Handover Information when leaving

[SimpleSi]

I'm just embarking on creating some handover information for a school I'm leaving and I thought it would be nice to have some Edugeek standards e.g Bronze - minimum info you'd want to be given when you arrive to take over a place, Silver - good lot of info and Gold -everthing you ever wanted to know

 

So - imagine your walking into your next school - whats the minimum you'd need to have provided to you so you don't call the previous tech a *&^&%^^&*.

 

Si

PS[EDIT]

 

Please mark your info as B S or G (and keep B to the minimum )

[EDIT]

Edited January 31, 2011 by SimpleSi

[2097]

tbh im not planning on leaving but have been keeping my documentation upto date

 

I would want the following

 

All server names - with IP details and what services each server is running

all MACs of client machines - detailed in what room etc

all WAP IP's

All login credentials for everything

all licences layed out . Explain what ones are missing etc .

But would want also the previous tech to just give me a summary what he had done !. by showing me around all the machines .

[Admiral208]

I agree with @2097 except for the MAC addresses of all machines. Not really sure that's of any use.

 

Also don't forget to include any 'non-standard' things you might have implemented that could be mission critical. Will your successor come in on his first day, look at something and think "why on earth has he done it that way?" only to find when he changes it that there is a very specific reason for it.

[Cools]

a yellow post it stuck to the screen saying "free at last! Sucker."

[SimpleSi]

all MACs of client machines - detailed in what room etc

 

Minimum?

 

I wasn't even thinking about total numbers of computers

 

all licences layed out . Explain what ones are missing etc .

- I don't think we are thinking down to the same level here

 

Si

[teejay]

• Usernames and passwords for any network accounts
  
• Usernames and paswords for any supplier/licensing/support sites
  
• Details of servers and their roles
  
• Where the licence agremments are kept
  
• Any 'gotcha's' on the configuration of the network which are non standard
  
• Any support agreements that are in place
  

[andyturpie]

Network map, license database and up to date asset register bronze award

Above plus location of printers and their IP addresses sliver award

Above plus a list of staff who fidlle and twiddle gold award

 

lol - a man of simple needs me

[Hightower]

Admin user/pass as minimum - doesn't take too long to see how things fit together

[pantscat]

Ooh... this is a fun one.

 

When I took over the current role, the documentation I received was the administrator password... and some very out of date network diagrams. You can imagine that I was pleased.

 

But... in the past when I've left roles I've left all of the following:

 

- Budget breakdowns and spending records.

- Network diagrams (both logical and physical)

- Full inventories of all IT owned equipment (including specs, maintenance history and purchase information).

- Server overview docs (e.g. what server does what and why - what it is, what is it's IP etc.)

- Overview documents for all systems in use (e.g. How is Exchange setup, ISA, SIMS, FOG)

- Software licences - plus a summary document explaining what is licensed and how (e.g. Is it Microsoft Select or Schools, what's on a rolling licence)

 

That's about it I think!

[alexsanger]

The one thing I really needed after taking over - network topology schematic. Try finding a loopback when you have no idea where the edge cabinet uplinks are - or where the edge cabinets are, for that matter!

 

Oh yeah, and the secret to getting extra funds out of the business manager...

[john]

Phone number for all the local take-aways for when it all goes Pete Tong

 

Server Details - including warranty information, the role they do, IPs of them

Workstation Details - including warranty information (simple level like Supplied from XXX with warranty till DD-MM-YYY)

Basic supplier contact list is useful so your replacement knows who you use and is known to the school

Common shared areas where you have useful things stored like any documents you have on the LAN etc

[X-13]

When I started here I got given an equipment list, WiFi encryption keys and an admin user account so I could make my own.

 

And a huge back-log of jobs.

[pantscat]

Did you also get a LAN with 10 - 15% packet loss? That was a nice little welcome.

[sonofsanta]

I did pretty well from the old NM when I took over - he came in for three evenings to go over everything - but still, I'd like to walk in to find...

