Before and After Pictures

PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Before and After Pictures

Show us your before and after pictures after you have replaced something with new Meraki kit.

 

I just spent the whole weekend ripping out 500 ports of switching in a factory and putting in all new Meraki kit.  These pictures are one of the four main wiring cabinets - before and after the job was done.

 

Before.jpgAfter.jpg

120 Replies 120
MerakiDave
Meraki Employee
Meraki Employee

Lot of work.  Thanks for sharing, very nicely done!!

MerakiDave
Meraki Employee
Meraki Employee

Here's one of my own "before and after" stories.

 before and after.jpg

Ok, just kidding, stretched the truth a little, but you get the idea. 🙂 

theWIFIguy
Here to help

I can barely see any cables... some serious cable management right here...

RonG
Here to help

Wow!  What a mess.

PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Here is another before and after.  In this case, the customer said thay wanted to be able to "see" where the patched ports plugged into the switch, without having to riffle through the cabling.

 

IMG_20181220_161535.jpgIMG_20181220_171039.jpg

Nick
Head in the Cloud

Some nice work!

 

I see a lot of these installs using what looks like slimline patch cables? Can anyone name a brand or provide a link to cabling they use that they would recommend to others?

 

Thanks

Nick
Head in the Cloud

After a recent set of installs before and afters

 

IMG_2779.JPGIMG_2786.jpg

 

IMG_6675.JPGIMG_2792.JPG

PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

@Nick what part of the world are you in?

Nick
Head in the Cloud

UK! @PhilipDAth 

Nick
Head in the Cloud

Found the last of the three cabs we did on that install 

 

It really shouldn't be. But tidying cabs is rather therapeutic I find! 

 

IMG_6671.JPGIMG_9518.jpg

Nick
Head in the Cloud

We're seemingly on a roll here doing cabs at the moment so like a proud father I thought i'd throw up another

 

Still on the lookout for some slimline cat6a patch cabling if anyone knows of a good vendor?

 

 

IMG_3540.JPGIMG_3538.JPGIMG_4908.jpg

PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

@Nick I  buy my slimline cables from CDL - but I suspect they wont be in your bit of the world.  All the codes begin with PLS.  I mostly use yellow, and then begin with PLSY.

 

https://cdlnz.com/search?q=PLS

Nick
Head in the Cloud

Nice - thats the sort we want

I will do some searching thanks Philip
Ben
A model citizen

Here you go, one from yesterday. Swapped out old cisco's for Meraki MS225. 

 

 

BeforeBefore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AfterAfter

Csanchez15
Comes here often

 ¡Woah! 

Meraki Rocks !!!!!!

WadeAlsup
A model citizen

Hardly knew what I was doing...my first real tear out and try to clean up...turned out better than I thought it would, though!

 

IMG_0945.JPGIMG_0946.JPGIMG_0947.JPGIMG_0950.JPG


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PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Much better!
BeachBum
Here to help

Nice work!

 

I used Neat Patch for my last major install, works great.

Mr_IT_Guy
A model citizen

Here's my before and after

Before and After.jpg

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AdamS
Meraki Employee
Meraki Employee

You have tamed the spaghetti monster. That is no small job. Awesome work! How long did that take?
Adam Slater
Content Engineering Manager
Product Enablement
Mr_IT_Guy
A model citizen

@AdamS, That took 4 guys and 17 hours. We started at noon on a Saturday and finished around 5am. We ran into some missing ports in a newly renovated area of our office that ate up a bit of time. 

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BHC_RESORTS
Head in the Cloud

@Mr_IT_Guy: Are those dual MX400s? Hate you a little bit.

BHC Resorts IT Department
Mr_IT_Guy
A model citizen

@BHC_RESORTS, would you hate me more if they were dual MX600s? If so,  then yes those are simply dual MX400s....

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MRCUR
Kind of a big deal

@Mr_IT_Guy @BHC_RESORTS I see your dual MX600’s and raise dual MX450’s. E4A6248E-B2F3-4E8E-8EC0-E81E8177E511.jpeg

 

MRCUR | CMNO #12
Mr_IT_Guy
A model citizen

@MRCUR yeah, those are pretty nice sir!! 

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AdamS
Meraki Employee
Meraki Employee

Very nice shot, but may I suggest the framing would be better with some MS425's under that ;-).

Adam Slater
Content Engineering Manager
Product Enablement
Mr_IT_Guy
A model citizen

@AdamS The MS425s are pretty nice!

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BHC_RESORTS
Head in the Cloud


@AdamS wrote:

Very nice shot, but may I suggest the framing would be better with some MS425's under that ;-).


Looks like an HP 5406zl. One of my favorite switch chassis! Now if there was a Meraki switch chassis....wow would that be legit!

BHC Resorts IT Department
MRCUR
Kind of a big deal


@BHC_RESORTS wrote:

@AdamS wrote:

Very nice shot, but may I suggest the framing would be better with some MS425's under that ;-).


Looks like an HP 5406zl. One of my favorite switch chassis! Now if there was a Meraki switch chassis....wow would that be legit!


5406R without a second management module. I too really like this model and second the request for a Meraki chassis switch. 

 

I do have some MS425's as well since @AdamS mentioned it... 

 

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_13d.jpg

 

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_179.jpg

 

 

 

MRCUR | CMNO #12
PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

I did another rip out and replace last night, MX MS and MR.  This is one of the cabinets.

Before.jpgAfter.jpg

francktls
Getting noticed

This morning :

 

Replaced old Alcatel switch to brand new Meraki MS120 at customer remote bureau. 399 sites to go !

Leguevin Avant2.jpgLeguevin Apres2.jpg

 

 

francktls
Getting noticed

 

Avant.jpgApres.jpgAnother one, for me cleaning means remove dirty devices 😉 here I removed 1 HP 48P switch with a beautiful stack of 2 MSS225 Meraki switches !

 

 

KrisVerdonck
Here to help

Removed a fortinet + cisco + aerohive disaster and replaced it with the MX84 + MR42 AP's + Cisco SG300.

Cable cleanup and cabinet rearrangement did most of the cosmetical cleanup 😉

 

 

CleanupBeforeandAfter.jpg

 

 

Uberseehandel
Kind of a big deal

@KrisVerdonck

 

Hi

 

Is that the 3M turquoise Ethernet cable that you are using, it looks good as does the other colour with it, pale lavender? 

 

I have to build a small rack from scratch that will be photographed and used in explanations, so it will really have to look the business.

 

The turquoise colour works well with metallic objects - see the Mecedes Petronas F1 car, and your other colour choice is equally suited to a metallic environment.

 

I'd use Aston Martin's AppleTree Green if I could find cables that colour (photographs are unreliable, however)

 

Cheers

Robin St.Clair | Principal, Caithness Analytics | @uberseehandel
KrisVerdonck
Here to help

@Uberseehandel

 

Hi,

 

We used  :

https://www.tridis.be/en/patch-cable-u-utp-category-6-0-15m-violet-utp-snagless

and 

https://www.tridis.be/en/patch-cable-u-utp-category-6-0-15m-green

 

We always use this with a 48-ports switch in combination with 2 x 24 patchpanel around it.

 

See also this one (new rack - no before and after with an MX65).

 

Newinstall.PNG

 

 

Uberseehandel
Kind of a big deal

@KrisVerdonck

 

That looks excellent. Thank you for the URLs for the cables.

 

I have a feeling my photogenic rack is going to end up more expensive than a lot of the kit in it . . .  ;-[])

Robin St.Clair | Principal, Caithness Analytics | @uberseehandel
KrisVerdonck
Here to help

Just for fun another cleanup 🙂

Switches and router are from Cisco but Wifi is Meraki.

 

BeforeBeforeAfterAfter

KrisVerdonck
Here to help

IMG_20160507_143359.jpgIMG_20160508_122926.jpg

Uberseehandel
Kind of a big deal

The wooden box caught my eye . . . 

Robin St.Clair | Principal, Caithness Analytics | @uberseehandel
KrisVerdonck
Here to help

It was handmade to put the rack on top of it but then we found a much better stand between the junk 🙂

 

Uberseehandel
Kind of a big deal


@KrisVerdonckwrote:

It was handmade to put the rack on top of it but then we found a much better stand between the junk 🙂

 


Well the wine was hand made - 

 

winebox.jpg

 

Robin St.Clair | Principal, Caithness Analytics | @uberseehandel
jasonpoort
Conversationalist

Woah, you have your network gear in a bomb shelter?!  Nice! 

anthonymalanio
Conversationalist

Wow, nice!

calebbaker
Here to help

Nice job!

