Admas University

College of Computing and Informatics

Computer Science Department

Network and System Administration

Chapter 1 : Introduction

By: Shewakena
G.
Chapter Outline

 Introduction to System & Network Administration

 Differentiate between Network and system Administration

 Scope ,Goal and Duties of Network and System Administration

 General System / Network Administration Tasks

 Concept Of Server Based Networking

 Ethical Considerations in Network and System Administration

 Operating Systems: Windows and UNIX Variant

Group Discussion

 What is network and who is network administrator?

 What is system and who is system administrator?
 What is the difference between network and system
Administrator
 What mean by network and system administrator?
 Why we need network and system administrator ?
 Which one is most important for an organization ? why?
 Who is responsible if a user cannot access his/her account ?
 Which operation system is best for NSA and why?
Definition

Network & system administration

Branch of engineering that concerns the operational

management of human–computer systems.

What is Network/ System Administrator?

It is a professional person who is responsible for the physical

design, management of system and network administration.

Responsible for security and availability of the network services

What is System ?

 A system is a collection of elements or components that are

organized for a common purpose.

 A set of detailed methods, procedures and routines created

to carry out a specific activity, perform a duty, or solve a

problem

 All systems have inputs, outputs and feedback mechanisms

 Example : Computer System

What is Network ?

 A group of interconnected (via wire and/or wireless)

devices and peripherals that is capable of sharing
software and hardware resources among many users.

Figure 1. Computers connecting in Server using Network

What is System
Administration ?
 Is a branch of engineering mainly concerned with the
operational management of human-computer systems
 An organized collaboration between humans and
computers to solve a problem or provide a service
 Is the term used traditionally by mainframe and Unix
engineers to describe the management of computers
whether they are coupled by a network or not
System Administrators

 System Administrator is a person who manages daily

business computer system with more focus on multi-

user computing environment.

 System administrator in simple manages the

computer systems and servers.

Cont’d …

 Do you think System Administration is an Administrative Job?

 Definitely, No It is an extremely demanding engineer’s job, so

that a System Administrator has know to a bit of everything.

 It requires a skill, technique, administration and socio-

psychological knowledge and wisdom

 It has to know about hardware, software, user support,

diagnosis, repair and prevention of system threats

What is Network
administration
 It is process of installing, configuring, troubleshooting and
maintaining a network.
 The way to monitor the delivery of information (including
data, voice and video) across a network and protect the
network from internal and external security threats.
 In the network system, objects that constitute a system
are:
 Users
 Hardware resources
 Software resources
What is network design?

 Designing a network involves making various

decisions regarding the architecture of the network:

 The LAN and WAN Technologies to be used.

 The transmission media to be used. E.g. UTP cables:

CAT-5 or CAT-5e, thick or thin coaxial cables, etc.

 The cable layout to create high speed backbones.

 The hardware equipment to be used.

Cont’d

 The Tasks Involved In Making A Network Design Are:

 Identifying the rationale or basis to perform analysis

 Choosing the method of requirement analysis

 Analyzing the requirements

 Understanding the requirements

Tasks performed by NSA

 Installing sever software (windows server OS); i.e., windows

sever 2000, 2003 or 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016
 Configuring active directory users and computers using DCPROMO
 Securing network resources (managing network security).
 Configuring and administering network print services.
 Administering the desktop computing environment (managing
remote desktop connectivity).
 Installing and configuring network devices-routers, switches,
servers IP addressing and sub-netting tasks.
 Verifying /testing network connectivity for error free
communication
Responsibilities of NSA

 Designing and planning the network

 Troubleshooting

 Setting up the network  Backup and storage

 Maintaining the network  Documentation
 Expanding the network  Security and Virus prevention
 Network management  Managing users

 Each task area corresponds to a phase in the continuing

life cycle of a network. You might be responsible for all
the phases, or you might ultimately specialize in a
particular area, for example, network maintenance.
Cont’d…

