Network and Project Management

2. chapter 14 Network and Project Management Outline Telecommunications systems analysis and design methodology – assist in developing, implementing, and operating data networks Need for qualified personnel – review of several professional certification programs

3. Introduction • Management of telecommunications, like the management of an organization Figure 14.1 – Mission, Operating Philosophy and Vision

4. Telecommunications Design and Implementation • Change is the constant in a business. • All changes will require network analysis and design: • Determining needs • Analyzing alternatives • Delineating system specifications • Designing the system • Computer-based or management information systems (MIS). • Maturity of the systems and analysis process and methodology of MIS

5. Network Analysis, Design and Implementation • Network analysis and design - process of: • Understanding the requirements for a communication network • Investigating alternative ways for implementing the network • Selecting the appropriate alternative to provide required capacity • Network implementation - process of: • Installing • Making the network operational

6. Sources of Request for Projects • Reasons for projects: • Better and more cost-effective ways of doing the present jobs • Present capabilities being taxed to their limits • Worn-out equipment being called upon to perform too long • Enhancements and additions to make sure that the present service is: • Adequate • Cost-effective • Reliable

7. Sources of Request for Projects (cont’d) • People closest to operations know the most about their operations and processes. • They must understand the business needs or the logic as a starting point. • Senior managers must consider long-term concerns. • Demands arise from the needs of: • Customers • Technology vendors • Governmental agencies

8. Capabilities • Process of design and development of new capabilities follows a formal development process • Creating and maintaining telecommunications systems – based on systems development life cycle (SDLC) • Phases include: • Feasibility • Systems analysis • Design • Procurement • Implementation • Test evaluation and review • Maintenanceand change

9. Network Modeling • Diagrammatic technique – employed to document the system in terms of the users, data, and processing locations • Modeling of the network requirements independent of the actual implementation. • Process of design - converts to implementation models • Refer to modeling figure in the text.

10. Phases of Telecommunications Analysis and Design • The request • Problem definition stage • Might be written down to make it formal • Each phase is discussed in detail

11. Phases I • Problem identification, definition and objective statement • Begins with a statement of the problem, opportunity, or threat at hand • Group must identify, discuss, and describe the problem, threat, or opportunity and propose a solution • Team composition includes: • Team leader • Technical specialist(s) • Interested users • Telco and IXC representatives • Consultant

12. Phases I (cont’d) • Risk analysis and management • Security risk - physical, virtual and data security • Preliminary determination of requirements: • What is the purpose of this project? • How many nodes are to be connected? • What is the volume of traffic between nodes? • What is the mix of voice and data usage? • How time-sensitive are the messages transmitted? • Can you create the solution with existing bandwidth, or do you need to create new bandwidth? • What is the risk to the total telecommunications capability of adding or not adding this project? • Geographic dispersion of nodes must be considered

13. Phase II • Preliminary investigation and feasibility study • Deals with whether one can and should do the project • Technical feasibility • Behavioral feasibility and implications • Economic feasibility • Operational feasibility • Time feasibility • Regulatory feasibility • Ethical feasibility • Project management • Control the progress, resources, and cost of the program

14. Phase III • Systems analysis – detailed understanding and definition • System specification • Prototyping • Simulation • Make-or-buy decision • Architecture • Planning • Physical placement of equipment • Installation of the media • Documentation • Training • Testing

15. Phase IV • Investigation of alternatives • Is the change to be an expanded capability or a new capability? • Can the network accommodate the addition, will enhancements be required, or will a new network be required? • Can we lease part of the enhancement, must we build it all in-house, or can we contract it out to a third party (make-or-buy)? • Are there alternatives in media? Does the consideration of growth potential (reserve) impact this choice? • What are the cost and schedule implications for each alternative? • Will the cost fit the budget and required return on investment?

