[ale] [OT] Good Server Documentation - Best Practices

[Jeff Hubbs]

Having done this sort of thing before, what I felt was important was a
thorough description of how the machine is built up, starting from the
hardware as it came out-of-the-box.  Document any hardware changes
(addition/removal of RAM, NICs, etc.) and then describe how you've got
any hardware RAID configured.  Then lay out the OS install, patches,
etc. and installed apps and their configuration.  

The point here is to make it possible for anyone, just from following
the docs, to replicate the server's behavior nearly exactly with an
entirely different machine.  

In each server's docs, refer to master docs that cover backup, disaster
recovery, network services, etc.

In describing hardware build, OS install, etc. you may want to give each
step its own sheet of paper such that you can edit by removing/adding
sheets as needed.  

- Jeff


On Wed, 2003-01-29 at 16:31, cfowler wrote:
> On Wed, 2003-01-29 at 16:25, Jonathan Glass wrote:
> > I'm about to spend a half-day doing nothing but documentation!  Woohoo! 
> > Now I'm in a quandary.  I have a nice, new, clean notebook (3-ring
> > binder) with inserts.  WHat is the best way to document your servers?
> 
> Use VIM and ASCII art.
> 
> But you really should use something like Visio.  Convert to PDF and
> print for your binder.  Pencils are part of the past.
> 
> > 
> > I was thinking about going the minimalist route, including server name,
> > ip, mac, switch port #, services, file-system layout, backup policies
> > and recovery methods...one sheet for each server.  
> 
> Works fine.  Create a standard form
> 
> > 
> > How do i document all my client machines?  Should I do the same, sans IP
> > addresses?  I'm sure there is more to this.
> 
> Yep.  Do not forget equipment serial numbers
> 
> > 
> > Thanks for any tips, suggestions, RTFMs (haven't looked for a "man
> > documenting-servers" yet...).
> 
> Would'nt know of any.  
> 
> > -- 
> > Jonathan Glass
> > Systems Support Specialist II
> > Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience
> > Georgia Institute of Technology
> > 404.385.0127
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Ale mailing list
> > Ale at ale.org
> > http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale


_______________________________________________
Ale mailing list
Ale at ale.org
http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale