Strategies for “inheriting” a new network
I work at an MSP as the network/firewall guy and we are onboarding a new client. Client’s IT manager (network guy there) was fired, and his replacement doesn’t know every detail of their corporate network, so we’re coming in to help.
My job is to learn everything about this network, especially when it comes to switching (Dell) and the firewall (Sophos).
I have 2 years of experience, but it’s my first time having to “map” every detail of a network of this size.
Luckily, there are tons of documentation (Excel spreadsheets with rack layouts, IP addressing, VLANs, but not much about topology).
Do you have any strategies for these cases? My current idea is to begin focusing on where the data flows (is the firewall a “router on a stick” or are the switches doing routing too?) and details that can bring down the network, like STP.
I really wish I had a more senior network person to learn from, but I’m pretty much on my own here.