Network administration involves managing human-computer systems, with roles such as fault, performance, and security management, as well as account management. Administrators must plan for growth, manage user access, and ensure system reliability, while balancing proactive and reactive management styles. Key skills for network administrators include knowledge of operating systems, scripting, networking, and security best practices.

1. What is Network Administration ??
Network administration can be defined as: “branch of engineering that
concerns the operational management of human-computer systems”]
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. • 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

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

10. Network
Hardwar
e
Application
s
Division of
Labour
Structure of Systems and Network
Management Organisation

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
 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

25. PRACTICE
Convention or The Best Solution
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

26. 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.

27. 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

28. Preventative Management
The Good Circle management
cycle

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