Unit 5 - Managing Networks (P1,P2,P3,P4,P5,P6)

Unit 5 - Managing Networks

Task A - Network Managers (P1,P3,P4)

P1: Network Technologies

Network Operating Systems

As with all computers nowadays, a network based system such as a system used to run a server will also need an operating system. This is where a Network Operating System comes into play. It is essentially an operating system that includes different features which practically turns a computer system into a Local Area Network system, exchanging resources amongst other systems. ​
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Network operating systems usually come in the form of Windows Server, but can also be the likes of Embedded Linux, however Windows Server is used by the majority of server users. Along with the different operating systems themselves, there are different types overall; Peer to Peer, Client/Server etc. Peer to Peer is usually when only couple of computers exchange data, whereas a Client Server usually is made up of more computers over a major network.​

Networking Protocols

On a network there needs to be rules in place for the communication between the connected devices. This is where Networking Protocols come into place, as the essentially define these rules for the device communication. ​
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There have been many protocols put into place for the purpose of network management, such as the likes of SNMP which stands for Simple Network Management Protocol. SNMP is essentially a protocol put into place in order to manage devices connected onto an IP network, such as desktop computers, printers etc.​
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Another protocol is ICMP which stands for Internet Control Message Protocol, which is used in the likes of routers and other network devices to send error messages and operational information between the server and the gateway to the internet – the router.

Network Layouts

The layout of any network is important in order for the network to perform as it should. There are many layouts of networks, which are as follows to name a few;​
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• Ring Topology​
• Bus Network ​
• Mesh topology ​

• Star Network​

• Ring Topology​


Ring Topology is when the computers are all linked to a network through the other computers, and essentially are linked up in a circle shape. One main aspect of a ring topology is that there is not host computer and are all as important in the connection than the others, however if one link between two computers gets broken then the connection will go for all the others also.​

• Bus Network
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For a bus network to work efficiently it requires a main cable which all of the computers and devices must be connected to. A bus network connection works by sending a signal down the main cable until it reaches the right computer it is aiming for, which is done through sending/rejecting packets to the IP address.​

• Mesh Topology​

Mesh Topology is a network where each computer and device on the network is interconnected with one another; all devices are linked to all of the others. The main aspect of this type of network is that if one connection between two devices goes down, then there is still a way for the other devices to connect with one another as it will only be the pair of devices in which the connection between the two is broken that will be affected, unlike with the ring network.​

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• Star Network​


In a Star Network all of the devices are connected to a switch via their own network cable, or even connected to a hub; a hub sends all the packets of data to every device which is connected to it, whereas the switch only sends these packets of data to the required destination device. One advantage of a star network is that is quite reliable, due to all the devices being on their own cable, so if one breaks not all are affected. Also, because of them all being on separate cables means no collisions can occur.​

Networking Devices

Network devices play a big role when it comes to network management, as the network itself would not be of much use without network devices to run from. Said network devices come in the form of the following;​
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• Routers​
• Switches​
• Repeaters​

• Network Interface Controller​

• Routers​


A router is a small physical device which has the job of connecting multiple networks together into the same place. It is made specifically for receiving, analysing and sending packets to another network interface. Routers in a sense have a brain, as they are capable of analysing the data being sent over a network, and are commonly used in a home or office so share a single internet connection between multiple computers and devices.​

• Switches​


Switches are essentially a device which links together other network devices; a switch could be seen as a router without a brain. Switches link together the different devices usually by an Ethernet port, helping to send packets between the devices whilst helping the, to communicate with one another.​

• Repeaters​


A repeater is a small network device that essentially strengthens an Ethernet cable connection/transmission the further down the cable it goes. The reason this comes in handy is that the longer the cable the more chance the transmission of data usually weakens; the transmission usually weakens if the cable is around 100m in length, so a repeater can be put into the line of transmission between two Ethernet cables if you need it to run for a long distance without the transmission becoming weakened.​

• Network Interface Controller​


Network interface controllers are also known as LAN Adaptors or Network Interface Cards, and are small pieces of hardware that fits inside of the computer or laptop itself. They implement a communication between the network and the computer in order for it to connect to the internet, and can come with a wired Ethernet port or can be a wireless network card.​

