Good documentation doth mark the difference ‘twixt remembering how things do function and being stayed at eleven of the clock on a Sunday, for the server lieth down and none doth recall how ‘twas set up. Documentation perchance is not the most thrilling part of IT operation, yet ‘tis one of the most important.

Wherefore to Document?

Of Documentation’s Sorts in IT Operation

Dokumentasjon er essensielt for å sikre stabil og effektiv IT-drift. Uten god dokumentasjon kan feilsøking bli svært vanskelig, og endringer kan føre til uforutsette problemer. Det finnes flere typer dokumentasjon som er nyttige i IT-drift, og vi vil se nærmere på noen av de viktigste.

Documentation ‘tis most vital to assure a stable and efficient IT operation. Without good record, the finding of faults may prove most grievous, and alterations may lead to unforeseen troubles. There be divers sorts of documentation that are helpful in IT operation, and we shall examine some of the most important.

Brukerdokumentasjon

User Documentation

Brukerdokumentasjon beskriver hvordan sluttbrukere kan bruke et system eller en applikasjon. Dette inkluderer instruksjoner for installasjon, konfigurering og daglig bruk. God brukerdokumentasjon gjør det enkelt for brukerne å komme i gang og løse vanlige problemer selv.

User documentation doth describe how the end-users may employ a system or application. This includeth instructions for installation, configuration, and daily use. Good user documentation maketh it easy for the users to begin and resolve common problems themselves.

Systemdokumentasjon

System Documentation

Systemdokumentasjon gir en detaljert beskrivelse av systemets arkitektur, komponenter og funksjonalitet. Dette er primært for IT-personell og utviklere, og brukes til å forstå hvordan systemet fungerer internt og hvordan det kan vedlikeholdes og videreutvikles.

System documentation giveth a detailed description of the system’s architecture, components, and functionality. This is chiefly for IT personnel and developers, and ‘tis used to understand how the system worketh internally and how it may be maintained and further developed.

Driftshåndbok

Operational Handbook

En driftshåndbok inneholder detaljerte prosedyrer for å drifte og vedlikeholde systemet. Dette inkluderer instruksjoner for oppstart, nedstengning, overvåking, sikkerhetskopiering og gjenoppretting. Driftshåndboken er et viktig verktøy for å sikre at systemet kjører stabilt og sikkert.

An operational handbook containeth detailed procedures for operating and maintaining the system. This includeth instructions for startup, shutdown, monitoring, backup, and recovery. The operational handbook is a vital tool to assure that the system runneth stably and securely.

Network Maps

A network map doth show the physical and/or logical structure of the network. ‘Tmay be all from a simple sketch to a detailed diagram with VLANs, IP addresses, and firewall rules.

A good network map should contain:

• All network devices (switches, routers, firewalls, access points)
• VLAN structure with subnet
• IP addresses for important devices (servers, gateway)
• Connections ‘twixt devices

An IP Plan

An IP plan is a chronicle of how IP addresses be distributed within the network. It doth aid thee in maintaining order and avoiding conflicts (two devices bearing the same address).

An Example:

Static addresses:

Check Rolls

Check rolls do assure that naught be forgot. They be most helpful for tasks thou dost perform seldom, such as setting up a new server or conducting a security review.

For Example: Check Roll for a New Linux Server:

• Install the Operating System (Debian/Ubuntu)
• Update all Packages (sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade)
• Create a User with Sudo Access
• Disable Root Login via SSH
• Configure the Firewall (ufw)
• Install Necessary Software
• Set up Backup
• Document the Server in the IP Plan
• Test that the Service doth Function

Change Documentation

Each time thou dost enact a change within a production environment (server, network, service), ‘tis meet thou document the same. A simple log may suffice:

## Changelog

### 2026-04-14 - Upgraded Nginx
- **What:** Updated Nginx from 1.24 to 1.26
- **Why:** Security update (CVE-2025-XXXX)
- **Who:** Ola
- **Result:** OK, no downtime

### 2026-04-10 - New VLAN for IoT
- **What:** Created VLAN 40 for IoT devices
- **Why:** Isolate IoT from the rest of the network
- **Who:** Kari
- **Result:** OK, all printers moved to VLAN 40

Operational Documentation

Operational documentation doth describe how a system doth function in its present state:

Tools for Documentation

Task 1 - Fashion a simple map of thy network

Use draw.io (gratis) to draw the network at thine home or at thy school:

1. Begin with the internet connection and the router
2. Add unto it switches and access points
3. Draw in servers, PCs, and other devices
4. Write upon them the IP addresses where thou knowest them

It needeth not be perfect. The point is to begin to think visually of the network.

Task the Second – Craft Thine Own Checklist

Ponder upon some deed thou dost oft perform with the arts of IT (perchance, to set up a new Virtual Machine, install a development engine, or configure VS Code). Compose a checklist for the undertaking:

• What be all the steps therein?
• What dost thou most oft forget?
• Mayest thou simplify some of these steps?

Preserve it within a Markdown document, that thou mayest employ it anon.

Task the Third – Document One of Thy Services

Choose ye a service which thou hast established (a Virtual Machine, a Docker-container, a webserver) and pen a brief operational documentation:

• What doth this service perform?
• How dost thou commence or cease its operation?
• What be the IP address and port thereof?
• Doth backup exist?

Write it in Markdown and lay it within a Git-repository.

Summary

• Documents for Thine Future Self: Write as if explaining unto one who doth know naught
• Network Maps and IP Plans do give an overview of the infrastructure
• Checklists ensure that nothing is forgotten in tasks oft repeated
• Change Logs do track what was done, when, and by whom
• Operational Documentation doth describe how the systems function this day
• Use Markdown + Git for easy, version-controlled documentation