AStoddard
Getting noticed

One of our branch offices went from 60 desks down to a new office with just 9 when the lease was up. Now a little cramped, with the wall rack sitting in the kitchen of the office. Didn't get a picture of it after finalizing the wiring and a little cleanup.

Mid removal of probably 95% of equipmentMid removal of probably 95% of equipment 

Not clean, but not dirty. You can barely see the Nortel switches that would no longer allow us to make changesNot clean, but not dirty. You can barely see the Nortel switches that would no longer allow us to make changes 

The APC units are sitting on top of a refrigeratorThe APC units are sitting on top of a refrigerator

paolo
Here to help

Wow nice work though

X0X0X0
Here to help

Very nice. How is this cooled?

Lindsey
Here to help

"Mr. Slim" cools it, and does a pretty terrible job. This noise is horrendous but I've been told because of budget it is what it is. We did have the AC repair guy out three times and he couldn't fix it. I actually became pretty familiar with the guy, who wanted me to call him when it "made the noise again." So I called him, said "Let me play you the song of my people" and he still couldn't hear it. We then determined that the AC guy might have a hearing loss issue. 

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    X0X0X0
    Here to help

    Whoa!
    SteveWeidner
    Here to help

    I love those slim cables!  They really help in cleaning up a rack.

    Hoffmaster1224
    Here to help

    NICE!!!!!

    X0X0X0
    Here to help

    OMG! How long did this take and how many women?

    Lindsey
    Here to help

    This took me, myself, and I a couple months [approvals, third party communications, etc]  If cabling was the only responsibility I had, it wouldn't have taken so long. It still needs work. There are several UPS's in there. 

    Gamecock
    Conversationalist

    Nice work!

    redsector
    Head in the Cloud

    Before: 6 old unstacked Netgear switches:

     

    beforebefore

    After: 4 MS120-48LP stacked

    afterafter

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Carlos
    Conversationalist

    Wow, Is that the same site?

    Jhon
    Conversationalist

    Wow!

    MarkGibbens
    New here

    Good job!

    shan
    Conversationalist

    Wow!

    jasonpoort
    Conversationalist

    Wow.  That's a serious clean up.  Things look WAY better in the after pic.  Nicely done!

    Rstevens55
    Conversationalist

    Looks Great 

     

    jgutter
    Here to help

    NICE I dont see a UPS thou....
    X0X0X0
    Here to help

    Whoa!! VERY NICELY DONE!!!!!

    BruceW
    Getting noticed

     

     

    Any volunteers to help with this one?  I have a couple dozen to clean up by July. 🙂 

     

    wiring mess.jpg

    Bruce Winters
    WadeAlsup
    A model citizen

    I definitely want to see the after photos, @BruceW!


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    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    Yeah, big job those 4500's.

    L337NetEng
    New here

    Hi everyone.

     

    I am posting in hopes of some swag but I have to admit I picked this photo to respond to because behind a door in a tucked away from my users, it looks much like this. Job security because only I know the combination to make it all work LOL.

    CarolineS
    Community Manager
    Community Manager


    @L337NetEng wrote:

    Hi everyone.

     

    I am posting in hopes of some swag but I have to admit I picked this photo to respond to because behind a door in a tucked away from my users, it looks much like this. Job security because only I know the combination to make it all work LOL.


    Hi @L337NetEng - appreciate the honesty about your motivation for posting! 😛We're glad you're here; welcome to the Meraki Community! I think you should post your "Before" picture here even if you don't have an "After".

    Caroline S | Community Manager, Cisco Meraki
    New to the community? Get started here
    PK
    Conversationalist

    Yeah, looking forward to the after pics!

    Johan_Castro
    Conversationalist

    Good luck buddy!

    ArthurGF
    Conversationalist

    Wow
    Ben
    A model citizen

    Cleanup time with a client who we switched to a fullstack. 

    Since the rack was in the storage area of the café it got a bit forgotten you can say... 

     

    Before: 

    IMG_20180618_092616593_LL.jpg

     

    After: 

    IMG_20180618_104807548_LL.jpg

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Also replaced the old server room rack. 

    Old:

    rackold.jpg

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    New :

     

    racknew.jpg

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Cheers,

    Ben

    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    Here is another "before and after".

