IT140_IP5
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Colorado Technical University *
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Information Systems
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Dec 6, 2023
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IT140 – Professor: Cheryl Garvin
Unit 5: System and Network Administrators
2 May 2021
Once a system is installed and operational, an administrator still has an active role in maintaining
it’s function and security. The first element I’ll describe is security. The system administrator still needs to
work with the network administrator to monitor for suspicious activity as well as work with users to
provide them secure passwords. Systems such as the firewall and anti-virus need to be maintained as
part of security. The second element is hardware. As parts age, some physical hardware may break down
and have a failure and need to be replaced. Also under the umbrella of hardware would be physical
upgrades or expansion if the current system no longer meets the requirements of the organization. This
could include expanding the LAN to more clients or simply replacing cabling and routers / switches with
faster capabilities, or installing more RAM or faster CPUs. A third element to consider would be the
creation on maintenance (updating) documentation such as policies and records. Some documentation
relevant would be an Acceptable Use Policy, the Incident Response Plan, and an inventory of company
hardware. A fourth element that can impact a computer system is software updates. As different
versions of software are released, sometimes there can be conflicts in the code that create bugs and
cause programs to not function as intended. It is a necessity to always have a plan for regular updates
and installation of patches as they are released by the developer and as bugs and flaws are reported by
trusted industry blogs and periodicals. A fifth issue to consider once a system is in place is having a
backup plan. There are many different ways to have a backup plan, such as having a RAID (Redundant
Array Independent Disks)
hardware configuration or by using software to take periodic “snapshots” of
the system that can be referred to at a later time if there is any data loss or corruption. Another key
consideration for a backup plan is to have data stored at a second location so that in the event of a fire or
flood the backup is not also lost.
A system administrator oversees the entire hardware and software system of the company and
can be considered a manager. This includes Installation, Maintenance and Support of the system and
support for the users. The system administrator must also be able to make sure that the hardware is
installed and configured correctly and will need to make updates and repairs when necessary. An
administrator is responsible for maintaining policies and documentation are relevant and updated and
responsible for communication of the state of the system, communicate updates, requirements, and
policies to both other managers as well as to users and other vendors. Another function of a system
administrator is to make sure that policies are in place to focus on productivity with a function on the
long-term effects of decisions. This includes planning which hardware to purchase and install and which
software to use and how to configure it. Depending on how large a company is, a system administrator’s
responsibilities could range from overseeing every aspect within the IT department for a smaller
company, or for a larger company a system administrator may have a specialization or specific role or
department to work in, and will work along side other system administrators with their own separate
responsibilities.
While a System Administrator is considered a manager over the entire IT Infrastructure and
processes, the Network Administrator’s focus and purpose is on maintaining the security and reliability
of network processes specifically. One main difference is that the Network Administrator is less
concerned about the operation of individual devices on a network, such as the software on a specific
laptop or a mechanical breakdown of a printer, but instead is more concerned with the communication
between them, ensuring the routers, switches, cables and wifi are all configured correctly. Another
concern of Network Administrators specifically would be the security, Network administrators will
specialize and focus on the configuration of firewalls, anti-virus software as well as other security
measures and will monitor the network for unusual or suspicious activity that could indicate a security
threat. Another responsibility network administrators are focused on is performance. It’s important to
review logs and performance to determine how efficiently the network is operating and determine if
upgrades are needed if the network capacity is running at peak performance. Network administrators
are also responsible for communication as well so that they can report to the System Administrator any
updates necessary or any concerns about security or performance, and also would communicate with
vendors and third-party partners. The roles of a network administrator fall within the overall
responsibilities of a System administrator, the System Administrator may not perform the duties directly,
and instead may be responsible for supervising the Network Administrator, while also having additional
responsibilities for other aspects of the system not directly related to the network.
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