Step 9: Document the Solution and the Entire Process

Although it is often neglected in the troubleshooting process, documentation is as important as any of the other troubleshooting procedures. Documenting a solution involves keeping a record of all the steps taken during the fix-not necessarily just the solution.

For the documentation to be of use to other network administrators in the future, it must include several key pieces of information. When documenting a procedure, include the following information:

• Date-When was the solution implemented? It is important to know the date because if problems occur after your changes, knowing the date of your fix makes it easier to determine whether your changes caused the problems.
• Why-Although it is obvious when a problem is fixed while it is done, a few weeks later, it might become less clear why that solution was needed. Documenting why the fix was made is important because if the same problem appears on another system, you can use this information to reduce time finding the solution.
• What-The successful fix should be detailed, along with information about any changes to the configuration of the system or network that were made to achieve the fix. Additional information should include version numbers for software patches or firmware, as appropriate.
• Results-Many administrators choose to include information on both successes and failures. The documentation of failures can prevent you from going down the same road twice, and the documentation of successful solutions can reduce the time it takes to get a system or network up and running.
• Who-It might be that information is left out of the documentation, or someone simply wants to ask a few questions about a solution. In both cases, if the name of the person who made a fix is in the documentation, the person can easily be tracked down. This is more of a concern in environments in which there are a number of IT staff, or if system repairs are performed by contractors instead of company employees.

TIP: Many organizations require that a log book be kept in the server room. This log book should maintain a record of everything that has been done on the network. In addition, many organizations require that administrators keep a log book of all repairs and upgrades made to networks and workstations.