I just got handed a big task: getting our environment documentation sorted out, and honestly, it's way worse than I anticipated. We're dealing with a mix of on-premise setups, cloud environments, and even some mystery VMs that no one seems to know about. On top of that, there are almost no current diagrams or any understanding of the interconnections between systems. I'm searching for a tool that can auto-discover servers, applications, and their dependencies to create a reliable visual map or CMDB that stays up-to-date without me needing to pour my life into Visio. Ideally, I want something that's agentless or requires minimal maintenance since I'm not looking to babysit another software. Currently, I'm considering ServiceNow Discovery and Service Mapping, Faddom, and Dynatrace, but I'd love to hear what has worked for others or any horror stories related to cleaning up such documentation disasters.
5 Answers
You could go old school and just try turning everything off to see who complains! We did that recently and it was quite a mess. Just a tip though, it could lead to some serious consequences if not everything is accounted for. Maybe not the best approach but worth mentioning for a laugh!
Well, we tried that once and ended up with a P1. So, maybe let's not make it a regular plan!
You might be in for a tough ride. Define the task to be manageable within a month, and recognize that the person who assigned this to you may not have the resources for results. Consider setting up a documentation program that defines essential items which can be distributed among your team, so everything isn’t on your shoulders.
That actually sounds like a solid plan! A shared responsibility could make a huge difference.
The hard truth is your documentation will probably never be 100% up to date. Instead, focus on making it flexible. As systems change, your docs should too. Accept that it's about creating something useful while managing expectations.
But it’s 2025! There has to be a way to keep it current, right?
Honestly, this isn't just a one-person job. It requires input from multiple people across the IT department. Start by identifying everything you manage, and then figure out who's responsible for what you don't manage. After that, make a proper inventory of applications, IPs, and functions before you start documenting. It’s a team effort and should have management involved to help standardize documentation practices.
Totally agree! It has to be a collaborative process, as one person can’t know every detail in large teams.
Absolutely! Management needs to set the framework for expectations on documentation.
For cloud resources, make sure to enforce required tags on resources. Set up policies that make these tags mandatory during creation or editing. It really helps with organization.
Definitely! Those policies can save a lot of headaches.
Haha, I did that last week! Didn't even realize we still had some crucial services running!