Network Operations Guide

Wed Aug 22 19:22:22 UTC 2007

> My customer grew from a small enterprise to an SP/Mobile operator
network very quickly.
> I want to guide them on how to operate their network, so I am looking
for a document for this.

I've found the following websites quite useful for this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Change+Management
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Network+Management
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Daily-Operations-tasks+network

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Change+Order
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Trouble-Ticketing-system
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=escalation+procedures
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=troubleshooting+processes
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=backup+procedures
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Network-Inventory

No, this is not a joke. I checked every one of the above URLs and you
*WILL* find useful information at each one.

And here is an important tip. Install a database server (Oracle,
PostgreSQL) for general use and make sure that everyone has ODBC/JDBC
access to it. Then ban the storage of information in spreadsheets and
make it a habit to ask pointed questions about where data is stored when
you are in meetings. Order the DB Admins to create any tables that
people ask for in the "general use" database but to advise people on
table design, for instance field types (IP addresses are not VARCHAR).
Some attempt should be made to ensure that important fields are
consistent between users since at some future date, tables may need to
be joined. But these rules need to be applied with a light touch because
the goal is to KEEP DATA OUT OF SPREADSHEETS.

Many modern companies operate using 1950's style processes shuffling
spreadsheets through email instead of shuffling paper through the mail
carts. That is counterproductive. It is far better to emulate
1970's/80's companies who could only justify the vast expense of
computers by simplifying processes and centralizing data on shared
databases.

Once a spreadsheet starts to become a valuable source of data, the data
should be stuffed into the database where it can be shared, kept up to
date, be viewed consistently by all parts of the business, and joined
with other data for reporting purposes. Then, when it makes sense to
build or buy an application centered around a database, you already have
a source of clean consistent data ready and waiting.

--Michael Dillon