Five questions used to scope Phase 1
Doclan uses five straightforward questions to understand the approximate size and shape of the IT estate. Ballpark figures are sufficient at this stage.
- Sites: how many data centres, offices and other locations exist; which should have a digital twin; and where those sites are located
- Servers: the approximate total, split where possible between physical and virtual servers
- Network devices: an approximate number or range, such as 50–75 or 1,000–1,200 devices
- Racks and cabinets: the number of IT racks, cabinets and main distribution frames (MDFs) across the enterprise
- Cloud: the cloud providers in use and an approximate count of resources—the cloud items the organisation typically pays for
A fixed cost for the initial engagement
Doclan uses these answers to define the scale of the discovery and provide a fixed-cost price for Phase 1.
Phase 1 discovers and documents the as-is IT enterprise. It establishes the initial visual, structured knowledge baseline and agreed digital-twin scope rather than selling a software licence.
The in-house cost comparison
In Doclan’s experience, the service is typically 2–5 times more cost-effective than building and maintaining the equivalent capability in-house.
The comparison reflects the specialist people, methods, tooling and ongoing effort an organisation would otherwise need to assemble internally. Actual savings depend on the scope, scale, existing capability and operating model of each organisation.
The managed-network analogy
A network managed service often starts with a fixed engagement to design or install the network. A managed service provider then keeps that network operating and optimised for a monthly fee.
Doclan follows a comparable commercial pattern for IT knowledge. The initial fixed engagement discovers the as-is enterprise and creates the knowledge baseline. An ongoing monthly retainer then keeps that knowledge maintained, validated and enhanced as the environment changes.
The important distinction is that Doclan manages the organisation’s knowledge about its technology estate—not the network, infrastructure or cloud services themselves.
Phase 2: the managed knowledge service
Phase 1 establishes the baseline. Doclan discovers the environment, collects and structures the information, engages with subject-matter experts and creates an accurate documented representation of the customer’s technology estate.
Phase 2 keeps that representation alive. As infrastructure, applications, services, suppliers and operating processes change, Doclan identifies those changes, updates the underlying knowledge model, validates the information and republishes the affected documentation.
Over time, Phase 2 also improves the estate by increasing coverage, resolving knowledge gaps, improving data quality and expanding the documentation into areas that were not included in the original deployment.
The result is a managed operational capability rather than a collection of documents that gradually becomes obsolete.
- Phase 1: Discover, build and deploy
- Phase 2: Maintain, assure and enhance
Requesting a price
A visitor can contact Doclan with approximate answers to the five questions. Doclan will confirm the scope and provide a tailored fixed-cost Phase 1 proposal, with an ongoing managed knowledge service discussed separately where required.