     

    IMG_20180914_171237.jpgIMG_20180914_220918.jpg

    BrothersTM
    Getting noticed

    Spring of 2016 I ripped it all out.  I mean all.  New switches and about 400% more ap's, new fiber between closets up from 1Gb to 10Gb, new racks, new cat6 cabling...color coded I might add.  Yellow is voice, white wireless, green data, and red security cameras.  I've included a Google Drive share below to view all the pics I have so far.  We had a new construction so you'll see some of those as well.  The end result is night and day and much easier to manage.

     

    Before and After pics

     

    Since the upgrade, I have added some 1U blanks for air flow management and it just looks nicer.  41 MV21/71s at the new construction.

     

    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    That is a very very nice job!
    mmmmmmark
    Building a reputation

    That looks way better! Nicely done

    BHC_RESORTS
    Head in the Cloud


    @BrothersTM wrote:

    Spring of 2016 I ripped it all out.  I mean all.  New switches and about 400% more ap's, new fiber between closets up from 1Gb to 10Gb, new racks, new cat6 cabling...color coded I might add.  Yellow is voice, white wireless, green data, and red security cameras.  I've included a Google Drive share below to view all the pics I have so far.  We had a new construction so you'll see some of those as well.  The end result is night and day and much easier to manage.

     

    Before and After pics

     

    Since the upgrade, I have added some 1U blanks for air flow management and it just looks nicer.  41 MV21/71s at the new construction.

     


    Boooo MMF. But seriously, that's some excellent work. I've always wanted to do color coding for patch cables...

    BHC Resorts IT Department
    MRCUR
    Kind of a big deal

    @BHC_RESORTS Color coded patch cables is the only way to keep things straight without always having to refer to documentation IMO. Also hugely helpful when you have a tech that isn't familiar with networking in a closet and need them to find the right thing for you. 

    MRCUR | CMNO #12
    jared_f
    Kind of a big deal

    I was scrolling through this today, did not see @BrothersTM's photos last time. Very impressive, I am not sure if I would have that much patience to color code. Looks awesome!

    Find this helpful? Click the kudos button. Thanks!
    NSGuru
    Getting noticed

    This was a new install for one of our DatacenterS. Front of rack and back of rack. Front of Rack Las Vegas Full View 2.jpgBack of Rack Las Vegas  Full View.jpg

    Cloud Network Engineer | cloudIT
    Certified Meraki Networking Associate

    Kudo this if it helped! 🙂
    TTunstell
    Comes here often

    Wow!

    trunolimit
    Building a reputation

    from what I understand about Data Centers is that they have a hot isle and a cold isle. It seems like not the best idea to put the MX and some MS behind other MSes. They are going to intake the hot air discharge from the switches in front of them. I'm sure in a climate controlled environment the equipment won't ever reach a temperature that it will matter but it's an inefficient rack design. 

    CarolineS
    Community Manager
    Community Manager

    Just cross-referencing... if you are enjoying the photos on this thread, check out some more in our Spring Cleaning 2018 contest.

     

    Cheers!

    Caroline S | Community Manager, Cisco Meraki
    New to the community? Get started here
    CarolineS
    Community Manager
    Community Manager

    Following up on my Spring Cleaning contest entry: here are the before and after pictures for a different kind of Meraki gear - SWAG! I finally got my own cupboard and made a sign. (No, I won't reveal the inside of the cupboard! But it is a thing of organized beauty, I assure you).

     

    Caroline's swag disaster - BeforeCaroline's swag disaster - Before

     Swag disaster no more!Swag disaster no more!

     

     

     

    Caroline S | Community Manager, Cisco Meraki
    New to the community? Get started here
    trunolimit
    Building a reputation

    Any advice you would give yourself before starting this project? I'm being put in charge of a clean up project myself. I'm heading down on Monday to start. 

    trunolimit
    Building a reputation

    Had to tear out the punch panels in this room. In a few weeks I'm going to have to put it back together. Oh Joy!!!

    unnamed.jpg

    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    Only advice @trunolimit, when it is that bad, strip everything and start again.

    andy1
    Conversationalist

    ...wow...and I thought ours are bad, this is what nightmares are made off. Good luck! 

    Leejohn1
    Here to help

    Wow!!! Good job on the aftermath 🙂

     

    -Lee

    brwillou
    Comes here often

    Nice work!

