Freelance Services — Design Review
Network & Security Design Review (Audit-Light)
Compact technical assessments examining architecture, configurations, and documentation against best practice — prioritised recommendations, fast turnaround.
What the Audit-Light Review Is
The audit-light review is a scoped, time-bounded engagement — not a full audit, but more than an informal opinion. It occupies the space between "someone had a look and said it seemed fine" and a multi-week formal assessment. The output is structured, the findings are classified by risk, and the recommendations are actionable.
The review examines network architecture and key configurations against recognised best practice and, where available, the organisation's own documented requirements. Context matters: a configuration that is appropriate in one environment may be problematic in another. The review takes the operational context into account.
What Is Examined
The scope is defined at the start of the engagement based on what is most relevant. Typical coverage includes:
- Architecture against recognised best practice and stated requirements
- Firewall policy and access control configuration
- Key device configuration spot-checks (routing, switching, remote access)
- Documentation review — completeness, accuracy, and currency
- Prioritised findings with implementation guidance
What You Receive
- Review report with findings classified by severity: Critical / High / Medium / Low
- Actionable recommendations with implementation guidance for each finding
- Executive summary suitable for non-technical stakeholders
- Delivery within 3–5 business days of receiving required access and documentation
Who This Is For
This service works well for IT teams preparing for a larger audit, organisations that want an independent second opinion on a design, MSPs reviewing a client environment before taking it on, and anyone who suspects the current state may have gaps but needs a fast, structured answer rather than a months-long engagement.
The value of a time-bounded review is not that it finds everything — it is that it finds the things that matter most, quickly, with enough clarity to act on the findings. A three-week wait for a comprehensive report often means the highest-risk issues go unaddressed for three weeks longer than necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from a full security audit?
A full audit is a weeks-long formal engagement with comprehensive scope and compliance-oriented output. The design review is scoped, time-bounded, and delivers actionable findings quickly — occupying the space between an informal opinion and a formal audit. It is faster, more focused, and lower cost.
What do I need to provide?
Network diagrams, firewall policy exports or screenshots, key device configurations, and any existing documentation. If documentation is sparse, that is itself a finding and is reflected in the report.
How are findings prioritised?
Findings are classified as Critical / High / Medium / Low based on potential impact and exploitability. Critical and High findings receive the most detailed remediation guidance and are highlighted in the executive summary.
How long does delivery take?
3–5 business days from receiving the required documentation and access. If scope is well-defined and input is complete, the lower end of that range is typical.