P3: Emerging Network Technologies

Server Virtualisation

Server virtualisation is essentially the act of dividing a server into smaller virtual servers so that it can help to maximise the server resources. This division of the server is usually done by the administrator – if done within a company – who uses a software to divide the physical server into the isolated virtual environments.​
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A popular software which is used to divide a physical server into multiple virtual servers is a software called VMware. Founded in 1990, VMware is made up of both desktop and server virtualisation, using the likes of the server/computer's RAM, CPU and GPU etc. to run the virtual machine or server itself. The likes of VMware could come very handy in the likes of schools to help teach for educational purposes, and it would be useful in the workplace for if an external body needed to remote access the server in order to do some work.​

High Speed Mobile Data

As the convenience of smartphones becomes more popular by the day, access to high speed internet on the go is becoming more demanding, and in the modern day of technology has become an essential. Recently, the mobile network of 4G has risen in the world of technology, and is essentially the fourth generation of wireless mobile telecommunications.​

As the demand on mobile data services is becoming higher it is vital that new telecommunication networks such as 4G. This type of faster network for mobile devices fits hand-in-hand with the growth of smartphones as it can become very useful in terms of the workplace, in the sense that people are able to send files and documents just as they would on a computer system – the 4G network on a smartphone allows for people to work on the go! Not only does this network data allow for the workplace but for one's own entertainment also, allowing the user to stream media services on the go also.​

Video on Demand

Video on demand has become very popular over the past few years, with services such as Netflix and Amazon Video, LoveFilm, BBC iPlayer etc. These services essentially offer users access to a wide variety of different movies and TV programs, both being accessible for free or at a small subscription price, which can be accessed anywhere, at anytime!​

Video on demand services are becoming increasingly popular not only for what they can offer visual wise, but also the range of devices they are compatible with – as technology devices become more advance and with more people using them on a daily basis, it is vital that these services are compatible with as many devices as possible so that people can use them, whether they watch the videos on a phone, laptop, or even on games consoles. What drives people to use these services however, is the sheer amount of media they have to offer to the world; Netflix has around 13,000 films to offer worldwide! ​

Task B - Managing a Network (P4)

P4: Network Management

With being a network operator at Sonez Inc. I have to ensure that the people on the board know exactly how our network management is run and handled, and therefore I have put together this report, showing the different aspects of our own network management here at Sonez. The functions of network management consist of the following: 

• Configuration 
• Fault Management  
• Account Management 
• Performance Variables 
• Security 
• Data Logging 
• Checking Performance and Traffic 
• Reporting 


By the end of this report, the people on the board should have a clear understanding of the functions involved with a network management, and how they work within our business here at Sonez Inc. 

Configuration

The configuration within the network management usually tends to be associated with the layout of the network, and the devices that are connected within the network also – the topology of the network plays a big role in this, as it needs to be configured in a way to suit the company so that all devices can communicate efficiently for the purpose of the business.  


As well as the topology, the configuration also needs to be applied to the application software on the network, so that the likes of user folders and other aspects specific to the company all work correctly on the network, and in the office – things such as anti-virus software and firewall all needs to be configured on the network to prevent the company from being under attack from harmful things. If any changes are made to any of the configurations however it should be documented by the user who made the changes. This is because if it is not documented then no one will know the current status of the configuration, which will cause a lot of confusion and stress to try and find it out.

Fault Management

Fault management software essentially detects, isolates and resolves problems on the network within a business, and when properly implemented it can keep a network running at an optimum level and begin to minimise the downtime of the network. A series of functions helps to keep the network running as efficiently and effectively as possible, such as scanning for viruses and malware – this is known as a fault management platform. With a fault management platform put into place, it can usually detect and resolve any problem It may find with the network on its own without the need of a human user to interact with it.  


However this is not always the case, as the problem may be too big or complicated for the fault management platform to undergo, in which it will alert the user on the system that action is in need to take place. In some cases the fault management platform requires network devices to be controlled remotely in order to help resolve any issues, and therefore a centralised console is needed; it allows an operator to reconfigure and reboot the network from one place, when needed to do so.

