USF IT Video Part 3

Summary

This video script delves into the University of South Florida's (USF) network infrastructure, explaining how desktops connect to the network and communicate with other devices. It highlights the role of core routers in providing internet connectivity through various ISPs and the use of BGP for efficient routing. The script also discusses the importance of data centers for hosting business data and applications, the redundancy measures in place, and the network's monitoring and management practices. It emphasizes the need for enterprise-class equipment to ensure reliability and performance in a large-scale network environment.

Takeaways

• 🖥️ Desktops on the USF network need to communicate with other devices like servers and clients to be useful.
• 🌐 The USF network uses a pair of Wang routers and a Cisco ASR 9006 to provide wide area connectivity and internet service through various ISPs.
• 🔌 USF obtains internet connectivity through connections like Cogent, Time Warner Telecom, and Florida Lambda Rail, delivered over single-mode fiber as Ethernet connections.
• 🛣️ Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is used by LAN routers to determine the best ISP for routing traffic to its destination based on approximately 450,000 advertised routes.
• 🔄 When a remote server responds, BGP routing tables guide the traffic back to USF, ensuring reliable communication.
• 🏢 USF's data centers host business data and applications critical to the university's operations, with redundancy in place to ensure continuous service.
• 🔌 The Tampa data center is directly connected to the campus core, with servers connecting at speeds of 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps to access layer switches.
• 🛡️ Network gear in data centers is enterprise class, designed for reliability, security, and remote management, unlike SOHO class gear suitable for small offices or homes.
• 🔍 Network engineering group monitors network devices every three minutes for availability, health, and performance, addressing any issues promptly.
• 📈 Extensive monitoring of network statistics aids in capacity planning, troubleshooting, and security, covering everything from traffic levels to telephony system call volumes.
• 👥 A small team of experts manages and operates the nearly 10,000 devices of the USF network, highlighting the importance of enterprise-class equipment for large-scale network management.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of networking?

The primary purpose of networking is to enable communication between different devices, such as servers and clients, to facilitate data sharing and resource accessibility.

How does traffic from a USF desktop reach the Internet?

Traffic from a USF desktop reaches the Internet by being routed through the campus backbone to WAN routers, which then determine the best ISP to use for reaching the destination IP address based on BGP routing tables.

What are the two types of routers mentioned in the script that provide wide area connectivity for USF?

The two types of routers mentioned are a Wang router and a Cisco ASR 9006, which work together to provide wide area connectivity to USF's Internet service providers.

How does USF obtain Internet connectivity?

USF obtains Internet connectivity through connections with Cogent, Time Warner Telecom, and Florida Lambda Rail, delivered as Ethernet connections over single-mode fiber.

What protocol do the LAN routers at USF run to make routing decisions?

The LAN routers at USF run BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) to make routing decisions for traffic destined for the Internet.

What is the significance of having multiple data centers for USF?

Having multiple data centers, including a primary, a secondary, and a disaster recovery center, ensures continuous service and data redundancy in case of failures or disasters.

How are the servers within USF's data centers connected?

Servers within USF's data centers are connected at 1 gigabit per second and 10 gigabit per second speeds to access layer switches, which then connect to the core network equipment.

What measures are taken to ensure high availability and redundancy in USF's network?

USF ensures high availability and redundancy by having dual power supplies, network connections to two different switches for critical servers, and uplinks to different Cisco 6500s to maintain connectivity in case of a switch failure.

How frequently does the network engineering group monitor the network devices at USF?

The network engineering group monitors the network devices at USF every three minutes, checking for availability, health, and various performance parameters.

What types of statistics does USF monitor to maintain and troubleshoot its network?

USF monitors statistics such as input and output traffic levels, concurrent users, throughput on wireless access points, network performance across backbone and inter-campus LAN links, and call volumes on telephony systems.

What is the difference between enterprise class and SOHO class network equipment as mentioned in the script?

Enterprise class network equipment is designed for large networks, offering reliability, security, remote management, and high performance, whereas SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) class equipment is designed for smaller environments and prioritizes ease of use and affordability.

How many engineers are responsible for designing and supporting all of USF's networks and services?

A small group of five engineers is responsible for designing and supporting all of USF's networks and services.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Network Communication and Infrastructure at USF

This paragraph explains the importance of network connectivity beyond just having a desktop connected to the University of South Florida (USF) network. It details how traffic is routed to the Internet once it reaches the USF campus core through a pair of Wang routers and a Cisco ASR 9006, highlighting the use of BGP for determining the best ISP path to a destination IP. The paragraph also discusses the network connectivity of USF's data centers, which host critical business data and applications, and the redundancy measures in place, such as primary, secondary, and disaster recovery data centers. It emphasizes the high-speed connections within the data center and the network's design for reliability, including dual power supplies and connections to different switches for critical servers.

