How do you keep track of what's connected to your switches?

Solution 1:

Netdisco is the answer.

• It can graph the network topology (as long as you use switches that support LLDP or CDP).
• It can query the ARP tables (with SNMP) of these devices and tell you which port has which device connected it also resolves names with DNS and WINS.
• It shows you the IP addresses used in you network, it also has an inventory of networking devices.
• It can automatically discover the network topology (you just have to specify one network devices as a starting point).

Website: http://netdisco.org/

Solution 2:

I have used GLPI (http://glpi-project.org/spip.php?lang=en) which I liked, spreadsheets (which are cumbersome but effective), and I have been looking at IP Plan (http://iptrack.sourceforge.net/) which seems nearly abandoned.

Since I'm going to be getting another admin soon (YAY), I'm going to go back to GLPI.

Also, I label each of the cables going to the switch with a Brother p-touch labeler. It's pretty cheap, but it's better than nothing.