System Audit / Checklist

Hi
I would make sure that you can get as much info as you can before he goes. See if there is a Visio diagram and any other relevent documentation. I have found this to be very helpful. I would also check to see what is under warranty and with who. What you have above is a good start. Good luck in your new position.

Mike

Been there, done that... In my last Novell network management job I did not have a chance to speak to my predecessor either.

You may be able to find something like a checklist in connection with software or network audit applications, but if you are handy with Access, you can easily produce your tailored checklist per hardware item. Here are some thoughts:

You need an asset register which has the model and serial number of each workstation and server. The Accounts department may have one already.

The software licences, whether volume or OEM licences, need to have been audited, too. Do not forget the CALs, you need client licences in Novell servers. Make sure the licence documents are listed and stored with the CDs.

It is necessary to know the anniversaries for warranty and maintenance agreements. Even though the suppliers send their bills, you need some time to get quotes and do costing on alternatives.

A full software audit can tell you how many actual licences are being used. It can also tell you the major versions and patch levels of products.

You should also ask for a document listing the NDS tree and containers, user groups, workstation groups, login scripts and application objects under NAL.

Cabling diagram for LAN and WAN should be part of the network documentation, in addition to firewall rules and router configuration scripts. You could have a database or spreadsheet showing the premises outlet for each workstation and the corresponding port on the switch in the patch panel. Similarly, wireless connections need some support documentation.

Auditing of laptop computers, notebooks, PDAs and mobile phones with network connectivity may need attention. Any external connections, VPNs likewise.

Any existing security audit documentation or lack of it would also take you a long way in getting on the top of your task.

Network Audit Checklist
The following items should be included in every network audit. The auditor should note any deficiencies identified in each area, but should not be making any modifications of any kind to the existing network during the audit process.
1. Network topology and physical infrastructure documentation in Visio or similar electronic format.
2. Network addresses and names are assigned in a structured manner and are well documented.
3. Network wiring is installed in a structured manner and is well labeled.
4. Network wiring between communications closets and end stations is generally no more than 100 meters.
5. Network availability.
6. Network security for basic security, including the following: passwords are reasonable; passwords are protected from casual observation in config files; dialin ports are protected.
7. Inventory of all routers and switches. Include the following for each device:
8. Location (city, address, building, floor, wiring closet, rack, slot-in-rack - as detailed as is reasonably possible).
9. Security of physical location.
10. Configuration.
11. Model and serial number (if easily available)
12. Software version loaded
13. Routing table
14. Routing protocols in use
15. Neighbor table (CDP if Cisco gear)
16. ARP table
17. CAM table (for switches)
18. Spanning tree information for switches
19. Memory utilization (at multiple points during a day, if possible)
20. CPU utilization (at multiple points during a day, if possible)

Cont.

21. If Cisco routers, output of 'show ip access-list' (and other access lists if routing other protocols)
22. Passwords for all equipment (if encrypted passwords are used)
23. Special redundancy measures (HSRP, etc)
24. Link information. Make sure that the corresponding data volume on an interface is captured at the same time that other supporing data is captured so that they can be correlated.
25. Traffic volume (bytes) every 5 minutes during at least one business work day. Best if this information is taken for several days in each of several weeks and reports of average/max values on each segment. Highlight segments with high levels of utilization for the technology in use on the segment. Report number of bytes sent/received on the interface, and the bytes/sec on the interface
26. CRC errors of each segment. Report total errors and errors/Mbyte.
27. Report errors on each segment. Breakdown of error types according to the media (collisions and late collisions on Ethernet, soft errors and beacons on Token Ring, etc,) For each error type, report total errors and error/Mbyte of transferred data on the interface.
28. On Token Ring segments, number of soft errors not related to ring insertion and the total amount of data. Number of beacon frames. Report total errors and errors/Mbyte.
29. Volume of broadcast traffic on each network segment.
30. Number of dropped packets (in and out).

cont.

31. Report frame size. Report on any frame sizes less than the optimum for that link.
32. Identify WAN links that terminate in routers outside the AS
33. Contact at external AS
34. Method of route sharing with the external AS (static routes, BGP, IGP, etc)
35. WAN link physical clocking rates (e.g. T1, 56K, etc. Warning - do not depend on Cisco 'bandwidth' statements)
36. CIR for Frame Relay circuits
37. WAN Circuit ID and carrier and contact phone number
38. Document physical interconnecting media for each segment (10BT, Fiber, etc)
39. Identify locations of major servers
40. Locate network management stations
41. Identify and locate all firewalls and respective topologies
42. Contact information at each remote site (primary and secondary contact person name, email address, and phone number).
43. Document the services and clients that exist at each site and their relative importance to the business.
44. Document the charges for each WAN circuit.

hi thats so kool to have got that big job but always as a network administrator, one should be having a log book where he registers all the problems and solution, you should ask for it. And the other thing is you need to request for the hand over of all software and hardware items and from this you will get the a checklist.
cheers .
Abel .D.
Systems Administrator
Mbale Resort Hotel
Uganda