05:02

🛠️ Management and Monitoring of USF's Enterprise Network

The second paragraph delves into the management and operation of the nearly 10,000 devices that make up USF's network by a small team of experts. It outlines the roles of network engineers and operation staff in designing, supporting, configuring, and installing network equipment, as well as maintaining physical cabling and telephony systems. The paragraph also describes the extensive monitoring practices in place, which include checking device health, traffic levels, and performance statistics every three minutes. This monitoring aids in capacity planning, troubleshooting, and security. The discussion concludes with the distinction between enterprise-class and SOHO-class equipment, emphasizing the need for high-end features, reliability, and remote management capabilities in large networks like USF's.

Keywords

💡Desktop

A desktop refers to a personal computer designed for regular use at a single location due to its size and power requirements. In the context of the video, a desktop is a device that connects to the USF network, which is essential for communication with other devices like servers and clients. The script mentions that having a desktop on the network is the first step towards utilizing the full capabilities of networking.

💡Networking

Networking is the process of connecting multiple computing devices to communicate and share resources. The video's main theme revolves around the importance of networking in enabling communication within an organization like USF. The script emphasizes that the purpose of networking is to facilitate communication among various devices, which is crucial for the functioning of any modern educational institution.

💡Wang Routers

Wang routers are networking devices that play a critical role in connecting a local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN). In the video, a pair of Wang routers is mentioned as being connected to the backbone switches, which provide wide area connectivity to USF's Internet service providers. These routers are essential for routing traffic to the Internet once it reaches the USF campus core.

💡Backbone Switches

Backbone switches are high-capacity switches that form the central part of a network's infrastructure, connecting various segments of the network. The script describes how these switches are connected to the Wang routers and are responsible for directing traffic within the network, highlighting their importance in the network's overall architecture.

💡Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

ISPs are companies that provide customers with access to the Internet. In the script, USF obtains Internet connectivity through ISPs such as Cogent, Time Warner Telecom, and Florida Lambda Rail. The connection to these ISPs is delivered as Ethernet connections over single-mode fiber, which is a common method for high-speed data transmission.

💡Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

BGP is a standardized exterior gateway protocol designed to exchange routing information with other routers on the Internet. The video explains that the LAN routers at USF run BGP to determine the best ISP to use for reaching a traffic's destination IP. This protocol is crucial for efficient routing of data packets to their intended destinations.

💡Data Centers

Data centers are facilities used to house computer systems and associated components, such as servers, storage systems, and network devices. The script mentions that USF runs its data centers to host all of its business data and applications, emphasizing the importance of data centers in managing and securing an institution's critical information infrastructure.

💡Ethernet Connections

Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies commonly used in LANs, including the Internet. The video script describes how USF's Internet connectivity links are delivered as Ethernet connections, which are used for data transmission over single-mode fiber, ensuring high-speed and reliable network communication.

💡Enterprise Class Gear

Enterprise class gear refers to high-quality, reliable, and feature-rich networking equipment designed for large-scale business environments. The video script contrasts enterprise class gear with SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) class gear, highlighting the need for USF's network to use enterprise class equipment to handle heavy traffic loads and provide the necessary level of service and support.

💡Network Monitoring

Network monitoring involves continuously observing a computer network for failures or anomalies that could affect its operation. The script explains that the network engineering group at USF runs software to monitor every device in the network, checking parameters like CPU memory utilization and fiber link power levels, which is vital for maintaining network health and performance.

💡Capacity Planning

Capacity planning is the process of estimating the amount of resources needed to meet the demands of a growing network or business. The video script mentions that the statistics monitored by USF help with capacity planning, which is essential for ensuring that the network infrastructure can support the increasing demands of the university's operations.

Highlights

The importance of a desktop being able to communicate with other devices on the network for effective networking.

Network diagram showing the connection of Wang routers to backbone switches for wide area connectivity.

USF's Internet connectivity is provided through multiple service providers including Cogent, Time Warner Telecom, and Florida Lambda Rail.

Ethernet connections over single-mode fiber are used for delivering Internet links to USF.

LAN routers use BGP to determine the best ISP for routing traffic to its destination IP.

Approximately 450,000 routes are advertised by USF's ISPs.

The Tampa data center's direct connection to the campus core and its role in hosting USF's business data and applications.

USF maintains multiple copies of its data across different data centers for continuous service.

Servers within the data center are connected at 1Gbps and 10Gbps speeds.

Redundancy in network design to handle switch failures and maintain server connectivity.

Network engineering group's use of software to monitor device health and availability every three minutes.

Monitoring of various network statistics for capacity planning, troubleshooting, and security.

The requirement for enterprise-class gear in large networks like USF's for reliability, security, and manageability.

Differences between enterprise-class and SOHO-class gear in terms of features, reliability, and scalability.

Enterprise-class equipment's ability to handle heavy traffic loads and remote management capabilities.

The small group of experts managing and operating the entire USF network of nearly 10,000 devices.

The network infrastructure's design from the desktop to the campus core and out to the Internet.

Discussion on the types of networks required for an enterprise-class network.

Encouragement for viewers to continue learning about network technologies and consider working in the field.

