Module 5: Information Technology Infrastructure

IT infrastructure, also called technology infrastructure, is what enables a company

to build and run the applications that underpin its business. It includes compute,
network, workplace, and data platform and edge capabilities.

1. How do the components of IT infrastructure work?

The components of IT infrastructure are made up of interdependent elements, and
the two core groups of components are hardware and software. Hardware uses
software—like an operating system—to work. And likewise, an operating system
manages system resources and hardware. Operating systems also make
connections between software applications and physical resources using
networking components.

Hardware

Hardware components can include:

• Desktop computers
• Servers
• Data centers
• Hubs
• Routers
• Switches
• Facilities

Software

Software components can include:

• Content management systems (CMS)

• Customer relationship management (CRM)
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
• Operating systems
• Web servers

• Network
Networks are comprised of switches, routers, hubs and servers. Switches
 connect network devices on local area networks (LAN) like routers, servers
and other switches. Routers allow devices on different LANs to
communicate and move packets between networks. Hubs connect multiple
networking devices to act as a single component.

• Server
A core hardware component needed for an enterprise IT infrastructure is a
server. Servers are essentially computers that allow multiple users to access
and share resources.

• Server room/data center

Organizations house multiple servers in rooms called server rooms or data
centers. Data centers are the core of most networks.

2. Internet and World Wide Web

The internet is a public network of network with a maze of wired and wireless
connections between separate groups of server’s computers and countless
devices from around the world. The World Wide Web is distinguished from
other systems through its use of HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol).

Differences between WWW and Internet

WWW (World Wide Web) Internet

The World Wide Web is the common
system for navigating the internet. It is not
the only system that can be used for such
access, but it is by far the most common
one.
The internet is a public network of
network with a maze of wired and
wireless connections between separate
groups of servers computers and countless
devices from around the world

The World Wide Web is distinguished from
other systems through its use of HTTP
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol). It can be
safely said that the HTTP is the language of
the World Wide Web
Along with Internets, there also exist the
Intranets, which is the same type of
information network but more privatized
in order to control access.

WWW is more software-oriented as Internet is primarily hardware-based.

compared to the Internet

The HTTP along with being the language of The internet is governed by a set of rules
the World Wide Web also governs it by and regulations collectively known as
dealing with linking of files, documents and Internet Protocol (IP). The IP deals with
other resources data transmitted through the internet.

The invention of the World Wide Web can
be credited to Sir Tim Berners Lee. During
his work at the European Organization for
Nuclear Research in 1989, he had developed
the basic idea of the WWW to merge the
evolving technologies of computers, data
networks and hypertext into a powerful and
easy to use global information system.
The first workable prototype of the
Internet was the ARPANET (Advanced
Research Project Agency Network) in the
late 1960s. After its adoption on January
1st 1983, researchers began to develop a
“network of networks” which evolved into
the modern form of the Internet

3. What is IT infrastructure design?

IT Infrastructure Design and Engineering is making a technological system work

and scale to your business and company needs. It includes network migration, new
application implementation, equipment and system updates, and server platform
upgrades
IT infrastructure is designing the technical makeup of the system used, building it
for your company, integrating it to meet the requirements, and launching it to make
sure everything runs smoothly.
Nuvodia has a team of IT Infrastructure professionals that are familiar and skilled
in design and engineering to build the right system for your brand. We also do our
 best to make sure it is maintained and working properly for your employees and
customers. We have a transformative process that is proven and works to make
sure your company is getting the most benefits out of the system.

IT Infrastructure Design and Engineering Process

No matter your industry, technology should be an integral part of your
organization’s strategic planning process. Nuvodia’s IT Infrastructure Design and
Engineering Process define the strategy and direction that your organization will
implement and outlines decisions on allocating resources to implement that
strategy. Knowing where you want to go, and how technology can help you get
there, is essential for success.
A good strategic plan should include measurable goals, with metrics to track
progress. Nuvodia’s experienced consultants assess your organization’s
operational, financial, and business goals and identify IT challenges and
opportunities. We help your company look beyond day-to-day IT issues and form a
plan that aligns your organization’s short- and long-term goals with proven IT
solutions, ensuring you get the most out of your technology investment.
Here are some of the features in our process that you can benefit from:
• An assessment of current and future technology trends in your industry along with
recommendations for optimizing the use of this technology.
• A comprehensive IT roadmap showing how technology should support your
business strategy along with a comprehensive action plan.
• A strategic, flexible, adaptable IT infrastructure.
• IT strategic planning process facilitation.
• An option for ongoing strategic consulting on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Scalable IT Infrastructure
As your business grows, your IT infrastructure might need to adjust. This could
mean it needs more memory or more storage. It also can mean that it needs a larger
database and more server units. Scaling IT Infrastructure helps you keep up with
your workflow for productive workdays. It is important to work with scalable IT
infrastructure because your business can evolve with ease.
 4. What is network design and implementation?

Network design is the practice of planning and designing a communications

network. Network design starts with identifying business and technical
requirements and continues until just before the network implementation stage
(when you actually do the work to deploy and configure what was designed).
A phase in the development of computerized systems in which hardware and
software components are selected and implementation, operation, and maintenance
procedures are developed.
There are a number of details your network infrastructure design should show,
these include:
1. A clear map of the network.
2. The structure and layout of the cabling required.
3. The quantity, type and location of all devices on the network.
4. Your IP addressing structure.
5. Details of your network security architecture and processes.

