> Ok - but am still blazing the trail - have a lot of work still ahead of
> me before I'm done.
> 

Understood.  We look forward to the docs when you have time. 
Incidentally, I have undertaken many similar projects.  As a result, my
engineering methodology includes taking copious notes during the
firefight and then distilling them down to my standard documentation
format (in quick draft mode) as quickly as possible, before the details
fade from my mind.  On larger projects like yours, I find it's best to
distill my notes at least weekly (if not daily) and then simply clean up
the final draft doc at the end of the project.  For whatever that's
worth... ;-)

> looks so obvious when I state it but finding out that this was the cause
> of connection problems was frustrating beyond belief.

Hang in there!  It will pay off.

...Kevin