 Made sure the power and air conditioning was working in

server room.
 Kept backup
 Setup the firewall and setup system security policy
 Adding ,removing and updating user account information
 Documentation the system configuration
 Analysis system logs
 Manage storage of network and NFS server
 Monitor system in your data center (CPU, network I/O, disk
I/O, application health)
Cont’d…

NB Warning!
Never do something you cannot undo.
Never stop learning b/c technology rapidly changes
Shall be use less privilege account b/c mistakes will be
less drastic

Junior System admin must know

 How a system is configured
 What patches have been applied
 What service the system need/provides
Cont’d

 All these tasks can be categorized the following five key

Networks administration areas :
1. Managing network accounts
2. Managing network security
3. Managing network performances
4. Managing network Fault
5. Managing network Configuration
Managing Network Account

 Managing network account involves the following sub

tasks:
 Creating user accounts
 Creating group accounts
 Creating computer accounts
 Deleting user and computer accounts
 Renaming user and computer accounts
 Assigning access rights to the users (Allow & Deny
policies)
Managing Network Security
Involves
 Securing data stored on the network (server computer)
from external or unauthorized bodies
 Retrieving data from storage in the event of data loss
 The network administrator must include the following
points as a check list in his network security planning:
 What should be protected?
 From whom it should be protected?
 How likely is the occurrence of the threats or challenges?
 What is the estimated financial loss due to the threats or
challenges?
Two types of network
securities:
1.Physical security

 securing hardware resources such as cables,

servers and others from physical damage.

2. Data security

 securing network data and software resources.

Managing network
performance
 Managing network performance involves:

 Tracks network utilization to bill and estimate the usage

of various departments of an organization.

 Monitoring utilization helps spot specific trends and

inefficiencies.

 Verifying the proper working of network devices such as

network cards, connectivity devices, computers, etc.

Managing network
Configuration
 Managing network Configuration involves:

 Tracks configuration and related changes of network

components, including switches, firewalls, hubs, and

routers.

 As unplanned changes can affect the network drastically

and potentially cause downtime, it’s essential to

streamline, track, and manage configuration changes.

The Key Roles NSA

1. Documenting The Network And Its Resources:

 Any modification made to the network should be
documented
 This document contains the following information:
 Type of computer being used.
 The name of computer (assigned by network
administrator).
 The IP address of computers.
 Operating system being used on each computer.
The Key Roles NSA

2. Educating (Training) network users: It involves:

 The proper use of networking and its resources.

 Providing knowledge about virus threats & its solutions.

3. Administering network IP addresses and sub-netting:

2. Grouping computers on basis of department or functional

location

3. Assigning IP address and subnet masks:

4. Assign Ip address using static configuration or dynamically

Cont’d

4. Designing a network which is logical and efficient:

 Deciding what services are needed.

 Planning and implementing adequate security.

 Providing a comfortable environment for users.

 Developing ways of fixing errors and problems which

occur.
Concept Of Server Based
Networking
 With more than 10 users, a P2P network will not adequate.
 There is a need to use a dedicated computer/server which
optimize or increase the service of network to clients. This
type of networking is also known as client/server based
network.
 What Is Client/Server?
 It is a network architecture in which client requests data from
server and the server responds to the request in retrieving the
required information.
 It is the base to manage & to administer networking.
 Computer that provides resources to the network users.
Cont’d

It provides shared resources such as:

 Files
 Software
 Storage devices
 Peripherals
 Advantages Of Server Based Networking:
 Sharing centralized resources.
 Managing network security.
 Backup purposes.
 Maximizing number of clients in the network.
 High capacity to store data.
The Main Role of NSA

 Network and computer systems administrators are

responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.
 They organize, install, and support an organization's
computer systems, including local area networks (LANs),
wide area networks (WANs), network segments, intranets,
and other data communication systems.
 As a Network Administrator, your role is :
 Maintain, and upgrade a network of computers, devices, and
servers.
 To essentially build (integrate existing services).
Cont’d

