Changing scenario of information exchange by the network administration

Network administration is different from system administration. In system administration, all tasks are related to a separate computer system. In the case of network management, once you put your system on a network, it interacts with many other systems. In today’s fast-paced world, everyone demands a modern network that is far superior to what has come before. We need better security and better network management.

Network administration typically includes activities such as network address assignment, routing protocols, and configuration of authentication and authorization directory services. It often includes maintaining network facilities on individual machines, such as personal computer drivers and settings. Sometimes it also includes the maintenance of certain networks: gateways, intrusion detection system, etc.

The network administration task is performed by the network administrator. The network administrator is responsible for the design and security of the network.

design:

The design of a network is called Network Architecture. Network architecture can be defined as the design principles, physical configuration, functional organization, procedures, and data structures used to design and build a communication network.
In this rapidly changing scenario, the term Network Architecture also denotes classification and differentiation of distributed computing architecture.

To address the collision problem, a certain set of rules is also defined that ensures that no more than one computer can send a packet over the data wire.

Security:

Sometimes security has more to do with politics and the issue of human resources than with networking. More often than not, a security administrator is left in the balance when deciding whether to prioritize maintaining a reasonable level of security or giving users flexibility to do their jobs. A security administrator has to find a balance between these two opposing desires. Safety should be like clothing, in that clothing is designed so that it is not too tight as to restrict movement and not so loose that it is revealing to the public.

When thinking about protecting a corporate network, there are three ways someone can gain access to the corporate network:

1) Through the Internet.

2) Through telephone access.

3) Through Virtual Private Networks.

Network management system:

Network management systems are a combination of hardware and software used to monitor and manage a network. Individual network elements are monitored by element management systems.

Network management refers to the activities, methods, procedures, and tools that pertain to the operation, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of networked systems.

o The operation tries to keep the network (and the services provided by the network) running smoothly. It includes monitoring the network to detect problems as early as possible, ideally before users are affected.

o Management is concerned with keeping track of resources on the network and how they are allocated. It includes all the “maintenance” necessary to keep the network under control.

o Maintenance deals with carrying out repairs and upgrades, for example, when
equipment needs to be replaced, when a router needs a patch for an OS image, when a new switch is added to a network. Maintenance also involves corrective and preventative measures to make the managed network work “better”, such as adjusting device configuration parameters.

o Provisioning deals with configuring resources in the network to support a given service. For example, this could include configuring the network so that a new customer can receive voice service.

Changing the dynamics of network management:

Perhaps you prefer to work outside the office, for example, on the golf course. When you are away, it would be useful to monitor your servers and network remotely. You’re lucky; There are a host of utilities that allow you to remotely monitor, diagnose and repair problems, and perform management tasks using a smartphone or handheld device connected to one of your data center servers.

Most offerings let you manage passwords, printer connections, email programs, or database servers with a Blackberry, Palm Tree, or Nokia smartphone linked to a network server, which is linked to the rest of your network. But while Avocent’s Sonic-Admin, Ecutel’s IC2 (command and control infrastructure), ASG’s MobileControl and other solutions will probably work just fine; many administrations have reservations about security.

security concerns

The idea of ​​network management applications using a wireless device represents a dream come true for many network administrators, but it will be a while before the concept takes root. Indeed, the potential market for such utilities is huge, but security concerns have reduced it to just a nascent market, and the debut of utilities has been too small to track, says Mobile Trax analyst Gerry Purdy.

“Of course, the demand for this type of application will eventually grow as smartphones have more feature sets and can handle the necessary software loads,” says Purdy. “But at the same time, these devices and apps represent security [threats] in the mind of [IT administrators]Like when a person leaves the company and has access to the network with their mobile device or when a mobile device can provide an opportunity for someone to hack into your network with a smartphone.”

Acknowledging that allaying security concerns is the hard sell, Robert Touw, business development manager for Avocent’s mobile solutions group, says IT administrators are increasingly accepting the idea of ​​remote network management and security that utility companies can offer. He also says that even some financial firms, for which security is a major concern, now use the utility.

Wireless and remote freedom

Above all, IT administrators enjoy the opportunities offered by remote and wireless network management. “There’s quality of life: suddenly you don’t have to stop dinner to fix something right away,” says Touw. “Now suddenly you can also do things in 10 minutes that used to take 40 minutes.”

For security, Avocent says that SonicAdmin offers 3DES encryption and token transaction authentication so that the server only accepts valid data packets with recognized tokens. Authentication levels, supported by RSA SecurID, include SonicAdmin user account authentication, device authentication, and NT/AD authentication plus optional RSA SecurID integration. Data such as sensitive network and personal login is not stored on mobile devices. Additionally, remote administrative actions are logged on both the SonicAdmin server and the managed servers.
Ecutel says its IC2 software offers six layers of security. The server, on which it runs, for example, sits behind the data center firewall and broadcasts signals to and from the server, and mobile devices use a minimum of 128-bit encryption. Authentication is based on a web-based management client and RSA SecurID. There is also a full audit trail of IC2 server operation, and IC2 automatically times out after 30 minutes of inactivity.

ASG says that users of the MobileControl Administrator administration interface must log in with a PIN and domain credentials. Systems can also take advantage of RSA SecurID, SSL, VPN, and third-party wireless gateway server security solutions. Sensitive information, such as passwords, is never stored on the wireless device, and an automatic timeout feature for each mobile device prevents illegal network entry if a wireless device is lost or stolen.
According to Purdy, the app is likely to take hold once vendors convince IT administrators that security risks can be minimized. Purdy says, “It’s just about these companies getting the word out that [these utilities] They are safe and they work.