Transcripts

so far we focused on how a desktop is

connected to the usf network but just

having a desktop on the network isn't

useful unless it's able to communicate

with other devices like servers and

other clients after all the point of

networking is to enable communications

so we'll now look at how traffic gets to

the Internet once it reaches USS campus

core looking again at the high level

network diagram you can see that there

are a pair of Wang routers connected to

the backbone switches these devices when

one in way and to provide wide area

connectivity to USF's Internet service

providers when one is a Cisco ASR 9006

and when two is a Cisco 7600 usf obtains

internet connectivity through cogent

time warner telecom and florida lambda

rail these links are delivered to USF as

Ethernet connections over single-mode

fiber this is the same kind of Ethernet

we've used everywhere along the path

from our example desktop traffic is

routed to the land routers by the campus

backbone and those routers determine the

best ISP to use for reaching the

traffic's destination IP in order to

make this decision the LAN routers run

BGP or border gateway protocol there are

currently approximately 450,000 routes

advertised USF from our ISPs once

traffic is forwarded to the appropriate

ISP routers in their network and many

other networks beyond that ISP deliver

the traffic to its destination when that

remote server responds and sends traffic

back to the desktop at USF the same BGP

routing tables guide the traffic through

the internet back to USF and our network

delivers it back to that machine we will

now look at the network connectivity to

the servers USF runs in its data centers

these data centers hosts all of us s

business data and applications such as

student assignments grades email

websites employee payroll billing travel

etc to ensure continuous service USF

maintains multiple copies of its data

USF houses a primary data center on the

Tampa campus a secondary data center in

Winterhaven in a disaster recovery data

center at Clemson University in South

Carolina the Tampa data center is

directly connected to the campus core as

shown in the high level

or diagram to Sisko 65 hundredths

provide connectivity to all the servers

and devices in that datacenter

individual servers within the data

center are connected at 1 gigabits per

second and 10 gigabits per second speeds

these servers connect to access layer

switches which connect to the 6500

really the network gear in the data

center isn't that much different than

the equipment BC connecting desktops in

buildings for example all switches

providing connectivity to the servers

have dual power supplies connected to

different electrical circuits all

critical servers have network

connections to two different switches so

that if a switch failure does happen the

server can send traffic through its

other switch each switches uplink to

different Cisco 6500 so that if one of

those 6500 s fail connectivity would

continue through the other with nearly

10,000 devices making up USS Network

failures are inevitable so the network

engineering group runs software to

monitor every one of these devices we

check their availability and health

every three minutes we check things like

CPU memory utilization optical power

levels on the fiber links room

temperatures ups capacity and general

functionality of the device if any of

these parameters are out of normal

values we are notified and someone from

the operations or engineering group will

troubleshoot the issue we also monitor

various statistics from our network here

we graph input and output traffic levels

for every switch port and router port

concurrent users and throughput on every

wireless access point network

performance statistics across our

backbone and inter-campus LAN links and

call volumes on our telephony systems

basically we monitor as much information

as we possibly can and attend to any

unusual observations these statistics

help us with capacity planning

troubleshooting and even security for

networks the size of USF's to function

the equipment used and then must be

reliable secure feature-rich remotely

manageable and have an assurance with

technical support for the manufacturer

it must be what's referred to in the

industry as enterprise class gear

equipment from vendors like Linksys the

link and Belkin is typically Soho class

small office or home office class gear

these low-end devices work well in the

home or in a small office that's not

part of a larger enterprise network they

have many useful features that work in

environment for example they are

inexpensive and usually require no

configuration and are ready to run out

of the box when they fail they just need

to be replaced with similar equipment

for an office with five to ten users

this is adequate but they do not do well

in a large network like we have here at

USF USF needs many high-end features not

available in solo class gear and we need

the ability to remotely monitor and

manage all aspects of each networked

device enterprise class equipment is

certainly more expensive than Soho gear

but that extra cost helps guarantee the

networks we build provide the level of

service our users demand they are

capable of handling heavy traffic loads

from thousands of users their remote

administration and configuration

features allow a small group of network

experts to manage thousands of devices

their configurability allows USF to

respond to changes in network feeds by

reconfiguring traffic routes as

appropriate the entire USF network of

nearly 10,000 devices is managed and

operated by a small group of experts

five engineers design and support all of

the networks and services for network

operation staff handle tasks such as

equipment configuration and installation

we also have several staff maintaining

the physical cabling handling requests

from users for ads moves and changes and

we have a team who handles telephony for

the campus us scene USS Network from the

desktop all the way up to the campus

core and out to the internet you've seen

how traffic gets to the internet and how

the infrastructure in u.s. s primary

data center is designed we've discussed

how all of this infrastructure is

monitored and what kinds of network

you're required for an enterprise class

network I could literally spend hours

talking about any one of the topics

we've covered in this video but

hopefully this short introduction has

provided you a good understanding of the

technologies which make up the USS

Network the network of any large

enterprise will share many of the

similarities with this network and if

you find these technologies as

interesting as I do

I hope this has encouraged you to

continue learning about them and perhaps

even consider working on them