Unit 27 Network Operating Systems

Introduction

Aim

To provide learners with the knowledge, skills and techniques necessary to install, configure, troubleshoot and maintain a reliable network operating systems service.

Unit abstract

Modern enterprise organisations rely on the use of a range of network operating systems (NOS), to establish the networking services necessary to run their IT infrastructure. Supporting a NOS is considered one of the primary roles of a professional network administrator. It is part of their duties to identify the NOS as required, undertake the installation and deployment of network servers, and configure, support and maintain the NOS. This may also involve routine administration, the management of systems and user security policies as well as more specific specialist tasks. This unit will allow learners to install, configure, support and maintain complex NOS and servers. They will learn the skills and knowledge to use the NOS, to provide enterprise users access to the services and resources, in a secure environment, making sure that business data is protected against internal and external attacks or disasters.

Learning outcomes

1 Understand network operating systems principles

NOS: types eg standalone, infrastructure based, cluster based
NOS services: types eg file, web, print, remote access, proxy, terminal services, firewall, access control, infrastructure management, ecommerce
Disaster recovery: backup methodology, data recovery, mirrored systems, virtualisation, UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), backup-power supply, off site management, high availability, fault tolerance
NOS selection: open source, proprietary, general purpose, task specific
NOS security: management of updates/patches, anti-virus protection, physical access policies, service access policies, user access policies, policy management, user audits, group audits, continual vetting of access, authentication policies and practice, password policy

2 Be able to plan the implementation of network operating systems

Naming system: method eg registration of server on directory service, infrastructure requirement, issue of local name for server
Addressing: method eg allocation of addresses for NOS services
Installation: preparation eg selection of hardware, memory requirement, standalone, infrastructure, virtual server, storage requirement, disk partitioning, RAID allocation
Service: selection eg file, web, print, remote access, proxy, terminal services, firewall, access control, infrastructure management, ecommerce
Security: policy eg patch management, anti-viral management, access requirement, administrative rights, authentication, password policy
Disaster recovery: policy eg backup methodology, mirrored services, virtualisation, UPS, backup-power supply, off site management, high availability, fault tolerance

3 Be able to implement network operating systems

NOS: installation: eg selection of media, application of NOS to selected installation environment, application of naming system, application of addressing
Service: installation: eg file, web, print, remote access, proxy, terminal services, firewall, access control, infrastructure management, ecommerce
Security: configuration eg installation of updates, installation of anti-viral management, setting of administrative rights, setting of authentication policy, setting of password policy
Disaster recovery: configuration eg mirrored services, virtualisation, UPS, backup-power supply, off site management, high availability, fault tolerance services
Testing: eg access to network, other devices able to access services

4 Be able to manage network operating systems

Performance: baseline eg establishing normal performance without load, establishing performance with load
Monitor: performance eg setting up and monitoring event logs, optimising server performance, using performance tools
Updating NOS: eg implementing a security policy and auditing system, applying patches, security updates, reviewing user access, adding new services.

Resources

Barrett D – Linux Pocket Guide (Pocket Guide: Essential Commands) (O’Reilly Media, 2004) ISBN-10: 0596006284
Cisco Inc – Cisco Networking Academy Program: IT Essentials II - Network Operating System Engineering Journal and Workbook (Cisco Press, 2003) ISBN-10: 1587130955
Corp – Microsoft Windows 2000 Network and Operating System Essentials (iUniverse, 2001) ISBN-10: 059514814X
Watson R – Introduction to Operating Systems and Networks (Prentice Hall, 2003) ISBN-10: 0131118943