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So, I want to overhaul documentation. What we have is some combination of missing, incomplete, or out of date. Our DR docs are pretty much up to date though. It’s a bit of a daunting task, and I’m not sure where to start, so I’m hoping someone can give me some outside advice, and prioritization.

A little about our environment, as of now: The network is composed of 3 VLANs, only one of which is in wide use. The other two are for VMWare and iSCSI traffic. 3 VMWare hosts, 2 SANs, between 2 buildings. Some other physical servers in the mix as well.

So, if you were to walk in to my job after I got hit by a bus, what would be the 3-5 most important documentation pieces you would want to find on my desk, complete and up-to-date?

TL;DR - I ARE DEAD. HOW CAN HALP?

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  1. Login information for all servers, switches, routers, UPS.
  2. Login information for all software applications that require it
  3. Contact information for any support contracts

Edit:

  1. Network diagram
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  1. the current process to restore any needed systems from tape, etc…

  2. db or spreadsheet with info on what servers are doing\hosting

  3. Instructions on logging in and using your spiceworks (which is hopefully up to date for hardware and software inventory)

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In 3-ring binders next to my desk are:

  1. A binder with current equipment leases, when they expire, what equipment they apply to, and how much/when the payments are due.

  2. A binder with a tab for every server showing purchase order, current configuration, installed software, and roles.

  3. A binder with a tab for every switch, router, bridge, and firewall containing the current configuration. A diagram for each device showing vlans and connected equipment.

  4. A network map of the infrastructure with key IPs and switch number/ports shown.

  5. A binder of the AD structure and DFS mappings.

  6. Book of equipment warranties, support contracts, and software/firmware download websites.

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8: Your internal contact list of who gets things done when needed, including those no longer with the company, but would be trusted and viable for information and/or assistance (and what sort of bribery may be required).

9: If used, a list of past & present Contractors/MSP’s that have working knowledge of the systems and network.

10: Disaster Recovery plan(s), contact info, and EQ lists for fall-backs already in place

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To be honest, I feel if I had to walk into someplace after someone has been hit by a bus the only thing I should need is a copy of the DR plan which should pretty much include many of the previous things that have been mentioned. Here are things I would want to find first:

  1. DR documentation. This should include login information, locations, contacts and alternate contacts, network diagrams, warranty information, plans, procedures, etc.
  2. Any policies which are not critical enough to be needed for inclusion in the DR, but are still nice to have. Copies of any AUP, service agreements, special configurations, etc.
  3. Anything that might be ‘out of the norm’. For instance, if you had placed a software package on someone’s machine to monitor that employee as directed by HR, I would like to see a copy of the documentation stating that. Basically this would be the CYA stuff.
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My predecessor didn’t actually get hit by a bus. He got hit by a car after stepping off the bus. So I take note of proper documentation.

[full confession: he was okay after his shattered leg healed and was here for a year after the bus incident but he still didn’t have any documentation to work from when I stepped into the job.]

In any rate, I had to start from scratch as well.

The main doc is every server, provider, configuration and routine. 146 pages of an .odt file.

The second doc is a spreadsheet of server logins and passwords as well as all the company’s social media account info, third party accessibility info, etc.

Which reminds me, I have to update this now that we moved to Google Apps.