Taking over from previous network manager & outsourced company.

[AlexReedman]

Hi All,

 

So, I'm returning to education after working in system support/project management for the last 4 years and I'm starting a new position as a Network Manager.

 

I'm taking over from an onsite Network Manager as well as an outsourced company that assisted with larger projects etc and i have approx. 1 week to get all of the information i need.

 

My question is: Is this something that anyone on here has done before? or any pointers on the best way to go about this with the least disruption?

 

Is there a specific area that you think really needs to be focussed on?

 

I've taken over support for several companies in previous job roles but nothing with such a short time frame (generally have around 1 month to onboard a new client) so just trying to get myself prepared.

 

Cheers,

Alex

[LTurner3692]

From experince on not getting a hand over, get every password! even once they dont think are used anywhere anymore! find out if there are any quirky set ups or things you should know! are there any outstanding jobs/any in progress?

[3s-gtech]

I'd want a set of handover documents. Daily tasks, weekly, monthly, yearly. Instructions for bespoke or unsupported setups. Procedures and policies that are in place. Things like a password list, certificate expiry dates, software licensing info and logins. Schematics and diagrams of cabling and topology. An audit of current equipment and the oldest/lowest spec kit. I'd also want to know of any areas of concern, current issues, financial position of the IT Department, and how much you can do during the holidays (contract/TTO/access etc). There's loads more, but I'm just thinking through the handover docs that I maintain. Edited April 16, 2019 by 3s-gtech

[LTurner3692]

I'd want a set of handover documents. Daily tasks, weekly, monthly, yearly. Instructions for bespoke or unsupported setups. Procedures and policies that are in place. Things like a password list, certificate expiry dates, software licensing info and logins. Schematics and diagrams of cabling and topology. An audit of current equipment and the oldest/lowest spec kit. I'd also want to know of any areas of concern, current issues, financial position of the IT Department, and how much you can do during the holidays (contract/TTO/access etc). There's loads more, but I'm just thinking through the handover docs that I maintain.

 

I want a hand over from you some day!

[AlexReedman]

Thanks for the suggestions! make sense - the one that people always seem to forget or not document is the DSRM password - really hoping that that has been documented.

[AlexReedman]

I'd want a set of handover documents. Daily tasks, weekly, monthly, yearly. Instructions for bespoke or unsupported setups. Procedures and policies that are in place. Things like a password list, certificate expiry dates, software licensing info and logins. Schematics and diagrams of cabling and topology. An audit of current equipment and the oldest/lowest spec kit. I'd also want to know of any areas of concern, current issues, financial position of the IT Department, and how much you can do during the holidays (contract/TTO/access etc). There's loads more, but I'm just thinking through the handover docs that I maintain.

 

Thanks for those! ill make sure i add them to my list of things to double and triple check!

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

From experince on not getting a hand over, get every password! even once they dont think are used anywhere anymore! find out if there are any quirky set ups or things you should know! are there any outstanding jobs/any in progress?

Perfect! make sense - the one that people always seem to forget or not document is the DSRM password - really hoping that that has been documented.

[3s-gtech]

I want a hand over from you some day!

Oooh er! I'd need to know you better

[Davit2005]

The minute I hand in my notice I am getting handover documentation sorted but I am not too bad anyway as long as I have the time.

 

After been in this position more than once I'd echo all the other suggestions and add a list of servers and their roles. Phyiscal servers being labelled is another help, I've had to literally eject CD drives on physical servers so I could identify the box before.

[AlexReedman]

The minute I hand in my notice I am getting handover documentation sorted but I am not too bad anyway as long as I have the time.

 

After been in this position more than once I'd echo all the other suggestions and add a list of servers and their roles. Phyiscal servers being labelled is another help, I've had to literally eject CD drives on physical servers so I could identify the box before.

 

that's not a good place to be in! having to eject CD drives to identify the box!

 

Im hoping that all of this is documented and when i start next week it'll be plane sailing but just planning for the worse. i suppose that's the sceptic in me!

[DrBeaker]

From experince on not getting a hand over, get every password! even once they dont think are used anywhere anymore! find out if there are any quirky set ups or things you should know! are there any outstanding jobs/any in progress?

 

 

Ditto there, no handover is NO FUN believe me. Talk about swimming against the tide!

I'd want a set of handover documents. Daily tasks, weekly, monthly, yearly. Instructions for bespoke or unsupported setups. Procedures and policies that are in place. Things like a password list, certificate expiry dates, software licensing info and logins. Schematics and diagrams of cabling and topology. An audit of current equipment and the oldest/lowest spec kit. I'd also want to know of any areas of concern, current issues, financial position of the IT Department, and how much you can do during the holidays (contract/TTO/access etc). There's loads more, but I'm just thinking through the handover docs that I maintain.

 

Can I come work for you?

[mukz]

Thanks for the suggestions! make sense - the one that people always seem to forget or not document is the DSRM password - really hoping that that has been documented.

 

Crap! Reading this and i went through our documentation and realised this is missing + bios password!!

[AlexReedman]

Crap! Reading this and i went through our documentation and realised this is missing + bios password!!

 

*opens documentation - Adds DSRM and Bios Password, saves and walks away whistling as though nothing ever happened!*

[DrBeaker]

*opens documentation - Adds DSRM and Bios Password, saves and walks away whistling as though nothing ever happened!*

 

Ah-ha - version history!

[mukz]

We also have O+M for all IT services, door entry, cctv, cabling etc along with maintenance schedule which we bake into outlook so we don’t miss any important events.

[ITGURU]

Over the years i have taken over 2 networks - neither of which could give me a decent set of handover documents very limited and just a few IPs and list of data cabs, no schematic diagrams etc. Therefore i just carried out a manual audit using network scanners, visiting data cables, checking cabling etc to compile my own documentation. In the process i found mismatched fibre leads, switches without passwords, so basically just started again from scratch!

All now fully documented with network maps, documentation, traffic monitoring etc,.

[howartp]

University sandwich placement, day 1 (Monday), NM: "I'm leaving on Thursday".

 

Yeah, that was fun.

 

He must have given me enough verbal/written handover as the only problem I know I had was with Squid configuration. Fortunately he'd installed it in conjunction with another school so their tech was able to get me through it.

 

I'd no problem with general tech, but never touched AD, GPO, DHCP, DNS on a non-residential basis.