IT teams should regularly update network documentation to better administer maintenance, support and security routines. TechRepublic Premium’s network documentation checklist can help.

Seasoned professionals typically come to understand just how complex even small organizations with seemingly straightforward needs can become in terms of networks. Regularly scheduled audits, in which important information is collected for every node on the network, offer one of the best defenses against overlooking equipment, failing to patch and update gear as security fixes and performance patches become available and neglecting to replace gear before the manufacturer suspends support.

IT pros should employ a checklist with each audit. By maintaining a record of network equipment, and by tracking everything from manufacturers, models, hostnames, firmware updates, IP addresses and warranty status each time an audit is performed, organizations can build confidence that IT staff understands what equipment is deployed where and for what purpose, along with the status of each device.

This checklist — available as a PDF and Word document — will help you document your key assets, from voice equipment to storage infrastructure to battery backups.