INSTALL/REMOVE POWER SUPPLY. FASTENER MUST BE FULLYENGAGED PRIOR TO OPERATING POWER SUPPLY.

CISCO SYSTEMS, INC.

INPUT 2100-240V ~16A60/50 Hz

INPUT 1100-240V ~16A60/50 Hz

INSTALL

RUN

SW-BHAM-CORE1

STATUS PORT 1 PORT 2 PORT 3 PORT 4 PORT 6 PORT 7 PORT 8 PORT 10 PORT 11 PORT 12 PORT 14 PORT 15 PORT 16PORT 5 PORT 9 PORT 13

WS-X6716-10T

16 PORT 10 GbE MODULE

SW-BHAM-CORE1.Card3

STATUS

WS-X6748-GE-TX47

48

37

38

35

36

25

26

23

24

13

14

11

12

1

2

4 8 P O R T

12119 107 85 63 41 2 242321 2219 2017 1815 1613 14 363533 3431 3229 3027 2825 26 484745 4643 4441 4239 4037 38

10/100/1000

GE MOD

FABRIC ENABLED

RJ45

SW-BHAM-CORE1.Card4

STATUS

WS-X6748-GE-TX47

48

37

38

35

36

25

26

23

24

13

14

11

12

1

2

4 8 P O R T

12119 107 85 63 41 2 242321 2219 2017 1815 1613 14 363533 3431 3229 3027 2825 26 484745 4643 4441 4239 4037 38

10/100/1000

GE MOD

FABRIC ENABLED

RJ45

SW-BHAM-CORE1.Card5

STATUS PORT 1 PORT 2 PORT 3 PORT 4 PORT 6 PORT 7 PORT 8 PORT 10 PORT 11 PORT 12 PORT 14 PORT 15 PORT 16PORT 5 PORT 9 PORT 13

WS-X6716-10T

16 PORT 10 GbE MODULE

SW-BHAM-CORE1.Card9

WS-X6K-SUP1A-2GE

SUPERVISOR 1

ST

AT

US

SY

ST

EM

AC

TIV

E

PW

R M

GM

T

RE

SE

T

CONSOLE

DT

E/D

CE

SWITCH LOAD

100%

1%

PORT 1

PCMCIA EJECT

PORT 2

LINK

LINK

SW-BHAM-CORE1.Card1

Device Name1) Logical Name US-SW-DC02-03P

2) Type of device / location Cisco 6509 DC02-B03-U2

3) Asset Number Asset HW0078732

4) Service Desk ID 83837762328993

STATUS PORT 1 PORT 2 PORT 3 PORT 4 PORT 6 PORT 7 PORT 8 PORT 10 PORT 11 PORT 12 PORT 14 PORT 15 PORT 16PORT 5 PORT 9 PORT 13

WS-X6716-10T

16 PORT 10 GbE MODULE

SW-BHAM-CORE1.Card3

Device component – Switch CardUS-SW-DC02-03P Card3

Cisco 6509 DC02-B03-U2.Slot03

Asset HW0078737

UID

FLEX

1

FLEX

2

FLEX

3

FLEX

4HP

Pro

Lia

nt

BL685c G

6

Device component – Blade ServerUX-NY0445-PROD

HP BL685C BLNY05-DC02-B03-U2.Slot03

Asset HW0078143

A Recent Project – (With Bad Naming)