 In doing so, you have to keep in mind a number of things:

 How many users will be using the system?
 What are the network capacity demands?
 What will the network capacity demands reach in the
future?
 What is the geological spread of the network?
 What access controls do you users require?
 What sort of devices and hardware do you require?
 Do you need remote administration?
 How are you going to support your users?
Network Admin VS System
Admin
 Network administrator in simple manages the computer
network. Mainly it looks the computer network devices like
router, switch, cables etc.
 Maintenance window is network.
 Person who maintains infrastructure focus on networking.
 System administrator in simple manages the computer
systems and servers.
 Maintenance window is server.
 Person who manages daily business computer system with
more focus on multi-user computing environment.
Network Administrator

 A Network Administrator's Main Responsibilities Include.

 Installs the set-up network Maintains the set-up network.

 To make sure that the network is running with minimal

interruptions.

 Installs and configures LAN and WAN

 Experts in areas like routing, load balancing, proxies, IP

addressing, and VLAN.

Cont’d

 As a network administrator, there are four phase of

network administration

1.Designing the Network

 The first phase is to create network design

 Designing a network involves

 Making decisions about the type of network that

best suits the needs of your organization.

Cont’d

2. Setting Up the Network

 After the new network is designed, the second phase of
network administration begins, which involves setting up
and configuring the network.

3. Maintaining the Network

 The third phase of network administration they might
include:
 Troubleshooting network problems
 Adding new host machines to the network
 Administering network security
Cont’d

4.Expanding the Network

This is the fourth phase of the network administration cycle.
The longer a network is in place and functioning properly,
the more your organization might want to expand its
features and services.
Several options are available for expanding your network
 Setting up a new network and connecting it to the existing
network using a machine functioning as a router, thus
creating an internetwork
 Configuring machines in users' homes or in remote office
sites and enabling these machines to connect over
telephone lines to your network
 Connecting your network to the Internet, thus enabling users
on your network to retrieve information from other systems
throughout the world
II. System Administrators

 A System Administrator, Or Sysadmin, is a person who is

responsible for the upkeep, configuration, and reliable operation
of computer system , especially multi-user computers, such as
server
 The system administrator seeks to ensure that the uptime
performance resource and security of the computers they manage
meet the needs of the users without exceeding a set budget
when doing so.
Cont’d

 The Main Duties and Roles of System Administrator.

 Looks after network security Installs software and updates
 Maintains design elements and network components
 To ensure computer systems are in good working condition.
 Software and hardware installations.
 Data recovery
 Troubleshooting, and
 Maintenance of software and hardware
Ethical Considerations in System and Network
Administration
 Professionalism

 Personal Integrity

 Avoid conflicts of interest and biases whenever possible.

 Privacy

 I will access private information on computer systems only when it is

necessary in the course of my technical duties.
 Communication

 Communicate with management, users, and colleagues about computer

matters of mutual interest.
 Social Responsibility
Operating Systems: Windows and
UNIX Variant

 What is an Operating System?

 An Operating System (OS) is software that acts as

an interface between computer hardware components and the

user.

 An Operating System(O.S.) is a System software that manages the

hardware resources and provides services to the Application

software.
Operating Systems: Windows and
UNIX Variant

 Network Operating System

 Network Operating System is a computer operating system that

facilitates to connect and communicate various autonomous

computers over a network.

 The Network O.S. mainly runs on a powerful computer, that runs

the server program.

Cont’d

The main advantage of using a network operating System

 Is that it facilitates the sharing of resources and memory

amongst the autonomous computers in the network.

 remote access.

 It can also facilitate the client computers to access the shared

memory and resources administered by the Server computer.

 In other words, the Network O.S. is mainly designed to allow

multiple users to share files and resources over the network.

Cont’d

 Drawback of Network Operating System

 Tightly coupled nature in the network.

