Administrators Task List

7/31/2019 Administrators Task List

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Administrative Checklist

The tasks listed here are basic steps that should be carried out on a periodicbasis to maintain the network. By no means is this a complete or exhaustivelist of all duties involved in maintaining a network!

Although the majority of tasks described in this document are focused onMicrosoft based networks, it’s possible to apply the basic principles to otherplatforms. Many of the tasks within this document can be automated.Please refer to the vendor or contact LogOn Technologies to initiate a servicevisit to discuss such options.

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***************************LEGAL NOTICE

***************************LogOn Technologies is not responsible for any omissions of data/information and/oradverse affects encountered by the use of information within this document nor the use of any information contained within the LogOn Technologies web site athttp://www.logontek.com.

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Table of Contents

Reference Table..................................................................................................................................... 3

NOTES....................................................................................................................................................... 3

Recommended Network Documentation ....................................................................................... 3

One-Time Administration Tasks ....................................................................................................... 3

Electronic Notification Subscriptions........................................................................................... 3

Daily Administration Tasks ................................................................................................................ 3

Change Backup Tape ....................................................................................................................... 3

Weekly Administration Tasks ............................................................................................................ 3

Reboot NT Servers............................................................................................................................ 3

Clean Backup Tape Drive/s............................................................................................................ 3

Weekly Administration Tasks (continued) .................................................................................... 3

Check Server Event Logs for Errors ............................................................................................ 3

Exchange Server Basic Information Store Size Limitation/Management........................ 3Weekly Administration Tasks (continued) .................................................................................... 3

Workstation/Server Updates ......................................................................................................... 3

Semi-Weekly Administration Tasks................................................................................................. 3

Ensure Anti-Virus Definitions Up-To-Date................................................................................. 3

Workstation/Server File System Optimization......................................................................... 3

Monthly Administration Tasks........................................................................................................... 3

Check Hard Drive Space Usage on Servers.............................................................................. 3

Initiate/Schedule Network Wide Anti-Virus “Sweeps”/Scans ............................................. 3

Quarterly Administration Tasks........................................................................................................ 3Backup Integrity Test ...................................................................................................................... 3

Perform Hardware Preventative Maintenance on All Computer Hardware ..................... 3

Quarterly Administration Tasks (continued) ................................................................................ 3

Security Scans ................................................................................................................................... 3




Reference Table

This document is organized in the following manner:

- Frequency of task. This dictates how often the tasks within the corresponding sections are tobe carried out.

- Task title. This specifies the target task. - Task table. This table is used to manage and track progress for the corresponding task.

o Description of Task: Provides the reader with a brief description of the task and itssignificance.

o Responsible Party: Provides a Primary and Secondary designation for responsibleparties. If the Primary is absent or unable to perform the task it is the responsibility of the Secondary Party to ensure the task is done as scheduled.

- The final column is used as a checklist. Depending on the designated frequency for a particulartask you will see a number of blocks that can be used as a check list to ensure tasks are donewhen necessary. You may use this area to communicate when a task was done by placing yourinitials with the date in the appropriate box.

- Notes/Comments: This area is used as a placeholder for notes. You may write down notes asyou see fit.




Notes/Comments: This area is used as a placeholder for notes. You may write down notes as you

see fit.

NOTES




- Disaster Recovery Plan

- Acceptable Usage Policy/Workstation Usage Guidelines

- Acceptable Use Policy for E-Mail

- Acceptable Use Policy for Web Access

- Remote Access Policy

- Acceptable Usage Policy for Computer/Network Resources

- Network Security Policy & Response Plan

- Emergency Escalation Procedures (Security Violations, User Problem

Escalation, etc.)

- Network Topology Diagram- Protocol Topology Document

- Systems Inventory Document

- Third Party Vendor Manual (holds contact info., services offered, etc.)

Recommended Network Documentation




Electronic Notification Subscriptions

The Network Administrator is not necessarily a person with extensive computer experience/knowledge. Many times

someone in the organization is assigned the secondary role of the Network Administrator or Coordinator. It’s the

responsibility of this individual to either outsource the maintenance of the network or educate themselves. Electronic

notification subscriptions have become a very useful way of keeping up with the latest issues for your network. Bysubscribing to mailing lists you can be notified automatically via e-mail of potential threats and/or issues relating to the

software/hardware on your network. Mailing lists are managed by vendors and provide end-users/clients with

notifications ranging from the release of a new driver for a specific device on your network to high profile virus alerts that

could potentially hinder or paralyze operations for your organization.

