CHAPTER ONE

SYSTEM AND NETWORK ADMINISTRATION

An overview of Network What is a Network?

 A network consists of 2 or more computers connected together, and they can communicate and share
resources (e.g. information)

Advantage of computer network:

• File sharing

• Sharing of resources

– Hardware sharing

– Software sharing

• Increase storage capacity

• Centralized administration

• Increased cost efficiency

Disadvantage of computer network Page 1

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• Security issue
 – Computer hackers can get access to our system using different tools

– Hackers are someone who break our system and have unauthorized access

• Virus attack vulnerability increase

• Expensive setup cost

– Cost of hardware and personnel

• Dependency on the main server

Based on the area coverage computer networks can be categorized into three:

– Local Area Network(LAN)

– Metropolitan Area Network(MAN)
– Wide Area Network(WAN)

***Local Area Network (LAN) ***

– Small network, short distance

• A room, a floor, a building
• Limited by no. of computers and distance covered

• Has very high speed mainly due to proximity of computer and network devices.

• connection speeds can be 10Mbps or 100Mbps or 1000Mpbs also

• uses Guided Media

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• Serve a department within an organization
 Examples:

• Network inside the Student Computer Room

• Network inside CF502

• Network inside your home

***Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)***

 MAN ((Metropolitan Area Network) is a larger network of computers and other network devices which are connected
together usually spans several buildings or large geographical area.

 All the devices that are part of MAN are span across buildings or small town.

 MAN network has lower speed compared to LAN.

 MAN connection speeds can be 10Mbps or 100Mbps.

 MAN uses Guided Media or Unguided media.

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Example

– Network among the four colleges of Arba Minch City

***Wide Area Network (WAN) ***

– WAN (Wide Area Network) is a group of computers and other network devices which are connected
together which is not restricted to a geographical location.

– Internet is WAN

– All the devices that are part of WAN have no geographical boundaries.

– WAN speed varies based on geographical location of the servers.

 WAN connects several LANs

– WAN connection speeds can be 10Mbps or 100Mbps.

– WAN mainly uses Guided Media or Unguided media.

– Its long distance communications, which may or may not be provided by public packet network.
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 –

LAN WAN
Definition: LAN (Local Area Network) is a computer WAN (Wide Area Network) is a computer network
network covering a small geographic area, that covers a broad area (e.g., any network
like a home, office, school, or group of whose communications links cross metropolitan,
buildings. regional, or national boundaries over a long distance).

Speed: High speed (1000 mbps) Less speed (150 mbps)

Data transfer LANs have a high data transfer rate. WANs have a lower data transfer rate as compared to

rates: LANs.

Example: Network in an organization can be a LAN Internet is a good example of a WAN

Technology: Tend to use certain connectivity technologies, WANs tend to use technologies like MPLS, ATM,
primarily Ethernet and Token Ring Page 5
Frame Relay and X.25 for connectivity over longer
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distances
 LAN WAN
Connection: One LAN can be connected to other Computers connected to a wide-area network
LANs over any distance via telephone lines are often connected through public
and radio waves. networks, such as the telephone system.
They can also be connected through leased
lines or satellites.
Components: Layer 2 devices like switches and Layers 3 devices Routers, Multi-layer Switches
bridges.Layer 1 devices like hubs and and Technology specific devices like
repeaters. ATM or Frame-relay Switches etc.

Fault LANs tend to have fewer problems WANs tend to be less fault tolerant as they
Tolerance: associated with them, as there is smaller consist of large number of systems.
number of systems to deal with.

Data Experiences fewer data transmission Experiences more data transmission errors as
Transmission errors compared to LAN
Error:
Ownership: Typically owned, controlled, and managed WANs (like the Internet) are not owned by any
by a single person or organization. one organization but rather exist under
collective or distributed ownership and
management over long distances.
Set-up costs: If there is a need to set-up a couple of For WANs since networks in Page
remote
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extra devices on the have to be connected the set-up
 LAN WAN

network, it is not very expensive to do costs are higher. However WANs using
that. public networks can be setup very cheaply using
just software (VPN etc).

