Redesigning a corporate network?

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baldyguy

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 30, 2002
Messages
264
Hi,

I just started a new job and one of the biggest projects at work is to redesign our network infrastructure.

I just want to get an idea of how you network administrators operate at work in terms of being organized.

Right now we are running two AS/400 servers. I forget the model numbers on both machines but let's call them AS/400_a and AS/400_b.

Right now we just installed Windows 2000 server on AS/400_a, we have yet to set up a domain, active directory, and anything else that is needed to fully operate in a corporate enviroment. We have about 40 plus users in our office and I want to also implement an Microsoft Exchange server and phase out of the 3rd party company who is currently hosting our emails and websites

Can anyone point me in the right direction on how I can accomplish this and how most corporate enviroments operate? The whole network is just a mess and I want to be able to clean it up and organize everything. I have alot of experience but I just need to know what is considered to be standard in the real world. Thanks all!
 
Will the AS400s be used for the domain/AD/etc stuff? Or are they mission-critical servers to the business? What kind of budget are you working with?

For starters it'd be a good idea to lay out the entire network. Your question is quite vague though. Anyway.. for starters just lay out the entire network so even you yourself can get some ideas going. Don't look to be a big spender though. IT can cost quite a bit but management will love you if you turn out to be a cost-cutter type person.
 
baldyguy,

Like shade91 stated, i would start with physical topology and your network architecture (switches, routers, firewalls).

Then i would work toward network infrastructure. Which are your DNS servers? dhcp servers? wins servers?

If you are going to move to active directory, you definitely have to bring DNS inhouse.

Then i would move to your file and print servers. In additional, which applications do you support?

If you are running two as/400, i am pretty sure that you have some money to spend (they ain't cheap!!!!)

Now, since you mentioned as/400, it sounds like you are going to be running windows 2000 as a logical partition. Any reason why you are running windows 2000 in a AS/400 at all?
 
Like others have said, you start with the physical topology, since you can't change that. So layout how the network is phsically built...do you have different subnets? Where are your dhcp servers? DNS Servers? Will you need WINS?

Then you can look at the logical AD design. Do you have multiple sites (areas connected by slow-speed links)? How should you design the OUs?

A few tips...
...have at least 2 DCs total and at least 1 per site.
...OUs have nothing to do with physical or political organization unless you want them to. Most people find it best to design them with Group Policies in mind, so group similar jobs together.
...Come up with a standard reasonable computer naming scheme and stick with it.
...remember that no one should have any more security than they must to get their job done. Don't be lazy and give every user local admin rights on their computers now with plans to take it away later (I've seen that too many times). Lock the computers down from the start.
...Group Policies are your friends. Use them.

Have fun! Most people don't get to design networks from the ground up; they just have to deal with one others designed.

I'll also admit that I've never seen Win2k run on an AS/400. That is unusual.
 
Would it help to take pictures of our jacked up server room? I'll take pictures and you guys can help me out.

It's really unorganized here, and i know my question is very vauge, but our network is all messy to begin with and not knowing where to start is my main thing and what to implement and what not... We really dont have any big proprietary software,we just use the basic microsoft stuff.

It's so bad that we dont have name schemes for our server, our domain is called "DOMAIN", out printer server is called "PRINTER" stuff like that.... what else can active directory be used for besides user accounts.
 
Based on what your saying and how ite setup now. I think maybe you should get a consultant in there. someone with a little more experience dealing with degining and rebuilding a network.

Originally posted by baldyguy
Would it help to take pictures of our jacked up server room? I'll take pictures and you guys can help me out.

It's really unorganized here, and i know my question is very vauge, but our network is all messy to begin with and not knowing where to start is my main thing and what to implement and what not... We really dont have any big proprietary software,we just use the basic microsoft stuff.

It's so bad that we dont have name schemes for our server, our domain is called "DOMAIN", out printer server is called "PRINTER" stuff like that.... what else can active directory be used for besides user accounts.
Click to expand...
 
Before I got here, we had a consultant that jacked up everything to begin with, plus, if i redesign it the right way, I'll know how to support it if something goes wrong, whereas, if a consultant redesigns a network, we might have to keep calling him if something goes wrong. I have alot of experience using Windows 2000, and NT, but just want to know how it should be organized and what needs to be implemented and what not... If someone can point me in the right direction, I think that I can do it with my coworkers to do this right.

Originally posted by oakfan52
Based on what your saying and how ite setup now. I think maybe you should get a consultant in there. someone with a little more experience dealing with degining and rebuilding a network.
Click to expand...
 
First things first; what are your goals? what do you hope to accomplish by revamping the network?

how extensive is this project allowed to be? is wiping out every machine on the network with a fresh install of XP, a dedicated domain controller with no other functions, and completely replacing all network equiptment (switches/routers/firewall) feasible? if not, why?

Things like your budget, existing projects, details on all existing servers and networking equiptmen, existing uses for equiptment that must be carried over are all important - and we need to know what you've got to work with before we can give any advice.
 
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING: I would start by creating an inventory of everything you currently have. That includes hardware and software (including any and all licenses). Document your topology, IP Schemes, naming conventions, etc. Basically do an audit of the current setup and then you can work on your plan of action to turn it into your network.

Once the audit is complete and you know what you are working with we will be better able to help you out and it's something you really need to do anyway.
 
senorpyro,

Goals is to make everything organized according to "standard".

Accomplish make thing easier to organize and to easier to troubleshoot since I reorganized everything and that the network is revamped. Like i said in my earlier post, there was a person that was in here before and he obviously didn't know what he was doing. So when we troubleshoot it takess hours to figure out how this guy setup everything. It's just a big mess.

