Introduction
The image of an Information Superhighway recalls the success of the Interstate Highway Program which at mid-century efficiently linked remote areas of the country, contributing to decades of prosperity. Yet as is true of most metaphors, the highway comparison obscures some of the major differences between asphalt and electronic paths. The periodic patching of ribbon asphalt is a far cry from the continual management needs of network facilities. Similarly, mass produced, easy-to-use road maps bear little resemblance to the support and training teachers, students, and administrators will need as their schools and districts are networked to the world.
Highways rely on trained teams of specialists to repair potholes, remove roadblocks, and redesign areas in which bottlenecks occur; networks depend on trained personnel to address their needs as users increase in number and the operations they perform become increasingly complex.
In order to truly take advantage of a communications superhighway, schools and districts must be prepared to provide properly trained personnel to keep the networks running smoothly and to help users properly navigate their routes. This vital support function is called "Network Support" and is composed of two major components: The Network Operations Center (NOC) and the Network Information Center (NIC) for user support. The NOC may be staffed by one part-time person or by many individuals. The number of support personnel will be a function of many variables, including the size of the network, its complexity, and the level of support desired for users.
Network Operations ensures that the technical tools of the network are properly in place and are kept running efficiently. This function involves making sure that the hardware and software elements that make up the network are functioning well. Typical questions NOC personnel ask and answer are, Is access to the Internet consistent and reliable? Why can't I get to the ERIC gopher? I can get to the district office just fine, but how come I can't get to the CORE server? Why is response from the CSIS server taking over a minute? If the NOC also handles issues of local area network support, they may be asked questions such as, Do the desktop computers have enough memory? Why is the printer response time slow? Why is the server responding slowly?
User Support, through the NIC, on the other hand, is more concerned with helping users utilize the tools that will assist them with access to the resources on the network. User support provides users the assistance and training they need to take full advantage of the network's capabilities. How do I use email? Can I create my own bulletin board? Can I email a spreadsheet to someone in another district? These are the types of questions user support personnel are asked and answer.
Thus far, Network Support may sound like a discussion of how to manage technologies, but it is also a discussion about people. An organization that implements technology but does not address Network Support as both a technical and personnel issue will soon find itself in trouble. Likewise, organizations that try to glance over network support issues with superficial solutions will be no better off. For example, in many schools, network support issues have been the responsibility of an existing staff member who has been a champion of the technology and who agrees to support the network in addition to his/her other responsibilities. While this may be effective in the short term, it has proved to be ineffective in the long term. As the network inevitably expands, the number of persons requiring training and support increases, and soon the part-time network support person finds him/herself torn between the priorities of his/her "real" job and the responsibilities of managing and supporting the network. Therefore, while it may not be necessary to assign a full-time network support position in the network's earliest days, it is critical that long-term and ongoing support issues be discussed and planned for from the beginning.
This chapter will seek to clarify the role and responsibilities of Network Support personnel and will discuss the staffing issues for theses vital functions.
Network Operations Center
The person(s) assigned to handle Network Operations will seek to manage issues of access to the network and ongoing operations. The primary responsibilities of the Network Operations personnel will be to:
- Monitor the health of the network by collecting statistics, and monitoring traffic levels and congestion reports;
- Configure and maintain the active elements in the network such as routers, hubs, modems, etc.;
- Work with vendors and suppliers, Internet access providers, the local telephone company, and others to resolve problems and order new equipment and service enhancements;
- Assist users who are experiencing technical problems sending electronic mail or reaching resources outside of the local area network, such as a remote printer or file server;
- Resolve network-level communication problems by ensuring that users can access all of the other networks they need to reach in order to accomplish their work;
- To the extent possible, assist users whose needs may go beyond those the network currently supports.
Network Size
At first glance network size may seem like a very simple issue: the bigger the network the more people needed for its management. However, the relationship between network size and support staff is not that simple. It must be carefully considered and is often only determined over time. One of the most important factors that will determine size of support staff relative to the size of the network will be the ability to automate and simplify management and administrative tasks. There are software tools that allow for the centralization of specialized staff for network management and administration, thus allowing the costs for this function to be shared across districts or counties, reducing the number of dedicated support staff at each network location.
A significant tool available to a NOC today is network management software. Network management programs can perform real-time monitoring of local and wide-area networks. These tools alleviate the need for an individual to constantly monitor all aspects of the network. These programs range in sophistication, with those at the high end producing graphic displays of network performance, logs of network events, usage patterns, and, in the event of a breakdown in the system, "trouble tickets." The standard for network management tools for the Internet is the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Network devices should be purchased that support this protocol to ensure the NOC staff will be able to use network management tools and lower the cost of network support.
