Transcript module 3 unit 1 Configuration managementx

Module 3: Management and monitoring
• Network management is a broad range of functions including
activities, methods, procedures and the use of tools to
administrate, operate, and reliably maintain computer
network systems. Strictly , network Management does not
include terminal equipment (PCs, workstations, printers, etc.).
Rather, it concerns the reliability, efficiency and
capacity/capabilities of data transfer channels.
While there is no precise definition of the term due to it being such a
broad concept, some of the main areas are summarized below:
Network Administration:
This involves tracking and inventorying the many network resources
such as monitoring transmission lines, hubs, switches, routers, and
servers; it also involves monitoring their performance and updating
their associated software – especially network management
software, network operating systems, and distributed software
applications used by network users.
Network Operation:
This involves smooth network functioning as designed and
intended, including close monitoring of activities to quickly and
efficiently address and fix problems as they occur and preferably
even before users are aware of the problem.
Network Maintenance:
This involves timely repair and necessary upgrades to all network
resources as well as preventive and corrective measures through
close communication and collaboration with network
administrators. Example work includes replacing or upgrading
network equipment such as switches, routers and damaged
transmission lines.
Network Provisioning:
This involves configuring network resources to support the
requirements of a particular service; example services may be
voice capabilities or increasing broadband requirements to
facilitate more users.
Network monitoring : is the use of a system that constantly
monitors a computer network for slow or failing components and
that notifies the network administrator(via email, SMS or other
alarms) in case of outages. It is part of network management.
Network monitoring is generally carried out through software
applications and tools. Network monitoring services are widely
used to detect whether a given Web server is functioning and
connected properly to networks worldwide. Many servers that
perform this function provide a more complete visualization of
both the Internet and networks.
• While constantly monitoring the health/reliability of a network and
searching for trends, the monitoring system tracks and logs
network parameters. These include data transmission rate
(throughput), error rates, downtime/uptime, use-time percentages,
and response time to user and automated inputs and requests.
• Ping is one of the most basic-level network monitoring tools. Other
industrial software applications can include a network monitoring
system that is built to manage an enterprise network or an entire
business. Network monitoring systems make use of applications to
monitor the network traffic, such as the video stream monitoring, Voice
over Internet Protocol (VoIP) monitoring and mail server (POP3 server)
monitoring.
Unit 1: Configuration management
Network configuration management (NCM) is a broad term for the
organization and management of a computer network. All sorts of
networks, including local area networks, wireless networks and virtual
networks all need elements of maintenance, modification, repair and
general monitoring.
• Network configuration management involves collecting different
information about hardware devices, software programs and other
elements of the network in order to support administration and
troubleshooting.
Advantages of network configuration management include:
• Streamlining the processes of maintenance, repair, expansion and
upgrading.
• Minimizing configuration errors.
• Minimizing downtime.
• Optimizing network security.
• Ensuring that changes made to a device or system do not adversely
affect other devices or systems.
• Rolling back changes to a previous configuration if results are
unsatisfactory.
• Archiving the details of all network configuration changes.
Network documentation can provide valuable information to service
providers as well as providing backup in the event of a catastrophic
network failure.
• Network documentation is always a good idea, it's especially
important for service providers and value-added resellers
(VARs). Documenting your customers' networks can make the
troubleshooting process much more efficient when problems
arise. These same network documents can also help you spot
areas of your customers' networks that may need to be
upgraded, giving you the possibility of earning extra revenue.
Finally, good network documentation proves that you adhere to
industry best practices, and could be your best defense should a
customer ever file litigation against you for something networkrelated.
Ten steps for network documentation:
1-Create a network documentation policy
A network documentation policy should detail what aspects of a
network need to be documented, especially each server. A
documentation policy also communicates to each administrator exactly
what is expected of them regarding the documentation process.
2-Create a network topology diagram
Ideally, you want this map of the network's topology to include each
network segment, the routers connecting the various segments, and the
servers, gateways and other major pieces of networking hardware that
are connected to each segment. For larger networks, you may have to
create a general segment map and make more specific maps of each
individual segment.
3-Document server names, roles and IP addresses
While the information included in a network topology diagram is not
necessarily specific, there is certain information that you should
include for each server, even if that information has to be placed in an
appendix. For each server, list the server's name, its IP address and the
role that the server is performing (DNS, DHCP, mail server, etc.). Keep
in mind that a server may be assigned multiple IP addresses or have
multiple NICs, so you should document that information too.
4-Create a change log for each server
When a server fails, the failure can often be traced to a recent change.
As a part of the network documentation, consider making a log
book for each server for documenting changes such as patch and
application installations and modified security settings. Not only will
the log help you troubleshoot future problems, it can help you rebuild
the server in the event of a catastrophic failure.
5-Document software versions and proof of licenses
Document the applications and their versions running on each
server. You might also include a copy of the software license or a
receipt within this documentation just in case your customer
becomes involved in a software audit.
6-Document hardware components
We discussed about documenting individual servers, but it's equally
important to document switches, routers, gateways and other
networking hardware. The documentation should include information
such as:
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How is the device connected to the network?
