Documentation and Version Control
Maintaining accurate records of changes including updating diagrams, policies, and procedures. Using version control systems to track changes, maintain history, and enable rollback of documentation and configurations.
Understanding Documentation and Version Control
Documentation is the memory of your IT environment. Without accurate documentation, you don't truly know what you have, how it's configured, or why decisions were made. Version control extends this by tracking how documentation and configurations change over time.
Every change should update relevant documentation: • Network diagrams reflect new connections • Policies reflect new rules • Procedures reflect new processes • Configuration baselines reflect new settings
Version control ensures you can see what changed, when, why, and by whom—and roll back if needed.
Organizations with poor documentation suffer from "tribal knowledge" (information only in people's heads), configuration drift (systems diverging from baselines), and audit failures (can't prove compliance).
Why This Matters for the Exam
SY0-701 specifically tests documentation updating and version control as part of change management. Questions may ask what should be updated after a change or why version control matters for security.
Documentation supports multiple security functions: incident response (understanding the environment), auditing (proving compliance), change management (knowing current state), and disaster recovery (rebuilding systems).
In audits, documentation is evidence. Auditors ask: "Show me your network diagram. Is it current?" "Show me your change records. Can you trace this change to its approval?" Poor documentation fails audits.
Deep Dive
Documentation Types That Need Updating
Network Diagrams
- •Visual representation of network infrastructure.
Changes requiring updates: • New network segments added • Connections modified • IP addresses changed • Security zones altered • New devices deployed
Why it matters: Incident responders and security analysts need accurate diagrams to understand traffic flow and identify anomalies.
System Architecture Diagrams
- •How systems connect and interact.
Changes requiring updates: • New applications deployed • Integration points changed • Data flows modified • Redundancy added/removed • Cloud migrations
Why it matters: Understanding architecture helps assess impact of changes and security incidents.
Policies
- •High-level rules governing security behavior.
Changes requiring updates: • New security requirements • Regulatory changes • Risk tolerance adjustments • Technology changes affecting policy • Business changes
Why it matters: Policies must reflect current reality to be enforceable and auditable.
Procedures
- •Step-by-step instructions for tasks.
Changes requiring updates: • Process modifications • Tool changes • Interface updates • New requirements • Lessons learned from incidents
Why it matters: Outdated procedures cause errors and security gaps.
Configuration Baselines
- •Standard configurations for systems.
Changes requiring updates: • Security hardening changes • Application updates • Service modifications • Compliance requirement changes
Why it matters: Baselines enable detection of unauthorized changes and consistent deployment.
Version Control Systems
Version control tracks changes to files over time, enabling: • History — See all previous versions • Attribution — Know who made each change • Comparison — See what changed between versions • Rollback — Restore previous versions • Branching — Work on changes without affecting production
Version Control Benefits for Security:
| Benefit | Security Value |
|---|---|
| Change history | Audit trail for compliance |
| Attribution | Accountability for changes |
| Rollback capability | Recovery from bad changes |
| Change comparison | Understand what was modified |
| Approval workflows | Enforce review before merge |
What Should Be Version Controlled:
- •Configuration files
- •Infrastructure as Code
- •Policy documents
- •Procedures and runbooks
- •Diagrams (as code when possible)
- •Scripts and automation
- •Security baselines
The Documentation Update Process
1. Identify — What documentation is affected by the change? 2. Update — Make necessary modifications 3. Review — Have updates verified for accuracy 4. Version — Commit changes to version control 5. Communicate — Notify relevant parties of updates 6. Verify — Confirm documentation matches reality
Common Documentation Problems
Configuration Drift
- •Systems diverge from documented baselines. Documentation says one thing, systems are configured differently.
Tribal Knowledge
- •Critical information exists only in people's heads. When they leave, knowledge is lost.
Stale Documentation
- •Documentation isn't updated with changes. Becomes increasingly inaccurate over time.
Missing Documentation
- •Decisions and changes never documented. No way to understand why things are configured a certain way.
Preventing Documentation Problems:
- •Make documentation part of change completion criteria
- •Automate documentation where possible
- •Regular documentation audits
- •Version control for all documentation
- •Review documentation in change approval
How CompTIA Tests This
Example Analysis
Scenario: A network engineer adds a new DMZ segment to the network with a web application firewall. The change is technically successful—the new segment works correctly. What documentation should be updated?
Required Updates: • Network diagram — Show new DMZ segment, WAF placement, traffic flows • Security architecture — Document the new security zone and controls • Firewall procedures — How to manage rules on the new WAF • Asset inventory — Add the WAF and any new servers • Configuration baselines — Document WAF configuration standards • Incident response procedures — Include new DMZ in response plans
Version Control: • All updated documents committed with change reference • Change description includes what was modified and why • Previous versions retained for history
Key insight: A "network change" requires multiple documentation updates. The change isn't complete until documentation accurately reflects the new reality.
Key Terms to Know
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Exam Tips
Memory Trick
"DPPC-B" Documentation Types
- •Diagrams (network, architecture)
- •Policies (rules and requirements)
- •Procedures (step-by-step instructions)
- •Configurations (baseline settings)
- •Baselines (standard configurations)
- •Version Control = "HARC"
- •History (see all versions)
- •Attribution (who changed what)
- •Rollback (restore previous)
- •Comparison (what changed)
- •Documentation Problems Memory:
- •Drift = Systems don't match docs
- •Tribal = Knowledge in heads only
- •Stale = Docs not updated
- •Missing = Never documented
The Golden Rule: Change isn't complete until documentation is updated. If it's not documented, it didn't happen (for audit purposes).
Test Your Knowledge
Q1.After implementing a network change, what should happen to the network diagrams?
Q2.What is the PRIMARY benefit of using version control for configuration files?
Q3.An organization's documentation says servers should be configured with specific security settings, but an audit finds many servers don't match. What problem does this describe?
Want more practice with instant AI feedback?
Practice with AIContinue Learning
Ready to test your knowledge?
Practice questions on documentation and version control and other Objective 1.3 concepts.