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1.Never plug a cable into a switch without fully knowing what’s on the other end. This can cause a loop that can take down your network in a matter of seconds, if not immediately.
2.Never wipe a live device without fully verifying it’s the device you want to wipe. I’ve made this mistake on a core switch. A mistake that was extremely painful. Honestly I could have been fired for this.
3.Never assume you know the root cause of an issue. This can make you look like a fool and waste a ton of time. Ask questions, check logs, run your show commands first.
4.Never implement a new device or change without updating documentation. Your future self will thank you. And you team will thank you.
5.Never make a change that may cause an outage without first getting approval or notifying the required stakeholders. A simple change can always go wrong. Always dot your I’s and cross all of your T’s. Keep a prepopulated email for situations like this.
6.Never plug a switch into your network without verifying the vtp and spanning tree configurations. This can take down your network and lead to a very very long day. Again this can get your fired.
7.Never troubleshoot without checking logs! You save a ton of time by doing a simple show log. In many cases they tell you everything you need to know.
8.Never stop learning! The day you do this, technology will change and you will be a dinosaur. Always stay learning and aware of the changes in the industry.
9.Never be a cowboy! The best network engineers listen and ask questions first. Do not be reactive. And never randomly make changes. Find your own tried and true troubleshooting methods.
10.Never implement a major change without first testing and verifying that it will work. Have a process for labbing and testing your solutions. Production changes should always be tested and validated first. Also, peer reviews and a co-pilot are a must for major changes.
