Sample Project Specification for Deployment

This chapter covers a lot of different topics and makes various suggestions about the different elements of a project specification that you might want to consider. Table 20.2 summarizes this discussion by listing the elements of a complete project specification that you can use as a checklist for your own work.

Table 20.2. Elements of a Complete Deployment Project Specification

Part	Purpose
Executive Summary	One-page overview of the project's goals, time line, and budget.
Table of Contents	Necessary for any long document.
Proposal Process	Identifies who participated and how decisions were made.
System Requirements	Describes the working parameters of the system, including the following: Servers Specifies numbers and types. Clients Specifies numbers and types. Storage systems Specifies numbers and types. Network requirements Identifies network systems, ISPs, network topologies, and other factors. Backup systems Describes the backup systems chosen, including servers for backing up storage and software, UPS devices, and so on. Maintenance Describes the systems used for routine maintenance.
Equipment Deployed	A list of the equipment described in the previous sections.
Software Deployed	The rationale for the selection of the software systems to be used, including the following: Operating system Describes the version and distribution of operating system types. Applications Describes the types of application software and their distribution. Management software Describes how systems are managed, upgraded, and controlled. Custom applications Describes custom applications, which are software that needs to be coded to support your deployment. This can include full-blown applications, custom database solutions, or even scripts.
Vendors and Contractors	List of vendors and contractors, with any second sourcing available.
Site Description	Location of deployment, generally and specifically.
Risk Analysis	Rationale for the level of fault tolerance and redundant systems.
Project Time Line	Description of the deployment's individual parts. This may be best shown in project management software diagrams, Gannt diagrams, and illustrated time lines. It includes the following: Project phases Typical phases include the test phase, review, implementation, and final review. Milestones This describes significant events that mark either the beginning or end of a phase. Resources and staffing The people participating in the deployment are identified. They should be part of a Gantt chart that is part of your project plan, indicating how resources are deployed throughout the project. Identification of the critical path The critical path is the steps along the project that affect the overall time line.
Budget	A listing of the budget, with significant line items broken out. The budgets include the deployment budget, project operational budgets, software and hardware licenses, and staffing requirements.
Sign-off	The sign-off is proof that the project was approved by those who signed it.