5 It server
A server is a computer program or device that provides a service to another
computer program and its user, also known as the client. In a data center, the
physical computer that a server program runs on is also frequently referred to as a
server.

Database servers, print servers, mail servers, file servers, application servers, web
servers, and game servers are a few examples of servers. The request-response
paradigm, in which a client submits a request to the server, is the one used to create
client-server systems most frequently.

Examples of servers
• Application server.
• Blade server.
• Cloud server.
• Database server.
• Dedicated server.
• Domain name service.
• File server.
• Mail server.

6. IT Storage Management
Definition
Data storage management refers to the process of managing data more effectively.
It requires a proper understanding of storage devices and the availability of various
types of data. Digital information may include protocols, documents, user
preferences, address books, and more.
Data can be recorded and stored in three main forms: file storage, block storage
and object storage.
There are two types of storage devices used with computers: a primary storage
device, such as RAM, and a secondary storage device, such as a hard drive.
Secondary storage can be removable, internal, or external.
Storage management refers to the software and processes that improve the
performance of data storage resources. It may include network virtualization,
replication, mirroring, security, compression, deduplication, traffic analysis,
process automation, and storage provisioning and memory management. These
processes help businesses store more data on existing hardware, speed up data
retrieval, prevent data loss, meet data retention requirements, and reduce IT
expenses. Storage management makes it possible to reassign storage capacity
quickly as business needs change.
Storage management techniques can be applied to primary, backup or archived
storage. Primary storage holds actively or frequently accessed data; backup storage
holds copies of primary storage data for use in disaster recovery; and archived
storage holds outdated or seldom-used data that must be retained for compliance
or business continuity. Storage provisioning is a management technique that
assigns storage capacity to servers, computers, virtual machines and other devices.
It may use automation to allocate storage space in a networked environment.
Intelligent storage management uses software policies and algorithms to automate
the provisioning (and de-provisioning) of storage resources, continuously
monitoring data utilization and re-balancing data placement without human
intervention.
 7. Backup/ Restore Methodology
Backup and restore refers to technologies and practices for making periodic
copies of data and applications to a separate, secondary device and then using
those copies to recover the data and applications—and the business operations
on which they depend—in the event that the original data and applications are
lost.
There are mainly three types of backup: full, differential, and incremental.
The most common backup types are a full backup, incremental backup and
differential backup. Other backup types include synthetic full backups and
mirroring. In the debate over cloud vs. local backup, there are some types of
backup that are better in certain locations.
Types of Data Recovery
Local Device Recovery. Recovering backup data from a local device (like an
external hard drive or tape drive) is one of the fastest data recovery methods. ...
Cloud/Hybrid Cloud Recovery. ...
Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR)
Effective Strategies to Safely Back Up Your Data
• Use an External Hard Drive. There are two types of external drives you
can buy: HDDs (hard disk drives) or SSDs (solid-state drives). ...
• Use a USB Flash Drive. ...
• Use Optical Media. ...
• Use Cloud Storage. ...
• Use an Online Backup Service. ...
• Invest in a Network Attached Storage (NAS) Device.

8. REMOTE ACCESS
Remote access is the ability of users to access a device or a network from any
location. With that access, users can manage files and data that are stored on a
remote device, allowing for continued collaboration and productivity from
anywhere.
 Remote access enables users to connect to the systems they need when they are
physically far away. This is especially important for employees who work at
branch offices, are traveling or telecommute.
It enables you to open, edit, and save files located on your device from
anywhere in the world. This ability is handy for offsite workers, travelers, and
those who work out of office. There are several ways to set up remote access:
With LAN (local area network)
Remote computer access requires a reliable internet connection. You'll need to
activate or install software on the device you want to access, as well as on the
device — or devices — you want to use to get that access.

9. IT control
An IT control is a procedure or policy that provides a reasonable assurance that
the information technology (IT) used by an organization operates as intended,
that data is reliable and that the organization is in compliance with applicable
laws and regulations.
Information Technology Internal Controls
• Software Licensing. ...
• Sharing of ID's and Passwords. ...
• Terminating Systems Access. ...
• Mission Continuity. ...
• Data Backup & Recovery. ...
• IT Asset Inventory. ...
• Web Application Security. ...
• Employee Turnover Checklist.

Three basic types of control systems are available to executives:

(1) Output control,
(2) Behavioral control, and
(3) clan control.
10 WHAT IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE
ADMINISTRATOR?
For those individuals who enjoy computers and networking, a career as an
infrastructure administrator can be a rewarding vocation. The main responsibility
of an infrastructure administrator is to keep networks, computers, and
communication systems in a business, organization, or university functioning
smoothly. These individuals possess strong analytical and troubleshooting skills
and have a wide knowledge of telecommunications, computer networks, computer
hardware, computer networking software, and related technologies.

An infrastructure administrator is responsible for managing computer and server

backup systems, as well as a security camera, and workplace lighting systems as
well. These individuals typically work in an office environment, and are
responsible for running help desk operations, and responding to staff and customer
requests to set up computers, email accounts, and general IT services.
Infrastructure administrators should have strong communication and teamwork
skills, as their duties also require the triage of help desk telephone calls, and
working with clients and coworkers.

What Does an Infrastructure Administrator Do

There are certain skills that many infrastructure administrators have in order to
accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able
to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We
discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, communication skills and
problem-solving skills.