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. The core management areas
“F C A P S”
Fault Management
Configuration & Name Management
Account Management
Performance Management
Security Management

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

9. Definitions?? How does Network Administration work in Practice?
Let’s look at how Network Management is Organised…

10. Structure of Systems and Network Management Organisation
Hardware
Division of Labour
Applications

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….

12. Network Administrators Tasks

13. Tasks of a Network Administrator
Security Management
Performance Management
Planning for Growth
Fault Management and Recovery
Account/User Management
Networked Application Support

14. Security Management Firewalls Usernames Password control
Resource Access Control

15. Performance Management
Availability
Response Time
Accuracy

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…

17. Fault Management and Recovery
Monitoring
Reporting status
Testing
Fixes and Patches
Updates
Repairs
Change Management

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

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. SAGE SysAdmin Job Descriptions

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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. Style of Network Administration

27. 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 it’s 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

28. 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.

29. 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

30. Preventative Management
The Good Circle management cycle

31. Preventative Management Techniques
Capacity Planning
Simulation and Testing
load generators
Benchmarks
Performance Monitors and System Tuning
Network analysis and modelling
Load balancing
Hardware upgrades

32. Management method and Cost

33. Information about Network Administration
The Knowledge….
What is it? Where is it?
How do we get it?

34. 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

35. (END) No Tutorials in Week 1.