Chapter 12 - Network Management

Question 1

What is network management?

Answer 1

network management is the process of operating, maintaining, and controlling the network

Question 2

Without a well-planned approach, most network management becomes ____________ rather than _____________.

Answer 2

reactive rather than proactive

Question 3

What are the four main functions of network management?

Answer 3

• configuration management
• performance and fault management
• end user support
• cost management

Question 4

Low level managers must have _____ freedom to implement their own policies and procedures

Answer 4

some

Question 5

True of False: there is increased pressure to merge the voice and data functions (which are traditionally held separate)

Answer 5

true

Question 6

What are the two primary goals of configuration management?

Answer 6

• managing the network’s hardware and software configuration
• documenting the network configuration

Question 7

What are two main tasks of configuration management concerning client computers?

Answer 7

• adding and deleting user accounts

- adding and updating software on networked computers

Question 8

Many organizations use desktop management systems as part of their configuration management efforts. What is a desktop management system?

Answer 8

a desktop management system allows management of networked computers from a central console.

• used to push software to networked computers.
• allows for inventory and audit of software
• produces reports such as user logon
• increased short term costs but long term savings

Question 9

draw the desktop management system diagram

Answer 9

slide nope

Question 10

documenting configuration involves information about what four things?

Answer 10

• network hardware
• network software
• user and application profiles
• network documentation

Question 11

documenting configuration: describe network hardware documentation

Answer 11

• uses network configuration diagrams
• identifies the number, type and placement of network circuits
• identifies the number, type and placement of clients, servers, switches and routers

Question 12

documentation must be available for all components within the network. List some documentation details

Answer 12

• type of device
• asset tag number
• vendor, model, serial number
• date of purchase
• warranty information
• repair history
• repair contact information

Question 13

List some standard software documentation

Answer 13

• which operating system and version is on each server
• what application software and version is on each client or server
• this information can help to negotiate site licenses and maintaining legal software requirements

Question 14

describe User application profiles

Answer 14

documentation must be maintained for each user or application that can access resources on the network

Question 15

True or False: User application profiles must provide bi-directional information.

Answer 15

true

Question 16

What Network documentation should be maintained?

Answer 16

1. Documentation for performance and fault management
2. Documentation for End User Support
3. Documentation for Cost Management
4. Legal Requirements Documentation
5. Network documentation for software, hardware, vendor contracts licenses

Question 17

Why is it important to have documentation in place?

Answer 17

Otherwise it is all in someone’s head and is lost when that person leaves the organization.

Question 18

What is the difference between performance management and fault management?

Answer 18

Performance Management - Ensuring the network is operating efficiently
Fault Management - Preventing, detecting, and correcting faults

Question 19

What is network monitoring?

Answer 19

Use of network management software to collect operational statistics

Question 20

Name 2 types of parameters that should be monitored.

Answer 20

1. Physical network parameters
   - Operational status of ports and devices
   - Device CPU load
2. Logical network parameters
   - Show the level of service provided by the network
   - User response times
   - Traffic volume on specific circuits
   - Destination address of data

Question 21

What’s the difference between active and passive monitoring?

Answer 21

Active monitoring - System sends test messages to monitored servers or applications and measures response times, throughput, & jitter

Passive monitoring - Device software simply collects statistics, NMS grabs statistics when needed, NMS does not initiate any action that creates stats

Question 22

Why is performance tracking of networks important?

Answer 22

It allows network managers to be proactive, managers can engage problems before users complain and plan for future needs

Question 23

What is fault management?

Answer 23

• Devices monitor and report their status such as traffic flow, raising alarms when problem detected or threshold crossed, helps detect and pinpoint problem early before it becomes critical
• A statistical report is made for each device showing number of failures and amount of resources used

Question 24

What are the 4 main uses of trouble tickets?

Answer 24

1. Problem tracking
2. Problem statistics
3. Problem prioritization
4. Management reports

Question 25

With regards to trouble tickets, what is problem tracking?

Answer 25

1. Allows manager to know who is responsible for correcting outstanding problems 2. Allows searching of information regarding specific problem 3. Allows determination of timeliness in problem solving 4. Assists in problem resolution

Question 26

With regards to trouble tickets, what is are problem Statistics?

Answer 26

1. Allows manager to see how well network is meeting needs of end users 2. Can tell if vendors are meeting contractual maintenance agreements 3. Can help determine whether problem-solving objectives are being met

Question 27

With regards to trouble tickets, what is problem prioritization?

Answer 27

- Problems are assigned both a severity and a priority | - Gives statistics on resolution times of problems vs. severity

Question 28

With regards to trouble tickets, what are management reports?

Answer 28

Fault management software can generate sophisticated reports on problems and their resolutions to determine network availability, product and vendor reliability, and vendor responsiveness.

