Administration encompasses many things for a Network Manager.
For instance, in really large shops a network manager may have one function; server maintenance and someone else would be responsible for users.
So for now, You and I are the only Network Managers and we are responsible for everything on the Network.
For now four areas will be addressed:
So sit back read each section throughly.
User Administration
User administration involves several items. But the more critical areas are Creating and Managing Users, Security of resources that users will need.
Creating Users is probably the easiest function as long as granting access rights is pretty straight forward. Managing Users is a little more involved since modifying their accesses is the common change. What makes this more involved is the fact that the Admin will need to stay on top of the server resources that need to be restricted from certain users. For example, not all users need access to the Accounting files. IF the Admin grants these rights then they are exposing themselves to a host of problems from bosses and auditors.
In addition to managing users the Delete function should be performed at time of termination. Most of the time, HR WILL NOT notify the Admin when an employee leaves the company. If that is a common event then HR is exposing the company by not making the Admin aware of the employee leaving. Now, it also behooves the Admin to perform the delete when HR does inform of a termination.
Security is paramount for the Admin because these are the resources that need to be protected. As mentioned earlier, not all employees need access to Accounting files or even HR files. Monitor, Monitor, and Monitor. If the Admin is not on top of things when it comes to Security then they are at fault as well as their Manager.
Configuration Management
This involves managing all of the configuration files for all network resources. This could include routers, switches, firewalls and whatever is deemed important for network continuity. Even a printers default settings could be construed to be that important.
One of the more critical functions mentioned here are Tape Backups. Just running the backups are not enough. The tapes need to be tested as well. Testing should not not be when you need to recover a critical file. Also, if you do not have a tape log start one. Track when you use the tapes and how old they are. The age of a tape is important because over time they stretch and if there is a disaster and the equipment is replaced you need to make sure that the tapes will work.
Ensure that all of these configuration settings are saved to a floppy, CD or even a hard copy. Test them at least monthly and make sure they are defined in the Network Contingency Plan.
Network Maintenance
Trash builds up. This includes networks too. There are certain files called Logs which will continue to grow unless they are trimmed back or even deleted. The Admin needs to ensure that these log files are needed or not needed and weight their importance level. If they are important then archiving is the best course of action.
Setup a schedule and perform Patch Management. This involes applying patches that are critical to Operating Systems for the network AND user computers. If patches are not applied then exposures in security can be a direct result. Answering those questions to management would be most embarrassing.
Some logs like MS Exchange Server are important to retain because auditor or regulators need to review them from time to time. Other critical logs could be firewall or server related logs. Routers can have them too. So it is important to know exactly what your network/servers create on a routine schedule.
Network Monitoring
If there is no monitoring at all then this is a disaster waiting to happen. The Admin will not have a job much longr after a disaster if the boss finds out a major problem could have been prevented.
Be proactive when monitoring the network. Know about it’s speed and functioning before the boss confronts the issue. One very basic monitoring technique is just using the network everyday.
There are other tools that can aide in monitoring but the best usually cost money.
Finally, being in charge of a network carrys with it some additional responsibilities. One of the most important is called Capacity Planning. If you do all of the items mentioned in this article AND do proactive monitoring then you are one step closer. Capacity Planning involves what you learn about your network over time to cost justify future changes the Admin needs to make during a new budget year.
Also, take the time to document the network and ALL equipment in use as well as software.
These items work. Trust me.
|
Copyright (c) 2006 Buddy Shearer Buddy Shearer is not a sought-after Internet marketer but rather a regular guy trying to make a living. He can be found building up Network Management Consultant and other useful information. |
Tags: network management, user administration
The majority of private owners of whisky casks are looking for an assessment of their options. The purpose of this article is to help answer questions that private owners may have about bottling their whisky casks.
Its always recommended that private owners bottle at cask strength as this minimises the number of bottles that you get making it cheaper for bottling and requiring less storage space. The materials needed for a single malt presentation include: tall round clear bottle, varnished wood topp stopper cork, gold coloured pure tin capsule and plain white outer cases. For private owners the use of a simple black and white label would be sufficient. On it would be your name, distillery from which the cask originated and the cask details including date of fill, cask number, strength etc. If you plan to print your own be aware that labels printed on ink jet computer printers are likely to have the ink run if the whisky is spilled on the label. A colour laser printer is however a very good option for short run label production.
The typical hogshead cask will yield around 280 bottles at a strength close to 60% alcohol. If you were to bottle at 40% this would entail the addition of around 120 litres of water and would require an extra 171 bottles to contain the increased bulk volume. It would also mean that the whisky would need to be chill filtered to maintain it’s clarity and brightness as the reduction in strength causes the whisky to become cloudy. Chill filtration impairs the flavour of the whisky and is therefore avoided by purveyors of fine malt scotch and it is normal for such products to be bottled at such high strength, i.e. 46% or more.
There are options for defraying or deferring some of the costs involved:
Syndicates
Many people form a syndicate with family or friends. This reduces the cost burden but of course you get less of the whisky. This is not usually a problem as it will take five years to get through one cask at a bottle per week. A private syndicate who are not buying and selling can be treated in the same way as an individual private owner and does not currently need to be registered with Customs & Excise.
Bonded Storage
The majority of the expense when bottling is incurred in the form of duty and VAT which is also levied on the duty. You can choose to store your bottled whisky in a bonded warehouse. If you can locate one locally, and they are happy to support a private owner, then you can store the whisky under bond and pay the duty and VAT as and when you remove the goods for use. You are likely to be charged pennies per case per week for bonded but please do confirm this with your chosen warehouse in advance.
Kevan Jones is the Director of Craigton Packaging Ltd., they are a small privately owned company that specialises in very short run bottling operations. The majority of their work is single cask bottling for trade customers servicing the specialist malt whisky sector, although they also deal with private owners and syndicates.
Craigton Packaging Ltd. are based in Paisley and service UK and international customers.
t: 0044 (0)141 887 0244
f: 0044 (0)141 887 5462
e: info@craigton.com
w: http://www.craigton.com
Tags: whisky, whiskey. bottling, alcohol