How to Create a Network Assessment Report with This Template

As an MSP, your role is to ensure your client’s network operates without a hitch. Checking the health of their network and sharing your findings in a network assessment report helps you identify potential vulnerabilities so you can fix them sooner rather than later.

Creating these reports is a critical part of an MSP’s role, but it’s also a tedious one. That’s why we’ve created a network assessment report template. This comprehensive template speeds up the reporting process while ensuring you don’t miss any important components. 

Download our free network assessment report template, then follow this step-by-step guide to find out how to conduct an Auvik network assessment.

You’ll also learn:

• What a network assessment is
• What a network assessment report is
• Why network assessment reports are important
• When to do a network assessment report
• Best practices for writing network assessment reports
• Step-by-step guide to writing a network assessment report
• The top tools for performing a network assessment 

What is a network assessment?

A network assessment is essentially an audit of a network’s performance. This thorough investigation reveals how a network is architected, how network devices are connected, how the network is performing, and how safe the network is. Most importantly, a network assessment identifies network vulnerabilities so you can resolve them before they become a major issue for your clients.

What is a network assessment report?

A network assessment report is the document or presentation in which you compile the findings of a network assessment and present it to your client (or the party in charge of the network). A comprehensive network assessment report covers topics like inventory, firmware and software, network architecture, performance, misconfigurations, and security. 

This report also shows which actions have already been taken to remediate issues and presents recommendations for resolving newly discovered network problems.

Why is a network assessment report important?

Creating network assessment reports for clients is an essential part of network management. These reports are important because they:

• Serve as a record of the current state of the network.
• Reveal network bottlenecks that need to be resolved.
• Are the first step in improving network performance.
• Identify compliance issues, which can help prevent problems and fines.
• Reveal resources, like bandwidth and servers, that could be optimized.
• Find opportunities for improving network security.
• Guide strategies for network upgrades.
• Reduce network downtime by identifying problems.
• Reveal opportunities for reducing IT costs.
• Assist with capacity planning, such as by helping with 95th percentile bandwidth metering.

When to create a network assessment report

As an MSP, there are various instances in which it’s appropriate to conduct a network assessment and create a report for your client, including when:

• You begin working with a new client. A network assessment report can help guide the partnership and set client expectations.
• You or your client lacks visibility into the network. Network assessments and reports are investigative tools that help you better understand what you’re working with.
• There’s been a change in network performance. If systems consistently aren’t working like they used to, then it’s time to investigate what’s wrong.
• It’s time to make major changes to the network. For example, you may want to implement a new service or migrate data, such as from an on-premises system to a cloud-based system.
• Your client wants to reduce network costs. A report can help identify cost-saving opportunities, such as underutilized resources.

3 best practices for writing network assessment reports

Stick to these best practices when writing network assessment reports and you’ll create comprehensive reports that add value for your clients and save you time.

1. Use a network assessment report template

When you use a template for your network assessment reports, you won’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you write one. You’ll save time on the assessment and report and can reinvest that time into addressing the issues you uncovered. Use our network assessment report template or create your own.

2. Keep your audience in mind

Before you write a single word of that report, identify who you’re writing it for. Knowing who you’re presenting your findings to will dictate how technical your writing should be.

For example, if you’re working with a company’s internal IT team, you can get as technical as you’d like. However, if your point of contact is the COO of a startup that doesn’t have an IT team, you should make the report easy to understand for someone who isn’t in the field and explain any jargon.

3. Make it thorough

Network assessment reports need to be comprehensive because they serve as a network guide for both you and your client. Include things that may be obvious to you and not your clients, like the network’s architecture. Also include problems like security vulnerabilities. Our network assessment report template can serve as a checklist that covers these topics and others, ensuring you don’t leave anything out.

Free network assessment tools

Looking for network assessment software to help generate better client reports? 

Our report template comes with detailed instructions for how to conduct assessments using Auvik specifically, our cloud-based network monitoring and management system. But you could alternatively use another network management tool to conduct an assessment and still use our template to create a report.

Here are some free network assessment tools you can try:

• Auvik is a cloud-based network monitoring and management system that helps rocket MSPs’ efficiency and capacity, while protecting their clients from network risk. If you’re not already using Auvik, you can test it out with a free trial.
• Zabbix is an open-source network monitoring solution designed for enterprise-scale networks.
• Monitorix is an open-source system monitoring tool designed for small servers that consists of a collector and CGI script. 

Step-by-step guide to writing a network assessment report

Without further ado, here’s our guide to conducting a network assessment and writing an accompanying network assessment report using our template.

This template includes sample findings and recommendations for illustrative purposes, along with instructions (indicated with gray, italicized text) on where to get and export the data from within Auvik. 

First things first, download our network assessment document and open it. Then, follow these section-by-section instructions.

Cover page

On the cover page, add your company’s information and your client’s information as indicated.

Summary

The next section of the network assessment report is the summary. This page gives you the chance to present your client with a high-level overview of your assessment’s findings.

Here’s how to fill it out.

First, enter the date. Now you’re ready to write the report summary. You’ll want to provide a concise overview of your client’s network issues and accompanying recommendations. 

For example, if your client is using default passwords for most of their devices, note that in the summary and suggest a protocol for creating stronger passwords.

List problems in order of priority to focus your client’s attention on the most critical issues. This page essentially serves as a “cheat sheet” and can help to differentiate your services and facilitate conversations that get your prospect or client to the next step.

If your summary is more than a page long, consider omitting low priority issues here and saving them for the “Recommendations” section to avoid overwhelming your client.

