Wire chart to TN

[jp61616]

The way we keep track of what wire block goes to what TN is an old book left by GTE. We actually pull out a pencil eraser and change things that way. Over time, I have been converting everything to excel sheets. Can I just put this information into the switch as I go under "notes" or something? That way, eventually I would have everything in the switch and could throw away the book. Any ideas?

 

[GHTROUT]

The TN's "DES" field is often used for that. A TN can hold six alpha numeric chars in DES

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[allenmac]

Whatever system you use, you must be very diligent, or the information will be useless.

I was on-site at a large installation for 18 months, and if you moved a cross connect, and didn't update the cable records (3-ring binder with pencil and eraser attached), there would be hell to pay.

 

[johnpoole]

best bet is excel.. i've worked sites that used des, but it's almost impossible to maintain that.. with excel you can at least audit by checking tie cables to see if the vacant pairs are vacant on the block as well as in the excel..

bad thing about des is you have 6 digits.. no secondary tie pairs and no jack number..

iv;e created cable records for customers and they loved them, others never looked at the file again after i left.. depends on the site

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[GHTROUT]

I agree, I would not use DES personally. That means every relocation requires you to modify the TN. Not everyone that moves phones can do that, or will do that.

A cable database shared on a network can be accessed from more places, and viewed by other departments that may have a need to know.

The other option is no cable database and no DES. That's my choice because is is ALWAYS accurate. Few techs will read a cable database or DES field before a move and assume it's right.

[©] GHTROUT.com [⇔] A Variety of Free Resources for Nortel Meridian/CS1000 System Administrators

 

[jp61616]

I am tending to agree with GHTROUT. The book is already mostly useless because as moves/personel were changed the book was not kept up. What I do now is plug a 2616 display into the block and call myself - then I get the right DN, cross check that with the TN, and then I know I have the right pair no matter what block it is coming from. We are a rather small campus, so what I was thinking about was just going around and figuring out what blocks go to what building and putting that on a flow chart. Then I would know the basic block and could go from there. Keeping an updated cable database seems like a lot of unnecessary work, actually. ??? Don't you think? Also, I already use the DES for building location.

 

[johnpoole]

we have a larger campus.. 7000 stations over 20k jacks.. 14 remotes.. we do not try to doc cable pair.. it would take more time then it would ever save.. we use des for building and floor.. ie 3m4110 would be medical park 3 4th from rm 110..

as far as keeping paper records, might as well use clay tablets..

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[johnpoole]

i built a database for a customer that let you click on a station number.. it pulled the key labels for the phone as well as a txt file that had floor, location, room numbers etc as well as any note anyone had added..

just a simple excel with a few macros.. you can get a detailed as you need.. but who wants to spend that much time doing records... when would we have time to surf..

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[FireFighter78]

We are a small college campus, about a dozen buildings - dorm, apartment, offices, classroom, etc.

I currently collect data in Excel on the bix blocks for the cables that leave the phone room (I have no idea what the correct name would be). I collect the extension number and on more recent changes where it goes (building and room [SA224]).

As we prepare to switch systems anyone have suggestions what other information is helpful? Also along the same lines what is commonly put in DES field (I just realized that I am using the same building and room for most of our new system). I want to leave my successors with plenty of information (truthfully I want to limit distress calls after I leave)

Thanks for any input.

 

[bigindian65]

a lot use cost center numbers for internal Dept billing. I use cube numbers or dept.

Mato' Was'aka

 

[jamie2]

I would never ever bother looking at the DES field, nor would I trust it.

I only use the DES field for the dept., so I can sort the field in excel.

To each their own, and there's no right or wrong.