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I prefer a razor knife instead of a utility knife, but YMMV.

Also, a tone generator can be quite handy. If you're only responsible for the 50 servers in the server room, it's probably overkill, but it can sort out a complex cabling situation in seconds. Fluke has one that can be used on live ethernet. (Although it would take a big chunk out of your budget.)
http://www.flukenetworks.com/datacom-cabling/copper-testing/IntelliTone-Pro-Toner-and-Probe

I've been very happy with the Fluke Cable-IQ qualification tester, which doesn't just make sure that the wiring is correct, but actually tests the cable up to gigabit speed to make sure everything is kosher.

Wow, for $1250, I bet you've been happy with it. I'd love one, but for most of us that $1250 will buy an awful lot of factory-crimped cable.

If you have a decently modern intelligent switch you can also monitor the port for data errors, and if you don't have any errors it's good enough.

That seems like a bad idea. You'd be much better off testing it in a stand-alone device, like a Fluke tester, before plugging it into the switch in the first place. Something like this: http://www.flukenetworks.com/fnet/en-us/products/NetTool/Overview.htm

They aren't expensive.

I have a cat6 cable certifier. You can make cords by hand that certifies to cat6 the majority of the time. Something that isn't cat6 compliant isn't going to hurt your 100base, you only need cat5e for gigabit, cat5 for 100base. You can't tell if you meet cat6 spec without the $10k certifier.

A lot of people put rj45 mod ends on solid wire (instead of stranded). Then when the wire moves it pulls on the pins and 'goes bad'. Premade patch cords are always stranded, ones you make usually are using solid wire. If you use solid wire from jack to jack and tie it down, then use premade patch cords made from stranded wire from jack to device, you're fine. Or buy stranded wire and make your own. Putting a rj45 mod end on stranded wire is a little bit challenging. Your best bet is solid wire from jack to jack, tied down, prebought short patch cords from jack to device.

I've been very happy with the Fluke Cable-IQ qualification tester, which doesn't just make sure that the wiring is correct, but actually tests the cable up to gigabit speed to make sure everything is kosher.

Reading this reminds me of the 'Rejected Marketing Slogans' entry "If it's good, it's a Fluke."

I've learned the hard way when setting up a couple of clusters: You MUST use custom-made, cut to length cables to prevent a huge rats nets in the server room. Buying precut cables is a disaster. I had to rip out and completely rewire one cluster because I made that mistake.

However, you need to TEST the cables. And not just by plugging in and making sure it works, but a full ethernet validation tester.

I've been very happy with the Fluke Cable-IQ qualification tester, which doesn't just make sure that the wiring is correct, but actually tests the cable up to gigabit speed to make sure everything is kosher.

Not true for most people; the average schmo will have a computer with a proprietary motherboard (e.g. Dell), and the ubergeeks will scorn all boards that can be bought outside of Akihabara or some other exotic tech mecca. I'm not that rabid, but I still don't go down to Best Buy and buy a crap motherboard...Though I did buy a power supply there once.

As for Knoppix, if you commonly corrupt your bootloader to the point where you can no longer access the machine, I recommend you burn yourself a copy next time you have access to a functional computer. A facility with Knoppix and a bunch of spare knoppix disks kept on hand will save you a world of grief. The Knoppix STD is right up there with the tone wand, the multitool, and the Fluke in my geek emergency kit.

If you don't like Fluke, there are plenty of other people in the game testing business, but I don't have any experience with their products.

The Harris Dracon TS-21 rules, but alas, it's not available anymore. The TS-22 is a close second. Harris' tools division is now part of Fluke Networks, and their selection of butt sets can be found here.

Yeah so what I promote my website, I'm not the only one that does that...

BTW, Fluke sells this very item with a Fluke label on it, the "Fluke TAP-12"
http://www.flukenetworks.com/us/LAN/Monitoring+Ana lysis+Diagramming/Inline+Taps/Overview.htm

I assure you, this device from Fluke or Shomiti (now Finisar)
costs a HELL of a lot more than $4,000

Yeah so what I promote my website, I'm not the only one that does that...

BTW, Fluke sells this very item with a Fluke label on it, the "Fluke TAP-12"
http://www.flukenetworks.com/us/LAN/Monitoring+Ana lysis+Diagramming/Inline+Taps/Overview.htm

I assure you, this device from Fluke or Shomiti (now Finisar)
costs a HELL of a lot more than $4,000

It looks like basically an all-in-one solution where you can deploy at a point within your enterprise, either remotely or locally, that will do the data capture for you. Then using their console, query that data. Think of it as running Ethereal via a remote X-Window session. Except probably a lot more efficient as only the required data would be transmitted instead of the window image.

Is it worth $25K? Donno. Would it be useful for a small company where the admin could just walk down the hall to capture the data, probably not. Would it be benificial for a large enterprise that needs to capture data remotely? Possibly.

My company has this handheld tester and have found it very valuable on numerous occasions.

Sure, it has Total Integration. But is it an e-Solution for my enterprise application?

What does it do? Can anyone enlighten us, since fluke's web site makes this product look like an April fool's gag?

The Fluke NetTool does all that plus stuff like it can hook up inbetween a workstation and a switch and tell you why it's not connected (crossover cable instead of a patch cable, wrong subnet, cut wire, etc.)

$1200, but well worth it.
They have an 802.11x version too.

-mazor

We got one not to long ago and it rocks. It's a bit pricey (around $3k USD), but it's paid for it's self already.

Actually, if a "wireless engineer" showed up with an Airport with a hole drilled in the top, I'd kick him out and tell him to get some real tools. Check out some of Fluke's stuff for starters, like the OptiView. Professional engineers use professional tools.

The Google device is actually a terrific tool. It is to intranet searching what Fluke is to network analyzing (at 7k you can't beat it). The Google appliance is very "smart" and adaptive. I want to say "agile", but ugghhh, I am so tired of that marketing term.

When connected to a copper media network, the OptiView Analyzer will automatically perform a cable test and provide you with the cable length into any attached device, including a live switch or hub port. Select the Twisted-Pair Detail Screen and see:

* Cable Wire Pair
* Impedance
* Length to End
* Length to Reflection
* Status
* Anomalies (shorts, opens and split pairs)
* Receive Pair
* Transmit Pair
* Receive Voltage
* Polarity

1. Fluke networks have a tool that is designed to map switched ethernet networks (no WAN). It can be found at their website.
2. The opennms project is considering adding this, there is a discussion list for it on their website that talks about some of the technology involved.
3. 3com network supervisor. This can do some basic mapping of the network, see their webpage.