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Network administration

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Brad Gilmer

Avoid these four common administrator mistakes.

Not checking server logs

Figure 1. Examining log fi les is easier than you think. Here, someone has asked one of my Web servers to provide a page for mastercarwash.com. Just for the record, I do not host that Web site on any of my servers. It is easy to see unusual server activity like this if you regularly check your logs.
Click to enlarge

This is a common mistake. Some of you may not know that almost every server in your system generates logs. You may avoid looking at the logs because they never seem to contain anything interesting. Here are important things to know about server logs:

Usually you can set the level of detail in the log. Setting this level higher means you will not have to wade through pages of normal messages to see the important stuff.
Most systems e-mail their logs nightly. If you set servers up to mail you their logs on a regular basis, you will quickly get used to what a normal log looks like. As a result, you can quickly identify something that is not right. Figure 1 shows a log from one of my Web servers. See if you can spot the unusual log entry.
Most systems can be configured to generate different logs for different types of errors. For example, set it up to only look at error logs. Then if you spot something suspicious, it's possible to dig into system message logs to get more information on the problem.
Checking server logs regularly helps administrators avoid problems before they occur. For example, low disk space messages are a sure-fire warning that if you do not do something soon, the system will crash. Also, odd server log entries may help uncover a hacker attempting to get into your system before he or she actually succeeds.

Not keeping your software current

Let's face it: Many of us have learned over the years that you can cause lots of problems by going in and tinkering with a perfectly functioning system. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it.) Furthermore, most of us accidental system administrators still have full-time jobs around the facility fixing traditional broadcast equipment. So going out and looking for trouble is not something we are likely to do.

That said, there are times when it is appropriate to work on a system even when it is working well. This is called preventative maintenance, and the concept applies to computer systems just as it does to VTRs. Yes, sometimes upgrades can be painful. Yes, sometimes upgrades require coming in late at night. But understanding that upgrades are a normal part of system administration will help you approach the task with the correct attitude. Reviewing release notes can help network administrators decide whether installing an upgrade is worth the effort.

Don't get me wrong. I know that sometimes upgrades can go wrong, with disastrous results. And sometimes upgrades require a tremendous amount of effort for what seems to be negligible gain. Evaluate upgrades and weigh the benefits versus the costs. But know that if you are in the business of maintaining computer systems, upgrades are an inevitable part of the job. Not upgrading exposes the network to security issues, system crashes and to eventual obsolescence.

Not paying attention to growth

If you became an accidental system administrator via the path I described above, then you probably have seen systems you installed grow over time. This is a good thing and means that the systems are being used by the organization. But many times, this growth takes place organically and without any planning. This will work for a while, but at some point, failing to pay attention to growth will come back to bite you.

For example, you may have installed a high-speed network that moves graphics and video from one place to another in the facility. Over time, others have asked for, and have been granted, access to the network. When the system was first designed, you carefully specified the switches, made sure that the correct wire was used and checked that each switch port had properly auto-negotiated the connection, or set the connections manually.

But as time passes and the network grows, others plug an old switch into the network. Someone grabs an old Cat 3 cable out of a box to replace a bad Cat 6 cable. Documentation is not updated, and before long, users are pounding a path to your door to complain that they need faster computers or a server upgrade because the network is performing poorly.

Some organic growth is inevitable, and it is probably bad for the organization to strictly regiment every aspect of the network (depending on how critical the network is to the station operation). That said, set aside some time perhaps once per year to think about the growth of your networks, and the changes in loads and usage. Is it time to segment the network so that all that graphics lab or newsroom traffic stays within that department? Is it time to upgrade your backbone switches? Periodically taking time to specifically address system growth will save you time and pain in the long run.

You're now a system administrator

While you might have gotten into the system administration business by accident, think about making this a focus of your work. Devoting time to training, avoiding common mistakes and learning on the job will put you in a great position for the future. In fact, many computer people are convinced that video is the future for their industry. See, you were in the right place all along!

Brad Gilmer is president of Gilmer & Associates, executive director of the Advanced Media Workflow Association and executive director of the Video Services Forum.

Send questions and comments to: brad.gilmer@penton.com