How is the device configured?
Does a backup of the configuration exist?
What firmware revision is the device running?
Is the device configured to use a password? (Don't include the actual
password, but you can include a password hint or a reference to the
password being written in a notebook that is stored in the safe.)
7-Document the Active Directory
Active Directory documentation, here are a few things that should
consider documenting:
 The names of the domains in the forest.
 The Active Directory site structure.
 Where the various servers exist within the Active Directory
hierarchy.
 The location and contents of each group policy.
 Any external trusts that may exist.
8-Document your backup procedures
Backup is your customer's best defense against a catastrophe, but it
will do little good if nobody can figure out how to use it. Be sure to
document the backup software used and its version (very important).
You will also want to document the tape rotation scheme, a general
description of what's included in each backup job and where the
backup tapes are stored.
9-Label everything
Get a label maker and label all servers, critical hardware
components (gateways, routers, etc.) and the most important
cables. This will make it easy to identify the various pieces of
hardware listed in your network document.
10-Evaluate your documentation
The last step in the documentation process is to evaluate your
network documentation to make sure that it's sufficient for you and
your customer's needs. Think of your network documentation as a
critical part of your disaster recovery strategy.
When the first draft of your documentation is complete, you must
ask yourself if it's good enough to help someone with no prior
knowledge of the setup to rebuild the network from scratch in the
event of a catastrophe(causing). If the answer is yes, then you've
done a good job on the documentation.
https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19455-01/806-0916/6ja853995/index.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Configure-Your-PC-to-a-LocalArea-Network
Understand the use of baseline configurations and
performance criteria
• Whenever there happens a configuration change in a device,
Network Configuration Manager automatically triggers a
configuration backup. The backedup configurations are stored
as incremental versions. Among the various configuration
versions of a device, any trusted version can be lebeled as
'Baseline Version'.
• Baseline version can be considered as the best working
configuration version. It will enable administrators to rollback
configurations to the baseline version in the event of a network
outage.
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/solutions/Enterprise/Security/Baseline_Security
/securebasebook/appendxD.html
• Setting a network baseline also provides early indicators that
application and network demands are pushing near the available
capacity, giving the networking team the opportunity to plan for
upgrades. Aligning network performance baselines with existing
network service-level agreements (SLAs) can help the IT organization
stay within capacity parameters and identify problem areas that are
falling out of compliance.
The network monitoring challengefor engineers, however, is to define
what is normal for their organization's infrastructure.
• Network performance management must meet the client's
goals, and every client is different. Solution providers must
understand the client's definition of success and apply those
criteria to the current project.
What are the criteria for successful network performance
management?
• To do it right, you need to accomplish the client's goals. The
client's network must perform at the level they need for the price
they're willing to spend. There are obviously practical limitations
to what you're able to do as a solution provider.
• For example, you can't make a DSL line go faster, but you can
manage the bandwidth available on it, so you can potentially
provide a modest apparent improvement. So if the client can
only afford a DSL line, and you can make that line perform as
well as it can, that's a successful project.
Compare and update network schematics, diagrams and job
logs.
• A computer network diagram is a schematic depicting the nodes
and connections amongst nodes in a computer network or, more
generally, any telecommunications network.
• Readily identifiable icons are used to depict common network
appliances e.g. Router, and the style of lines between them indicate
the type of connection.
• Clouds are used to represent networks external to the one pictured
for the purposes of depicting connections between internal and
external devices, without indicating the specifics of the outside
network.
• For example, in the hypothetical local area network pictured to the
right, three personal computers and a server are connected to
a switch; the server is further connected to a printer and a gateway
router, which is connected via a WAN link to the Internet.
• Depending on whether the diagram is intended for formal or informal
use, certain details may be lacking and must be determined from
context.
• For example, the sample diagram does not indicate the physical type
of connection between the PCs and the switch, but since a modern
LAN is depicted, Ethernet may be assumed. If the same style of line
was used in a WAN (wide area network) diagram, however, it may
indicate a different physical connection.
• At different scales diagrams may represent various levels of network
granularity. At the LAN level, individual nodes may represent
individual physical devices, such as hubs or file servers, while at the
WAN level, individual nodes may represent entire cities.
• In addition, when the scope of a diagram crosses the common
LAN/MAN/WAN boundaries, representative hypothetical devices
may be depicted instead of showing all actually existing nodes.
• For example, if a network appliance is intended to be connected
through the Internet to many end-user mobile devices, only a single
such device may be depicted for the purposes of showing the general
relationship between the appliance and any such device.
• A job log is invaluable in determining the cause of a problem when
a job ends abnormally. If not properly managed, though, job logs
can eat up huge amounts of system storage.
• Understanding how job logs get generated is the first step to
understanding how to managing them.
• Every job that runs on your server has an associated job log that
records its activities. A job log can contain the following:
• The commands in the job
• The commands in a control language (CL) program
• All messages associated with that job
http://search400.techtarget.com/tip/Take-control-of-your-job-logs