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Each of the following items could be considered as a separate sheet in a well-maintained 3-ring binder of "network documentation". Keep this documentation neat, orderly, and do not clutter it with excessive quantities of tutorials that can be maintained separately.
Network Diagram
A network diagram gives the school's technology leader, an outside consultant, or administration a visual understanding of what connects the various components of your network.
Situations under which this documentation is beneficial...
- Needing to explain your network setup to administration or parents.
- Needing to explain your network to a professional consultant. (Don't expect a professional to understand your network immediately, as they rarely encounter two identical networks.)
- Someone tries to help you, messes up the wiring, and now you need to put it back the way it was.
- The network just died, and you need to start troubleshooting. This diagram (combined with some additional help), allows you to identify which device just failed.
- Or simply, helping you understand the components of a network.
What to include in a network diagram...
- Start with the network switches (the backbone of the network).
- Then add any wireless access points (eg: AirPort) if there are any.
- Add the firewall/router and modem.
- Add the server, if the school has a server.
- Pictures of each device. This makes it visually easy to interpret. Luckily searching the internet will help find pictures of almost anything.
- Lines (representing the real-life network cables) that visually depict which devices are connected.
- Labels indicating the type of devices along with a precise model name.
- Optionally, indicate the exact port name/number that interconnects the network devices.
Exclude...
- Workstations (the computers)
- UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
- Printers
- Backup hard drives and other peripherals
- Any wires/cables other than network cables connecting components of the diagram.
Passwords
Stay organized with a list of all the technology leader's usernames, passwords, and their purposes. It's too easy to forget a rarely used password, or confuse which passwords are for which purposes.
Passwords unlock the computer system to an unlimited potential, so keep this document in a secure location. The school's technology leader and the principal should both know the location of this document.
What to include on the password sheet...
- Purpose of each specific username/password combination.
- How to use the username/password (eg: go to www.myfirewall.com or launch Workgroup Manager).
- The actual username and password.
- Any associated information, such as perhaps if the password is reset, is it set to automatically forward to a certain email address?
Exclude...
- Usernames and password for all staff and students. Those are less critical and would cause this document to become overwhelming. Store passwords for staff and students separately.
Services Chart
There are a variety of services that keep a computer network functioning smooth. For example, one of the devices on a network might be assigning computers unique, dynamic IP address each time they are powered on (DHCP). Or the school may have a server, but just what services does that server provide?
Perhaps a good start for documenting "services" is to duplicate the "network diagram." Delete all lines, port numbers, and switches from the diagram. All that will remain is the server, firewall/router, and maybe a couple other things.
On your "services chart," start listing the services provided by each piece of equipment. Here's a list of some possible services and their definitions.
- DHCP - This service dynamically provides each computer a unique IP address upon startup. There can only be one DHCP server on a network. It is likely running on the firewall/router or a server.
- DNS - Standing for "domain name system" this service translates computer domain names (eg: stclouddiocese.org) into IP addresses (eg: 206.11.94.220). It is likely running on an internal server or might be provided externally by the internet provider.
- Open Directory - This is a directory of usernames, passwords, groups, computers, and other lists (managed via Workgroup Manager). The directory service would be running on the school's server. The equivalent on Microsoft Windows servers is Active Directory.
- AFP (Macintosh file sharing) - This is a method via which a server can share files with Macintosh computers on the network. Obviously, this resides on a server.
- SMB (Windows file sharing) - This is a method via which a server can share files with Windows computers on the network. If this service has been enabled, it would be on the server.
- NetBoot - This technology allows a computer to ignore its internal hard drive and startup from a special system folder on the server. This has a variety of purposes, the most likely of which are NetRestore (imaging computers across a network) and NetInstall (installing software over a network). If this service has been enabled, it would be on a server.
- VPN - Abbreviating "virtual private network," this allows a remote computer anywhere in the would to connect to the "VPN service" and virtually exist on the school's network (as if the machine were physically in the building). If this service exists, it could be on a server or the firewall/router.
- library catalog - A library catalog system uses a special application program that acts as its own service. In most cases, this is installed on a server, but occasionally the librarian's primary computer is configured as the "library catalog server". This service sometimes requires the following two services to also be activated.
- Application server - Required by some library catalog or other specialty systems. If it has been enabled, it would be on a server.
- Web - Turns a server into a "web server." Intially this new web site is only available on-campus, but could in the future be configured to give access to anyone on the world wide web.
Tip: If running Mac OS Server, the program "Server Admin" lists all the services of the school's server in the LEFT column. Those marked with green dots represent the services that are actively running.
IP addresses
WAN vs LAN: Before getting into addresses, the distinction between WAN (Wide Area Network) and LAN (Local Area Network) is necessary. For a typical Catholic elementary school, the LAN is the school's network; wheras the WAN is the internet provider's network. All school IP addresses will start with the same three segments (eg: 192.168.1). Other IP addresses probably belong to the internet provider (WAN).
Subnet Mask: Another number to document is the subnet mask, which really is not an IP address. Both the LAN and the WAN will have subnet masks (starting with 255). A subnet mask describes how large the network is.
Static vs Dynamic: Static IP addresses are those addresses that are always assigned to the same computer (they never change). Dynamic IP addresses are those assigned each time the computer is powered on (they can change frequently).
IP address documentation can simply be created with a word processor. Information will be split into two categories: WAN and LAN.
WAN addresses to include (all of which are provided by the ISP)...
- Gateway/router
- primary DNS server
- secondary DNS server
- subnet mask
- Is the IP address assigned to the school dynamic or static? If static, what is it?
LAN addresses to include...
- Gateway/router/firewall
- DNS server (If the school does not have a server, schools typically substitute this with their ISP's DNS servers.)
- subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0)
- A list of all internal IP addresses.
- The first three segments of each address will be the same, while the fourth segment is the variable.
- Start by creating a numerically ordered list of all static IP addresses used by workstations, printers, and other devices.
- Next, add the dynamic range of addresses. The list of IP addresses assigned dynamically via DHCP can be attained by reviewing the DHCP server's configurations. (See previous documention for identifying which device provide DHCP service and its login procedure.)
- Finally, list the unused IP addresses.
- When completed, 254 internal IP addresses should be accounted for. The first address ends with ".1" and the last ends with ".254".
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