Networking Your Parish and School Site
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Transcript of Networking Your Parish and School Site
Networking Your Parish and School Site
3/24/04
Let’s talk about…
• Warm-up exercises• Demystifying networking technology• Trends and new technologies• Strategic importance of broadband• Designing your network• Things to do list• Resources and references
1. Warm-up Exercises
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Warm-up Exercises
• Goals for today
• Introductions
• Why a network?
• An institutional network
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Goals for Today• Understand the basics of networking
• Consider new trends and technologies
• Be conversant in network design
• Understand basics of leading an implementation or upgrade project
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Who Are You?
• Please quickly let the rest of us know who you are, where you work, and possibly what a special networking challenge is for your location.
• Also, let us know of any special goals you might have for today.
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Trend of Institutional Networks
• Organizations are evolving their networks from isolated pockets of networking to single networks that span their institution—and sometimes go beyond.
Networking Your Parish and School Site
• Seamless ability to communicate
• Single set of network resources
• Single set of outside links
• Avoids dialing out
• Eases technology support burden
Why an Institutional Network?
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Institutional Networks Evolution
• Stand-alone PCs, dial-ups
• Isolated “local area networks” (LANs)
• Main buildings (parish office, school)
• Campus (nearby buildings)
• Remote buildings (WANs)
2. Demystifying
Networking Technology
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Demystifying the Technology
• How a PC is networked• Network hardware devices• Measuring network speed• Connection options• Domains and workgroups• Cabling basics• Management issues
Network Interface
Card (NIC)
How a PC Is Networked
Patch Panel
File Server
ComputerRoom
Desk
Network Interface
Card (NIC)
CommunicationsCloset
NetworkJack
Hub or Switch
NetworkCabling Network
Backbone
PatchCable
PC
Hub or Switch
PatchCable
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Network Hardware Devices• Network interface card (NIC)• Hub - collects traffic• Switch - collects and selects path• Router - interfaces to another network• Bridge - connects segments• File server – holds shared files, etc.• Specialized devices (e.g., firewall)
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Measuring Transmission Speed• Bits per Second (bps or “baud)
(e.g., 56,000 bps)
• Kilobits per Second (kbps) (e.g., 56 kbps)
• Megabits per Second (mbps)(e.g., 10 mbps - “Ethernet”)
• Gigabits per Second (gbps)
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Internal Protocol Options• Ethernet 10 megabits per
second (mbps)
• Fast Ethernet 100 mbps
• Gigabit Ethernet 1 gigabit per second
(1,000 mbps)
Domains and Workgroups• With the maturity of the Internet, “all the
world’s a network”—but you need to partition off your part of it.
• Most sites define one or more “domains” using MS Windows Server (i.e., NT, 2000, 2003)
• Sites of up to 10 PCs can use Windows to define a “workgroup.”
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Cabling Components• Patch cable to jack
• Jack and face plate
• Network cable
• Communications closet
• Patch panel
• Patch cable to switchHub or Switch
Patch Panel
Communications Closet
Networking Your Parish and School Site
School Lab and Classroom Cabling• Desks aren’t by walls
• Avoid cable on floor
• Some solutions…– Cable in trays under
tables– Poles from ceiling– Wireless
Table
Table
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Types of Cable
Investing in Cabling• Cabling ideally
supports both “voice” and “data”
• Use of Category 5 cable (now 5e and 6)
• Seek opportunities to start fresh
• Cutting cornersHub or Switch
Patch Panel
Communications Closet
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Ongoing Management Issues• Selecting an internet service provider
(ISP)• Selecting a network OS
– MS Windows Server (e.g., 2003)– Novell Internetware
• Network naming/numbering– TCP/IP and DHCP– IPX (Novell)
Networking Your Parish and School Site
The Ubiquitous TCP/IP Standard• Naming standard of the Internet
• Provides “postal” address for both internal and worldwide devices
• Uses now-familiar four part format (e.g., 123.456.798.111), and also…
• Translates to allow use of names (e.g., archmil.org) rather than numbers
• IDs on PCs usually private (non-unique)
3. Trends and New Technologies
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Trends and New Technologies
• Wireless networking
• Firewalls, filtering, and security issues
• Voice over IP (VoIP) and telephony
• Video conferencing and instructional video
Wireless in Your Local Network
• Cabling not needed
OfficeOffice
Patch Panel
Hub or Switch
Network Jack
Network Interface
Card (NIC)
CommunicationsCommunicationsClosetCloset
Wireless in Your Local Network
• Cabling not needed
• NIC now “wireless PC card”
• Also need wireless access point (WAP)
Office
WirelessPC Card
Patch Panel
CommunicationsCloset
Hub or Switch
WirelessAccessPoint
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Why Local Wireless?• Movable devices• Upcoming moves• Stray devices in nearby
buildings• Historic or hard-to-wire
buildings• Consider speed
requirements
Building to Building “Fixed” Wireless
• Spread spectrum can be used to connect buildings in your WAN.
