Network Uptime

However, Team Uptime is finding many clients who have little or no documentation of the network! This creates difficulties for the organization and affects more than just the networking team. There are many reasons why a detailed network diagram is important:

Troubleshooting the Network - There may be people in your organization that have been around for years, and know every inch of the network in their head. As more people join the networking team (who has a network team that is shrinking?), there's a requirement for them to get up-to-speed as quickly as possible. With a network diagram, the orientation to a new network can be dramatically shortened.

* Planning the Future - Without a picture of the current network layout, plans for future changes are made in a vacuum. Analysis of bandwidth requirments, equipment changes, and other infrastructure updates are difficult without a point of reference.

* Help from the Outside - A meeting with a manufacturer or representative of networking equipment or services begins with the question: "Can we see a map of your network?" It's important that the people outside of your organization have a starting point to begin discussing the nuances of your networking environment. Without a blueprint of the network, the suggestions from an outside group are more generic and may have incorrect assumptions about your networking environment.

* Help from the Inside - Other teams in your organization also need a view into the network topology. Software developers, upper level management, and other business partners need to have an understanding of the network's advantages and limitations. A diagram provides detailed explanations of the network, and insures that everyone is heading the same direction.

* More than the Network - The documentation of the network should also include router configuration files, switch configuration files, and any documentation that would help rebuild the network from scratch. This level of documentation is a great requirement for disaster recovery documentation!

Documenting the network can take months, since most network teams have other projects that require their attention. The most important part of having network documentation is keeping the network documentation updated. There must be a commitment to keep the network documentation updated and available!

Don't let your network become one of the undiscovered countries. Keep your documentation updated and available, and watch your network appear before your eyes!