Network Documentation

Network documentation is a collection of records documenting a network’s hardware, software, and configurations.

Physical Network Diagrams

A physical network diagram is a graphical representation of a network’s physical topology.

A logical network diagram is text-based documentation used to record a network’s logical topology

A baseline configuration is a node’s initial configuration at time of deployment.
A standard naming convention is the use of a consistent naming scheme, or convention, for computing resources.
An IP schema is the use of a consistent IP addressing plan, or schema, for network resources.

A schematic is a simplified or abstracted representation of a system.

can show the general placement of equipment and telecommunications rooms, plus device and port IDs, without trying to capture the exact position or relative size
can be used to represent the logical structure of the network in terms of zones and subnets

do not represent too much information in a single diagram
- e.g., create separate diagrams for PHY, Data Link, and Logical (IP) layers
information for each layer:
- Physical layer
  - asset IDs, cable links, wall/patch panel/switch port IDs
  - use color coding or line styles to represent cable type
- Data Link layer
  - shows interconnections between switch and routers
    - with asset IDs, interface IDs, and link-layer protocol and bandwidth
  - use line thickness to represent bandwidth
    - use labels as well for clarity
- Logical (IP) layer
  - IP addresses of router interfaces, firewalls
  - links showing the IP network ID and netmask, VLAN ID, and DHCP scope
- Application layer
  - server instances and TCP/UDP ports in use
  - configuration information and performance baselines (CPU, memory, storage, network utilization)
can be drawn manually, using tools, or compiled automatically from network mapping software
can use representative icons or drawings of actual product models
- Cisco icons are standard: