Documentation Tools

Any advice on what tools are best to help manage data center documentation? I need something to help keep track of wiring schedules, rack diagrams, etc. We currently use Visio, but its starting to get unmanageable now. Any advice?

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Permalink Reply by Ruud van Zutphen on January 23, 2009 at 18:13

Hi Ken,
I do not know that much about the subject, but the problem usually seems to be to keep revisions up to date in between other priorities. Try to find a unique format in which your additions and changes are made and keep a simple file to drag them to. As you work with several contractors you should demand this format. If you use hand written sketches from the workfloor, just scan them. How big is the need to get it better organised than in one folder ordened by date. How much effort may it take to get the revisions up to date...
Good luck, Ruud

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Permalink Reply by John Hoffman on January 27, 2009 at 12:28

Hi Ken,

David Cutherbertson will be able to provide you software for this purpose. He is at squaremilesystems

The patching tends to be the area hardest to control. Often harnessing can free up space and make the overall management self-documenting and very easy to give day to day flexibility and still keep control . For case a study please feel free to email me on john.hoffman@annor.net

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Permalink Reply by Volodymyr Saviak on March 27, 2009 at 14:07

I have found http://www.dctrack.com/ on the net but it seems to be available only next month. It is not about everything but looks like useful tool. I also have a documentation problem but a different one. I'm looking for DataCenter documentation template or guide or sample. Something to develop a well structured documentation for my datacenter.

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Permalink Reply by William V Gallios II on March 27, 2009 at 20:17

Ken,

Here are a couple of sotware packages that my be of interest to you.

iTracs, Rackwise, GDCM, Aperture and Visual Data Center.

My preference is iTracs, but the again it is all up to you. Hope this helps.

William

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Permalink Reply by Matthew Aldous on April 6, 2009 at 14:32

For free network inventory, I use http://netdisco.org/ - designed for moderate to large networks, configuration information and connection data for network devices are retrieved by SNMP. With Netdisco you can locate the switch port of an end-user system by IP or MAC address. Data is stored using a SQL database for scalability and speed. Layer-2 topology protocols such as CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol) optionally provides automatic discovery of the network topology.

For not-for-free resource inventory, I use http://www.netcracker.com/en/products/overview/resource_inventory/ - this provides topology views, circuit views and end-to-end assignment diagrams, floor plans and rack population views, shelf configuration views and card views.

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Permalink Reply by CALMELS Marylise on May 20, 2009 at 20:48

Hi,
I'm developing a software that helps manage data centers.
I'm very interesting by your question. We have a documentation module, where you can create your documentation template, you can make data biding to insert data from your model (a data center informational database) ; Each time you change something, the documentation is automtically up to date.
Can you explain me your needs.

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Permalink Reply by Andras Horn on May 25, 2009 at 10:47

We`ve seen Rackwise as one possible nice way to grow from Visio, it can be either purchased or used as SaaS. Unfortunately due to the financial restrictions: we did not implement it. What I`ve seen through Webex demonstration and others, it`s something definitely worth checking out yourself as well I think...

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Permalink Reply by Kirk Ohrt on July 17, 2009 at 15:55

Hi Adras, I just witnessed the demo yesterday. Would you be able to share the cost.

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Permalink Reply by Gene Magerr on June 15, 2009 at 16:26

Hi Ken,

I've been looking for quite awhile. One of the things I use for the server documentation is S.Y.D.I. it's free and you can get it here. http://sydiproject.com/ You can modify it pretty easily. We also use Visio, but keeping everything updated is a manual process as you know. I thought about writing a program that uses a SQL backend, but I'm pretty busy and it would have to be in my spare time. some of the things I'd like to see would be alerts when equipment is reaching End of Life, or End of Support. Links to the support contract, vendors website, patch level both software, firmware, Contact list, Escalation tree (internal), services the server provides, maybe a classification for critical servers, Backup schedule, things like that.

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Permalink Reply by Ajay Sharma on June 18, 2009 at 10:48

Hi Ken,

Try www.aperture.com it covers all documentation.It tracks power,cooling,Temprature,humidity,cameras.It does have full audit trail report measures small small details.

I hope this helps you.

Regards,

Ajay

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Permalink Reply by Robert Schmidt on June 22, 2009 at 5:31

I have several that I have worked with over the last few years and would be more than happy to share my knowledge. That way you can decide what would work best for your situation.