Other duties that can be made easier through the use of a network management program are the network administration tasks. As the network grows in size, these tasks will no doubt grow in number. Assigning domain name addresses to each system that is brought on-line is one example of a critical administrative function that can be well supported through the use of network management software (see Part III, Chapter 6, Network Servers).
In addition, the use of a sophisticated monitoring and management system allows NOC staff to quickly detect problems and sometimes even predict them before they occur. With the right level of automation, a small staff can manage a large network by having streamlined management procedures for bringing on new users and devices. In addition they are better able to reconfigure or upgrade the system before users become dissatisfied or are unable to use the network all together.
Network Complexity
A second factor which helps determine the character of the NOC is the complexity of the network. From a support perspective, the network's complexity is determined by the number of disparate pieces of equipment on the network. Complexity of support decreases when the number of vendors are minimized, protocols and equipment are standardized, and desired levels of support are determined in advance.
The ability to work closely with vendors allows the NOC staff to develop more stable working relationships with those vendors whose equipment is selected. These relationships can be critical to solving problems during a crisis and to the planning of network expansion. A trusted vendor who has insight into the organization and its needs can assist the NOC in making future purchasing and support decisions. Without this relationship, the NOC may find itself receiving minimal assistance from vendors during times of need or growth.
Standardization, to the extent possible, is also extremely helpful to the NOC. NOC personnel must be trained and up-to-date with every item of equipment supported by the network. The less time NOC personnel must spend familiarizing themselves with new equipment, protocols, and software, the more time they can spend ensuring that the quality of support they provide is first-rate. Further, since budget constraints are most likely an important consideration, a smaller number of people can become intimately knowledgeable about a well-designed standardized network, resulting is lower personnel costs while maintaining a knowledgeable and qualified support staff. The level or degree of support may be compromised, but not the quality.
Desired Level of Support
An important consideration when determining the nature of the NOC is how fast problems should be solved in order to maintain efficient operations within the organization. For instance, problems may be most quickly addressed if support staff are located at each site. Problems such as a loose printer connection, a bad memory chip, or defective software can be effectively handled by minimally trained, relatively non-technical personnel. However problems such as a badly performing router, a misconfigured server, or a poor circuit connection are better suited for more technically trained personnel located at a centralized NOC. A two-tiered approach is recommended, with a county or district sharing the costs associated with employing relatively skilled network support personnel, employing less-skilled personnel to manage local issues on site within the school.
In order to ensure timely service to even the most remote LANs, each organization should assign local area network administration duties to on-site personnel. This person(s) would be capable of solving local problems in a timely manner, relying on the centralized NOC staff only when assistance is required to solve complex or unusual problems.
Staffing
In most schools and districts, an existing staff member, such as a librarian, administrative support person, teacher, or even student can be trained to manage the day-to-day operations of the LAN(s) and serve as liaison to the NOC. In this scenario, troubles with the network are first reported to the on-site personnel. If the problem proves to be beyond the capacity of the local personnel, a service call is placed with the centralized NOC. (Even if a local support person is not assigned, a single liaison to the NOC is critical for efficient communication between the two organizations.) It is very important to note that all issues and troubles arising with the local LAN must be reported to the NOC, even those that are resolved without assistance. Without this communication the NOC may miss vital information which could have an impact on future planning and management of the network.
The more intricate or technical issues handled by the centralized NOC personnel will generally require highly skilled employees. NOC personnel often have two- to four-year degrees in a technical field, such as computer science or an engineering discipline. However, it should be emphasized that in the area of network management, experience with networks and the network technology may be the best prerequisite for the job. Proven ability to work with technology and people, solve problems, and be sensitive to end-user concerns are important qualifications for NOC personnel.
User Support
The title given to an organization, group, or individual providing user services is the Network Information Center (NIC). The NIC often provides what are called help-desk services, including, but not limited to: questions about the use of the network, "hand-holding" for users whose experience with the system is limited, initiation for new users, training in new tools and applications (Training Issues), and questions about useful resources to be found on the network (Resource Issues). NIC services can be provided at the school, district, or county level.
Personnel performing the NIC function may be required to provide the initial training on the uses of the technology and/or provide ongoing support as resource experts. As trainers, they will help users overcome technical and non-technical obstacles to becoming proficient users of the tools available on the network. As resource experts, they will guide users toward the tools and information that can assist them in their work.
Training
Training will be discussed in detail in the Chapter 10. However it is worth noting that the most important characteristic of a responsive NIC is flexibility. In order to design relevant training, NIC staff must be knowledgeable not only about the tools of the network but also about how the users will be wanting to use those tools. Training will differ for users with technical backgrounds and those without, for those who fear technology and those who are adventurous; but for all users, hands-on training must be at the core of support.