In an estate of about 400 racks

32, 000 copper / 22, 000 fiber backbone connections

9,000 paths

20,000 patch connections

Master spreadsheet(s) with connection paths 9,000 rows

Master spreadsheet(s) for backbone capacity 54,000 rows

Approx. 4000 change spreadsheets identified 300,000 rows

Switch port allocations – a tab per switch /card 16,000 rows

San switch port allocations – a tab per SAN switch

Plus asset list(s), 800 rack layouts, power patching, backbone diagrams

We summarised this into 3 spreadsheets – racks, equipment, connections

Presenting Data as Schematics

ISA PAYMENT REQUEST HANDLING

BACS-IPISA PAYMENT TRANSACT

UK_VWBIRM004

WORKFLOW CLIENT

AUDITTRACK BACPAY

CITRIX SERVER

PAYLOG

UK_BIRM_BLADE-02

UK_VWBIRM001

WORKFLOW

ORACLE

FWS_03SQL FWS_04

SVR-BHAM-010301 UK_BIRM_BLADE_01

UK_VWBIRM002

SW-BHAM-13 SW-BHAM-14 SW-BHAM-19

FW-BHAM01 FW-BHAM02 FW-BHAM04VPN

SW-BHAM-11 SW-BHAM-12

RTR-BHAM-08RTR-BHAM-07

RTR-BHAM-03 RTR-BHAM-04

BT-NTU2 VT-NTU1BT-NTU3 VT-NTU2

Physical Peer to Peer Hierarchical

More Presenting Formats …

Architecture Blocks Entity Relationships

Excel / Visio

Shared Infrastructure and Applications

Logistics CRM Finance

TXOMGGCUK_APPS01 UK_APPS03 UK_IIS05 UK_IIS08

Funds

Transfer

Credit

Scoring

HR

Systems

Web

Ordering

Dispatch

Control

Partner

Controls

With 100 Servers plus

SAP

Servers

There Will Always Be Duplication!

Network Examples (only)

Layer 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 views

(data, control plane, management)

Routing

Security and event management

Segregation and zoning

Network classification

Tenant models

Load balancing

Resilience and failover

Access control

Environments – data, video, VPN

Tips and Techniques – 2 Presenting Data

Excel Visio

Lists/Inventory Diagrams

VisioDatabase

Use Existing Toolsets More Effectively

Examples

Inventory to rack layout

Inventory to network diagram

Rack list to floor plan

Power usage to floor plan

Application list to service map

Switch links to network diagram

B

A C

B

Visio’s Unknown Automation Features

• Linking shapes to spreadsheets / databases

• Transfer of multi-device and attribute data without typing

• Data can be refreshed to update diagram

• Data Graphics

• Change the colour and text of any shape based on embedded data

• Reduces the number of diagrams to maintain

• And with our free AssetGen Visio utilities

• Create drill down diagrams between Visio files – data centres, networks, service maps

• Resize racks on floor plans, draw and label floor tile grids

• Hide / show ports on network diagrams

• Update data graphics across multiple pages

For Multi-Diagram Automation

Physical ChangesLocation and position

Resource reservation for projects

Physical connectivity

Audits and manual data gathering

Impacts and dependencies

Adds, moves and changes

AssetGenInfrastructure

Management

Visio

Visio

Excel

Visio

Typical Outputs

Capacity management

– space, power, connectivity

Inventory extracts

Custom reporting

Physical plans

Floor and rack diagrams

Topology diagrams

Networks, power, storage

System & Architecture Maps

ITIL services, applications

Change impact analysis

– impact, risk, auditing

Updates

Outputs

Updates

References

Word

Trusted sourcesDiscovery systems

Monitoring tools

Service desk CMDB

Spreadsheets – risk, contracts

Recovery plans

Project handover

Excel VisiodB

AssetGen Technology

Fixed Infrastructure(Cabling, Power, Cabinets, Rooms, Buildings)

Hardware InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other

Virtual InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, Storage, DBMS

ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA

ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier

Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company

AssetGen Connect

AssetGen

SysMap

SQL Server platform

Tips and Techniques 3 - Work Flow Change

Plan Build Operate Risk Dispose

Project and task Manage and Coordinate

Ease and speed of creation

Ease of distribution

Flexible to meet task needs

Limited training

Ease of use by many

Structured for integration & reporting

Support for multiple processes

Wide scope – the big picture!

Record planning decisions in the operational system

Produce project docs for/from the operational system

In Summary

• You can start reducing documentation workload tomorrow by basic steps!

• Standardise naming, file locations, document locations

• Use existing toolsets more productively – eg. Visio

• Specialist toolsets can help – but there will never a “single pane of truth” – so be pragmatic.

• Look to combine any toolset with process and education changes

• Combine project and operational systems where appropriate

• Choose the benefits that are appropriate

• Reduce the cost and time of creating and maintaining documentation

• Reduce costs, risks and workload needed to implement infrastructure changes

• Demonstrate improved management controls and alignment with frameworks