What is the IT-Strukturanalyse (structure analysis), and what role does the network plan play in it?

The structure analysis records all IT assets and applications of the information domain — and an up-to-date network plan is its central working document.

The IT-Strukturanalyse is the first phase of the Grundschutz security-concept process: capture the IT, the IT applications, and group similar components.

The network plan is the key tool:

• Update it first — network plans are notoriously outdated; get current information from IT managers, administrators, network/system management
• Evaluate it:
  • Which IT systems exist? (clients, servers, network components…)
  • Which connections exist between these systems?
  • Which connections lead outside? (dial-in, Internet, VPN…)

Outside connections matter especially because they later count as critical communication links in the protection needs assessment.

Tip: "You can't protect what you don't know you have" — the structure analysis is Grundschutz's asset inventory step.