Network administration involves the operational management of human-computer systems, encompassing roles such as fault management, security management, and performance management. It requires planning for growth, managing accounts and user access, and providing support for network applications. Network administrators face challenges like designing efficient networks and implementing security while balancing reactive and proactive management styles.

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
Controlling corporate strategic assets
•Controlling complexity
•Improving service
•Balancing various needs
•Reducing downtime
•Controlling costs

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

3. Fault
management
The facilities that enable the
 detection,
 isolation, and
 correction
of abnormal operation of the
OSI environment.

4. 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.

5. OSI - Account Management
The facilities that enable
charges to be established for the use of manage
objects and
costs to be identified for the use of those
managed objects.

6. OSI - Performance Management
The Facilities needed to evaluate
 Behaviour of managed objects
 Effectiveness of communication
activities

7. OSI - Security Management
Address those aspects of OSI
security essential to:
 operate OSI network
management correctly and
 to protect managed objects

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

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

10. 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….

11. Network Administrators Tasks

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

13. Security Management
Firewalls
Usernames
Password
control
Resource
Access Control

14. Performance Management
Availability
Response
Time Accuracy

15. 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…

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

17. 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

18. Account / User Management
Accounts are Managed for:
 Intrusion detection / prevention
 Charging for Services
 Legal protection of the
Organisation

19. Networked Application Support
Client / Server systems
support Internet support
Server support
 Applications and Hardware
Helpdesk
 Trouble report / Bug fixes
 Printing
 eMail

20. 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)

21. 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

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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

26. Preventative Management
The Good Circle management
cycle

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