The following is a brief list of suggested mailing lists:

-

Operating System security and update alerts (i.e., Microsoft, Novell, Redhat, IBM, etc.)- Antivirus security and update alerts (i.e., Symantec/Norton, Computer Associates, Network Associates, Trend

Micro, etc.) - Critical Application security and update alerts (i.e., ArcServe, BackupExec, Exchange Server, SQL Server, etc.) - Critical hardware security and update alerts (i.e., BIOS releases, driver updates, etc)

Since each organization is different it’s up to the assigned Network Administrator to determine which mailing lists to

subscribe to. One can accomplish this by either contacting the developer’s and/or manufacturer’s of the products on your

network or by contacting LogOn Technologies to initiate a service request and have a consultant provide assistance.

__________________________________________________________________________

One-Time Administration Tasks




Change Backup Tape

Description of Task Responsible Party Daily (checklist)

PRIMARY To ensure the successful dailybackup of the network’s data

the responsible party mustchange out tapes at the backup

server on a daily basis and logthis event. Furthermore, the

responsible party must checkthe backup logs to ensure that

significant errors are notoverlooked. Please refer to the

documentation for your backup

solution on how to managebackups and logs or contactLogOn Technologies to

initiate a service visit for thistask.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Daily Administration Tasks




Reboot NT Servers

Description of Task Responsible Party Weekly (checklist)

PRIMARY To reduce the amount of issueson a server related to memory

leaks it’s highly advisable toreboot NT/Win2k/Win2k3

servers on a weekly basis.Procedures on how to properly

power cycle your equipmentcan be obtained from the

developer’s web site,documentation or by contacting

LogOn Technologies to

initiate a service visit for thistask. SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Clean Backup Tape Drive/s


PRIMARY Many of the problemsencountered by tape drive

backup devices are due to lackof cleaning. Depending on the

environment tape drives haveto be cleaned regularly. Many

tape cleaning cartridges comewith a 52 week logging

checklist which infers that thetape device should be cleaned

on a weekly basis. Procedureson how to properly clean your

tape drive/s equipment can beobtained from the

manufacturer’s web site,

documentation or by contactingLogOn Technologies to

initiate a service visit for thistask.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Weekly Administration Tasks




Check Server Event Logs for Errors


PRIMARY To ensure the integrity of thenetwork servers it is imperative

that the Event Logs bemonitored. See the web site

for the developer of youroperating system for more

information on how to checkand manage the event logs on

your systems or contact LogOnTechnologies to request

service for this task.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Exchange Server Basic Information Store Size Limitation/Management


PRIMARY Exchange Server 5.5 & 2000Standard Edition have a file

size limitation on the maindatabase file called the

Information Store. This iswhere all e-mail resides. Once

this file size limit is reachedExchange ceases to function

until free space is recovered.Exchange Server has utilities

that allow you to defragmentthe database and recover

unused free space. Please referto Microsoft’s web site for more

information on how to check

and manage the InformationStore file size on your system/s

or contact LogOnTechnologies to request

service for this task.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Weekly Administration Tasks (continued)




Workstation/Server Updates


PRIMARY To ensure all systems(workstations/server/s) are free

of bugs and protected from thelatest virus threat it is

imperative that theadministrator ensures the

operating system and all criticalapplications are up-to-date with

the latest service packs andsecurity patches. To find out

more information on how to

accomplish this task pleaserefer to the web site for thedeveloper of the software

product you are wanting toupdate or contact LogOn

Technologies to initiate aservice visit for this task.

NOTE: Make sure youcompletely understand the

patches/updates that are beingapplied. Sometimes the

application of suchupdates/patches may cause

additional problems. Thisnotice applies especially to

driver updates. **PLEASE

PERFORM A FULL BACKUPPRIOR TO APPLYING ANYUPDATES!!!

