I had a simple ticket today to set up a new port for a host. When I checked NetBox, it indicated that port 15 was free. However, when I got to the rack, I found a cable already plugged into it and that it was live. According to the show int command, this port is actually an uplink to a firewall that was never documented! I checked another port that NetBox labeled as 'free' and discovered it had a cable for a server we decommissioned six months ago. This quick task turned into an hour of tracing cables, and now I have to update NetBox for three different ports just to close one ticket. I'm frustrated because this is why documentation seems useless; no one seems to have time to fix it. How do you all keep NetBox updated? Are you using scripts to sync switch configurations with NetBox? Surely, we can't be the only ones struggling with this!
3 Answers
I hear you! In my previous role, I faced the same troubles. I implemented regular reviews for the inventory. Every time a change was made, a note had to go into the system to reflect that change. It’s a hassle, but it’s crucial to maintain accuracy!
Garbage in, garbage out, right? If updates aren’t made when changes happen, you end up with this chaos. Having a 'last reviewed' field sounds like a smart idea. Getting eyes on the equipment regularly helps keep everything aligned with what NetBox says.
NetBox is actually correct; it’s the real-world situations that are the problem. Here’s how I manage things: whenever I connect a cable, I also update NetBox accordingly. First, I update NetBox to show the cable as planned, then connect it physically, and finally mark it as installed in NetBox. If your team isn’t following this, it’s a workplace issue that needs addressing!
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