Pre-POC Questionnaire: Capture client IT environment details for understanding current state .
General Information
- Provide the full legal name of the organization.
- Ensure accurate spelling and proper designation (e.g., Inc., LLC).
- Verify with official documentation if necessary.
- Specify the name of the primary contact for the POC.
- Use the person's full name for clarity.
- Ensure the name is current and accurate.
- Enter a valid email address for the contact person.
- Confirm the email is frequently checked.
- Avoid using temporary or personal emails.
- Include a direct phone number for the contact person.
- Specify if it's a mobile or landline number.
- Check for accuracy and current status.
- Identify key goals the client aims to achieve with the POC.
- Focus on specific, measurable objectives.
- Consider both short-term and long-term aspirations.
- Provide the complete physical address of the organization.
- Include street, city, state, and postal code.
- Verify accuracy against official records.
- Specify the primary industry the organization operates in.
- Choose from predefined categories for consistency.
- Consider current trends affecting the industry.
- Indicate the total number of employees in the organization.
- Use approximate figures if exact numbers are unavailable.
- Consider full-time and part-time employees.
- Outline the budget allocated for IT projects.
- Specify if it's an annual or project-based budget.
- Consider both planned and unplanned expenditures.
- List current vendors or partners involved in IT services.
- Include names and types of services provided.
- Verify relationships and contract statuses.
- Describe the main products or services the client offers.
- Focus on core offerings that define the organization.
- Consider any unique selling propositions.
- Identify individuals who will be involved in the POC.
- Include roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder.
- Ensure their commitment to the project is confirmed.
- Specify how the client prefers to communicate.
- List options based on prior discussions.
- Consider effectiveness and convenience.
- Outline the expected timeline for the POC.
- Include key milestones and final deadlines.
- Consider any external factors affecting the timeline.
- Define how success will be measured post-POC.
- Include specific metrics or KPIs.
- Ensure they align with business objectives.
- Detail any past experiences with similar solutions.
- Include outcomes and lessons learned.
- Assess relevance to the current POC.
- Describe the organizational hierarchy related to IT.
- Identify key roles and their responsibilities.
- Consider how this structure impacts the POC.
- List any compliance regulations applicable to the organization.
- Specify how these may impact the POC.
- Consider both local and international requirements.
- Identify technology trends relevant to the organization.
- Consider innovations they are exploring or adopting.
- Assess alignment with the POC objectives.
- Provide any other relevant information about the client.
- Include insights that may influence the POC.
- Ensure clarity and conciseness.
Current IT Infrastructure
- List all physical hardware components.
- Include details about server specifications.
- Provide a summary of software applications.
- Explain network architecture and components.
- Highlight any security measures in place.
- Identify desktop and server operating systems.
- Note the version numbers of each OS.
- Specify whether they are licensed or open-source.
- Mention any planned OS upgrades or migrations.
- Include any mobile operating systems in use.
- List all critical business applications.
- Describe the function of each application.
- Indicate user base and access requirements.
- Note integration with other systems.
- Identify any custom applications developed.
- List all cloud service providers.
- Describe the services provided (e.g., storage, computing).
- Indicate usage levels and costs.
- Highlight any data security measures.
- Mention any compliance considerations.
- List types of storage (e.g., SAN, NAS).
- Identify capacity and performance metrics.
- Detail backup solutions and frequency.
- Mention any data redundancy measures.
- Include access protocols and security.
- List all virtualization platforms currently implemented.
- Specify the number of virtual machines running.
- Describe resource allocation strategies.
- Indicate integration with existing hardware.
- Note any licensing and support considerations.
- Map out the network layout and connections.
- List key hardware components in the network.
- Indicate bandwidth and performance metrics.
- Describe security devices and configurations.
- Highlight any issues or bottlenecks.
- Identify all third-party services utilized.
- Describe the purpose of each integration.
- Note data exchange methods and protocols.
- Highlight any service-level agreements in place.
- Indicate any potential risks or concerns.
- List types of backups (full, incremental, differential).
- Specify backup frequency and retention policies.
- Include location of backup storage (on-site, off-site, cloud).
- Describe recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO).
- Mention any testing procedures for disaster recovery.
- List all monitoring tools currently utilized.
- Include purpose of each tool (performance, security, etc.).
- Specify frequency of monitoring and reporting.
- Detail alerting mechanisms for performance or security issues.
- Mention integration with other systems or tools.
- Provide specifications for each server (CPU, memory, storage).
- Include workstation specs (OS, CPU, RAM, etc.).
- List other devices (routers, switches) with specifications.
- Indicate age and warranty status for each device.
- Note any planned upgrades or replacements.