Account Management

Account management is when a user – usually the administrator of the business – creates, deletes and modify/manage accounts on the network for fellow employees, as well as allocating rights to specific user also. There are usually tools to help manage the user accounts, and when created for the employees they normally ask for a little information, such as the date of joining the business, the forename of the employee and also the surname, to prevent multiple accounts having the same username.  


The accounts made will also be password protected in order for the user's files and data to be protected from unwanted access by other people – the password should be changed regularly to prevent people finding out the password to the account. In larger companies – especially those who have multiple departments – the users who logon to computer systems may not need to access the same data and applications as other departments might need, and therefore the account management can help choose who has access to what programs and software in order to carry out daily tasks. By giving a group of people the same rights (ie. If a rights group was made for all of the people in the same department) makes it a lot easier to make changes, for example if the department needs a new software to have access to it will be easier to make this access to the group of people in the user account management tool rather than setting the rights to each individual person in the department, and it will be less time consuming also. 

Performance Variables

The important parts of the network are measure on how well they are working alongside one another through performance variables. These measurements are taken using tools which can help users determine whether changes have been made, and if so the performance variables help to show whether the changes are making a benefit to the network or whether it is worse off than before the change had been made; the performance variables show whether the performance increases or decreases from changes made to the network. There are many performance variables used by many businesses on a day-to-day basis, however the main ones used are network throughput, user response time and line utilisation.  


Network throughput is essentially the measure of how quick much, and how quickly data can travel across a network, but by also making sure the data limits are not exceeded. Tools help to measure this data being transmitted, such as iPerf and BWPing, help to measure the bandwidth and response to host mainly. User response time is measured on how quickly the network activity responds to the user's command – if a large number of users are logging onto the network at one time, then the network response time may be a little slower as it is trying to complete multiple requests at once. Line utilisation is essentially the amount of data loaded onto the network cabling, which is important to measure to ensure that the amount of data being transmitted through the cable does not exceed the capability of what the cable line can handle. The measurements are usually shown in a graph, which the network manager can make decisions off based on whether it would be best to upgrade the line or an alternative way to reduce the pressure on the cable.

Security

Security plays a big role when it comes to network management that needs to be taken into consideration, as it ensures that the data stored on the computer system itself cannot be read or compromised by an unauthorised user. Security measures are put into place on a network in order to prevent and/or monitor unauthorised access, misuse, modification or denial of a computer network.  


Network security is also usually involves authorisation from the administrator for access to any data through the network, thus securing the files and data that may be stored on a network server and can only be accessed by those who have the permission to do so.

Data Logging

Data logging can help to make identifying a problem within a network a lot simpler, as data logging essentially records and collects data/interactions between two points in a system. From this it is able to see if a problem arises, and if a fault does in fact happen the data log can then present relevant information on how the problem occurred and how to potentially resolve the issue.  


However, older logs tend to get deleted to make way for newer ones, so it is wise to keep a backup of one or two older data logs to perhaps refer back to in the future if the same problems arise from the computer system or network. 

Checking Performance and Traffic

Performance management software can usually track the performance and traffic within a network, which is useful as there is often a lot of traffic running through the network itself, and therefore network managers need to be able to check the performance of the network itself.  


Network management tools regularly send reports to the administrator, including the likes of comparison performance to how the network is running compared to the last time the report was sent out. If there is a clear degrade in the performance in any section of the network then the administrator can choose to reconfigure or replace the devices to help improve performance and traffic flow once again. 

Reporting

Network statistics are presented to people who may or may not work directly with the network through the use of reports; they can be presented to managing directors of the business for example.  


Reports usually contain data collected by system software such as fault management or performance management, which is then handed over to other people such as an administrator – the administrator can plan future changes and alterations to the network based upon the report the network manager gives to them.

Task C - Running Network Maintenance Tasks (P2,P5,P6)

P2: Networking Tools

Introduction to Networking Tools

When it comes to network management, the network tools you may come across play a vital role for things to run smooth and as they should. The purpose of these types of tools is to allow the user to have an easier way of troubleshooting any issue they may come across/situation they may find themselves in, as well as fixing their network if it has a problem by providing the user effective support through suites of software or functions.

