What would have been useful to know?

[ChrisJ]

I'm putting together a handover document type thing for whoever replaces me in the future.

 

What would have been useful information to you to help you when taking over the role (ICT Operations Manager)?

 

What sort of things did you have to spend a couple of days trying to work out that could have been easily resolved had the previous person told you about them.

[sonofsanta]

What suppliers I should talk to and which ones were sales calls! Would've saved me grief talking to people I didn't need to talk to.

 

A list of regular tasks is always useful as well ("Monday AM: check backups..."), doesn't have to be taken as gospel but can give an idea of what upkeep is required.

[Tesla]

IP Addresses (specific devices such as routers etc), DHCP Ranges/Scopes

[Jawloms]

Where staff never think of looking for you - and I'm not joking! There are times you just need to concentrate to get something resolved without being disturbed.

[hardtailstar]

When I started my job these were things I wanted to know and had to find out myself.

 

Equipment locations e.g routers, servers, APs

Common problems and their fixes

Support companies and what they deal with

Suppliers

Documentation that has been sent out to staff (so that its not duplicated)

 

Just anything else to make it easier for them.

 

Hope these help

[featured_spectre]

Redbus document - important passwords, tools, proxies, IPs, printer locations, suppliers etc

[localzuk]

A definition of what servers do what.

Warranty listing for equipment

[AJWhite1970]

Any odd or unusual cable management running through buildings (useful if you are the only one who knew the cable to a classroom actually runs out the window, upstairs, along the landing and into a socket in a kitchen as I discovered when I started here)

A list of hard to find wifi points

A map of the fiber runs from building to building

[GeekyPete]

List of any local installs.

List of EVERY password you use (MSVL, Switches, router/Firewall, UPS, Backup exec....)

List of licence keys and a the keys to a cupboard with every peice of software on the network (this can also be a hidden shared folder)

Infrastructure configs

Diagram of the site

naming conventions used.

Up to date and comprehensive asset register

List of scheduled tasks and any special accounts used to run them

Walk though of the backup schedule and your documented DR Plan.

Change control log showing both completed and pipeline changes.

Guide to how you presently deploy Windows or the OS of your choice and applications, (make no assumptions of knowledge)

Change authorities, who can authorise what, we seldom have Carte Blanche to do what we like.

Escalation paths

List of third party suppliers, Service agreements, contacts, phone numbers

A service/Server list, What service runs on which server? If X printer goes off or Y database cant be access or sims borks, where to look for it.

What the call raising procedures are and how tries to get round them.

What budget controls are there and how does procurement work

 

Then Where to go for lunch...

 

That's enough to start... I could go on and on...

Edited January 23, 2014 by GeekyPete

[SYNACK]

 

Maybe something like this

[tmcd35]

You should leave three envolopes on the desk to be opened in turn each time the excriment hits the fan...

 

1st envelope - "I'm new here, still learning the ropes, sorry"

2nd envelope - "Sorry, was something the last Network Manager set up, I'll get it sorted"

3rd envelope - "time to write an resignation letter and leave three envelopes for the next guy"

 

[SovietRussia]

Location of the kettle

[sonofsanta]

Location of the kettle

 

If it's not readily apparent from the moment you sit down in your chair - say, and just throwing this out there, three feet to your right - you're doing your office wrong