1. Network Design &
Administration
ITEC20231
Dr Jon Robinson (CIB 308)

2. Summary of Module
• Second year module – 20 credits
• Pre-requisite: ITEC10241 Introduction to
Networks
Network Design & Administration
• Part of Computer Systems Programmes
• Security and Forensics
• Networks
• Engineering
2

3. Aim of Module
• “To enable you to plan, configure and
manage networking solutions to support
business needs”
Network Design & Administration
• Must understand business aspects and
technical facilities available to achieve the
business goals – within the constraints of
cost and practically.
3

4. Learning Outcomes
• You should be able to:
• Analyse a straightforward need and suggest
/ evaluate possible solutions.
• Fulfil the legal obligations of a network
Network Design & Administration
administrator.
• Setup and manage a server.
• Configure appropriate security technology.
• Use network / server administration
software. 4
• Interpret technical information.

5. Teaching Methods
• Lectures (whole year: 24/25 )
• Seminars (approx. 5/6) – requiring groups to
study cases and provide solutions.
• 2 hour lab sessions (approx. 10) – carry out
Network Design & Administration
exercises setting up and testing small
networks (virtual ones!)
• Additional labs in term 3 on client/server
technology (using thin clients and dedicated
HP server), forensic technology and
(hopefully!) network intrusion / defence. 5

6. Resources
• VLE – Lectures, seminar sheets & lab sheets
• MSDN & TechNet
• Books:
Network Design & Administration
• “The practice of Systems and Network
Administration”, 2nd Edition, T. Limoncelli
(ISBN: 0-321-49266-8)
• “Unix and Linux System Administration
Handbook”, 4th Edition, E. Nemeth, (ISBN: 978-
0-13-148005-6)
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7. Assessment Methods
• Exam (50%) – testing knowledge of
network admin principles and skills at
design and evaluation.
Network Design & Administration
• Coursework (50%) – assessing your
practical and evaluative abilities, partly
from a log book (20%) but mostly from a
lab phase test (80%).
• Success requires attendance and
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interaction at all elements of the module!

8. Contents
• Similar to parts of Microsoft MCP exams
and some Linux content.
• You need to go into much more detail if
Network Design & Administration
you wish to take MCP exams – knowing
detailed specifics of tools and their
limitations.
• Module will use Windows 7, Windows
Server 2008 R2 and Linux to allow
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exercises to be carried out.

9. Course Contents
• Network Admin – legal requirements and relevant ISO
standards
• Monitoring and administering network elements
• Powershell scripting and cmdlets
Network Design & Administration
• Different server roles
• Domains
• Users, computers and groups
• ACL’s and other aspects of control/monitoring
• Backup/recovery
• Security and reliability (a bit on encryption!)
• Organisation, process and documentation 9
• Cloud Computing & Virtualisation

10. Networks – a reminder
• What is it?
“A group of interconnected computers” (Wikipedia)
• Why?
Network Design & Administration
• In business terms, what do computers do? [1]
• Enhance inter-human communication
• Speed up routine tasks
• Improve human decision making
• Networks enhance this even further 10

11. Essentials of a Network
• These days we tend to the Client / Server
model with the following elements:
• Client – a PC with a GUI to run programs
Network Design & Administration
• Server – a more powerful PC providing
services e.g. databases and other
applications
• Physical Network – LAN or WAN
• Logical Connection – “glue” to connect
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client to service

12. Client/Server Computing
Other networks
Router or Gateway
Network Design & Administration
Server
Clients
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13. Assumed Network
Infrastructure
• Physical components – cabling, routers,
gateways, hubs, switched, even free space
(wireless).
• Already covered in ITEC10241 and further
Network Design & Administration
covered during Communications Technology
module.
• We will assume that the technology required
is present and (mostly) working. Labs and
discussions will concentrate on access control 13
and data structure.

14. The One Inviolable Rule
“It is always a compromise”
• Any network you build / configure / maintain will
be a compromise…
Network Design & Administration
Features  Cost
Convenience  Security
Reliability Speed / Cost
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15. Next Time…
• Servers & Services
Network Design & Administration
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16. References
[1] Network Security. Pardoe & Snyder
Network Design & Administration
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