 

* List of servers, what they do

* At least a basic network map with details of physically where cabs are and what link they have

* a list of support contracts and any relevant warranty info would be very useful, and a list of current suppliers so you can start filtering out cold calls straight away would be nice (but isn't essential)

* where the admin account/password is used so admin login can be changed regularly without (for example) knocking backups over etc.

* a brief list of the regular maintenance jobs - e.g. daily check in with the AV console here, weekly check in with WSUS, termly we rebuild using the image server etc.

 

The last two in particular are two I wished I had, as I'm having to slowly collate them myself, and first two are essential.

 

My tuppence!

[X-13]

Did you also get a LAN with 10 - 15% packet loss? That was a nice little welcome.

 

Nope.

 

But I already have computers that decide to drop the network for months at a time for no reason whatsoever. A little bit of packet loss would be a nice change.

[pete]

Er, you get a login to the wiki and a domain admin account.

 

Oh, you wiped the wiki server before working out what it was because you don't like Linux? Well, you'll have to restore that from backup won't you? Y'don't know how to do that? Wow, looks like you'll have to admit to management what you did and get someone competent in then.

 

Yes, this happened at [$job-2], oh how we laughed.

[Hawkeyez]

When I started here (12 years ago...) I got the following list...

 

Admin Account

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary

[Pete10141748]

When I started I got nothing. I swear, NOTHING. I had to 'borrow' the Head's laptop when I found it logged in just to get the proxy server details to get online. Then I had to bug the ict co-ord until he remembered the password for the 1 server the school had, and when I got on it I found it wasn't doing anything anyway!

 

If/when I leave here I will be providing the next NM with the "Red Bus" document, so a lot of it is in nice simple terms in case someone with less techy experience needs to admin the network for a bit. I reckon it's close to a "Gold" standard.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Red Bus document – contents

Username and Passwords for all Administrator accounts (local on servers and all network) including any special accounts needed for software (such as our SophosUpdate account) and any local machines still present on the network

 

Internet access details (proxy settings and port settings, descriptions of each one)

 

Email address / login details for the helpdesk / VLP email accounts and guide on how to use them (probably already created as simple “How To” for staff)

 

Log in details for any sites (accounts on Argos, Amazon, BT Business Direct and so forth) and internal hosted stuff like Espresso, Exchange, HP/Cisco hardware manager software etc

 

Contact details for all preferred suppliers (email, phone, fax and names) together with either a brief history of recent purchases, or sufficient reasoning as to why they are preferred

 

Network diagram, with accompanying server names and locations, switch IP addresses and locations, type of cabling between each switch/server and WAP locations

 

Server info including hardware specs, RAID, serial number, warranty info, IP addresses if static, roles, mapped drives+purposes, anything not ‘standard’ about their configuration

 

Backup plan/details, disks/tapes and instructions on the current policy on backing up

 

Switch info including spec, number of ports, port diagram, serial number, warranty info, IP address

 

List of software with license information and if not kept in the school safe, paper licenses to go with it. Electronic copies of licenses (scans) of the original documents, all security keys/passwords required for installation of software and notes on anything that is not ‘easy’ to install

 

Hardware audit; details of all hardware including digital cameras, scanners, printers, PCs, laptops, projectors and so on. Serial numbers, warranty info, hardware spec’s, who it is assigned to/which room it is installed in, repair history

 

Details about any area/s of the network that are not standard, any that have particular problems recurring, issues outstanding or any other projects that are currently underway

 

Details of profiles, if roaming, how to set up, permissions, folder structures, Win XP/Vista/7/Other OS builds, imaging instructions and build procedures

 

Quick “how to” troubleshooting guides for the common problems experienced to let the new person/s hit the ground running

 

Telephony details if using VOIP system

 

Library software login details, how to add new books, remove books, print reminders etc. if part of the job (at the moment it’s part of mine)

 

Timetables of the school day with any recurring needs for equipment to be moved/permanent bookings for equipment

 

Any and all paper-based filings done

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Of course, on the cover it will have big bold print that says

"Abandon Hope all ye who Enter Here"

 

Edited January 31, 2011 by Pete10141748