1. You make it declarative. The system definition should be checked in to a repository, or multiple repos. If you're not using infrastructure as code, you shoul

1. You make it declarative. The system definition should be checked in to a repository, or multiple repos. If you're not using infrastructure as code, you should be. This is table stakes. 2. Systems should be explicit, not implicit. Configuration should be explicit wherever possible. Implicit behavior should be documented. 3. Living documentation adjacent to your systems. Write markdown files next to your code. If you keep systems documentation somewhere else (like some wysiwyg knowledge system bullshit) then you must build a markdown-to-whatever sync job (where the results are immutable) else the documentation is immediately out of date, and out of date documentation is just harmful noise. 4. If it's dead, delete it. You have version control for a reason. Don't keep cruft around. If there's a subnet that isn't being used, delete it. Lastly, if you find yourself in this situation and have none of the above, ask yourself if you really have the agency to fix it -- and I mean really fix it, no half measures -- then do so. If you don't, then your options are to stop caring or find a new job. The alternative is a recipe for burnout.