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• Executive Summary
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• Network Support Services
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• Objectives for Information Technology
• Department & Division Area Objectives
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Revised:  09/27/07                                                 Network Support Services

Area Overview, Duties, and Responsibilities

Introduction:

Network Support Services (NSS), a division of Information Technology, serves as the primary support for all Network Infrastructure, Servers, Security, and Web Services for all campuses.

Primary Duties

• Provides Network Security for Georgia Highlands College systems, infrastructure.
• Provides Security policies for Georgia Highlands College.
• Investigates security breaches, incidences, virus outbreaks, and reports to administration.
• Provides administration for all network related servers and systems.
• Provides design, maintenance, and assistance to departments, divisions, and faculty for the college’s web servers.
• Performs system administration on other college servers such as: Student (Data Card) Services, Pharos Student Printing, Employee and Student E-mail Services, Web Services, Compass Testing Services, Continuing Education (Aceware) Services, Document Imaging and many other College Applications.
• Ensures documentation of these systems, polices, procedures, security, and disaster recovery plans are valid and up-to-date.

Network Security

Network Support Services (NSS) is responsible for all aspects of network security, including both physical and electronic access to the network, systems, and servers, at Georgia Highlands College. 

• NSS enforces established security policies like password length and complexity.  In addition, NSS applies security patches and updates to each system as needed while ensuring limited physical access to servers and server rooms.  NSS also maintains network permissions and rights on various servers as appropriate.  Additionally, NSS monitors the network for suspicious activities.

• NSS is responsible for maintaining the perimeter firewall for Georgia Highlands College.  This includes all access control lists for proper throughput of the system.

• NSS researches the latest software and solutions to promote productivity and ensure security across the network.  This includes the internal development of tools and scripts to automate processes for efficiency.  NSS implements new projects, software and hardware as needed and/or requested.

Network Administration and Servers

Network Support Services (NSS) is responsible for all areas of network administration including: accounts, system software, and server administration at Georgia Highlands College. 

• NSS is responsible for creating and supporting all network user accounts and electronic mail boxes.  This includes Active Directory accounts, Microsoft Exchange accounts, Radius server accounts, and ftp accounts on the Georgia Highlands College web server for web updates.  NSS is also responsible for creating and maintaining all student mail accounts, web accounts, Samba domain accounts and home directories.

• NSS maintains the Georgia Highlands College website.  This includes helping all of faculty and staff creates and SCP pages to their websites.  NSS also creates custom graphics and custom Perl scripts for departments and individuals as requested (example – online voting, e-mail announce lists, etc).  Maintenance of the web also includes granting user access to SCP their web pages to the web servers. This includes creating accounts and groups as needed to allow restricted access for SCP.  NSS also researches and enhances website usability issues.

• NSS maintains all college e-mail servers.  This includes managing Microsoft Exchange Server for faculty and staff.  Exchange administration includes the creation and management of college-wide distributions lists as well as creating and managing (set permission/ rights to) public folders, departmental calendars, etc.  Students receive their e-mail through our Open Web Mail system.  Open Web Mail accounts are created and maintained for student use.

• NSS performs sys-admin duties on several Linux and Windows based servers including but not limited to DHCP, WINS and DNS; all of which are critical to network operations.  Additionally, NSS is responsible for setting up and maintaining all network printing including configuring rights and permissions.

• NSS provides backend support of Georgia Highlands College’s Charger Card system.  Closely related to the Charger Card System, the Pharos or student printing system is setup and maintained to provide paper cost recovery for the college.  Pharos also provides students a vehicle to print via IP from their homes.

• NSS manages the campus-wide anti-virus applications including Trend’s OfficeScan, which provides virus protection for all workstations and ServerProtect, which provides virus protection for all Windows based servers.  Additionally, Trend’s ScanMail for Exchange is configured to protect all incoming e-mail.  These virus packages are checked regularly to assure that their virus definition files are getting updated and it is propagating properly.

• NSS manages the Barracuda spam appliance which acts as a spam filter to stop unwanted e-mails from arriving in faculty, staff and student e-mail boxes.

• NSS supports several applications for departmental / college-wide use.  NSS is responsible for upgrades and maintenance of the college’s Compass servers.  Compass is the Board of Regents mandated testing system for placement of students.  NSS also supports and upgrades Aceware.  Aceware is a class/student database system for the Continuing Education Department. 

Network Support and Security

Network Support Services (NSS) is responsible for all areas of network support, troubleshooting, and Security at Georgia Highlands College. 

• NSS provides network troubleshooting to ensure proper network connectivity and operation.  This includes maintaining all of network the hardware (hubs, switches, routers, bridges, etc) on each campus.  NSS also supports the VPNs that allow for secure intercampus connectivity.  NSS also supports faculty and Staff remote dial-ups.  Dial-up pools are located at Cartersville (770, 404, 678 area codes) and Rome (for the Rome calling area).

• NSS is responsible for performing and verifying data backups of all network servers and data stores.  In the unlikely event of data loss, NSS would restore data as appropriate.

• NSS maintains the Georgia Highlands College physical network infrastructure (hubs, switches, wiring, etc).  This equipment will be placed on a four-year replacement schedule. 

• NSS acts as local support for Peachnet and provides point of contact if the Central Office requires assistance.

Network Documentation and System Books

Network Support Services (NSS) is responsible for documenting procedures, systems and software related to network security, administration and support.

• NSS generates and maintains documentation for its area.  This includes but is not limited to the upkeep of each system manual.  These system manuals document all processes and applications for each server.  NSS also maintains a map of the network topology and application flows.