I was asked “have you a template that
you use for site surveys?”
Now I’ve done the odd Site Survey
myself, but I realize I just had it in my *ahem* head precisely what was needed.
It’s never worth reinventing the
wheel, so I dug around for a bit without success to see what’s out there. There
was a NetApp official “Site Requirements Guide” that’s dated 2014, and is not
going to be updated since everyone is - quite rightly - redirected now to http://hwu.netapp.com/
for site requirements.
- that I wrote:
Prepare site for installation:
- Be able to review implementation
flowchart with customer and assign task areas.
- Make contact with datacenter/site
personnel.
- Validate equipment move path to
installation location.
- Verify site infrastructure
including: dual power (and proximity of power drops to the install location),
floor space, floor loading plan, HVAC (Heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning.)
- Validate logistics plan for staging
and installation of equipment.
- Verify Ethernet cabling plan and
availability of cable supports.
- Verify fiber cabling plan and
availability of cable supports.
NetApp Site Survey Questionnaire / Checklist /
Template
Since I don’t post
spreadsheets/word docs on this blog, here’s my take on this in blog format.
Before Site Visit
+ Have you got a cabinet layout diagram (excel, visio,
...)?
+ Have you got access to the sales order(s) / bill of
materials?
+ Does everything look in order on the bill of materials
(sufficient cables and of sufficient length, SFPs, IO cards ...)?
+ Check
NetApp Hardware Universe for
site requirements for the involved hardware (power requirements, hardware
dimensions, compatibility ...)
+ If this is adding to an existing
installation, verify Interoperability on the NetApp IMT (the IMT also needs to
be checked if this is a new FC SAN installation)
+ Who is the site contact?
+ Has site access been arranged?
Equipment to Bring
+ Identification Documents (if required)
+ Safety Equipment (if required: like steel tipped boots...)
+ Documentation
+ Pen and paper/laptop
+ Tape measure
+ Tools (knife - to open boxes, torch ... and whatever
else you think might be useful.)
Site Visit
+ Make contact with datacenter/site personnel.
+ If the new hardware is on site, request an inspection
(to make sure all parts are present and as expected, and so that the
installation engineers know where to find the parts.)
+ If the new hardware in not on site, discover where it
will be stored.
+ Validate equipment move path to installation location.
+ Verify the cabinet(s).
-- Cabinets are not damaged.
-- Cabinets are big enough (front posts are forward
enough and there is enough length in the cabinet) to take the hardware.
-- There are no obstructions in the cabinets (like
cabling, switches, cooling pipes, other hardware units not in the cabinet
layout ...)
-- Cabinet feet are down.
+ Verify site infrastructure including:
-- Power (ideally dual power on separate circuits, plug
and socket types, proximity of power drops to the install location, PDUs will
not obstruct removal of controller trays out the back of the cabinet for
non-disruptive maintenance...)
-- Floor space
-- Floor loading plan
-- HVAC (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.)
+ Validate logistics plan for staging and installation of
equipment.
+ Verify Ethernet cabling plan, availability of cable
supports/tidies and cable lengths.
+ Verify fiber cabling plan, availability of cable
supports/tidies and cable lengths.
Post Site Visit
+ Document your observations (what’s good, what’s bad,
concerns ...)
+ Distribute to the relevant parties.
+ Follow up where there were concerns needing addressing.
Image: Site Survey