16. Phase V • General network design • Design of the new system, based on the requirements gathered during the system’s analysis stage • Involves the creation, on paper, of the system’s parts and interactions • Physical circuits and logical channels • Availability and response • Capacity • Human resources, skills required, and sources • Training required and sources • Location of equipment and requirements • Maintenance requirements

17. Phase VI • Selection of vendors and equipment • Equipment and software must be obtained from vendors. • Requests for proposal (RFP) • Request for quote (RFQ) • Surveys published by Network Magazine and Infoworld. • Technical response to be rated on engineering merits, capability, reliability • Vendors to be rated on maintainability, experience, reliability, and reputation

18. Phase VII • Calculation of costs • The following must be considered for the estimation of approximate costs: • Hardware: Procured hardware, media, and upgraded hardware • Software • Personnel • Supplies: Installation and ongoing • Maintenance • Conversion (from existing systems)

19. Phase VIII • Presentation to technical and management group on recommendation: • Once all alternatives and vendors have been rated, management groups will likely take a final call. • Technical and business managers must both be involved. • Senior management, not the engineers, need to make the final decisions.

20. Phase IX • Final decisions and design • Finalization of design based on decision • New facilities • An inventory of the prospective new facilities and capacities • Preparation is made for the arrival of new equipment • Implications must be understood fully

21. Phase X • Procurement order – hardware, software and services • Creation of purchase orders for products and/or services • Might be provided by the: • Parent organization • A person in the administrative department of the telecommunications or the MIS group

22. Phase XI • Preparation for implementation • Space • Cooling • Electrical power • Lighting • Safety

23. Phase XII • Installation of equipment • Acceptance testing • Attachment to the media • Testing of each interface upon installation

24. Phase XIII • System testing • Tested as an entity – test plan and test data are required • Point-to-point and then end-to-end connectivity is checked. • Determine bottlenecks • Level of queuing • Balking • System’s ability to handle heavy workload • Comply with FCC, Underwriters Laboratory (UL) and the local electrical, structural and electromagnetic standards

25. Phase XIV • Training • The telecommunications group must be aware of the updates and their applications. • Telecommunications library. • Training in-place at the vendor’s site

26. Phase XV • Implementation • Production status, available to the users • Maintenance, reliability, and back-up • Cutover: depending on the extent of enhancements and additions, the telecommunications group can use: • Pilot • Parallel • Phased • Phase-in, phase-out and modular • Cold turkey

27. Phase XVI • After-implementation cleanup and audit • Place what is not in use in inventory and audit performance • Learn from experience. • Complete review of project and present findings to technical and business management. • The new system description must be incorporated into the configuration database • Portfolio update

28. Phase XVII • Turning system over to maintenance group • Implementation and acceptance of the system • Correction of problems and exploration of new possibilities • System component enhancement is likely during this phase.

29. Certification • Certification – paper-qualified person • Network administrator – level of achievement, surrogate for experience • Understanding the care of simple hubs to deploying routers and broadband channels • Initial filter for prospective employees – ceteris paribus. • Progression of individuals • New hires and experienced hires – network administration • Experienced hires – invaluable, short in supply, require higher salaries

30. Certifications Available • Network Overview - CompTIA’s Network+: CompTIA A+ through Microsoft MCSE and Novell CNE • Hardware – CompTIA’s A+ • Microsoft • Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) • Microsoft Certified Systems Administrators (MCSA) • Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSE) • Cisco • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) • Also offers CCIE, CCDA, CCNP, CCDP, CCIP, CCSP and CCVP

31. Certifications Available (cont’d) • Novell • Certified Novell Administrator (CAN) 5/6 • Certified Novell Engineer (CNE) • Linux • CompTIA’s Linux + • Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) • Novell Certified Linux Professional (Novell CLP) • Linux Professional Institute’s LPIC1 – Junior Level Administration • Linux Professional Institute’s LPIC2 – Intermediate Level Administration • SAIR’s Linux/GNU Certified Engineer (LCE)

32. Certifications Available (cont’d) • Internet • CompTIA’s i-Net+ • Security • CompTIA’s Security+: Cryptography, authentication, etc. • ISC2 SSCP, CISSP and SANS GIAC • SANS Institute Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) – SANS Global Incident Analysis Center • GIAC IT Security and Audit Essentials

33. Certifications Available (cont’d) • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) • Master’s Degree in Information Security from a National Center of Excellence • Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) • Certified Wireless Security Professional (CWSP) • CIW Security Analyst • Wireless • Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) • Certified Wireless Analysis Professional (CWAP)