Yes we plan on re-imaging all of the workstations in our office to office XP. Some are running windows 2000, XP home edition and XP pro.

We will probably replace the switches and the routers and right now we have a small scale sonic wall firewall. We have very generic IP's, like the basic 192.168.1.1 stuff.

Existing network equipment include the two AS/400 servers that we have but not used to it's potential.

Originally posted by senorpyro
First things first; what are your goals? what do you hope to accomplish by revamping the network?

how extensive is this project allowed to be? is wiping out every machine on the network with a fresh install of XP, a dedicated domain controller with no other functions, and completely replacing all network equiptment (switches/routers/firewall) feasible? if not, why?

Things like your budget, existing projects, details on all existing servers and networking equiptmen, existing uses for equiptment that must be carried over are all important - and we need to know what you've got to work with before we can give any advice.
Click to expand...
 
PHUNBALL,

we are now doing asset managment and documenting everything that we have. I dont know how we should start with naming conventions, let's use like candyjubilee.com as our domain (that's is not our real domain).

We are currently using excel for our asset managemnt. should we use a different software to track our inventory?

We jot down the serial number and we slap on our asset tags on there on PC's. I'm thinking of doing asset management on the monitors and servers as well.

Originally posted by PHUNBALL
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING: I would start by creating an inventory of everything you currently have. That includes hardware and software (including any and all licenses). Document your topology, IP Schemes, naming conventions, etc. Basically do an audit of the current setup and then you can work on your plan of action to turn it into your network.

Once the audit is complete and you know what you are working with we will be better able to help you out and it's something you really need to do anyway.
Click to expand...
 
heres what i would do

1. document EVERYTHING you have! Create a database, not a spreadsheet, reason, you can keep it upto date, document every computer and specs, every server and specs and purpose (if any right now) switches, routers, EVERYTHING. consider seperate tables for each aspect, so you can quickly see computers, or servers. also conside a use feild, that way any you can see whats available in the end. and of course number it all!

2. decide what is needed. forget what you have for now, decide what is needed. for example, do you need 2 DC's, a seperate file server, DHCP server? list what will be needed for that.

3. connect it on paper! draw a sketch of how it will all work. what is connected to a hub or switch, what is connected to the net?

4. decide on the hardware for each part, take the best you can get for servers! and connect them to your best switches,

5. now you know whats needed, what things will do, and what will actually do them, start doing it!

a simple 5 step program. Alot of paper work, but the more you have thats worthwhile, the easier it is to follow it later. and id keep the database too! very useful for reports, and a list of everything you have!

hope this helps
 
I agree with everything that has been said in this thread.

step 1: List what needs to be done

That step in itself will tell you most everything you need to do.

Then list out what equipment it will take to do those tasks.

When I'm designing something like this, I tend to enjoy using VISIO. I don't use its advanced features, but it is nice to just draw out what's in your head.

Then the idea of a database to document everything. Learn some basic MS Access. It should do everything you'll need. Then as time goes on, don't neglect your network drawing or your database. If you do your job right, you should be able to hand these two items to a new IT guy, and he should know almost as much as you.

Its like being a good programmer, document everything or else be viewed as that crappy newb that screwed everything up.

Good luck.

Also, I'm working on some wireless network stuff that you might be interested in. Take a look at My thread and see if it gives you any ideas. Or just throw in some of your own.
 
I am Sorry to back this thread up... but
You truly got me... Windows native on an AS/400? I have heard of Win32 virtual emulators running on an AS/400 system. Is this what you are talking about?

I have never encountered anyone who actually installed Windows on this platform. I would have figured the CPU to be IBM proprietary? I have no experience with AS/400 terminal and mainframe technology so I am seriosly curious! teach this old dog a new trick :)
 
Coffee,

That is correct. It has to run with an emulation board, for it to run on an AS/400.
 
Originally posted by baldyguy
Before I got here, we had a consultant that jacked up everything to begin with, plus, if i redesign it the right way, I'll know how to support it if something goes wrong, whereas, if a consultant redesigns a network, we might have to keep calling him if something goes wrong. I have alot of experience using Windows 2000, and NT, but just want to know how it should be organized and what needs to be implemented and what not... If someone can point me in the right direction, I think that I can do it with my coworkers to do this right.
Click to expand...

You notice how the reply's are telling you what steps to take to get a new infstructure in place, but they are all assuming you have the background and knowledge to make the correct decsions. I am by no means judging your skill/knowledge. Just making sure you know what your getting into. From the posts you have made (which wouldn't be really fair to jusdge someone skill on) you seem like your in over your head. Administrating a network and designing are two differnet animals. It would be well worth your time to get some help if you are unsure what to do. Every network can be different and there are more than one way to do things. Just make sure what you do is right for your comany's needs.
 
Originally posted by oakfan52
You notice how the reply's are telling you what steps to take to get a new infstructure in place, but they are all assuming you have the background and knowledge to make the correct decsions. I am by no means judging your skill/knowledge. Just making sure you know what your getting into. From the posts you have made (which wouldn't be really fair to jusdge someone skill on) you seem like your in over your head. Administrating a network and designing are two differnet animals. It would be well worth your time to get some help if you are unsure what to do. Every network can be different and there are more than one way to do things. Just make sure what you do is right for your comany's needs.
Click to expand...

Well said....

If you are getting in over your head, you're otherwise clean reputation will turn into that of that crappy consultant.

If you know what you are doing, but are just looking for advice before you dive in head first. Then horray for you for realizing that no matter how much you know, the more people you bounce an idea off of the better.
 
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