Before installing a network, a network
administrator must consider the following: the configurations of the
network, physical location, topologies, physical structure of the
network, administrative duties (including administrative and test
accounts), passwords, IP addressing, IP configuration, connectivity
requirements, and software.
Administrative accounts allow the
administrator to have unrestricted access to all the information and
security on the network. These accounts should only be created for
individuals whose job requires the need for unrestricted access, and
they should be restricted to exercise these privileges only for
administrative duties. Because the role of the administrator is to
protect all the data on the network, this account should be sensitive
and have a strong password, which must be difficult to break.
Once an administrator uses his or her
administrative account to make changes on the network, a test account
should be used to test and verify the changes. Test accounts are
similar to that of a normal user account, resembling other user
accounts and privileges.
Both administrative and test accounts
need to have passwords. Passwords are a form of computer security,
which enables privileged users to access network information. A strong
password, which should be used for administrative accounts, is a
password that is difficult to "crack" by hackers. Some
hackers use what is called the "brute force" attack, which
uses dictionary files against a user's account. It is important to use
a password that is an uncommon word not found in any dictionary,
consists of at least eight characters in length, and a combination of
numbers and letters.
Administrators must also consider IP
configurations and standard operating procedures (SOPs) when building
their networks. IPCONFIG is a Windows utility used to determine TCP/IP
settings. This utility verifies IP addresses, default gateways, subnet
masks, DNS, and other IP related settings. IP configurations are
normally determined by the desktop used.
Although most networks have different
names, they use similar standard operating procedures, which is a
baseline of the resources in day to day operation. SOPs may include
backing up data on the network at the end of each day or each evening,
having backup information in the case where a network could go down,
or monitoring performance. To monitor performance, a tool called the
"sniffer" may be used to monitor the amount of network
traffic on the network. A "sniffer" is also used to analyze
network traffic and provide solutions to problems effecting the
infrastructure of the network.
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