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Weekly Administration Tasks (continued)




Ensure Anti-Virus Definitions Up-To-Date

Description of Task Responsible Party Semi-Weekly (checklist)

PRIMARY To ensure your network isprotected from the latest virus

threat it’s important to checkthe AntiVirus Server and spot

check a couple of systems onthe network and guarantee

virus definitions are beingpropagated. For more

information on how to managevirus definitions on your

network please refer to the

documentation for yourantivirus solution, check theweb site of the antivirus

developer, or contact LogOnTechnologies to initiate a

service visit for this task.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Workstation/Server File System Optimization

Description of Task Responsible Party Semi-Weekly (checklist)

PRIMARY To ensure the integrity andcontinued optimized

performance of the file systemon all workstations and servers

it is imperative to have boththe Scandisk and

Defragmentation utilities run onall systems on a weekly basis.

This task can be run manuallywith native tools on many

systems or you may contact aLogOn Technologies

representative forrecommendations on third

party utilities that automate theprocess. For more information

please refer to the web site forthe developer of your operating

system or contact LogOnTechnologies to initiate a

service visit for this task.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Semi-Weekly Administration Tasks




Check Hard Drive Space Usage on Servers

Description of Task Responsible Party Monthly (checklist)

PRIMARY To ensure the integrity of thenetwork servers it is imperative

that the administrator confirmsthat all servers have adequate

space on their hard drivepartitions. An absence of disk

space can cause file systemcorruption and at times system

crashes. For more informationon how to manage hard disk

space on your servers please

refer to the developer’s website for your operating systemor contact LogOn

Technologies to initiate aservice visit to discuss this

task.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Initiate/Schedule Network Wide Anti-Virus “Sweeps”/Scans

Description of Task Responsible Party Monthly (checklist)

PRIMARY To decrease the chances of avirus residing in a “dormant”

state somewhere on yournetwork it’s necessary that a

monthly virus sweep/scan beperformed. For more

information on how to manageand initiate network wide virus

sweeps please refer to theantivirus documentation or the

developer’s web site. You mayalso contact LogOn

Technologies to initiate aservice visit to discuss this

task.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Monthly Administration Tasks




Backup Integrity Test

Description of Task Responsible Party Quarterly (checklist)

PRIMARY To ensure the integrity of thedata backed up on the network

it is necessary to perform testrestore. A test restore should

be done every quarter to atemporary location other than

the production area. Once atest restore has been

completed the administratorshould test that the restored

data is good. For more

information on how to managetest restores on your serversplease refer to the developer’s

web site for your operatingsystem, backup solution and

database vendor or contactLogOn Technologies to

initiate a service visit to discussthis task.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Perform Hardware Preventative Maintenance on All Computer Hardware


PRIMARY To ensure the hardware on the

network (servers, workstations,printers, routers, hubs,

monitors, scanners, keyboards,mouse, CD/floppy drives, etc.)

continues to work properly andwithout obstruction from dust a

preventive maintenance

schedule should be establishedand followed. NOTE: THIS

TASK SHOULD BE PERFORMEDONLY BY A QUALIFIED

TECHNICIAN. Someenvironments may be more

polluted with dust than others.In such cases the components

may have to be cleaned morefrequently to extend the life of

your hardware.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Quarterly Administration Tasks




Security Scans


PRIMARY Typically networks should have

security mechanisms in place toalert administrators in the

event of a break in attemptand/or success by hackers.

Sometimes these tools fail orare circumvented so it is up to

the administrator to remaindiligent and ensure the security

of the network and the data

contained therein. Manualsecurity scans should be aroutine performed at least 4

times a year to ensure all iswell on the network.

Performing security scans (portscans, trojan scans, etc.) and

comparing the results against anetwork services document can

be invaluable. In many casesadministrators don’t know and

aren’t notified of networkbreak-ins until it’s too late.

Many times these break-ins arediscovered by accident after the

administrator mistakenlynoticed out of the ordinary

activity while troubleshootingeither a related or non-related

issue on the network system

and/or service. NOTE: THISTASK SHOULD BE PERFORMED

ONLY BY A QUALIFIEDTECHNICIAN. Some network

environments may be morecomplicated than others so a

generic approach may or maynot work in each case.

SECONDARY

NOTES/COMMENTS

Quarterly Administration Tasks (continued)

Administrators Task List

Documents