Internal Network

In the past year we've embarked on a project of simplifying the network infrastructure of the space. As of now (Sep 2021) we've reduced about as much as we're going to, and are now in the process of replacing parts to ensure maintainability and reliability.

The Mini-Rack

The 9U wall-mount rack in the multipurpose room (nee Lounge) is the new core of the Asmbly network. It contains an UPS, a 48-port patch panel, our Spectrum Business cable modem/router contraption, the Unifi Dream Machine Pro that manages our network, a Unifi 48-port core switch, and POE injectors for all the APs. Most of the ethernet runs terminating here are to the classroom or co-working area. We need to add some more ethernet jacks in the multipurpose room and replace some workshop drops that are currently terminating in the old rack

The main OpenPath cabinet is mounted under the mini-rack.

WiFi

Asmbly WiFi is provided by three Unifi UAP-AC-Lites. One's in the multi-purpose room over the Co-Working door, the other two are mounted on ceiling beams roughly centered over the eastern and western halves of the workshop area, respectively.

The Old Rack

There's a floor standing half-rack in the electronics lab that used to be the ATXHS network core. The only systems left here are the DVR for the security cameras. There are two runs to the Mini-Rack, one of which is upstream for a Flex Mini. Neither one is in terribly great shape.

Workshop Miscellany

There's a bunch of random stuff on the shop floor that's all wired back to the old rack. A near-term goal is to pull new runs to the mini-rack for these services

• The Red Laser Switch
  • there's an unmanaged switch near the Red laser PC that has a bunch of stuff plugged into it. Upstreams to the old rack.
• The Blue Laser Switch
  • there's a small unmanaged switch near the old Blue laser location. It supplies a drop to the old clean room and upstreams to the Red laser switch (even though it's right next to the old rack... go figure.
• The 3D Printers Switch
  • There's a small unmanaged switch near the 3D printers that upstreams to the mini-rack
• The Computer Desk Switch
  • There's another unmanaged switch on the computer desk in the multi-purpose room that supplies the printer, miscellaneous PCs, and some desktop network jacks. It also upstreams to the mini-rack.

To Do

To finish cleaning up the rats nest in the electronics lab, we need to pull some cable from the mini-rack to various points in the old shop:

• 2x big CNC (we may need more, but we can add a switch or pull more drops later)
• 2x near the Red switch - the Shark CNC is going in this area soon, and we'd like to eliminate that switch
• 4x (two 2x) to the electronics lab. One pair by the old rack, another near-ish the door at workbench height for projects. Use the existing cables as pull lines.
• 4x (two 2x) to the computer table in the multi-purpose room so we can eliminate that switch.
• flip around one or two pairs of jacks from co-working to face 3D printers so we can eliminate that switch.

At some point it'd be nice to move the DVR to the mini-rack -- this will involve extending a bunch of security Siamese coax+power cables from the electronics lab.