Cables: to label or not to label....that is the flamewar

[Sean Berry]

Digital Island (colo provider) required that we label our cables at both
ends with what they were coming from and going to, and it was very handy.
Unfortunately, that really only works when you've got a fairly static
environment.  Their documentation system was great though, and would have
quite easily scaled to cover the entire data center without any
modifications.

In any more fluid of an environment, it's easier to decide whether to
label cables as cables "patch-10(foot)-(number)132", or to label them for
what they do "sparky hme0".

If you're buying new cables, I agree completely with Jim: they're easier
pre-labeled.

On Mon, 26 Aug 2002, Jim Hickstein wrote:

> > I like the idea of unique serial numbers; it might be difficult to do with
> > reliability unless your cable intake process is much more regimented than
> > others I've seen.
>
> Arnold DeLeon used to buy them this way at Synopsys, if memory serves.  I
> daresay it can be done.  Talk to your vendor.
>
> He had the length encoded in the number, too, which was a nice touch.
>

--
Sean Berry works with UNIX, especially Solaris/SPARC and NetBSD.
His opinions are not necessarily those of his employers.  (650) 281-6610
His current photo projects can be found at
http://www.housebsd.org/~berry/photo/