Computer Networking Services

Introduction to Computer Networks

A computer network is a set of devices, nodes, and communication channels connected in a way that enables digital data transmission between endpoints. Essentially, a computer network facilitates resource sharing and information exchange between computers, servers, printers, and more. Networks are the foundation for delivering crucial computer networking services in the modern era.

Computer networks come in all shapes and sizes. Some span just a small area like a home or office, while others stretch between cities, countries, or the entire globe! The main network classifications include:

Introduction to Computer Networks — **main network classifications**

LANs

A local area network (LAN) connects devices over a relatively small geographic area, like inside an office building, school, or even someone’s home. LANs enable users to share resources like storage, printers, an internet connection, software applications, and more. The most popular LAN protocol is the Ethernet.

WANs

A wide area network (WAN) covers a larger physical range, connecting LANs across metropolitan, regional, national, or even international boundaries. The internet is the best example of a public WAN. Organizations also build private WANs to connect remote offices back to a corporate network.

MANs

A metropolitan area network (MAN) falls between LAN and WAN in terms of coverage range. MANs usually span multiple buildings or campuses over the area of a city.

For any network type, the components include network nodes (devices), communication media (wiring or wireless links), and network equipment. Nodes could be PCs, servers, printers, phones, security cameras, and more. They connect via cables, telephone lines, cellular links, satellite links, or other media. Networking gear like routers, switches, firewalls, and controllers tie everything together while regulating data flow.

Common Computer Networking Services

Network services are specialized applications hosted on servers to provide features or resources to clients over a network. They enable users to access files, share hardware assets like printers, manage identities and permissions, and more.

Here are some vital network services for the modern age:

File servers give users a central place to store files so anyone on the network can access them. This enables collaboration by having data in one repository versus scattered across individual devices.

Popular file-sharing protocols include:

Common Computer Networking Services — **File Sharing Services**

Samba

Samba is a free software implementation for Windows interoperability. It allows UNIX-style systems like Linux and macOS to share files and printers with Windows PCs.

NFS

Network File System (NFS) is a distributed file system protocol developed by Sun Microsystems allowing a server to share directories and files with clients over a network. It provides fast performance but lacks strong security mechanisms.

Printing Services

Print servers facilitate printer sharing across a network. This prevents the need to have printers at every desktop system.

CUPS

The Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) provides printer drivers and management tools for UNIX-style operating systems. As an open standard, manufacturers can develop cross-platform drivers.

Printing Services — **Common UNIX Printing System**

LPD

The Line Printer Daemon (LPD) is a network printing protocol that originated on BSD UNIX and became a standard on TCP/IP networks. It allows clients to submit print jobs to queues on TCP ports.

Directory Services

Directory services provide a centralized directory or database for managing user accounts, credentials, permissions, policies, and other objects. This allows administrators to set up access control and apply security measures.

LDAP

The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) enables querying and modifying directory services running over TCP/IP. LDAP uses a relatively simple and efficient protocol.

Active Directory

Microsoft Active Directory is a directory service integrated with Windows domains to manage Windows environments. It handles authentication, authorization, and auditing using Kerberos and LDAP protocols.

Deploying Network Services

When it comes to rolling out networking services, proper planning goes a long way. But you also need to carefully implement and actively manage services after the initial installation.

Planning Considerations

Assessing user needs and evaluating security implications should happen early on:

User Needs

Survey user workloads and access requirements
Gather performance expectations
Determine necessary integration with existing infrastructure

Security

Classify sensitivity levels on accessed data
Analyze regulatory compliance demands
Audit for exposure threats from services

Implementation Steps

Once you select networking services to deploy based on plans, follow these implementation phases:

Install Server Software

Acquire necessary server licenses
Provision hardware (or virtual machines)
Install server OS like Windows or Linux
Enable core network protocols as needed

Configure Services

Run service setup wizards
Activate supporting services like DNS, DHCP IPsec
Enter organization or domain info
Create administrative accounts

Test Functionality

Validate client connectivity
Authenticate with user accounts
Read/write files on shares
Submit test print jobs
Stress test with increased load

Ongoing Management

Daily responsibilities to keep services humming include:

Monitoring

Watch for errors in log files
Set performance alert thresholds
Collect usage metrics for capacity planning

Backup

Execute regular backup jobs
Validate the ability to restore
Retain offsite copies for recovery

Updates

Obtain vendor security patches
Test patches before deployment
Schedule updates during maintenance windows

Troubleshooting Network Services

Despite the most careful plans and preparation, networking services can still fail. Troubleshooting the root causes takes detective work.

Diagnosing Connectivity Issues

Verify cabling works properly
Check DHCP scopes have available leases
Test DNS resolution to service hostnames
Confirm firewalls allow traffic on key ports

Fixing File Access Problems

Validate user has permission to target share
Check for lockouts from excessive login attempts
Reboot the server or reset the networking service

Debugging Printing Failures

Ensure the printer driver is installed
Confirm print queue is started
Check no jams or errors on the printer
Verify connectivity over ports

The Future of Network Services

Technology keeps evolving, so the networking services of tomorrow will leverage cutting-edge developments:

Further Virtualization

Hypervisors and containers minimize hardware dependencies. Network functions morph into agile software apps.

Increased Automation

AI and machine learning handle monitoring, provisioning, maintenance, optimizations, and repairs.

Greater Adoption of the Cloud

Services shift from private data centers to multi-tenant public clouds for elastic scale and global reach.

Conclusion

Computer Networking Services make crucial functionality like file and print sharing available over a network. Directory services add identity and access management.

Careful planning when first deploying services gives way to attentive monitoring and maintenance to keep operations running smoothly. Virtualization, automation, and the cloud promise to transform networking services for the future by enhancing flexibility while reducing hands-on management.

FAQs

What is Active Directory?

Active Directory is Microsoft’s directory service for Windows environments. It centrally manages domain identities, permissions, policies, application settings, and other objects in a database to authorize access and enforce security.

Install printer-sharing software like CUPS on a Linux server or utilize Print Management on a Windows Server. Next, add network printers by making shared print queues. Finally, map printers to client systems based on the server name and shared queue.

What causes connectivity issues on a network?

Common culprits for connectivity problems include faulty network gear like NICs or switches, IP address conflicts, VPN disconnects, misconfigured firewall and security rules, DNS resolution failures, and using cables not suitable for the speed.

Using network shares to store files centralizes data for easier access but also introduces risks if proper precautions are not taken like setting share and NTFS permissions to authorize user access. Enable auditing to track activity. And consider encryption, multi-factor authentication, or other measures for sensitive shares.

What new developments are coming for network services?

Emerging trends around network services include increased use of virtualization and containers to abstract services from hardware, greater automation through artificial intelligence, and a shift from private data centers to multi-tenant public clouds. These improve flexibility and scalability.