LAN Management - Making Effective Use of Technology
discount hotels in GlasgowAs one who deals daily with users and their problems with computers and PC application software, I do not always think about how others in Computer Services do their job, and that they are faced with the same problem ... how to maintain an exponentially growing community of networked computers with a staff size that has not changed much in the last three years. So how is it that our network is reliable and "always" up? I went to one of our network people and asked. At Augusta State University(ASU) we have an Ethernet network with about 900 nodes running a Windows NT operating system and using several different protocols, including TCP/IP and netbeui. The network is a BUS/STAR topology with various types of media including single and multimode fiber, cat 4 and 5 TP, and 10base2 and 10base5. Twelve buildings are on-line with nine mort being added by the end of the year. Alt buildings are on-site except the Athletic Complex that is about two miles away. Our network resources include: > Terminal servers for asynchronous access Various NT servers running client/server applico4otis Unix workstations functioning as E-mail, Web, And News servers A 56-drive CD-ROM tower running Windows NT Several general purpose file and print servers alberghi bed and breakfast MamaiaSo, how do three people keep our network running and provide the uptime that users demand? They use as much current technology as possible and establish maintenance/ support contracts with our vendors. At ASU we use an SNMP Management Platform, various network analyzers, and intelligent hardware equipped with SNMP support. Cabletron's Spectrum software is installed on a Unix workstation in our main office. In addition, the hubs in all buildings have an SNMP module installed allowing the network administrator to monitor network traffic patterns, bandwidth use, isolate port problems, or monitor the back- bone all from a central location. Spectrophone is also installed. When a problem occurs, the system is programmed to notify a particular person, by dialing a pager number. The person notified can call the system, and via voice response determine what type of problem is occurring. This permits the network to be monitored after work hours and assist the network crew to take corrective steps. In addition to the intelligent hubs in each building, Cabletron's MMAC+ is our central hub. The MMAC+ is a 14- slot chassis that supports LAN, WAN, SNA, and ATM connectivity and serves as our network backbone. It is equipped with a flexible network bus that is two dual-FDDI networks that provide up to 800 Mbps of data bandwidth and a two-channet systems management bus. In addition, an Internal Network Bus was recently configured to support packet and ATM celt transport. This system also has hot swappable modules and a redundant power supply. Other network analyzers employed are, Network General's sniffer, an MTDR, and the NT Performance Monitor. The sniffer, a portable device, is generally used in the field when Spectrum is not available. Its primary use is to trap packets and further isolate problems. Since we still have some older segments of coax cable on campus, the MTDR is used to test for cable breaks or shorts. To watch file server system performance, we use the NT Performance Monitor. It permits monitoring of server resources, including memory, processor, and disk use. Our network is very stable because we have stayed with current technology, centralized the servers, and used telephone technology. The network staff carries alphanumeric pagers and has access to 2-way radios with phone connection. Our current operating system is NT 4 and the wiring on campus is primarily fiber and category 5. Network servers, located in a central area, are a combination of SUN worksta- tions and NT servers ranging from Zenith P133 to Compaq Proliant 5000 all with at least 64MB RAM. The network devices that give us the most problems are old circa 1993- 1994 terminal servers, older coax cabling, and other such "antiquated" technologies. Just like other computer related items these days, the life expectancy of network tools, devices, and resources is short. New technology comes out rapidly and we must keep pace and plan. So, it is important for network personnel, as is with other IT professionals, to stay up-to-date with technology. Due to more data being sent via the network, and with the increase in graphics and the demand for video we need to continue to improve our network hardware, make use of switched hubs, and replace older cabling plans with newer technology. We need to continually assess our needs and request funding for such projects. As the network continues to be a mainstay in our work and teaching lives, resources must be provided to answer the 100% uptime requirements and to do so with little increase in people Contributed by: Cathy Barner, Coordinator of Support Services (cbarner@aug.edu) & Steve Duckworth, Network Specialist (sduckwor@aug.edu) Augusta State University Augusta, Ga 30904 Note: CUMREC does not endorse any product or process as a matter of policy. However, the newsletter does recognize its obligation to present its members with information that is current and from which members and their institutions may benefit. To this end, we may, from time to time, address ourselves to items of a commercial nature.
[Next Page] |
