Task 4 - Purpose of networking tools

Task 4 – Purpose of networking tools. (U5-U9 P) [Ryan White]

Directory services:

-          Account management

i)        What – Account management is the creation or deletion of user groups with rights and privileges in order to provide suitable functionality for their account and modify the data they can access and configurations they can make.

ii)      How – Account management is done by administrators who will predefine permissions and privileges for users in different levels. For example, network administrators may be able to access all network resources whereas base level users may only be able to access shared printers.

iii)    Why – The purpose of this is to make sure that the integrity of the network is secure by preventing base level users accessing important data and services which could potentially be a risk to the network as a whole.

-          Authentication management

i)        What – Authentication management is the process of securing networks and systems to make sure only authorised users can access the network.

ii)      How – Authentication can take place in multiple places. SSL (secure socket layer) is a type of authentication to secure web pages which works by issuing a security certificate to be checked by the browser, and then a private key is distributed to maintain a secure exchange. Another authentication management method involves secure WAN connections. The routers involved in the WAN connection can use the challenge handshake application protocol (CHAP), which involves the authenticator transmitting a ID and random value to a client who then joins them both with a pre-defined secret (which is known by both the user and server) and then transmits across the network in a one way hash (number generated from a string of digits) using MD5 which makes the message secure and practically impossible to break.

iii)    Why – You would use authentication management in order to make sure that no unauthorised individuals could gain access to your network, which could potentially pose risks such as compromising data, data loss or corruption.

-          Active directory

i)        What – An active directory is a hierarchical structure/database that contains information regarding network objects, which could include things like servers, shared printers, network user accounts etc.

ii)      How – An active directory works by having an administrator set permissions to allow or deny access to resources of applications through the directory’s tree structure.

iii)    Why – The purpose of an active directory is to keep networks and network objects organised in a hierarchical tree that can be easily changed to suit the administrators/organisation’s needs.

-          DNS

i)        What - A DNS (domain name server) is a server that’s used to change domain names into a corresponding IP address.

ii)      How - Domain name servers work by mapping domain names to a specific IP address and then saving it in their cache. When a user types in a domain name, the DNS will search its cache for the corresponding IP and then direct the user, if a request is sent to a DNS and it doesn’t have the required information, it will request the data from other servers in the network.

iii)    Why - The purpose of domain name servers is that they allow people to use the much more user friendly domain names rather than a raw IP address, which can be difficult to remember.

File services:

-          File transfer

i)        What – FTP (file transfer protocol) is a method of transferring files across the internet for dedicated servers and clients. There are many sites and programs you can use to upload/download files from an FTP server, an example being Filezilla.

ii)      How – FTP works by allowing an authenticated user to access the stored files on a server through TCP/IP protocols in order to download/upload files from the server. HTTP web pages work in the same way as FTP and also allow file transfer.

iii)    Why – The purpose of this technology is to allow multiple authenticated users to access files in a centralised location through FTP programs, many of which are free.

-          File sharing

i)        What – Peer-2-peer file sharing is growing in popularity and allows users to download files from many peer computers simultaneously through a P2P program. This method allows for much faster download rates. Other programs also offer file sharing methods, for example, cloud systems. These systems store files in a central location which authenticated users can all access.

ii)      How – This system of file sharing works by having the file-transfer download distribute itself across the network of computers who have the desired file, at this point the exchange begins and once it’s complete the connection will be broken. Due to the multiple download locations, the bottleneck on the bandwidth is much less, allowing for faster download speeds than the conventional client/server file sharing system.

iii)    Why – The purpose of P2P file sharing is to allow faster downloads for users across a larger network, this is particularly useful for larger files. However, due to the nature is this method, pirating files can be a large issue. Cloud file sharing offers a similar purpose, the quick and easy sharing of files across large networks for authenticated users.

Application services:

-          Proxy server

i)        What – A proxy server is something which acts as a middle man between your computer and the destination server. When a proxy server is in place all traffic from the client network will go through it.

ii)      How – This process works by having the proxy server intercept transmissions from client computers and then directs the request to the actual web server, the proxy then saves the website to its cache.

iii)    Why – A proxy server can drastically improve network performance for clients as it stores request results in it’s in built cache, this means that rather than having to reload the web page form an external server every single time, you can instantly get the results back from the proxy server. Another purpose of a proxy server is to increase network security, it does this by effectively creating a barrier between your clients and the external server, when combined with a firewall, and this creates an effective countermeasure against unauthorised users. Filtering results is another good use for proxy servers, as it will allow them to set up blocks to certain web sites.

-          Storage space

i)        What – Network storage can take many forms, including network drives or file servers. These storage devices are used to hold user data in a centralised point on the network.

ii)      How – Storage on a network works by having the storage medium, such as a network drive, connected to the network and then allowing users with adequate permissions to upload and download files from them.

iii)    Why – The purpose of network storage is to provide an easily accessible, central point for storing files and data for users of the network.

-          VoIP

i)        What - VoIP (Voice over internet protocol) is a technology used to transmit voice communications across the internet, which is essentially using a standard internet connection to transmit phone calls.

ii)      How - This technology works by converting analog audio signals into a digital medium which can be sent in packets across a network.

iii)    Why - The purpose of VoIP is to allow global communication like a phone, but at a significantly reduced price or for free with more than one person.

Telecommunication services:

-          IRC

i)        What - IRC (internet relay chat) is a popular chat system which allows many people (depending on server size) to join in real time conversations/conferences.

ii)      How - In order to use IRC you must first have an internet connection and then an ‘IRC client’ which is a program that’s used to transmit and receive messages from the IRC server you’re connected to. The messages sent in an IRC are transmitted to all people in the conversation by the server.

iii)    Why - The purpose of IRC is to allow global, real time conversations between many individuals. Due to many IRC clients being resource friendly (taking up little room and bandwidth), they are a popular choice for many people wishing to talk globally.

-          Remote access (mobiles, remote desktop, social networking)

i)        What – Remote access is when you are allowed access to another computer system remotely from another device, such as more recent mobile phones.

ii)      How – This works by using GUI applications on your device in order to interact with the other system, examples of these applications include Remote Desktop and VNC (virtual network computing), which use an internet connection to remotely access the other system.

iii)    Why – This technology has many purposes; for example, it allows people to use secondary devices (such as smart phones) to access a primary computer system, which could hold their work. Other devices include troubleshooting computer issues via remote access for people who can’t bring their computer to a repair centre.