HOW TO CREATE AN INFRASTRUCTURE CONFIGURATION MAP 
by Wayne Strider 
 
Would you find it useful to have a complete up-to-date 
picture of all your IT infrastructure and how it is 
connected including dependencies?  For example, suppose you 
plan to upgrade the operating system on one server.  Would 
you like to be able to see at a glance all the software on 
that server and other servers that is dependent on that 
operating system?  Having this visibility of dependencies 
would enable you to know precisely what to test to make 
sure everything still works after the upgrade. 
 
A configuration map is a management tool.  An IT manager 
can use this tool to:
-Diagnose day-to-day service availability problems 
-Plan hardware and software upgrades 
-Verify that hardware and software contract costs are 
accounted for during budget planning. 
-Clarify IT staff support assignments 
-Make informed decisions about adding or consolidating 
hardware (combined perhaps with additional data such as 
capacity, performance, and utilization data.) 
 
BACKGROUND 
My partner and I recently helped a client create their 
first infrastructure configuration map.  They have sixteen 
servers, various applications, tools, operating systems, 
and databases, a wired LAN, a wireless LAN, network 
switches, firewall, DMZ, network printers, and a few tape 
drives and UPS devices. 
 
This IT shop is organized such that detailed knowledge 
about the infrastructure is spread over many different 
individuals.  No one has the complete picture of all the 
details of the entire infrastructure.  Likewise nobody 
really knows what is dependent on what throughout the 
infrastructure.  This sometimes results in things breaking 
when a change is put into production. 
 

CREATING THE MAP 
Here is how we helped our client create their map.  This is 
not the only way to do it of course.  We chose a low tech 
approach using "post-its on a wall" because we felt it fit 
the client's culture better than other approaches. 

 
We arranged with the client to have uninterrupted access to 
a large office for four days.  We attached butcher paper to 
a wall in the office.  The butcher paper covered roughly 10 
x 4 feet.  We used a supply of colored post-it notes in 
various sizes to represent the servers and software stacks.  
We used various stickers such as different colored dots, 
stars, and arrows to represent dependencies.  To illustrate 
the wired LAN we used black ChartPak tape. 
 
We scheduled a series of meetings with the IT staff during 
which configuration information was collected on colored 
post-its and stuck on the butcher paper for each server, 
its software, the network, dependencies within and between 
servers, and other hardware such as clients, UPS's, tape 
drives, and master consoles. 

For example, on a purple post-it we collected the following 
information about one of their servers:
- Vendor
- Model
- Serial number
- Name on the network
- IP addresses
- Processor type
- Processor speed
- Amount of RAM
- Amount of internal storage and RAID level if appropriate
- Initials of primary IT support person

Next we collected information about that server's software 
stack.  Stack is this context means a collection of 
technologies that make a system work.  Each technology 
"stacks" on top of another using it to do its work.  For 
this configuration map we chose to depict the stack as rows 
of post-its four deep.
- Row 1 Applications [Green post-its]
- Row 2 Development languages, tools, and databases [Beige 
post-its]
- Row 3 Operating system [Salmon post-its]
- Row 4 Network protocol software [Yellow post-its]


On each software stack post-it we captured the name of the 
software, vendor, version and release number or service 
pack, and initials of the primary IT support person. 
 
We continued in this way until all the hardware, software, 
and network components of their infrastructure were 
represented 
 
DEPENDENCIES 
With the help of the IT staff we identified dependencies 
within a server(intraserver) and dependencies between 
servers (interserver.) Each specific dependency was 
assigned a unique sticker.  Legends for the symbols were 
created as we worked.  There were multiple legends for 
intraserver dependencies based on server type and one 
legend for interserver dependencies. 
 
BENEFITS OF USING THE LOW TECH APPROACH
- People shared information with one another across 
artificial boundaries, i.e. applications group and 
network group.  In some cases this was the first time in 
memory.
- The IT staff achieved a shared awareness and 
understanding of what's where and what depends on what.
- IT's customers stopped by to see the picture developing 
and were impressed with how much IT does for them.
- IT staff learned things they hadn't known about their 
infrastructure and in some cases corrected false 
assumptions.
 
FOLLOW ON ACTIVITIES 
After all the hardware, software, and dependencies were 
represented a thorough review was conducted by the IT staff 
to ensure accuracy. 
 
Note that after a few days the post-its may start to fall 
off the butcher paper.  We recommend securing them with 
transparent tape. 
 
The infrastructure configuration map is useless unless it 
is continually kept up to date.  We recommend a regular 
monthly review of the map. 
 

The infrastructure configuration map can be put into other 
forms such as a magnetic board or in electronic form. This 
client used Visio.  One advantage with Visio is that you 
can view the entire map in summary form. Then in browser 
fashion you can drill down to view specific components of 
the infrastructure.  You can also produce reports on 
specific dependencies. 
 
If you would like help creating your infrastructure 
configuration map please contact us at 
info@striderandcline.com.

Strider & Cline, Inc. Wisdom Box Newsletter Vol. 2004, No.