To ISPMain Main
BuildingBuilding
Wi-Fi “Mobile” Wireless LANs
• “Wi-Fi” wireless is getting tremendous publicity
• Not the answer for heavy WAN traffic, but…
• Could connect stray PCs in nearby buildings.
Wireless Standards *
802.11b
“Wi-Fi”
802.11a 802.11g
Popularity + + + + + +Speed 11 mbs 54 mbs 54 mbs
Cost $ $$$ $$Range 100’-150' 25’-75’ 150’
Compatibility + + + + + +* Thanks to Linksys
Firewalls, Filtering, Security• Threats and Remedies
– Access Passwords, etc.
– Viruses Anti-Virus Software
– Intruders Firewall
– Problem Content Content Filtering
– Spam Spam Filters
– Spyware Spyware Utilities
Firewalls, Filtering, Security• Sophistication of solutions racing to
keep up with sophistication of problems; vendors are impressive
• But no panaceas yet
• Solutions are being integrated (e.g., “security appliances”), and…
• Software being married with hardware
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Voice over IP
• Three telephone choices
– Traditional switch/PBX– Voice over IP (VoIP)
– Centrex
• Voice mail
• Telephony
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Voice over IP – Good News
• Phone traffic goes over network, single cabling plant now serves both
• Remote sites now easier to serve--and potentially much cheaper
• PBX-like server sits on network
• Vendors can grandfather in analog phones and cabling
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Voice over IP – Bad News• Vendor may be particular over cable, may
prefer Cat-5e or Cat-6 to Cat-5
• Switches must support “quality of service” (e.g., prioritizing phone traffic), current switches may not work
• VoIP should be cheaper--but not necessarily, and you may have to invest to gain ongoing savings
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Video Conferencing • Allows participants at each end to see,
hear• Traditional method uses leased lines
(e.g., ISDN, T1)• Newer techniques combine web casts
for video and teleconferencing for audio
• Conferencing over the Internet “not quite there”
4. Importance of Broadband
Technology
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Broadband Technology Issues
• The need for speed
• DSL and cable modem access
• Typical speeds
The Need for Speed
• The speed of dial-up modem connections has increased over the years to almost 56kb…
• But that’s not enough for many parishes and schools
Networking Your Parish and School Site
• Dial-up Modem 56 kbs
• ISDN 128 kbs
• DSL 256 to 640 kbs or more
• Cable Modem 256 kbs to 1.5 mbs
• T1 or DS1 1.5 megabits (mbs)
• Wireless Ethernet 11 mbs?
Typical Speeds
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
• DSL is the phone company’s popular broadband offering
• Speed is 256 to 640 kbs and up
• Problem – you must be within a couple miles of the central office (CO)
Cable Modem
• Piggybacks over TV coaxial cable system
• Most popular residential choice
• Probably free to schools
5. Designing a Network for
Your Site
Designing Your Network
• Network designs vary• Let’s look at various
network components, considering…– Must-haves– Nice-to-haves– Emerging
• And some sample networks
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Network Design Must-Haves• Collect traffic from devices• Establish a workgroup or domain• Issue IDs (e.g., TCP/IP)• Interface to the Internet• Route traffic to the Internet• Share files
• Provide virus protection
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Network Design Nice-to-Haves
• Host multi-user data systems
• Secure using a firewall
• Connect to remote buildings
• Host your web site
• Host an e-mail post office
• Network printing and faxing
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Network Design - Emerging
• Wireless networking
• Voice over IP (VoIP) phone
• Virtual private networking (VPN)
• Content filtering
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Designing a Network
• Let’s look at options for handling each of these functions and a recommended “best bet”
• Then we’ll look at some ways these options can come together in sample networks
Collect Traffic from Devices
• Option 1 – Router
• Option 2 – Hub(s)
• Option 3 – Switch(es)
• Best bet– Very small – Router– Somewhat small – Hub or switch– Otherwise – Switches
Hub or Switch
Patch Panel
Communications Closet
Workgroup or Domain• Option 1 – Workgroup using Windows and up to 10
PCs
• Option 2 – Domain using central fileserver and Windows NT, 2000, or 2003 (or Novell) Server
• Best bet– Small – Workgroup– Otherwise – Domain
Issue TCP/IP IDs• Option 1 – Manually enter on each PC
• Option 2 – Hardware router
• Option 3 – DHCP software on file server
• Best bet
– Smaller – Router
– Larger – DHCP
• Note that before issuing IDs you first have to obtain them from your ISP
Interface to the Internet
• If cable – cable modem
• If DSL – DSL modem
• IF T1 – DSU, etc.
