You can’t effectively manage your clients’ IT infrastructure if you don’t have access to up-to-date information on it. Yet, many MSPs are falling into this trap; attempting to manage their clients’ networks with outdated or incomplete documentation, which is riddled with blind spots and prone to inaccuracies.
So why is network documentation such a crucial part of your job? Because when you have access to accurate and complete information surrounding your clients’ network, you’re able to provide better security, increase your transparency, and improve your overall productivity.
Know what you don’t know
When your network documentation is incomplete or is littered with stale data, you often run into two problems. For one, you waste time because inevitably you’ll have to find out what that unknown information is as soon as your clients encounter a problem. And two, you’ll leave your clients open to security risks that may or may not lead to actual security implications.
Rather than leaving your clients’ network unknown, or even partially unknown, good documentation shatters the mystery and enables you to be proactive, rather than reactive. Ultimately, you’re not just boosting your productivity, but your reputation as well.
Increase your transparency
The more you know about your clients’ network, the more you can step into the role of their strategic advisor. Imagine being able to head into a quarterly business review (QBR) equipped with issues you’ve identified on your clients’ network and a strategic direction to offer them moving forward. Not only have you helped improve their business, but you’ll have effectively made yourself more sticky.
Leverage a single pane of glass
The easier it is for you to access your documentation, the better. Which is why having all of your documentation in one location is key to unlocking your efficiency.
Think about it this way. When you have network documentation, complete with diagrams that help you visualize the network, you’re in a better position to understand your clients’ environments and troubleshoot problems when they arise. Better yet, you have the information you need to prevent those problems in the first place. But then consider the rest of your documentation that you already have, what if that was accessible in the same place, too?
That’s where the idea of the single pane of glass comes in. You want to have one easily accessible location that is equipped with all the tools, data, and documentation you rely on. That’s what truly empowers your productivity.
Go a step further with Network Glue
Let’s say you’re manually documenting your clients’ network. How confident are you that you’re not missing something? How much time is it taking you just to maintain a basic level of visibility that might even be changing on a regular basis?
This is where Network Glue comes in. Network Glue automates network discovery, documentation, and diagramming, giving you the most up-to-date information you need to assist your clients, with only a few clicks. It’s time to put the information you need to service your clients at your fingertips, without the manual effort.
Never leave a network undocumented again. Learn more about getting started with Network Glue below.
IT Glue™ is a proven, best practices-driven IT documentation app packed with features designed to help you maximize the efficiency, transparency, and consistency of your team. With our latest product, Network Glue, start automating network discovery, documentation, and diagramming, for all network devices, today.