Geographical Have a small geographical range and Have a large geographical range
Spread: do not need any leased generally spreading across boundaries and
telecommunication lines need leased telecommunication lines

Maintenance Because it covers a relatively small Maintaining WAN is difficult because of its
costs: geographical area, LAN is easier to wider geographical coverage and higher
maintain at relatively low costs. maintenance costs.

Bandwidth: High bandwidth is available for Low bandwidth is available for

transmission. transmission.

Geographical LAN covers 100 m WAN covers more than 100 m

Area:

Congestion: Less congestion More congestion

Spread: The network is spread to a very small The network is spread world wide
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# Based on the relationship/functionality of the computers on the network, computer
networks can be categorized into two

– Peer to peer network /workgroup --- Server based network/ domain

***Peer to peer network /workgroup***

 Peer-to-peer network is also called workgroup
 No hierarchy among computers all are equal
 No administrator responsible for the network

Advantages of peer-to-peer networks:

• Low cost
• Simple to configure
• User has full accessibility of the computer

Disadvantages of peer-to-peer networks:

• May have duplication in resources

• Difficult to uphold security policy

• Difficult to handle uneven loading

Where peer-to-peer network is appropriate:

• 10 or less users
• No specialized services required
• Security is not an issue
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• Only limited growth in the foreseeable future
***Server-Based/ Client and Server Architectures ***
Network Clients (Workstation)

•Computers that request network resources or services

Network Domain ( Domain)

•Computers that manage and provide network resources and services to clients

•Usually have more processing power, memory and hard disk space than clients

•Run Network Operating System to manage users, groups, security, and applications on the network

•Servers often have a more stringent requirement on its performance and reliability

Advantages of client/server networks

• Facilitate resource sharing – centrally administrator manages resources (printer,,

hard disk,….)

• Facilitate system backup and improve fault tolerance

• Enhance security – only administrator can have access to Server

• Support more users – difficult to achieve with peer-to-peer networks

• Disadvantages of client/server networks

• High cost for Servers

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Need expert to configure the network
 Specialized servers
• File and Print server
– Manage user access and use of files and servers
• Application server

– Holds application programs for the network

– Example: Database server

• Mail server
– Used to hold and mange email

• Fax server

– Manages Faxes
• Communication server

– Manages communication between own network and other networks

• Directory service server
– Manage user login to the network

– Manage resources
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– Enable users to access resources in the network
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 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

Wireless network is a type of network sets up by using radio signal

frequency to communicate
among computers and other network devices

Home and business networkers looking to buy wireless local area

network (WLAN) gear face an array of choices.
Many products conform to the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n
wireless standards collectively known as Wi-Fi technologies.
Additionally, Bluetooth and various other non Wi-Fi technologies also
exist, each also designed for specific networking applications.
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 Comparing and contrasting Wi-Fi
802.11
 In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) created the first
WLAN standard.

 Supports maximum network bandwidth of 2 Mbps

 - too slow for most applications.

 For this reason, ordinary 802.11 wireless products are no longer manufactured.

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 802.11b
 IEEE expanded on the original 802.11 standard in July 1999, creating the 802.11b
specification.

 802.11b supports bandwidth up to 11 Mbps, comparable to traditional Ethernet.

 802.11b uses the same unregulated radio signaling frequency (2.4 GHz) as the
original 802.11 standard.

• Pros of 802.11b - lowest cost; signal range is good and not easily obstructed

 Cons of 802.11b - slowest maximum speed; home appliances may interfere on

the unregulated frequency band
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 802.11a
 802.11a supports bandwidth up to 54 Mbps and signals in a regulated frequency
spectrum around 5 GHz.
 This higher frequency compared to 802.11b shortens the range of 802.11a networks.

 The higher frequency also means 802.11a signals have more difficulty penetrating
walls and other obstructions.
 Because 802.11a and 802.11b utilize different frequencies, the two technologies are
incompatible with each other.

 Pros of 802.11a - fast maximum speed; regulated frequencies prevent signal

interference from other devices

 Cons of 802.11a - highest cost; shorter range signal that is more easily obstructed
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 802.11g
 In 2002 and 2003, WLAN products supporting a newer standard called 802.11g
emerged on the market.
 802.11g attempts to combine the best of both 802.11a and 802.11b.
 802.11g supports bandwidth up to 54 Mbps, and it uses the 2.4 Ghz frequency
for greater range.

