How would you act if you were handed over server management from another employee, and you needed to describe it in Confluence, but you have no idea what this server is, only access keys?

Starting with gathering basic information:

1. Access acquisition: Using provided keys for SSH access to the server.

2. Determining OS and version:

   // Check distribution and version
   cat /etc/os-release
   // Check kernel version
   uname -a
   

3. Determining hardware configuration (CPU, RAM, Disk):

   // Processor information
   lscpu
   // RAM information
   free -h
   // Disk devices and partitions information
   lsblk
   df -h
   

4. Checking running services and processes:

   // Running services
   systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running
   // Running processes
   pstree -p
   

5. Identifying installed software:

   // For Debian/Ubuntu
   dpkg -l
   // For Red Hat/CentOS
   rpm -qa
   

   Special attention is given to web servers (Apache, Nginx), databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL), message brokers (Kafka, RabbitMQ), container technologies (Docker, Kubernetes), and other specific software.

6. Analyzing network configuration:

   // IP addresses and network interfaces
   ip a
   // Routing table
   ip r
   // Open ports (locally)
   ss -tulnp
   

7. Studying log files: Reviewing system logs (/var/log/syslog, /var/log/messages) and application logs to identify potential issues and activities.

8. Searching for configuration files: Looking for standard locations of configuration files for identified software (e.g., /etc/apache2/, /etc/nginx/, /etc/mysql/).

9. Determining users and their rights:

   // List of users
   cat /etc/passwd
   // Group membership
   cat /etc/group
   // Sudo rights
   sudo -l
   

10. Searching for signs of automation/deployment: Looking for scripts in /opt, /usr/local/bin, .bashrc, Cron files (crontab -l, /etc/cron.*). Checking for deployment agents or configuration management systems.

11. Gathering information about scheduled tasks:

    // Current user tasks
    crontab -l
    // System tasks
    cat /etc/crontab
    

After collecting the information, I structure it in Confluence, describing:

• Server purpose (assumed based on running software)
• Operating system and version
• Hardware resources
• Key running services and their versions
• Network configuration (IP addresses, open ports)
• Installed software (main components)
• Paths to configuration and log files
• User data and their rights (without sensitive information)
• Automation/scripts
• Scheduled tasks

During documentation, I note any anomalies or ambiguities that require further investigation or consultation (if possible). As my understanding of the server's functionality deepens, the documentation in Confluence will be supplemented and clarified.