Technical Requirements Documentation

Snowflake Queen
5 days ago
5 min read

This documentation is to document the following

Architecture Diagrams & Designs
Technical Detail of every single component in Architecture Diagram
Technical Information hat MUST be taken note at all times
Technical Pre-requisites if any updates/modifications is required in the future

It's a documentation that needs to meet compliance during an IT Audit, where it is readily available by being up-to-date. The documentation must match exactly with the configuration & the implementation of the Security Solution/Hardware in the organization.

Regular Reviews & Updates is mandatory to ensure the Technical Requirements Documentation stays up to date.

Architecture Diagrams & Designs

There's different types of Architecture Diagrams based on different needs such as:
1. Application Architecture Diagram
2. Integration Architecture Diagram
3. Deployment Architecture Diagram
4. DevOps Architecture Diagram
5. Data Architecture Diagram
There's the High-Level Design & the Low-Level Design.

Technical Detail of every single component in Architecture Design

Device Type
Device Hostname
IP Address
Interface Details
Cable Type & Speed
Port Communication
Domain Details
SSL Enabled
Certificate Information
Password Details (Not to be indicated in the document, but the location/personnel who have access to the password)
TLS 1.2 and/or TLS 1.3 enabled. TLS 1.1 is NO longer in use.
RBAC enabled
Dedicated User/Group Access (if any)
Encryption Enabled & the type of Encryption configured
& more.....

Technical Information that MUST be taken note at all times

These information are something NOT to be taken lightly at all.
It is these little tiny details, configurations that truly matters the most where it allow the entire solution works smoothly & seamlessly.
Do make the time & effort to clearly write it down and explain the logic/reasoning behind it for everyone to understand.
1. Include screenshots of error,
2. Include reading materials about the error (if any),
3. Include screenshots of the configured configurations,
4. Include reading materials on the solution that the configurations provide (usually provided by Vendor or to note it down clearly)
Sometimes, we cannot predict when the same configurations will not work any longer & without knowing it, even a simple reset/or a little modification to the configuration will take days to discover, to identify, to understand and to make it work again.
Or when upgrading or migrating to another solution/hardware, it's these tiny details comes to light which must be configured to carry on with the daily tasks.
That's how crucial & nimble they are and how important to note them down in the documentation.

Technical Pre-requisites if any updates/modifications is required in the future

Usually the current setup will run well given 6 to 8 months before a new update/modification is required.
Such updates/modifications would have been highlighted earlier but informed to re-visit on a later date.
Knowing that in advance, it's the proactiveness & the initiativeness from you to indicate into the documentation so that even yourself / or someone else who needs to read the documentation is actually aware of what needs to be done prior to any testing of new update or to modify anything.

Keep this particular audience in Mind when creating the Technical Documentation which needs to be complied according to Security Standards, Policies, Procedures & Governance

"Fresh Graduates / New Comers ( from another industry, Mid-Level) entering into IT Security Profession" who are looking at the Technical Documentation for the first time and are expected to understand from it to learn about the organization's architecture fully within a short time-frame and the expectation where they must know everything at the back of their mind and answer questions immediately & promptly.

Ask yourself, if you are in their shoes AT THIS TIME of the world (2026):

Would you like to be reading a document with no clear precise information written?
Would you like to be treated 'as someone who lack the understanding' by your colleagues/superiors?
Would you like to be treated as 'giving extra work' because you are asking the RIGHT questions which needs to be answered and to be properly updated in the documentation?

I know, our times, the olden times (1800s, 1900s, 2000s, 2010s) we have toughen it out.

We had to go through the tremendous, hard, difficult way and really had no choice but to get through it and produce exceptional results.

What did we sacrifice?
What did we achieve?
How did the situations/experiences made us feel through decades of slogging away?
How was the outcome of anything that's been done since that olden times till now, any wonderful significant accomplishment long-lasting in maintenance/supoprt/improvements/enhancements running smoothly for decades literally from the ground all the way to the top including humans and machines?
It's just glitters & glimmer on the top, anything else is pretty much filled with resentfulnes, irritatedness & demotivation.
We know the truth yet millions of us stand on the sidelines and watch them get the credit and being appaluded in the media and the only thing we can say is 'Thank you God, for helping me & my family all the way through to put food on the table, to pay the roof, bills & for the life necessities & to sleep'
Would we still want to continue that toxic cycle that was pushed to all of us by our Older Seniors and pass it on to the Fresh Graduates / New-Comers?
Now, given a chance to perform in an excelling manner, shouldnt we Seniors are now finally able to demonstrate to everyone how we can truly craft a healthier, progressive, improvised path and educate the Fresh Graduates / New Comers in a positive approachable environment & through nuturing relationships?
Which in return, enhances productivity, learning & interest in the Fresh Graduates / New Comers and they are encouraged to participate proactively to perform & deliver outcomes exceeding expectations naturally without unfair competitiveness, disrespectfulness, belittling, egoistical nature, arrgorance, backstabbing, blackmailing, sabotaging?

Preparing such Technical Documentation is time-consuming, takes up extensive effort from you to document every single TECHNICAL Information & Detail which allows the document itself to teach the next person.

Hence, before you were to declare the Technical Requirements Documentation is documented in clear details, do take at least 5 mins to think through, to place yourself in their shoes and self-validate the document that it is indeed completed and they will be able to pick it up and learn on the go without any confusion or worry.