Equipment Setup / Equipment

Set-up & Configuration of the equipment prior to an installation is a very critical step in the process of providing our customers with successful implementations. Costly on-site Systems Engineers time is not used up while a customer support professional configures and tests the equipment being installed by the Infinity Engineers. The equipment has been configured and is ready to go!

Prior to delivery to the customer offices, all equipment is shipped to Infinity Network Solutions Inc. for set-up & configuration. The equipment is configured to the customer’s specifications and tested prior to being sent to the customer site for installation. Documentation is prepared and checked and sent with the equipment for use by the customer and the installation team. Routers are configured and tested, servers are assembled, operating systems are loaded with the appropriate device drivers, and disks are formatted, sliced and/or striped per the customer’s requirements. Finally, all devices are tested to ensure compatibility with each other. Whatever needs to be done to ensure that the equipment shipped to the customer works, and works together with other equipment being shipped to the customer.

Equipment Set-up & Configuration checklists are used to ensure that all of the equipment being sent to a customer has been set up and tested prior to its being shipped. Set-up & Configuration checklists vary by equipment type but the following is an example of the Set-up & Configuration done by Infinity’s SEs for IBM or Compaq servers:

• Assemble all ordered hardware kits and options
• Ensure compatibility of ROM BIOS levels
• Verify interrupt levels to ensure hardware component functionality
• Attach and test all ordered external SCSI devices
• Install current version of manufacture drivers (IBM/Compaq) and installing the ordered O/S
• Format and partition all disks per customer’s requirements
• Load O/S Service Packs and Patches
• Check that all manufacturer’s documentation is present
• Load on-line library application (if applicable)
• Load all software utilities to vendor default selections
• Test access to all system components via O/S interface
• Minimum of 24 hours of additional on-line testing
• Tune O/S to customer specification
• Create boot diskette (if applicable)
• Backup system with basic configuration (if backup device is present in system)
• Document all files and structures
• Document procedures for startup and shutdown
• Prepare customer documentation

The following checklist is used when Equipment Set-up & Configuration is performed on routers by Infinity. Prior to the Set-up & Configuration, a work order is reviewed by the Infinity’s Systems Engineers team detailing how the router is to be installed and on what type of connection. The information on the work order determines which part(s) of the network equipment Set-up & Configuration checklist to use.

• Configure Ethernet port
  • IP address
  • IP address helper
  • Full or half duplex
• Configure serial port and sub-interfaces
• Configuration for frame relay
  • Speed of circuit (if there is an internal DSU card)
  • DLCI numbers
  • Frame-relay type
  • Type of encapsulation
  • Type of frame connection
• ISDN
  • SPID Numbers
  • Dialer Interface set up
  • Authentication type
• Routing Protocol Setup
• Set up IP routes
• Set up Access list (if applicable)
• Logging Setup and Review
• Check that all manufacturers’ documentation is present