Modem Router Switch
From Internet
Route Traffic onto the Internet• Option 1 – Routing software on PC (must connect directly to
modem)
• Option 2 – Routing software on file server
• Option 3 – Hardware router
• Best bet - Hardware router
Modem Router Switch
From Internet
Share Files• Option 1 – Workgroup sharing among PCs• Option 2 – File server• Best bet
– Smaller – Workgroup
– Larger – File server• Plan individual, workgroup (e.g., Ms. Smith’s 7th grade), and common
logical drives
Provide Virus Protection• Option 1 – Anti-virus software on each PC
• Option 2 – Centralized software on server
• Option 3 – Anti-virus hardware “appliance”
• Best bet
– Smaller – On each PC
– Larger – Centralized
Host Multi-User Data System(s)
• Option 1 – Run shared database in “background” of PC
• Option 2 – Host database on shared file server
• Best bet
– Shared file server
Firewall• Option 1 – Software on each PC
• Option 2 – Software on hardware router
• Option 3 – Hardware firewall
• Best bet– Smaller – Router– Larger – Hardware firewall
Modem Router Firewall
From Internet
Connect to Other Buildings
Hub or Switch
RouterMain
Building Router
Router Router
NetworkBackbone
via Trench or
Overhead
SpreadSpectrum
RadioLink
Leasedor Dial-Up
PhoneLine (or VPN
via ISP)
CampusBuilding
NearbyBuilding
DistantBuilding
WAP
NIC
CampusBuilding
Wi-Fi Wireless to Individual
PCs
Host Web Site
• Option 1 – Install Web server hardware and software
• Option 2 – Use services of Internet service provider to host
• Best bet
– If small or medium, contract with provider
– If large, possibly host own Web server
E-Mail Post Office
• Option 1 – Run post office software on file server
• Option 2 – Contract with ISP
• Best bet
– If small or medium, contract with provider
– If large, possibly host own mail server
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Printing and Faxing
• Printer sharing, allowing fewer, more powerful printers
• Networking multi-function copy machines
• Network faxing
Wireless Networking - Inside• Do you really need wireless access within your buildings? If so, this
would require…
– Wireless cards on participating PCs
– Wireless access points (WAPs) residing on the traditional network
• You may need specialized help in designing your WAP placement, to allow for interference from girders, etc.
Switch WAPTo Network
WirelessNIC
IP Telephony and Voice over IP
• Your VoIP vendor will lead the way in system design
• Consider “good news/bad news” of VoIP
Virtual Private Networking• VPN technology creates secure communication
over the public Internet– Option 1 – use VPN software on servers at each
end– Option 2 – Use VPN software running on each
end’s firewall or router
• Best bet – software running on firewalls or routers
Content Filtering• Option 1 – run content filtering software on
server
• Option 2 – employ a content filtering appliance (e.g., SonicWall)
• Best Bet – probably an appliance
• Requires ongoing subscription with vendor
Sample Network - Very Small Office
Router Link to Internet
Modem
Note ability to employ cheap router (e.g., Linksys), which doubles as firewall and WAP
Sample Network - Small Building
Link to Internet
Hub/Switch
Patch Panel
Communications Closet
ModemRouter
Sample Network - Large Building
Link to Internet
ComputerRoom
CommunicationsCloset
Network“Backbone” Using Fiber
Optic or Twisted
Pair Cable
Patch Panel
Hub or Switch
Patch Panel
Hub or Switch
Patch Panel
Hub or Switch
File Server File Server
Router
Hub or Switch
6. Things to Do List
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Things to Do List• What must you do to bring about more
effective computer networking?– Recruit needed in-house staff and
vendor partners– Ensure stable operations– Plan future network projects– Structure and carry out projects
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Recruit Staff and Partners• You may benefit from a preferred
provider network administration vendor
• You might use volunteers in this capacity.
• Buy everyone needs an employee responsible for this area
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Ensure Stable Operations• Develop service standards for your
network (e.g., “no more than x minutes of downtime per y”)
• Set up a help desk and log and monitor network problems
• Apply “quality management” principles to improve performance and stability
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Plan Future Network Projects• Carry out a planning effort to set goals and
strategies, identify projects, etc.
• List, prioritize, and begin implementing projects
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Structure and Carry Out Projects• Set the scope
• Develop a budget
• Develop a task plan
• Develop a strategy (e.g., “what sort of broadband access?”)
• Select a vendor(s), probably via bid or RFP
• Design the network
• Implement
7. Resources and References
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Periodicals
• Network Computing -
http://www.networkcomputing.com/
• PC Magazine -
http://www.pcmag.com
Networking Your Parish and School Site
Downloadable Books
• Cisco Networking Essentials http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/edu/build/network_development/networking_essentials/
• A Guide to Networking for K-12 Schools http://www.netc.org/network_guide/
Reference Web Sites
• Consortium for School Networkinghttp://www.cosn.org
• NetDay http://www.netday.org
– Cable Installation Guide http://www.netday.org/install.htm
• Wired for Good http://www.wiredforgood.org
• TechSoup http://www.techsoup.org