Active Directory
Active directory is used to determine whether a user is an administrator or normal user. It does this by checking the username and password submitted by who is logging in. When someone tries to login a database containing the login details of all of the users is checked. If the details match what is stored on the database then the user is logged into their profile. If the details are incorrect then access is denied. It can only be used on windows servers and it was created by Microsoft. It can install and update software on all computers connected to the server. It enforces security policies on these computers.
Telecommunications Services
An example of telecommunications service is email. Email is commonly used and has several different uses. It can be used for simple communications but it can be used to send data and documents. An internet connection doesn’t need to be maintained for a long time to use email services, only long enough for the emails to get received or sent.
Remote desktop allows users to access their personal files on several computers. This means they only need an internet connection to access their files. It uses protocols such as VNC (Virtual Network Computing) and RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol).
File Services
File services are used to transfer and share files with other users. You can send any files as long as they aren’t too big. Popular choices for many types of files are Skydrive, DropBox and iCloud. Google Docs is the most popular choice for normal documents as it is very fast and is quick to use. They all have limits on how much you can store. You can also use these services to access your uploaded files on different computers. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is an efficient way of transferring files using an internet connection. File sharing is possible in several ways such as via email or using a removable device such as an external hard drive.
Application Services
An SQL database (structured query language) is a special purpose language used in programming. It can insert, modify, delete and update data stored in a database. This allows multiple users to access the database at the same time.
Shared and personal, centralised storage space – On a network there is a choice of personal or shared storage. If you keep your files in the shared folder it means anyone connected to the network can access them. When you store them on the personal drive it means that only your account can access the files.
VoIP
The Voice over Internet Protocol is becoming more popular. It is a technology that allows phone calls to be made over computer networks. It sends voice in small packets which is then put back together at the destination. It is connected with Ethernet cables. It turns voice signals into digital data that can be used. You don’t need a telephone line so you only have to pay for the internet.
Mobile Working
Remote access is used by technicians to fix problems without having to actually be at the workstation. This means they don’t have to travel to diagnose or solve the problem. If there is a hardware problem they won’t be able to fix it remotely. TeamViewer is popular software for this use as it is free and simple to use.
Authentication
An example of authentication is Windows Logon Service. The login you need to enter a valid username and password. These details are stored in a database. When the details are entered by a user the database is checked to see if the username and password match. If they don’t match anything in the database then they are denied access. If the details entered are correct they are then logged in on their profile. Once the details have been checked the permissions are also checked. This says whether the user is an administrator or normal user and what permissions they are granted.
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