Imagine this scenario: a valuable member of your IT team leaves the company, taking their knowledge of the network with them. Without proper documentation, you have a black box, unsure of how to manage and maintain the network effectively. This can lead to chaos, downtime, and costly mistakes.

Documentation is the key to ensuring continuity and efficiency within your IT organization. It provides a roadmap for troubleshooting problems, onboarding new employees, and making changes to the network. It also serves as a valuable repository of knowledge, preserving the expertise of your IT team even after they have moved on.

In This Article:
Benefits Of Documentation
Essential Documentation
Documentation Process

Benefits Of Documenting
  • Improved problem-solving – When problems occur, documentation can help you quickly identify the root cause and implement a solution. This saves time and resources, and it reduces the likelihood of recurring issues.
  • Consistent operations – Documentation ensures that everyone on the team follows the same processes and procedures. This helps to maintain consistency across the network and reduces the risk of human error.
  • Reduced risk – When IT team members leave the company, their knowledge is not lost. Documentation provides a valuable reference for new employees and helps to ensure that critical tasks are not overlooked.
  • Improved knowledge sharing – Documentation can be used to share knowledge across the organization. This can help to improve collaboration and innovation.
  • Compliance – Many industries have regulations that require businesses to document their IT infrastructure. Documentation can help you to comply with these requirements and avoid costly fines.

 

Essential Documentation

The specific types that you need will vary depending on the size and complexity of your network. However, in most cases, these are things your IT team should have documented and available for reference.

  • Network Topology – This is a physical map of your network, so it can easily be determined where a piece of hardware sits within the network and what might be impacted by any problems or changes.
  • Hardware Directory – While the network topology is designed mainly to understand how hardware is connected, this directory contains more information, including descriptions of the hardware and serial numbers.  This makes it easy to locate and service any hardware troubles at your company.
  • Software Directory – This directory should include the names of applications, the computers on which those applications are installed, and a proof of license for those applications.  In the event of a software audit, failure to have this will result in panic, long hours, and likely hefty fines.
  • A Recovery Plan – Different companies need to plan for different levels of risk mitigation.  Business recovery plans should at least include information on how to restore lost data or failing hardware, but the most rigorous ones can include how to recover from an entire building lost to fire or water damage, or a loss of multiple key employees at once.
  • A Continuous Documentation Process – Up-to-date documentation is extremely valuable, but out-of-date documentation can be worse than having no documentation at all. When someone at your company or your Managed Service Provider relies on documentation to help them make an informed decision, it needs to be accurate. Make sure that documentation is being revisited and kept current!

 

Establish A Process

It is important to establish a process for creating, maintaining, and updating your documentation. This will ensure that your documentation is always accurate and up-to-date. Here are some tips for effective documentation:

  • Use clear and concise language – Avoid jargon and technical terms that may be unfamiliar to some readers.
  • Use visuals – Visuals such as diagrams, screenshots, and flowcharts can help to make your documentation easier to understand.
  • Organize your documentation logically – Use a table of contents, headings, and subheadings to make it easy to find the information you need.
  • Keep your documentation up-to-date – Make sure to update your documentation whenever there is a change to the network.
  • Store your documentation in a central location – This will make it easy for everyone in the organization to access the information they need.

 

Documenting your IT network may seem like a daunting task, but it is an essential investment in the future of your organization. By taking the time to document your network, you can save time, money, and frustration in the long run.

To discuss how WingSwept approaches network documentation for our Managed Services customers, call us at 919.779.0954 or email us at Team_WingSwept@WingSwept.com.