Every subnet should be listed separately, and every individual device should be recorded. That documentation, for instance, might state which switch ports connect to which rooms and computers. A rack layout diagram shows the server room or wiring closet racks with all of the equipment and patch panels. I also want to see central management devices like SIEMs and log servers on this diagram. 1.1 Consult with appropriate personnel . Layer 2 features include things like VLAN numbers, link aggregation, and trunk connections. database server to web server, etc. If you have equipment mounted to be accessible from both the front and back of the cabinet, then you should have diagrams for both the front and the back. If you have any special network security infrastructure in your cloud services like firewalls, load balancers, or WAF virtual devices, they need to be clearly described so that the next person can easily understand what you’ve done and how to manage it. Network Inventory generates documentation for network discovery and assessment. Everybody agrees network documentation is extremely important, but there tends not to be a lot of agreement on what that documentation should include. Dive into our sandbox to demo Auvik on your own right now. Network Design generates documentation for network design and implementation. An accurate network diagram with hotspot links to each device. Proper documentation in the clinical record is essential for sound clinical decision- making. By building and maintaining configuration management best-practices, you can expect several benefits such as improved network availability and lower costs. As the purpose of network documentation is to keep networks running as smoothly as possible while minimizing downtime when repairs are necessary, essential parts of network documentation include: Map of the entire network to include locations of hardware and the cabling that connects the hardware Register for email notifications regarding changes to Ausgrid technical documentation. Our standards and guideline documents outline the procedures and authorisations required when maintaining, or changing network infrastructure. Reference to them does not imply association or endorsement. Otherwise you’ll inevitably wind up giving out the same addresses to two different projects and creating completely avoidable conflicts. At a minimum, the patching documentation should show, for every port in the panel, exactly what’s connected on the other end of the cable. Network Documentation is a BIG job with BIGrewards. How important are switches and port connection important in network documentation process? The IP segments should indicate any relevant VLAN ID numbers and a brief one or two-word description of the intended function, as well as the IP network number and mask. Network documentation is essentially working with Visio to produce anything and everything related to the network. The Standard is a marketing name for Standard Insurance Company (Portland, Oregon), licensed in all states except New York, and The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York (White Plains, New York), licensed only in New York. You can link standard networks with standard work breakdown structures in order to create project templates, which contain both the project structure and the activities assigned to the structure. If you’re documenting a router, it’s usually a circular device with arrows pointing in and out. Software applications can include diagrams, inventory management and circuit and cable traces. Network administrators who utilize network documentation as a “living document” or “living process” reap the greatest of those rewards. And you could similarly record other dynamic topology information like spanning tree link states for the same reason. These include: 1. Thank you so much for your useful information 3.1 Hardware standards As stated in the standard goals, all network equipment is procured, supported, and maintained by the campus Information Technology department. [1] The documentation is used to give administrators information about how the network should look, perform and where to troubleshoot problems as they occur. Auvik is a trademark of Auvik Networks Inc., registered in the United States of America and certain other countries. As well, a good Wi-Fi diagram shows all of the SSIDs along with their intended purposes and security mechanisms. Many companies have a network document policy, which specifies the level of network documentation required. it is really appreciate it. But in a bigger network, you need to follow the general principle that somebody else will need to support this thing one day and you want to be remembered positively. That generally mean Layer 3 switches, routers, and firewalls. Showing switches and specific port connections of critical assets is very important in the network documentation process. If you have an important Wi-Fi component to your network, that should be documented. Instead, the list should include the critical pieces of infrastructure like switches, routers, and firewalls, as well as any critical pieces of server hardware. That being said, I bring a slightly different perspective to what I consider ‘best practices’ for good network documentation. The drawing should consist of all of your network devices and firewalls at a minimum. We’re glad you like our icons! When it comes to documenting networks, images and diagrams have a huge impact on providing an outline but sometimes the diagrams don’t provide all the detail you need to solve the problem! If it’s an Internet circuit, then the amount and detail of the information could vary wildly depending on the provider and the type of circuit. "Lesson 1: Documenting a Running