    WadeAlsup
    A model citizen

    New Engineering work space, wired up and ready to go.

    engineeringswitch.jpg


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    Reggz
    Conversationalist

    Nice Picture 🙂 

    Lindsey
    Here to help
    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    Much better!
    Lindsey
    Here to help

    Thanks
    jonathansamson
    Comes here often

    Nice work!

    Jacquie
    Just browsing

    Wow! Awesome work!

    goodsamaritan12
    Conversationalist

    awesome!
    dragon_ryder
    Meraki Alumni (Retired)
    Meraki Alumni (Retired)

    wow!

    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    Another recent deployment.  These are the before and after pictures for one of the cabinets that was part of a much larger refresh.

     

    before.jpgafter.jpg

    Nick
    Head in the Cloud

    The world of onsite work has been at a stop, but things carry on. Some home configuration and then deployed in situ!

     

     

    IMG_6533.JPG

    IMG_2493.JPG

    JoseCarlosBA
    Conversationalist

    Wow!

    Anonymous
    Not applicable

    "Wow!" or "Woah!"

    shan
    Conversationalist

    Wow! very perfect job
    lhutton
    Just browsing

    Giving me some inspiration to sort out my cabs!

    Fernandes
    Conversationalist

    Wow! Nice work..!! Congrats...

    maderap
    Here to help

    Wow!

    Rstevens55
    Conversationalist

    Wow Great Job !!

    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    Another long day doing another Cisco Meraki deployment.

     

    Before hand with 10 network devices.

    DTR-Before.jpg

     

    Replaced with 5 new Meraki devices.DTR-After.jpg

    BlakeRichardson
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    Nice job @PhilipDAth, did the colour coded cabling mean anything or did they just like having a rainbow coloured cabinet? 

    If you found this post helpful, please give it Kudos. If my answer solves your problem, please click Accept as Solution so others can benefit from it.
    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    The colours meant nothing.  Just different people patching at different times with whatever was lying around. 

    Ben
    A model citizen


    @PhilipDAth wrote:

    The colours meant nothing.  Just different people patching at different times with whatever was lying around. 


     

    I think this is where it usually goes wrong untill someone takes the time to clean up. 

    BlakeRichardson
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    I used coloured cables for different networks i.e. Security, VOIP, Wireless, printers, servers etc.

     

    We have a strict policy use the right colour cable and if we dont have one in the right size use a beige cable it and label the cable until the right size cables arrives. 

    If you found this post helpful, please give it Kudos. If my answer solves your problem, please click Accept as Solution so others can benefit from it.
    NolanHerring
    Kind of a big deal

    First two pictures are some work I did at a family members apartment, to clean up a terrible pre-installation. Ethernet cables ran through the apartment which was awesome, they just never bothered to terminate them lol. The after photo gives you the general final product of what I ended up with.

     

    IMG-20180723-WA0010.jpg

    IMG-20180726-WA0023.jpeg

     

     

    As for the office, I don't have a before photo, so you'll have to just image a big cable nest of chaos. This photo here is how I standardize things at work for all the IDF locations.

     

    24 port patch panel

    48 port switch

    48 port patch panel

    ...rinse repeat

     

    This is the cleanest solution and I hate doing it any other way  😃

     

    IMG-20180228-WA0011.jpeg

    Nolan Herring | nolanwifi.com
    TwitterLinkedIn
    PhilipDAth
    Kind of a big deal
    Kind of a big deal

    That is a very nice layout @NolanHerring.

    Ben
    A model citizen

    That cabling is on point! Very nice!
    NolanHerring
    Kind of a big deal

    @PhilipDAth @Ben

     

    Thanks guys  ^_^


    I actually have a better before and after photo below.

     

     

    Here is the before.

     

    11111.JPG

     

     

    Here is the after. It's a little hard to install, but it really helps with the cable management and dust collection.

     

    222222.JPG

    Nolan Herring | nolanwifi.com
    TwitterLinkedIn
    Ben
    A model citizen

    haha, cats and IT gear. Somehow they are drawn to it...  

    Stephen_K
    Conversationalist

    Not as big a job as some, but this was kind of fun. 

     

    Stephen_K_0-1701812366658.png

     

    I do wonder how to deal with the MS120/250 24 port switches.  Have not seen a patch panel that is only on the right.

    INCONEL
    New here

    These are 2 Racks recently done bij me, april 2024, i used Unifi slim Patchcables CAT6:
    Before P1Before P1After P1After P1Before P2Before P2After P2After P2

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