Don’t forget to remove all instructions from this section and the rest of the network assessment template, and update the sample screenshots and recommendations with your own before presenting this report to your client.

Contents

On the next page of this network assessment report you’ll find a table of contents that reflects the sections in the template. The table of contents helps you and your clients navigate the report.

After you fill in the report template, some sections may shift to different pages, so you’ll need to update the contents table. To do this, click anywhere on the table. On the top left of the table, a box with a circular arrow and three dots will appear. Click the circular arrow. The table will refresh and automatically update to reflect the page numbers on which the sections are found.

State of the network

Now we’re getting into the meat of the report: the state of the network.

This paragraph introduces what your client will find in the rest of the report. Use it as-is or customize it as you see fit.

Inventory

Start by assessing your client’s network inventory. Use your network assessment tool of choice to pull up a list of the devices on your client’s network.

If you’re using Auvik, open your Home Dashboard, then click Export. Open up the file and go to the Devices sheet. Then, select columns B-E. Alternatively, you can find inventory reporting in your tool of choice.

Summarize the quantity and types of devices, noting any dated gear or inconsistencies with makes and models. Include a screenshot of your findings to help illustrate needs to your clients.

Finally, point out possible deficiencies, but don’t provide a recommendation just yet. You’ll do that in the last section of the report.

Firmware and software versions

Next you’ll assess which versions of software and firmware your client is using. Navigate to page six of the network assessment report template. 

If you’re using Auvik, go to your Home Dashboard and click Export. Open the file and go to the Devices sheet. Select columns B, H, I, and J.

When you’ve collected the data, summarize your client’s standardization of firmware, noting any inconsistencies and dated versions. Once again, include a screenshot of your findings.

Point out possible deficiencies, but hold off on providing recommendations.

Architecture

On page seven of the network assessment report template, you’ll have an opportunity to evaluate your client’s network architecture.

Export your choice of map from your network management software’s dashboard. If you’re using Auvik, we like the Network Elements Only view, but you may want to show other important areas of the network, depending on your client and their environment. Paste the map into the report template, then describe the network architecture in writing.

If relevant, you could also highlight one or more important connections.

Performance

Pages nine and 10 of the template highlight network performance, including internet utilization and network device utilization.

Internet utilization

Take a screenshot of your client’s internet utilization from the past week and summarize their bandwidth utilization, noting any peaks and how their average compares to their total available bandwidth. Paste the screenshot into the report template.

To access utilization information in Auvik, go to Documentation > Reports > Network Device > Utilization report. Set the calendar view to Past Week.

Point out potential deficiencies, but don’t provide any recommendations yet.

Network device utilization

Next, generate a network device utilization report for the past week. Then, filter for network elements and take a screenshot. Paste the screenshot into the report template. 

To access information on network device utilization in Auvik go to Documentation > Reports > Network Device Utilization report. Set the calendar view to Past Week. Alternatively, you could export the report by going to the Network Devices tab and pulling the relevant details.

Summarize the uptime percentage, what the throughput is compared to the total available throughput on the devices, and the device health metrics like CPU, storage, and memory utilization. 

As per usual, identify possible problems, but don’t provide recommendations just yet.

Misconfigurations

On page 11, you’ll lay out your client’s network’s misconfigurations. 

Check your network tool’s misconfiguration alerts for the time period for which you’re collecting information. Summarize these alerts, and their potential impact to the client. Include screenshots of these alerts in the report as proof. 

To access this information in Auvik, review informational alerts over the past week, or for whatever interval the Collector has been running.

Point out shortcomings, but don’t explain how to resolve them yet.

Security

Page 13 is home to the security section of the network assessment document, which consists of a subsection on SNMP credentials and another on passwords. Here’s how to complete each one.

SNMP credentials

Access your client’s SNMP credentials via your network management software of choice. Take a screenshot of your findings to include in the report.

If using Auvik, navigate to Discovery, Manage Credentials, and then SNMP Credentials.

Next, summarize the credentials network devices are using. Point out any default credentials or credential reuse that may impact the security posture of the network, but don’t provide recommendations.

Passwords

Compile a list of your client’s login credentials and paste them in the “Passwords” section of your network assessment report. Summarize the credentials in use across the environment and include a screenshot of the report as proof.

To find out details about your client’s password security in Auvik, go to Discovery, Manage Credentials, and then Login Credentials and take a screenshot. 

Point out any default credentials or credential reuse that may impact the security posture of the network, but don’t provide a resolution just yet (hold off just a little bit longer!).

After completing the passwords section, it’s time to move on to the solutions-focused portion of the network assessment report, starting with remediations taken. 

Remediation actions taken

On page 15, list anything you’ve already done to remedy the problems uncovered by the report. Focus on quick fixes for these actions. 

Recommendations

For all other issues, list what you recommend should be done about them on page 15.

We suggest listing these recommendations in order of priority and coding them as such. We’ve used red to indicate high-priority issues, orange for medium-priority problems, and yellow for low-priority vulnerabilities.

Closing page

End the report with your company’s information. If you’re sharing the report digitally instead of in print, hyperlink your logo to your website, make that phone number a clickable link, and configure your address to open Google Maps to turn your report into a sales tool.

Et voila! Now you have a network assessment report ready to be sent to your clients.

Final thoughts on network assessment reports

A network assessment report template helps you present the findings of a network assessment to your clients in an organized, easy-to-understand way. By following our template and using Auvik, you can conduct a network assessment and write a corresponding report in under an hour. 

Download the network assessment report template today.