What Is Network Documentation?
Network documentation is a form of technical documentation. As a result, it should come as no surprise to learn that it does not just describe what a computer network should look like but also how a computer network is supposed to perform under normal circumstances. These two characteristics make network documentation a must-have for not just businesses that handle their own network management but also those businesses that make use of the managed network services offered to them by service providers that specialize in Ottawa network support.
Why Do You Need to Have Network Documentation?
There are a number of reasons that businesses need to have network documentation. First and foremost, network documentation lets them know what their network is supposed to look like, which in turn, makes it that much easier for them to tell when something is not functioning as it is supposed to. For example, if a business’s email is not functioning, it can consult its network documentation to see which of its computers has been set aside to serve as an email server so that it can be checked out to see what has happened. Second, businesses that use managed network services offered to them by service providers that specialize in Ottawa network support should have network documentation because it enables them to communicate critical information to outsiders in an effective and efficient manner. After all, the people responsible for providing the managed network services offered by service providers that specialize in Ottawa network support will have no innate knowledge of what their client’s network looks like, meaning that consulting network documentation for their best method for figuring out what is what without the complicated and time-consuming process of trial and error. In other words, network documentation is not just useful for businesses but also for the service providers that provide them with IT support.
What Are Some Tips You Can Use for Your Network Documentation?
Entire books can be written on the topic of network documentation. However, there are some simple rules that should help businesses that are starting out when it comes to network documentation. First, they need to have a consistent network documentation policy that sets out what needs to be recorded, which should be second nature to those who have been entrusted with their network management. Second, their network documentation needs to be thorough. For example, a server should have its name, its IP addresses, its NICs, and its role listed in its documentation, while each piece of hardware should have information about how it is connected, how it is configured, what firmware it is using, whether it has a backup of its configuration, whether it has a password or not, and so on and so forth listed in its documentation. Third, there is a fair amount of what can seem like unrelated information included in the documentation, with examples ranging from backup policies to the exact kind of software that is installed on the computers.
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Network documentation is an art in and of itself. To master it, Ottawa businesses should consider seeking out service providers that specialize in Ottawa network support, which can help them with not just managed network services but also other forms of IT support.
