Florida Rural Broadband Alliance
Training
The following are websites that provide training in broadband and technology.
- Tech Soup: Leaning Center and Small and Rural Libraries Cookbook
- Microsoft Training: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/training
- Washington State Library Broadband Webinars: Building Community Support for Broadband
- Connect Your Community: Curriculum Center
- Digital Literacy Resources: Digital Literacy Resources
Self-Diagnostic Websites
The following are websites that will assist you with improving your network.
- Speed Test: bandwidthplace.com
- E-Rate website information: http://www.universalservice.org/sl/about/overview-program.aspx
- How to improve your broadband connection: broadbandinfo.com
- 10 Tips for improving your wireless network: microsoft.com
Tools
The following are tools to assist you with managing your information technology resources.
| Tool | Price | Web Address | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAPID7 Nexpose | Free (or paid) | rapid7.com | A free network vulnerability scanning tool. Alerts system administrators to potential threats. |
| NMAP | Free (open source) | nmap.org | A very popular, free network scanning tool that shows potential vulnerabilities and devices with open ports on your network. There is a Windows and Linux version, with GUI's. |
| Solarsinds WMI | Free | http://goo.gl/7PSwX | A free, extremely easy to use monitoring tool to ensure critical services remain online on servers. |
| Likewise | Free | likewise.com/products/index.php | A Linux application that allows you to configure Linux-based systems to easily authenticate using Active Directory Servers. |
| Adeona | Free (open source) | adeona.cs.washington.edu | A fee anti-theft tool that you can install on laptop computers to track in case of theft. |
| TrueCrypt | Free (open source) | truecrypt.org |
A free tool that can encrypt entire computers, hard-drives, or folders. |
Procedures & Documentation
Recommended Standard Operating Procedures to have in-place:
- Setting up, changing, or decommissioning servers
- Setting up, changing, or decommissioning employee workstations
- Setting up, changing, or decommissioning public terminals
- Configuring new employee accounts upon hiring/position change
- Removing/disabling employee accounts upon termination/position change
- Inspecting or running backups
- Restoring files from backups
- Restoring servers from backups
- Applying operating system and application patches to employee workstations and public terminals
- Applying operating system and application patches to servers
Recommended Recurring Procedures:
- Periodic review of IT budget and development of an operational IT plan, including budget.
- Apply patches to software, malware protection, and operating systems.
- Distribute training procedures to personnel to remind each person of their contribution to network security.
- Review authentication logs for attempted brute-force attacks or other abnormalities.
- Review firewall traffic logs for nefarious traffic and other abnormalities.
- Review backup logs or backup email notifications to ensure that backups are functioning correctly.
- Spot check backups by attempting to access files from the backup volumes and restore them.
Other documentation to have on-hand:
- Per physical network device:
- Type of device (server, workstation, network switch, etc.)
- Make, model
- Serial Number / Service Tag Number
- Date of purchase
- Length of warranty/service-contract
- MAC addresses of all interfaces
- Responsible party
- Physical location assigned to
- Purpose
- Technical Specifications, including:
- CPU, Memory, Hard Disk
- RAID configuration (if any)
- Redundant power configuration (if any)
- Other specs, depending on the device
- Basic network map showing subnets and network devices
- Schedule for:
- Checking UPS batteries
- Scanning network for vulnerabilities