This document provides an overview of network administration. It defines network administration as the operational management of human-computer systems. A network administrator has several key roles, including controlling assets and complexity, improving service, balancing needs, reducing downtime, and controlling costs. The core areas of network management are fault management, configuration and name management, account management, performance management, and security management. The document then describes some of the common tasks performed by network administrators, such as security management, performance management, fault management and recovery, account/user management, and networked application support. It also discusses different styles of network administration, including fire-fighting and preventative management approaches, as well as sources of information that network administrators use.
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INTRODUCTION.ppt
1. What is Network Administration ??
Network administration can be defined as:
branch of engineering that concerns the
operational management of human-computer
systems [Burgess Ch 1]
A network administrator has different roles
[Stallings page 3]
Controlling corporate strategic assets
Controlling complexity
Improving service
Balancing various needs
Reducing downtime
Controlling costs
2. Why do we need Network
administration at first ??
3. F C A P S
Fault Management
Configuration & Name Management
Account Management
Performance Management
Security Management
The core management areas
4. Fault management
The facilities that enable the
detection,
isolation, and
correction
of abnormal operation of the OSI
environment.
5. Configuration and Name
Management
The services and facilities that
control
identify
collect and provide data
to clients and managed objects,
so assisting in continuous operation
of interconnection services.
6. OSI - Account Management
The facilities that enable
charges to be established for the use of
managed objects and
costs to be identified for the use of
those managed objects.
7. OSI - Performance
Management
The Facilities needed to evaluate
Behaviour of managed objects
Effectiveness of communication activities
8. OSI - Security Management
Address those aspects of OSI security
essential to:
operate OSI network management
correctly and
to protect managed objects
11. Corporate Networked
Environments
Have team(s) of specialists in various areas
Well defined tasks
job descriptions
In small networks usually one person
multi-skilled and multi-tasked
In reality often somewhere in between.
13. Tasks of a
Network Administrator
Security Management
Performance Management
Planning for Growth
Fault Management and Recovery
Account/User Management
Networked Application Support
16. Planning for Growth
A Network (or any organisation) is not
static
Growth means increased load on a
network. This must be planned for.
Systems eventually need replacement.
This must be planned for in advance
18. Account / User Management
Communication Facilities
Connection - Rental - Charges
Hardware Usage
Lease - Rent - Hire
Consumables Usage
Power, Paper, Media (Diskettes, CDs)
Software Usage
Licensing,
Tolls,
Application usage
19. Account / User Management
Accounts are Managed for:
Intrusion detection / prevention
Charging for Services
Legal protection of the Organisation
20. Networked Application
Support
Client / Server systems support
Internet support
Server support
Applications and Hardware
Helpdesk
Trouble report / Bug fixes
Printing
eMail
21. How to be a Sys/Net Admin
(yet another Job Description)
Learn Operating System basics eg Unix
Learn shell utilities and script programming
Learn how to Install and Configure OS
Learn DNS and Bind
Learn TCP/IP networking
Learn NFS and NIS (or equivalent)
Learn about system tuning and accounting
Learn Compile and Link (eg C and make)
22. Goals of System/Network
Administration
Put together a network of computers
Get them running
Keep them running (despite Users.)
Provide a Service to Users
Requires skills of
Mechanic
Sociologist
Researcher
23. Challenges of
System/Network Administration
Systems or Network Administration is more
than just installing computers or networks.
It is about planning and designing an
efficient community of computers that
allow users to get their jobs done.
24. Challenges of Administration
Design Logical, Efficient networks
Easily deploy & update many machines
Decide what services are needed
know the business tasks & customers
Plan and implement adequate security
Provide comfortable User environment
Be able to fix errors and problems
Keep track of & be able to use knowledge
26. PRACTICE
Convention or The Best Solution
PRACTICE = How things are done here
Have you ever wondered
Why are things done in certain ways?
Which way is best? Usually its because:
Someone did it once, and everyone copied
without really thinking about it
People have thought much about it and
this really is the best way
An arbitrary choice was made, and it is
now a matter of convention
27. Comparison of System/Network
Management Styles
Fire-Fighting
Managing by responding to situations when they
happen (Reactive)
Preventative management
Monitor network and make repairs and changes
before problems appear (Proactive)
These are two opposite extremes.
Most real managers combine both.
28. Fire-Fighting
Investigate the Fault or Problem
Isolate the problem and identify/define it
Use tests and tools to diagnose the
problem
Solve the problem and document the
solution
Prioritize multiple problems
33. Sources of Information for
System/Network Administrators
Manuals and Online Documentation
World Wide Web
RFCs, FYIs, IENs
News groups, Discussion lists, WebLogs
Meetings and Seminars
SAGE/Usenix, Novell Brainshare, Microsoft
TechNet/TechEd
How-To books