Current Configuration and Baselines

Current Configuration and Baselines
Of particular value when you are upgrading a network or installing new hardware or software are the server and client configuration documents. If these have been properly maintained, they
include information about the current hardware configuration (including I/O address, IRQ, DMA, and memory address), the installed software, any patches, and any special settings.
Configuration documentation should also include cable maps that indicate each network cable’s source (workstation/server) and destination (typically, a port in a hub), as well as where
each network cable runs. (We’ll discuss cabling in detail in Chapter 10.)
Baseline documentation indicates how the network normally runs. It includes network traffic statistics, server utilization trends, and processor performance statistics. Baselines indicate how
things currently are, not how they should be. Creating and maintaining these types of documents provides a valuable reference point should a client or server fail or malfunction after an upgrade.