NetworkDocumentation.com - Network Documentating, Diagramming, and Management http://www.networkdocumentation.com 2010-09-08T22:43:02+01:00 text/html 2006-09-01T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=2 Network Documentation .com provides free online resources and tools to network professionals regarding network documenting, diagramming, and management.We all know the importance of proper network documentation, but most of us have never been taught proper network documenting and diagramming techniques. Without these fundamentals the task of documenting a network or updating existing documentation may seem overwhelming. This site is here to help by providing you with all the resources you will need to tackle your documentation project. text/html 2007-05-02T18:28:53+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=2 While its common knowledge that having up-to-date, detailed documentation of managed networks is good practice, the reality is that all too often the resources either aren’t available or can’t be spared from other tasks to meet this standard. With all that is happening day-in-day-out throughout the average NOC environment, accurate network drawings can provide a world of difference in helping to provide the context to easily understand and evaluate the network before any action can be taken. It’s quite simple, the faster you can understand the faster you can react, plan, and support the auto-pilot operation of the network. text/html 2006-11-21T22:33:21+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=2 Beyond a certain size networks become difficult to visualize without graphical aids. There are a number of tools to aid in the production of network maps. This article provides reasons why you should be interested in network mapping, as well as an overview of the available tools. text/html 2006-10-16T20:07:08+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=2 I can't tell you how many projects I've worked on in which the customer has little to no network documentation. The reason for the lack of network documentation is varied. In many cases this is both the fault of the customer and the vendor / consultant who designed and implemented the network. The vendor just does not do it and the customer does not press hard enough for it. In some cases, technology consultants do not feel it's important enough or want to lock the customer into having to call them if something goes wrong or a configuration needs to be changed. text/html 2006-09-28T17:33:32+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=2 Many administrators don't put much thought into choosing a standard naming convention for the various servers, workstation, and shared printers when they start a small to midsize network. But as your network grows, the lack of continuity and usefulness of a random (or bizarre) naming scheme can turn into an administrative nightmare. A computer name must be unique, but should also be somewhat descriptive or useful to users and Administrators. In this article we will take a look at the guidelines for naming conventions on Windows 2000, examine common naming schemes, and suggest a few alternate schemes for growing networks text/html 2006-09-28T15:12:16+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=2 I've talked to many network administrators over the years, and I've visited and consulted for a variety of operations that had anywhere from 10 to 600 clients. The one characteristic that all the organizations have had in common is the lack of good network documentation. Even in my own business, my documentation has, at times, been quite weak. Creating documentation is time-consuming, detail-oriented, and boring. It is also absolutely essential to the health of your network. An administrator's handbook containing network documentation could even save your job. text/html 2006-09-28T15:15:18+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=2 According to recent ZDNet research, wireless networks are predicted to be the number one networking initiative in 2005. That means more and more IT personnel will be planning, installing, and supporting wireless networks. Those who have experience with wireless projects already know there is a plethora of configuration options and choices that must be made in each one of these stages. Fortunately, there are numerous articles and tools available to aid IT professionals to make these choices. However, what is rarely discussed is the importance of proper wireless documentation. As in any major IT project, documentation should be on the short list of items to carry out. Presented here are five top reasons why documentation of your wireless network is important. text/html 2006-09-28T14:52:35+01:00 http://www.networkdocumentation.com http://www.networkdocumentation.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=2 Undocumented networks are extremely common. Many times this is related more to the difficulty of keeping the documentation up to date rather than to the difficulty of the documentation process itself. Many LAN Administrators had big dreams at one time of keeping elaborate drawings detailing every last aspect of the network. However, networks tend to change too frequently for such drawings to stay current. In spite of the difficulty, having a well documented network can help you solve problems quickly when they arise and is vital to the overall security of your network. In this article, we’ll discuss some alternative documentation methods that are more practical in the ever changing world of networks.