 802.11g is backwards compatible with 802.11b, meaning that 802.11g access points
will work with 802.11b wireless network adapters and vice versa.

 Pros of 802.11g - fast maximum speed; signal range is good and not easily obstructed

 Cons of 802.11g - costs more than 802.11b; appliances may interfere on the
unregulated signal frequency
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 802.11n
 The newest IEEE standard in the Wi-Fi category is 802.11n.
 It was designed to improve on 802.11g in the amount of bandwidth supported by
utilizing multiple wireless signals and antennas (called MIMO technology) instead
of one.
 When this standard is finalized, 802.11n connections should support data rates of
over 100 Mbps.
 802.11n also offers somewhat better range over earlier Wi-Fi standards due to its
increased signal intensity.
802.11n equipment will be backward compatible with 802.11g gear.

 Pros of 802.11n - fastest maximum speed and best signal range; more resistant to
signal interference from outside sources
 Cons of 802.11n - standard is not yet finalized; costs more than 802.11g; the use of
multiple signals may greatly interfere with nearby 802.11b/g based networks.
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 What about Bluetooth and the Rest?
 Aside from these four general-purpose Wi-Fi standards, several other related wireless
network technologies exist.
 Other IEEE 802.11 working group standards like 802.11h and 802.11j are extensions or
offshoots of Wi-Fi technology that each serve a very specific purpose.
 Bluetooth is an alternative wireless network technology that followed a different development
path than the 802.11 family.
 Bluetooth supports a very short range (approximately 10 meters) and relatively low bandwidth
(1-3 Mbps in practice) designed for low-power network devices like handhelds.

 The low manufacturing cost of Bluetooth hardware also appeals to industry vendors.

 You can readily find Bluetooth in the networking of PDAs or cell phones with PCs, but it is
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rarely used for general-purpose WLAN networking due to the range and speed
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 WiMax also was developed separately from Wi-Fi.
 WiMax is designed for long-range networking (spanning miles or kilometers) as
opposed to local area wireless networking.
The following IEEE 802.11 standards exist or are in development to support the
creation of technologies for wireless local area networking:
 802.11a - 54 Mbps standard, 5 GHz signaling (ratified 1999)

 802.11b - 11 Mbps standard, 2.4 GHz signaling (1999)

 802.11c - operation of bridge connections (moved to 802.1D)

 802.11d - worldwide compliance with regulations for use of wireless signal spectrum
(2001)
 802.11e - Quality of Service (QoS) support (not yet ratified)

 802.11F - Inter-Access Point Protocol recommendation for communication between

access points to support roaming clients (2003) Page 18
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 802.11g - 54 Mbps standard, 2.4 GHz signaling (2003)

 802.11h - enhanced version of 802.11a to support European regulatory requirements

(2003)

 802.11i - security improvements for the 802.11 family (2004)

 802.11j - enhancements to 5 GHz signaling to support Japan regulatory requirements

(2004)

 802.11k - WLAN system management

 802.11l - skipped to avoid confusion with 802.11i

 802.11m - maintenance of 802.11 family documentation

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 802.11n - 100+ Mbps standard improvements over 802.11g (2009)
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 802.11o – skipped
 802.11p - Wireless Access for the Vehicular Environment

 802.11q – skipped

 802.11r - fast roaming support via Basic Service Set transitions

 802.11s - ESS mesh networking for access points

 802.11T - Wireless Performance Prediction - recommendation for testing standards

and metrics
 802.11u - internetworking with 3G / cellular and other forms of external networks
 802.11v - wireless network management / device configuration

 802.11w - Protected Management Frames security enhancement

 802.11x - skipped (generic name for the 802.11 family)
 802.11y - Contention Based Protocol for interference avoidance
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 Duties of System Administrators

Applying operating system updates, patches, and configuration

changes.

Installing and configuring new hardware and software.

Adding, removing, or updating user account information, resetting

passwords, etc.

System performance tuning/changing.

