System Documentation

[laserblazer]

I'm painfully aware that there is little system documentation here. It's either in my head or a scrappy notebook in my pocket. If I were to be run over by a bus or attacked by an Apache helicopter, the poor s*d who came in would have a bit of a nightmare on his hands. So, my New Year Resolution is to write a systems manual or a set of notes explaining how it works. So, if you were that poor s*d, what would you like to see. I'd planned to do it as a series of bullet-points but I'm open to suggestions.

 

I realise that this may produce rather a long list, so maybe if you limit yourself to 5 items to start with. Who know, maybe we will end up with a de facto document, so that any technician can walk into any school, pick up the document and get stuck in. Do I see flying pigs?

[SYNACK]

I would probably break it down into several categories:

 

Network Configuration:

-ip config (address space, scope, fixed ips, routing tables if you use them)

-services config (DHCP, DNS, AD)

-server responsibilities(which server does what)

 

Hardware Configuration:

-how switches, routers and servers are connected together + config backups

-what spec these components are

-as much information on the workstations as you can be bothered adding ie specs

 

Software Configuration:

-what software programs are installed throughout the school, how and where they are installed.

 

Procedures:

-how to build a new machine (software wise)

-adding users (any special procedure) - depends on how documentation happy you are at the time

-etc.

[ChrisH]

Get it on a wiki. Its nice and easy to search/update then.

[DSapseid]

There was another recent discussion about this here.

 

Mine is currently 20 pages long and growing. 8O

[dhicks]

> how switches, routers and servers are connected together

 

Nothing beats a nice electronic format plan of the school of some sort, with different layers showing cables, switches, network points, etc. We use Inkscape to do an SVG format plan with layers, but Photoshop or similar, or a piece of dedicated diagramming software (or even AutoCad), would also be good.

 

--

David Hicks

[mortstar]

There was another recent discussion about this here.

 

Mine is currently 20 pages long and growing. 8O

 

From this discussion I saw webman's wiki, which I thought was perfect.

 

I've just finished the DokuWiki install onto Ubuntu, some great feature like LDAP authentication. Now all I've got to do is create some content :? ...

 

...or maybe I'll just tweak the layout a bit more

[webman]

Stop procrastinating

[Pete10141748]

I spent a few hours last week creating this kind of document. Its only simple, but it should be enough for anyone who actually has a bit of IT klnowledge. I had basically all of the stuff that SYNACK mentioned in his post above.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Network Overview - basic introduction

Internet Access - configuration of proxy / ports etc

Servers

Primary Server - IP address, roles, spec etc

Secondary Server - roles, spec etc

Espresso - cachepoilot config, location, access

 

Hubs and Switches

Upper school hub cabinet - location, configuration, free space

Lower school hub cabinets - location, configuration, free space

Fax Room hubs - location, configuration, free space

ICT Suite hubs - location, configuration, free space

 

Admin Department

 

Reception - PC specs, programs, roles, users, accounts, IP addresses

 

Finance - PC specs, programs, roles, users, accounts, IP addresses

 

Other PC’s

ICT Suite - specs, number of PCs, names, programs, age

Classroom PC’s - specs, number of PCs, names, programs, age

Staffroom - specs, number of PCs, names, programs, age

 

Laptops; Overview

Staff Laptops - specs, names, programs, age, user

Pupil / Education laptops - specs, number of PCs, names, programs, age

 

Printers / Photocopiers - location, age, capabilities

E-Mail account

ICT Office; General information

Appendices;

Appendix A: Full list of school software - name, age, compatability, use, where installed,

Appendix B: Profile information - how to set up a new profile for staff / students

Appendix C: Map and Key for both sites showing equipment location

Appendix D: Full Laptop List - specs, assigned to, age, serial number, name

Appendix E: Printer List - specs, type, serial number / MACs, location

Appendix F: Desktop PC’s - specs, assigned to, age, serial number, name

Appendix G: WAPs and Projectors - specs, assigned to, age, serial number / MACs, name

 

 

I'll probably add more as the need comes up. Its also prety useful to me as well to have all that info in one place, just in case I ever do forget something!

 

Pete

[sahmeepee]

This is a good starting point for your servers:

 

http://sydiproject.com/products/sydi-server

 

You can run it remotely against all your servers to make a Word doc for each one which can then be augmented with the stuff the script can't pick up like the physical location etc.

[plexer]

There's also a lite tool from ecora that does this.

 

Ben