• HP Open View

HP OpenView is a selection of applications that together perform the likes of application management, performance management, service and program maintenance etc.; OpenView performs a wide range of services for a large network, and offers the likes of fault detection and fault testing etc.

• Cisco Works

CiscoWorks is like HP OpenView is another bundle of applications however CiscoWorks is used to configure LAN networks easily and efficiently. CiscoWorks includes the likes of an error management software, a resource management software and a resource monitoring software. With CiscoWorks essentially being an online device management software it can carry out the likes of real time network fault analysis, monitoring and tracking of a network, and it offers support for network virtualisation through configuration.

• Wireshark

As a whole Wireshark is essentially just a network packet analyser, showing both incoming and outgoing connection packets. Not only this, but it can also help to determine what ports are open, and which ones are closed, whilst stating which protocols they are using. Overall, Wireshark is mainly used for packet analysis, alongside network troubleshooting.

P5: Interrogate a Network

• Angry IP Scanner

When it comes to interrogating a network in order to identify a device statuses there is a handy little tool that can be used called Angry IP Scanner. Angry IP Scanner is essentially a cross-platform network scanner which was initially designed to be fast and easy to use, with its main feature being to scan IP addresses and ports.

Once you are into the Angry IP Scanner program you are greeted with a blank page, in which you need to input the IP range into two fields towards the top of the program. The range for the IP addresses you insert here will be the range that is scanned on your network, and it is wise not to scan many (millions) of IP address as it will take a very long time; a good range for the IP addresses would be the likes of 0-255 for the final part of the IP address itself.

Once the network has been scanned for the range of IP addresses you input into the program you will be presented with a list of the IP addresses themselves. Some of the IP addresses will have devices assigned to them in which they connect to the network through it, but some IP addresses will not have any devices connected and will not be in use as of now. When taking a look at Angry IP Scanner itself it is easy to determine which IP addresses are in use, and which are not – the IP addresses with a red circle next to them look as if they are not in use, whereas the IP addresses with a blue circle next to them look as if they are already occupied as they all seem to have a hostname and can successfully be pinged.

(If you click on one of the IP addresses it will pull up a window with a little information on that IP address, such as the rate of the ping, the host name and any ports it is connected to).

P6: Regular Maintenance

When it comes to regular maintenance within a company such as Sonz Inc. they will have many routines in which they will need to follow to maintain any system they may have. The following are just three of examples of what a company may need to do for regular maintenance;

• Backup and Restoring Files

Businesses will usually do a routine backup of all of their files and data within their network, which is sometimes done to an external location outside of the site location. There are normally one of two ways in which a company can backup the files and data, which is usually done by either backing up the actual physical files, or by creating a backup of the file by making a virtual 'image' of the files. The backed up files will then be updated every time a backup is taken; the company will always have an up to date copy of the files and data, depending on how often they choose to do the backups which will make it easier to recover any lost work in the event of corruption or any other failure. This can come from the likes of a network attack, failure of network within the business itself, or even a physical disaster that causes damage to the office or location the data and files may be kept – if there is no backup elsewhere then it will be very difficult for the company to recover their files and data.

• User Account Creation and Deletion

It is usually down to the administrator within a company to create and delete user accounts within the business, which involves creating new accounts, deleting or modifying old accounts, and setting permissions for specific users within the business also. This regular activity is important – especially in larger companies – to ensure that all of the employees have access to network resources and tools the business may have to offer to help with everyday work and tasks. If this routine is not done regularly then the business will be left with outdated accounts that might be taking up valuable space and resources needed for new employees perhaps.

• Virus Scanning

Most business in today's world will use a virus scanning software in order to prevent any malicious files and viruses entering their systems within the business, with examples being Malwarebytes and AVG. These softwares usually allow a bit of customisation in the likes of offering the user what types of scans they would like done, being full scans, quick scans or custom scans, all of which look for specific items that may trigger a suspicion alarm for the software. Not only does an anti-virus software allow for system scans, but they usually offer real time protection also, meaning that it is continuously monitoring the user's activity to prevent threats from being downloaded etc. If virus scans and checks are not routinely taken then there is the chance that they can potentially disrupt services on the network, and can cause untold damage to the company's network; the virus may not seem present to the user's eyes, but will be lurking deep within the computer.