FIELD NOTES / 02
A short maintenance rhythm
Most systems improve when their routine stays small enough to repeat.
Before a change
List the service, its public entry point, and the data it depends on. Save the current configuration somewhere you can reach even if the service stops.
During a change
Keep one working connection open. Apply the smallest change that answers the problem, then check the process, the network port, and a request from outside the host.
After a change
Record what moved and how to reverse it. A green process status is useful; a successful request through the normal user path is better evidence.