An IT infrastructure audit gives leadership and the IT team a clear, documented picture of what exists, what's working, what's at risk, and what's compliant. It's the starting point for strategic planning, insurance assessments, regulatory compliance, and digital transformation programmes.
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Preparation & Scope Definition
- 1
Define the audit scope
Agree with stakeholders what's included: on-premise infrastructure, cloud services, remote endpoints, third-party systems, and which sites or departments. Document exclusions explicitly.
- 2
Identify your audit team
Assign an audit lead, subject matter experts per domain (network, cloud, endpoints, security), and a business stakeholder sponsor.
- 3
Gather existing documentation
Collect: network diagrams, previous asset inventories, cloud billing reports, software licence records, and any prior audit reports.
- 4
Schedule non-disruptive access
Coordinate access windows for physical datacentres, server rooms, and production systems. Avoid peak business hours for any scanning activities.
Hardware & Asset Inventory
Asset ID | Type | Make/Model | Serial No | Location | OS/Firmware | Purchase Date | Warranty End | Owner ---------|----------|--------------------|-------------|------------|--------------|---------------|--------------|------- HW001 | Server | Dell R740 | DXXXX1234 | DC Rack A3 | RHEL 9.3 | 2022-03-15 | 2027-03-15 | IT Manager HW002 | Switch | Cisco Catalyst 9300| FDO1234X | DC | IOS-XE 17.9 | 2021-06-01 | 2026-06-01 | Network Eng HW003 | Firewall | Fortinet FG-100F | FG1HC3Z01 | DC | FortiOS 7.4 | 2023-01-20 | 2028-01-20 | Network Eng HW004 | Laptop | Dell XPS 15 | 5GXXX456 | Remote | Win 11 23H2 | 2024-01-10 | 2027-01-10 | J. Smith
Software & Licensing Compliance
Security Governance Checklist
Findings Report Structure
- 1
Executive Summary (1 page)
Risk rating overview (RAG: Red/Amber/Green), top 5 findings, recommended investment priorities. Written for non-technical leadership.
- 2
Scope & Methodology
Document what was assessed, how, and by whom. Include assessment dates, tools used, and limitations.
- 3
Detailed Findings
For each finding: title, risk rating, affected assets, technical detail, business impact, and recommended remediation with reference to standards (ISO/NIST).
- 4
Risk Register
Tabular view of all risks scored by likelihood × impact. Colour-coded by band. Tracked over time for trend analysis.
- 5
Remediation Roadmap
Prioritised action plan with owners, deadlines, cost estimates, and success criteria. Group into Quick Wins (0–30 days), Short-term (31–90 days), Strategic (90+ days).