Desktop Support

After reading the assigned chapter on Desktop Support, I feel the most important information in the chapter is that relating to security issues. The importance of these measures to maintain the integrity of the network as well as to protect its sensitive stored information is invaluable and ever changing. This information is not only important to know but also to practice at school, at work, and in a personal capacity. The other information in the chapter is important as well, but I feel that the security issues of a network pose the greatest risk to its existence.

Some important issues to consider when setting up the security of a network are:
-Virus protection not only for your workstations, but also specialized protection and detection for your servers is essential. E-mail virus scans are also needed as well as filters to eliminate certain file types such as .exe and .cmd from entering the network.
-Viruses are not the only items from which your network needs to be protected. You also need to make sure you have effective software guarding your network against spy-ware and ad-ware. These intruders can at least slow your system’s performance if not steal important information or even a user’s identity. Due to so many possible infiltrations, there are some other steps that can be taken to help secure a network. These include making regular back-ups to protect critical information, setting up the system to automatically log off idle users, and one that I feel is extremely important, proper education for the users of the network.

Proper licensing of software posed some interesting issues as well. Of course without software, your hardware is useless. With that in mind, it is important to evaluate the needs of the different categories of computers in your network. You may have different needs for an Administrative workgroup than you do for that of a student lab or teacher workgroup. Your job however, does not stop there. Once you have determined your needs, you must see how those needs fit into your budget. The chapter mentions a number of hints on how to maximize your spending dollar.
A few bits (pun intended) of information I learned from this section were:
-Software Consortiums: These help to reduce licensing costs by allowing multiple districts to purchase software as part of a larger purchasing bloc.
-Software home use: Some publishers allow organizations to extend their software licenses to their employees for use on their home computers. This can be helpful when working on projects at home.
-Finally I was happy to learn that there was software such as Zen Works from Novell to assist with the management of computers and software on a network. This program offers reports on current software licenses in use on the network as well as an inventory of workstations and software, a very important responsibility of a technology coordinator.

Now, how can what was learned be implemented into career, life, and studies? Well, in my case it is relevant in all three capacities. First, with regards to security, practicing and spreading techniques for network safety can help strengthen the network at work, ultimately protecting the students and keeping your needs running smoothly. These same reasons make it a must in a continuing education setting as well. At home, it seems obvious why security is a must, especially if you use your computer to pay bills or purchase items.
The other part of the reading that I found particularly interesting was the help desk ideas. For whatever reason, I tend to draw numerous troubleshooting inquiries in my building at work. While I do enjoy technology as well as helping others, my work is not doing itself while I take time to try to solve the problems of others. I was very interested in the idea of schools electing someone to act as a technical support contact. This responsibility would entitle the individual to a reduced class load at which time they would answer technical support submissions. I find this to be a great idea, and would certainly like to see it materialize in my district.