Question 29

what is a Trouble Log?

Answer 29

- Data kept by Fault Management software system - Records problems and their state of resolution - Records statistics associated with the problems - Data will be useful input to any future redesign of network

Question 30

What's the difference between Availability and Downtime?

Answer 30

Availability - Percentage of time the network is available to carry users’ traffic Downtime - Time when network is unavailable

Question 31

Name 5 main failure statistics.

Answer 31

1. Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) - Average number of hours of continuous operation before device fails, higher is better – means device is more reliable 2. Mean Time To Respond (MTTR) - Average number of hours after a fault is reported until service personnel from the vendor arrive at service location 3. Mean Time To Diagnose (MTTD) - Average number of hours until root cause of fault is correctly identified after fault is reported, indicator of efficiency of network service personnel or help desk personnel 4. Mean Time To Fix (MTTF)- Average number of hours required to correct a fault after service team arrives on site, lower is better 5. Mean Time To Restore Service (MTRS) - Average number of hours between when service or device fails until device or service is fully restored and operational MTRS = MTTD + MTTR + MTTF

Question 32

What is a Service Level Agreement (SLA)?

Answer 32

Specifies the exact type of performance the ISP will provide ex. Network availability, Network latency, Network jitter, Throughput, Packet loss, Mean time to recover service, Mean time to respond, Maximum time to fix

Question 33

What is end user support?

Answer 33

``` Resolving user problems encountered while using the network Three main functions in user support - Resolving network faults - Resolving user problems - Training ```

Question 34

What are the 3 main sources of problems?

Answer 34

1. Failed hardware 2. Lack of knowledge 3. Software problem

Question 35

What are the 3 levels of support?

Answer 35

1. First Level Support - Lowest trained technician – most basic service 2. Second Level Support - Highly trained technical support staff with specialized skills in specific software and hardware 3. Third Level Support - Typically software or hardware designers assigned to resolve customer’s issue, may develop and test new software to solve issue, most expensive support

Question 36

Why is training important and what ways can it be done?

Answer 36

``` Employees need to be trained in order to train the end user, and ongoing training is important Ways of training: 1. one-on-one 2. Online self-paced courses 3. In-class ```

Question 37

Ownership cost can be broken down into direct and indirect costs. What's the difference between direct and indirect costs and give some examples?

Answer 37

Direct costs - Actual cost to acquire, administer, operate, service and repair item ex: - Acquisition cost - Cost of repairs - Cost to administer the network - Software installations and upgrade costs - Technical support Indirect costs - Cost of wasted time when item not operational and learning time for end users ex. - Cost of end user learning time - Time spent by end user learning new software - Time spent by end user in resolving computer or network issues

Question 38

Name 2 types of operational costs.

Answer 38

1. Total cost of ownership (TCO) - Includes both direct and indirect costs TCO = Direct Costs + Indirect Costs 2. Network cost of ownership (NCO)- Does not include indirect costs NCO = Direct Costs

Question 39

What are 4 sources of operational costs?

Answer 39

- End user support - Client hardware - Network operations support - Application software

Question 40

What 2 things create the highest costs ?

Answer 40

Systems management and end user support.

Question 41

What are charge-back policies?

Answer 41

Used by some large organizations to spread cost of WAN and mainframe-based networks, essentially a “pay-for-use” model

Question 42

What are 5 key steps to reduce costs?

Answer 42

1. Develop standard hardware and software configurations 2. Automate network management function 3. Work with vendors to pre-install key software and hardware packages 4. Centralize help desks 5. Move to thin client architecture

Question 43

How can an organization develop standard hardware and software configurations to reduce costs?

Answer 43

1. Standard configurations for client and server computers | 2. Standardize routers and switches

Question 44

How can an organization automate network management functions to reduce costs?

Answer 44

1. Use Desktop Management System (reduces cost of software installation and upgrade) 2. Use NMS with managed devices (reduces time spent in performance and fault management) 3. Use DHCP for managing IP address space 4. Use help desk software

Question 45

How can an organization work with vendors to reduce costs?

Answer 45

1. Have vendor pre-install standard hardware and software components 2. Monitor hardware failures and track against vendors

Question 46

How can an organization work use a help desk to reduce costs?

Answer 46

Centralize the help desk - Reduces number of generalists and increases number of specialists in key technology areas, faster resolution of difficult problems, easier to identify common problems. Decentralized help desks give rise to work duplication and many generalists on staff.

Question 47

How can an organization work use thin client architecture to reduce costs?

Answer 47

Thin Client Definition- Cheap computer with low processing power, uns almost no application logic, mostly presentation logic Thin Client cost benefits: - Beneficial only if architecture fits application - Centralized main software packages - With thin client architecture TCO may drop by 20 to 40%