- List remote access solutions currently deployed.
- Include protocols used (SSL, IPSec).
- Specify user authentication methods (MFA, passwords).
- Detail access controls and permissions setup.
- Mention any monitoring of remote access activities.
- Provide a summary of IT policies (security, acceptable use).
- List relevant compliance frameworks (GDPR, HIPAA).
- Include any audit schedules for compliance checks.
- Mention training requirements related to policies.
- Describe consequences of policy violations.
- Detail the schedule for regular maintenance activities.
- Include criteria for selecting upgrades (performance, security).
- Specify approval process for upgrades.
- Mention any testing procedures before deployment.
- List roles and responsibilities in the upgrade process.
- List all types of documentation available.
- Include details about network diagrams and their updates.
- Specify locations of documentation (physical, digital).
- Mention frequency of documentation reviews.
- Identify responsible parties for maintaining documentation.
Network Architecture
- Illustrate the layout of network components.
- Include connections between devices and subnets.
- Indicate any redundant paths or failover mechanisms.
- Mention the geographic distribution of network elements.
- Catalog each device by type and model.
- Include device IP addresses or hostnames.
- Note the role of each device in the network.
- Identify the physical or virtual location of devices.
- State the name of the Internet Service Provider.
- Provide details on the subscribed bandwidth.
- Mention the type of connection (e.g., fiber, DSL).
- Include any service level agreements (SLAs) with the ISP.
- List types of VPN protocols used (e.g., IPSec, SSL).
- Detail the number of users accessing remotely.
- Include any specific software or hardware solutions.
- Mention security measures in place for remote access.
Security Environment
- Detail types of firewalls in use.
- Specify anti-virus software and its version.
- Include information on endpoint security solutions.
- Mention any security protocols implemented.
- Describe user access controls and policies.
- Identify applicable regulations and standards.
- Specify any certifications held by the organization.
- Outline processes for maintaining compliance.
- Detail any audits or assessments conducted.
- Mention data protection measures in place.
- List types of IDS/IPS deployed.
- Specify vendors and models used.
- Provide details on monitoring and alerting.
- Include integration with other security tools.
- Describe update and maintenance practices.
- Outline steps in the incident response process.
- Identify key personnel and their roles.
- Include communication protocols during incidents.
- Describe training and simulations conducted.
- Mention post-incident review processes.
User Management
- Document how accounts are created and by whom.
- Specify the process for account deletion.
- Include any approval workflows involved.
- Note the tools or systems used for management.
- Mention any periodic reviews of accounts.
- List all authentication methods currently employed.
- Detail password complexity requirements.
- Explain the multi-factor authentication process.
- Identify any third-party tools used for authentication.
- Describe frequency of password updates and resets.
- Count total active users in the system.
- Categorize users by their roles (admin, user, etc.).
- Provide any groupings such as departments or teams.
- Identify temporary versus permanent users.
- Include any special access roles or permissions.
- Describe how access levels are defined.
- Outline policies for granting and revoking access.
- Include any role-based access controls (RBAC).
- Mention procedures for periodic access reviews.
- Highlight any exceptions to standard policies.
Current Challenges
- Gather input from IT staff and users.
- Document issues related to hardware, software, and processes.
- Consider security, compliance, and regulatory challenges.
- Assess the impact of challenges on business operations.
- Review system performance metrics and reports.
- Conduct interviews with users experiencing slowdowns.
- Evaluate capacity and resource limitations.
- Analyze growth projections and current system capabilities.
- Identify systems that require integration.
- Document existing integration methods and their shortcomings.
- Gather feedback from users on integration frustrations.
- Assess the impact of integration issues on workflows.
- Conduct surveys or interviews with users.
- Collect qualitative and quantitative feedback.
- Prioritize concerns based on frequency and impact.
- Document suggestions for improvements or changes.
Future Considerations
- List specific hardware or software upgrades.
- Specify timelines for implementation.
- Identify teams responsible for changes.
- Discuss potential impacts on existing systems.
- Highlight training needs for staff.
- Detail the goals of each initiative.
- Include estimated timelines for projects.
- Identify stakeholders involved.
- Discuss expected outcomes and benefits.
- Address integration with current systems.
- Define measurable outcomes for initiatives.
- Establish baseline metrics for comparison.
- Specify reporting frequency for KPIs.
- Assign ownership for tracking KPIs.
- Discuss consequences of not meeting KPIs.
- Identify total budget available for projects.
- Detail specific areas with funding limitations.
- Outline resource allocation for initiatives.
- Discuss potential trade-offs or compromises.
- Highlight need for additional funding or support.
Use in Manifestly