 Some examples of Network O.S. are

 Novel Netware,

 Microsoft Windows server (2000, 2003, 2008),

 Unix, Linux, etc

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Overview of Operating Systems

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.  An Operating System (OS) is system software that
manages computer hardware and software resources.
 It provides a user interface and enables applications to run
on a computer.
 OS manages:
 Process Management: Scheduling and executing processes.
 Memory Management: Allocating and freeing up memory.
 File System Management: Organizing and storing files.
 Device Management: Handling input/output devices.
 Security & User Management: Ensuring authentication and access control.

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Types of Operating Systems

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Types of Operating Systems

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Types of Operating Systems

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OS Comparison Table
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Unix-like Systems vs. Windows Systems

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 Operating systems (OS) play a crucial role in managing hardware and
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software resources. The two major categories of OSs are:
 Unix-like Systems: Include Linux, macOS, BSD, and other Unix-based OSs.
 Windows Systems: Developed by Microsoft, widely used for desktops and
enterprise environments.
 Each system has distinct characteristics, advantages, and use cases.
Key Differences Between Unix-like and Windows Systems

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Unix-like Systems Overview

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 Linux: Open-source OS used for servers, programming, cybersecurity.
 macOS: Unix-based, designed for Apple computers.
 BSD (FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD): Advanced security and networking OSs.
 Solaris (Now Oracle Solaris): Used in high-performance computing.
 Key Advantages of Unix-like Systems
 ✔ Stability and Reliability – Used for critical servers (Google, Facebook, Amazon
run on Linux).
✔ Security – Less vulnerable to malware; strong user permission system.
✔ Open-source – Free to use, modify, and distribute (except macOS).
✔ Performance – Efficient in managing resources, commonly used for cloud
computing.
 Challenges
 ❌ Steep Learning Curve – Requires knowledge of CLI for administration.
❌ Software Compatibility – Some applications (e.g., MS Office, Adobe Suite)
have limited support.
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Windows Systems Overview

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N  Windows is a proprietary OS developed by Microsoft, widely used for home and
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enterprise users.
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 Key Advantages of Windows Systems
 ✔ User-friendly – Easy-to-use graphical interface.
✔ Software Availability – Supports a vast range of applications, including
Microsoft Office and gaming software.
✔ Hardware Compatibility – Works with almost all PC hardware and drivers.
✔ Enterprise Features – Active Directory, Group Policy for centralized
management.
 Challenges
 ❌ Security Vulnerabilities – Prone to malware and cyberattacks, requiring
frequent updates.
❌ Resource-Heavy – Higher system requirements compared to Unix-based OSs.
❌ Limited Customization – Users have less control over system configurations.

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Linux Distributions and User

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Interfaces (UIs)
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 Linux is an open-source operating system based on the

Unix model.
 Unlike Windows and macOS, which have a single official
version, Linux comes in multiple distributions (distros)
—each designed for different users and purposes.
 A Linux Distribution (Distro) includes:
 The Linux Kernel
 System utilities and libraries
 A package manager
 A User Interface (UI) (Graphical or Command-Line)

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Popular Linux Distributions

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 A. General-Purpose Linux Distributions
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 These are commonly used for desktop computing, development, and
personal use.

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Popular Linux Distributions con…

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 B. Server and Enterprise Distributions
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 These distros focus on security, stability, and performance for
professional environments.

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Popular Linux Distributions con…

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 C. Security & Penetration Testing Distributions
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security research.

 D. Lightweight Distributions
 These are optimized for older hardware or minimal
system resources.

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 Linux offers multiple Desktop Environments (DEs),
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which define how the graphical interface looks and
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operates.
 Each DE provides a different user experience,
customization level, and performance.