The NIC staff should also be prepared to serve as ongoing consultants to those they've trained. New technology and tools should never be introduced without customized training and periodic consultations with users. This is the most effective way to ensure that each user is maximizing his/her potential use of the resources located throughout the network. Whenever possible, training should integrate issues of curriculum development, assessment, and collaboration so that new users can be assisted in integrating the tools of the network into meaningful classroom activities.
Resources
As with the NOC function, NIC responsibilities can be assigned to many different people whose responsibilities vary. Local NIC staff may include librarians, teachers, administrative support personnel, and students. NIC resource personnel should be well versed in the networking interface tools and the types of services available on the LAN and the Internet. The primary goal in this function is, to the extent possible, to be available to assist teachers and students in their search for relevant resources.
As users require the need to communicate with other persons and locate resources on the network, NIC personnel will assist them. For example, if a student is doing research on China and would like to use the network, a NIC staff member might demonstrate how to use the USENET News function and help identify the conferences that may hold discussions relating to China. If the science teacher would like to find information on the latest Mars research, the NIC staff would assist in the location of Mars-related images, documents, and specialists on the Internet.
Staffing
The personnel in the NIC staff may not be required to be as technical as those performing the NOC function. However, it is critical that the staff members be patient, competent communicators. The ability to become familiar with the technology is only one part of the task. NIC personnel must be able to listen to user needs and pose working solutions. At the same time, they need to be able to explain to a user the reason certain requests may not be accommodated, and for this they will need certain technical competencies. Staffing considerations for the NOC may include the following positions:
Postmaster
Every organization which uses electronic mail should have an Electronic Mail Postmaster and a mailbox postmaster, for the receipt of messages regarding use of the electronic mail system, mail problems and general inquiries about reaching people within the organization. The Postmaster is responsible for reading postmaster mail and responding to inquiries. These duties can be performed by non-technical staff, with forwarding of messages to the appropriate technical support person as required.
Campuswide Information Systems (CWIS) Administrator
Campuswide information systems or bulletin boards are one of the most useful applications on the network. These systems allow people to share timely notices, documents, and other resources with large groups of people. These systems typically provide a hierarchical or tree-like structure of menus that lead to online documents or other services. Common types of information include deadline notices, grant announcements, training schedules, and lists of available resources, such as videos in a library or reference materials.
A CWIS, bulletin board, or gopher must have an administrator or sponsor to oversee the design and maintenance of the system so that it is easy to navigate and find information, provide a professional presentation of information, and ensure that information remains timely and relevant. This function can be performed by NIC staff or trained librarians or administrative staff as appropriate.
Management of Online Conferences
Online conferences provide a way for groups of people to share information, discuss ideas, and pose questions. Conferences usually are set up to serve the needs of a group of people sharing a common interest. For example, an online conference might be established for teachers to discuss a new science teaching framework or a teacher may establish a conference for the discussion of the Civil War as part of an American History class. Some conferences are ongoing and may exist for years. Others are short term and may exist for only one semester. Conferences may be created using the electronic mail system or USENET News (as described in Part III, Chapter 7, Internet Services).
NIC staff must also be willing and able to work with the NOC staff in order to effectively plan for the growth of the network. The knowledge and experience of NIC staff are very important when plans are developed to upgrade or expand the network. These individuals will know better than anyone how the network is being used, what needs are being met, and what services have been requested that could not be accommodated. As they contribute this information to the planning process, the usefulness of the network is more likely assured.
Additional Staffing Considerations for the NIC and NOC
As discussed at the beginning of this chapter, the decision as to who will perform the NOC and NIC functions of Network Support is a critical one. The first decision that will have to be made is whether or not a dedicated staff person(s) will be assigned these responsibilities. As mentioned before, it is common for organizations to assign a part-time person to a support role when the network is first introduced. However, the implications of this are many. The first is that as the network grows, the support staff's priorities will likely become conflicting. Users who cannot receive immediate assistance will be angry and frustrated. Yet if the support staff is composed of teachers, response time will always be constrained by classroom responsibilities. Second, NIC and NOC staff who perform multiple jobs are quick to report "burnout" and dissatisfaction with their own performance.
Finally, once staff have been assigned, it will be equally important to address coordination of services at the school, district, and county level for the purpose of ongoing support and planning. Individuals at each of these levels must converse with one another on a regular basis in order to share information, avoid overlapping trouble-shooting, coordinate growth and expansion, and ensure that the networks in their region remain compatible with both state and national long-range planning.