Responsibility for documenting the configuration of the system.

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Responsibility for security.

Performing routine audits of systems and software.

Performing backups.

Analyzing system logs and identifying potential issues with computer

systems.

Troubleshooting any reported problems.

Introducing and integrating new technologies into existing data center

environments.

Answering technical queries.

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 Duties of network administrators:
-Installation: attach PCs, printers, etc. to LAN

-Configuration: NICs, protocol stack, user app’s shared printers, etc.

-Testing: Ping was sufficient to “manage” network i.e. insuring that the network
infrastructure is up and running

-More devices: bridge, router

Ongoing maintenance issues

-How to optimize performance?

-How to handle failures and network changes?

-How to extend network capacity?

-How to account for network usages?

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-How to solve network security issues?
Server admin

System admin

Network admin

Security specialist

Different certifications for these

 Cisco,
02/22/2025 Novell, Microsoft, Sun, (ISC) 2
, etc. Page 24
 Types of Administrators/Users
Database Administrator (DBA):
 maintains a database system

 is responsible for the integrity of the data and the efficiency and performance of
the system.

System Administrator:
 The person who is responsible for setting up and maintaining the system is called
as the system administrator.

 Someone who takes care of the systems others are using.

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 Network Administrator:

 maintains network infrastructure such as switches and routers, and diagnoses

problems with these or with the behavior of network-attached computers.

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 Security Administrator:

 is a specialist in computer and network security, including the administration of

security devices such as firewalls, as well as consulting on general security
measures.

Web Administrator:
 maintains web server services (such as IIS or Apache) that allow for internal or
external access to web sites.

 Tasks include managing multiple sites, administering security, and configuring

necessary components and software.

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 Responsibilities
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 Technical support:
 Staffs respond to individual users' difficulties with computer systems,

 provide instructions and sometimes training, and diagnose and solve common
problems.

Computer operator:
 performs routine maintenance and upkeep, such as changing backup tapes or
replacing failed drives in a RAID array.

 Such tasks usually require physical presence in the room with the computer; and
while less skilled than system administration tasks require a similar level of trust,
since the operator has access to possibly sensitive data.
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 Philosophies of system administration

 Automate everything
 Document everything
 Communicate as much as possible
 Know your resources
 Know your users
 Know your business
 Security cannot be an afterthought
 Plan ahead
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 Expect the unexpected
 *** Automate Everything***
o Free disk space checking and reporting

o Backups

o System performance data collection

o User account maintenance (creation, deletion, etc.)

o Business-specific
functions (pushing new data to a Web server,
running monthly/quarterly/yearly reports, etc.)

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 *** Document Everything***

 Policies

 Procedures

 Changes

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 *** Communicate as Much as Possible***

 Tell Your Users What You Are Going to Do

 Tell Your Users What You Are Doing

 Tell Your Users What You Have Done

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 ***Know Your Resources***

Some of the resources are:-

 System resources, such as available processing power, memory, and

disk space

 Network bandwidth

 Available money in the IT budget

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 ***Know Your Users***

. Users are those people that use the systems and resources
for which you are responsible — no more, and no less.

Make sure you learn as much about your users as you can.

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 ***Know Your Business***
 you must understand the nature of the business environment in which
you work.

The key point here is to understand your systems' purpose in a more global sense:

 Applications that must be run within certain time frames, such as at

the end of a month, quarter, or year

 The times during which system maintenance may be done

 New technologies that could be used to resolve long-standing business

problems
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 ***Security cannot be an Afterthought***

The following list illustrates the different kinds of issues you should
consider:-

 The nature of possible threats to each of the systems under your care

 The location, type, and value of the data on those systems

 The type and frequency of authorized access to the systems

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 ***Plan Ahead***

 is a sure sign that you will likely need to support new users in the near
future

 being responsible for new (and possibly incompatible) systems in one

or more remote locations

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 ***Expect the Unexpected***

 it reflects an underlying truth that all system administrators must

understand:

 There will be times when you are caught unready.

 After becoming comfortable with this uncomfortable fact of life, what

can a concerned system administrator do?

 The answer lies in flexibility; by performing your job in such a way as

to give
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