As is known by everyone who has worked in the IT world, change is an unavoidable. It was only a matter of time "and usually not long" before the significant changes made to the network.
- The server will be upgraded,
- Segment the network increases and / or decreases,
- Procedure changed,
- Employees and offices grow,
- And so on.
The result is a network documentation you created with difficulty will direct unused "except" if you are seriously planning to keep up-to-date. Here are some ways to maintain existing documentation and prevent the documentation of your network is not in vain.
MANAGING CHANGES
The key to ensuring that you keep the documentation up-to-date is the charge management. each IT departments should have a formal charge management system is used to control the network changes regularly. besides it, the charge management must run in earnest, including keeping documents up-to-date. And one or some people should have a job description that includes maintenance of network documentation.
Exact procedures to manage changes is very different depending on the size, environment, and culture of the organization. But usually, the process will begin with the proposed changes, followed by evaluation of proposals, the decision whether to pass the changes, and the implementation of change. The person responsible for maintaining documentation to be involved in the process from the beginning.
How to evaluate proposed changes will also vary from organization to organization. It may involve only a few people, a committee, or even several committees. But in any case, if the proposed changes are approved, the next step is to begin updating the documentation to describe the changes that will be implemented.
Other Considerations
At the time you make changes to the network configuration by moving hardware, usually it is clear that these changes must also be made to the network diagram. However, the charge management should also consider how these changes affect the visible such as policy or procedure.
For example, you might have a procedure to take care of the firewall. If you replace it with a new firewall or install additional firewall, you should review these procedures to see if they can still be used. if not, the procedure should be made again.
Although there is no hardware change, policy and procedures, and your hardware and software standards should be reviewed periodically. Over time, the organization's goals or priorities may change, and you have to apply such changes in policy and procedure.
In addition to evaluating the proposed changes, a review of the document should be a routine part of the charge management Determine the period of review for each standard, policy, or procedure / year, every two years, and so on. In the documentation itself, you should write down the date and the next review date.
Lastly, do not waste documentation long after you change it. Save the file. Over time, you will have historical reports that show the development of your network. Such information is valuable to someone else in the future who want to know how the network can be like now.
ENDLESS PROCESS
Could complete the creation of the first documentation of course, is a great achievement, but it's just the beginning. You must keep documentation so does not become obsolete. Maintenance documentation should be an integral part of charge management that your documentation is always relevant, accurate, and useful.
This is the last article in the label create network documentation,
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