Network", http://packetpushers.net/evolution-of-network-documentation/, http://packetpushers.net/network-documentation-best-practices-whats-important-how-to-track-it/, http://graphicalnetworks.com/netterrain-logical-2/, "UML Diagram Tool | How to Make UML Diagrams Online | Gliffy", "XIA Configuration Network Documentation Tool", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Network_documentation&oldid=996008433, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Map of the entire network to include locations of hardware and the cabling that connects the hardware, Server information such as data on the individual servers, schedules and locations of backups, Software information such as current versions, dates, licensing and support, Detailed record of problems and solutions: dated along with procedures and results, This page was last edited on 24 December 2020, at 01:16. I like to see individual port numbers or designations on a Layer 1 diagram. These notes becomes very useful later when you wonder why something was done a particular way and whether it’s safe to change it. I … 1. If the patch cords have unique identifying numbers, which is a good practice, those numbers should be included as well. It’s very useful to have a table of asset tracking information. Lower … Use them as templates to get you started. This is particularly important if there are any special antennas in use with non-symmetrical radiation patterns. Hi There – I really like the simplicity of the Visio stencils you are using. You’ll use a rack layout diagram when planning for where to put that next piece of equipment, as well as when talking to technicians and other IT staff about where to find things. Examples include Graphical Networks' netTerrain,[4] Microsoft Visio,[5] Docusnap, Gliffy,[6] Opnet's Netmapper, XIA Configuration[7] among others. I like to include support information in this listing of circuit numbers. Turnkey protection: Simplified configuration immediately protects all resources on a virtual network as soon as DDoS Protection Standard is enabled. Since I have had the pleasure of working with him on the NetworkDNA version 2.0 I had these original files on my Hard drive. Video – Introduction to museum collections documentation standards. A similar diagram that comes in handy whenever you’re troubleshooting an office network problem (like finding the guy who created a loop by cleverly plugging two jacks into the same unauthorized workgroup switch) is a cable plan. Depending on the type of information, there may also be custom applications with their own proprietary database repositories for the data. It’s extremely important when you’re telling somebody to shut off the power to a particular device that they get the right one. When you use a standard network that is linked to a standard WBS to create an operative network, an operative WBS is also created. And in most cases, you’ll also have fallback passwords that can be used if the central authentication system breaks. As the purpose of network documentation is to keep networks running as smoothly as possible while minimizing downtime when repairs are necessary, essential parts of network documentation include:[1], Notation that helps administrators remember key details are the basics of network documentation while visual representations assist in helping administrators understand how equipment and the notation relates to one another. Data centres usually have many different kinds of links, from fibre and copper to perhaps some twinax or Infiniband. It’s a unique mix of community where users can collaborate or seek advice from each other, but it’s also home to a marketplace of IT-related services and products that include inventory management, network monitoring, and help desk solutions. But no matter what method you use, what’s important is a consistent process that produces quality information and keeps that information up to date. Standardization can help maximize compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality.It can also facilitate commoditization of formerly custom processes. . If there are any important NAT rules or firewall rules, it’s often useful to indicate these as well. Network documentation is a form of technical documentation. The short answer is that it should include everything that’s relevant—but what that means varies between networks. The list should include the circuit numbers and the network provider, as well as any information about where the circuit goes. Conversely, the patch panels that support all of the users in the west wing of the third floor probably has most of those users connected to identically configured switch ports. This is because network diagrams are often created and never updated again until needed. It includes things like link speeds and cabling types. Within the object itself, fill in details about it. HNS Network Physicians seek to provide excellent clinical care, and such care is evidenced through excellent clinical documentation in the healthcare record. 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. That information is likely to change regularly, and it only clutters up the picture without adding much useful information. This diagram allows you to map the usually inscrutable jack numbers to physical locations in your building. Basic diagrams include L1/L2 drawing of the physical connectivity and layout of the network.[3]. Network Service Tiers pricing is applicable to outbound traffic from Google Cloud to the internet. Though network documentation can be done by hand, for larger organizations network documentation software is utilized. No intervention or user definition is required. For example, perhaps you’ve chosen to use a particular routing protocol because of the need to support a particular legacy requirement.