🔹 GNOME vs KDE
 GNOME: Simple, elegant, but consumes more RAM.
 KDE: Feature-rich, highly customizable, but slightly heavier.
🔹 Lightweight Choices
 XFCE, LXQt, MATE are ideal for older hardware or users who
prefer a fast system. 55
Windows Vs. Linux File System

 In Microsoft Windows Operating System,

 files are stored in folders on different data drives like C: D: E:

 In Linux Operating System

 Files are ordered in a tree structure starting with the root

directory.
 This root directory can be considered as the start of the file

system, and it further branches out various other subdirectories.

 The root is denoted with a forward slash '/'.
Cont’d
 A general tree file system on your UNIX may look like this.
Key difference between

 Linux
 Open source operating system
 User can change source code as per requirement whereas
 Windows
 Commercial operating system so
 User doesn’t have access to source code.
 Linux
 Secure as it is easy to detect bugs and fix whereas
 Windows :- has a huge user base, so
 It becomes a target of hackers to attack windows system
Key difference between

 Linux runs faster even with older hardware whereas

 Windows are slower compared to Linux.
 Linux peripherals
 like hard drives, CD-ROMs, printers are considered files
 Windows
 hard drives, CD-ROMs, printers are considered as devices
 Linux files
 Ordered in a tree structure starting with the root directory
 Windows files
 stored in folders on different data drives like C: D: E:
Key difference between

 In Linux you can have

 2 files with the same name in the same directory while in
 Windows, you cannot have
 2 files with the same name in the same folder.
 In Linux you
 Found system and program files in different directories
 Windows
 System and program files are usually saved in C: drive.
Types of Files

 In Linux and UNIX, everything is a file.

 Directories are files,
 files are files, and
 Devices like Printer, mouse, keyboard etc…are files.
 They are three File types in Unix .
 General Files
 Directory Files
 Device Files
Cont’d

General Files
General Files also called as Ordinary files.

They can contain image, video, program or simply text.

They can be in ASCII or a Binary format.

These are the most commonly used files by Linux Users.

Directory Files
 These files are a warehouse for other file types.
 You can have a directory file within a directory (sub- directory).
 Like 'Folders' found in Windows operating system.
Cont’d

Device Files:
In MS Windows, devices like Printers, CD-ROM, and hard drives are
represented as drive letters like G: H:.
In Linux, there are represented as files.
 For example, if the first SATA hard drive had three primary
partitions, they would be named and numbered as
 /dev/sda1, /dev/sda2 and /dev/sda3.
Note: All device files reside in the directory /dev/
Cont’d

Note

All the above file types (including devices) have permissions,

which allow a user to read, edit or execute (run) them.

 This is a powerful Linux/Unix feature.

Access restrictions can be applied for different kinds of users, by

changing permissions.
Windows Vs. Linux: Users

 There are 3 types of users in Linux.

 Regular user
 Administrative (root) user
 Service user
Regular User
 Created for you when you install Ubuntu on your system.

 All your files and folders are stored in /home/

 You do not have access to directories of other users.

 Called standard accounts in Ubuntu Desktop

Root User

 Root is created at the time of installation.

 The root account is a superuser who can access restricted files,

install software and has administrative privileges.

 Whenever you want to install software, make changes to system

files or perform any administrative task on Linux; you need to log

in as a root user.
 Otherwise, for general tasks like playing music and browsing the

internet, you can use your regular account.

Service user

 Linux is widely used as a Server Operating System.

 Services such as Apache, Squid, email, etc. have their own

individual service accounts.

 Having service accounts increases the security of your computer.

 Linux can allow or deny access to various resources depending on

the service.

 You will not see service accounts in Ubuntu Desktop version

Cont’d

 In Windows, there are 4 types of user account types.

 Administrator

 Standard

 Child

 Guest
Windows Vs. Linux: File Name
Convention
 In Windows, you cannot have 2 files with the same name in the
same folder. See below –
Cont’d
 While in Linux, you can have 2 files with the same name in the
same directory, provided they use different cases.
Windows Vs. Linux: