Network documentation

[gotenks1321]

Please forgive me if this in the wrong section but I've just spent the last 5 minutes trying to decide where to put it and i'm not changing my mind again

 

If you were about to walk in a new job that you knew pretty much nothing about the network, what kind of documentation would you hope to find there? From the basics such as IP details up to more advanced bits such as GPO settings etc

 

Cheers all

[Rydra]

What I would like, is all of it in a nice neat document, with a clearly marked folder on the network somewhere labelled appropriately as templates, documents etc.

 

What I would EXPECT, is some outdated paperwork that doesn't really describe anything useful, a sheet with all the critical passwords on that half a dozen people now know the details of, and LOL at the idea of documented GPO's!

[Soulfish]

As above - what I'd like is lots of diagrams explaining how things are currently configured and setup. What services reside on what server and why. What the dependencies are. Usernames and password lists for all software. Licensing documentation and where it's all installed, documents listing IP allocations. A complete hardware inventory and audit summary.

 

What I'd expect is that there's nothing at present and that I'd have to do all the above from scratch. If it's any different then bonus for me

[Jamman960]

As above really, would expect very little but like a lot

 

Ramesys seem to have the right idea(or atleast did when I was sub'd onto a project of theirs) - full documentation was created as we went along right from server specs and services to computer/username conventions and AD structure, they even(shock horror!) allowed 2 days onsite purely for documentation.

[mrbios]

I've got a 50 page document outlining the network configuration starting from the core switch to the furthest reaches of the school, vlan explanations from infrastructure through to the video vlan. Explanations of the servers: what they run, IPs if on vmware, specifications etc and OSs. services running on those servers, like WDS, Antivirus management, licensing services etc, theres loads i would have to check it to remember it all!

 

I update it once a year and keep myself responsible for it, though if i was to leave at the wrong part of the year it would end up being fairly out of date

 

You want to document everything, store it somewhere safe on a network share and keep one copy of it printed off and just replace it once a year, it's always good to keep the old version of it on the network sometimes too incase you ever need to check back to a previous config

[maniac]

Documen....what??

 

It'd be nice to have the time, but our new network is 100% un-documented at the moment as I just do not have the time to do it - it would take weeks to do properly.

 

What you should have is a nice guide broken down system by system, explaining how each bit works. e.g the contents page I wrote for our documentation had the following sections - this was the first draft, I'm aware there are bits missing, and overlapping sections - it would have been fine tuned if I had the time.

 

1. General information, system description and functionality

 

2. Server roles and specifications

 

3. Active Directory structure and groups

 

4. Logon scripts descriptions and function

 

5. Group Policy descriptions

 

6. System specific information

a. Kaspersky Antivirus

b. FOG imaging solution

c. WSUS system

d. Eclipse

e. Learning Platform

f. SIMS

g. Uniware

h. Ecopy

i. Website

j. Exchange

k. Papercut

l. Lanschool

m. ICT helpdesk

n. Websense

o. Xibo Digital Signage system

 

7. Procedures

a. Prioritising support requests

b. Adding a new user

c. Adding a new Student workstation

d. Adding a new staff workstation

e. Dealing with damage and vandalism

f. Dealing with warranty repairs

g. Encrypting staff laptops

h. Issuing a new staff laptop

i. Adding a new printer

j. Adding a new server

k. Packaging software for distribution

l. Adding icons to student desktops/start menus

m. Internet filtering

n. Updating the Website

o. Banning a student from services

p. Changing a username on the system

q. Creating a new mandatory profile

r. Creating a new image in FOG (inc. sysprep)

s. Updating or changing the mandatory profile

t. Adding a new wireless access point

u. Dealing with Incidents

v. Ordering

 

8. Interactive boards and Projectors

 

9. Cabling and infrastructure (inc. network diagram)

 

10. Wireless network

 

11. Printers

 

Appendix

I. Logon Scripts

II. Group policys

III. Fixed IP numbers

IV. Software lists

V. Policy documents

VI. Workstation locations and specifications

VII. Warranty Information

VIII. Phone numbers and contacts

IX. System Passwords and service accounts (To be kept secure)

 

I only got as far as writing the first section.

Edited May 25, 2010 by maniac

[Arcath]

id be tempted to setup a wiki (if i worked full time in one school) that had all the servers, programs and services in. That way is serves a dual purpose, make finding any notes i made on installing things and any other relevant info easy and theres a complete library of documentation for the next guy. (Of course its no help if the machine hosting it dies)