What are the most common pitfalls of documenting networks?
The largest effort required to document networks is gathering accurate and reliable data. Many companies maintain the same network data and information in multiple and overlapping data stores, such as spreadsheets, CAD drawings, and decentralized databases. When changes occur, there is little to ensure that these changes will be made throughout the different data stores. If data is captured electronically, it can often be bulk-loaded into the KONFIG database. If network data is not in electronic format, a physical survey or walk through of telecommunications rooms and work areas is required. The data can then be entered into a spreadsheet and bulk-loaded into the database later.
