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A Directory Services (Active Directory)

The Active Directory is used to store all the user accounts and passwords in one location and improves your security. It also keeps track of the user accounts and passwords. The Active Directory is divided into one or more domains; the domain controller manages all of the user accounts and passwords for a domain. The active directory also stores and shows the printer queue data and user contact details (date of birth, phone number and address). It also authenticates and authorises the user accounts and computers that are on the network. The Active Directory stores the user’s password and then determines whether the user is an administrator or a normal user, and is also responsible for installing and updating software. The active directory stores the user accounts in partitions on the hard drive.

Telecommunications Services 

Email (known as Electronic Mail) – this will allow users on the network to have their own personal email. The users will also be able to send emails to other people on the network and people that are not. Users will be able to send messages with text and files attached to the email to other users. Email works by sending the message to the email server, through the network, which will then send it to the specific user’s mail server through the internet.

Remote Desktop – this allows users to access their personal computer on a different computer (at home or elsewhere) without having to connect to the network. This will mean that they will be able to access files, such as pictures, documents, sound files or video, that is stored on the network without having to be at their actual workstation (desktop or laptop). A technician may also be allowed to use remote desktop to fix problems for customers that are not hardware related without having to leave the office which will mean they will be able to fix more problems than if they had to leave every time they had to fix a problem.

File Services (Sharing and Transferring Files)

Sharing Files – On the network you will be able to share your files with other users on the network if they are saved onto the shared drive. This is useful as you won’t have to email each user with the file or give it to them using an external hard drive.

Transferring Files – You will also be able to transfer files to other workstations or computers. Doing this will mean that you will be able access your files from a different location (e.g. from a home computer), but other users will not be able to access the file over the internet.

Application Services

Shared Applications (SQL Database) – SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is used to request information from a database. This allows multiple users to access the same database at one time without any problems. This is used to update data on a database, or retrieve data from a database.

Shared and Personal, Centralised Storage Space – on the network users will be able to choose to store files on either shared or personal storage. If the users store it on a shared storage space, it means that other users on the network will be able to access the file and make changes to it. This can be useful if each user on the network needs a copy of a certain file. If the file is stored on their personal storage space only they will be able to access the file and make changes to it. This is an ideal place to store confidential files or files you don’t wish to be changed. An example of centralised storage space is a server or the Q drive where everyone can access the data stored on it. You can also manage your storage by performing a defragmentation to create more space on you hard drive and also make partitions to store different files in.

VOIP (Voice over IP) – this allows user to send voice data using the internet in packets. This means that you won’t have to pay for it like email, as it only uses the internet that you are paying for. This means that you won’t have to pay for telephone line as well as the internet. This converts your voice into small packets and is sent to the client using the internet. When the packets reach the client it converts the packets back to sound.

Mobile Working (Remote Access) – this will allow users on the network to access it using a smart phone or a tablet from a remote location. For example, using Team viewer on an Apple IPad from home to look at your workstation on the network. Team viewer has to be installed on the tablet and computer. You will then have to enter a user name and password to enable you to see the workstations screen.

Authentication (Windows Logon Service) – this is used to identify users on the network and will check the authenticity of the users profile (user name and password). It also determines the granted access rights and privileges of users on the network. When the user name and password is entered it will check the server to make sure the user name exists and if the password matches the user name, if not it will deny access. When the user name and password has been confirmed it will then check the privileges and rights you have on your account.