Systems and Network Infrastructure Integration. Saida Helali
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manufacturers best suited to create a high-quality, high-performance network that is highly secure and accessible while being eco-friendly and state-of-the-art at the same time?
This book is made up of nine chapters, set out in two complementary sections adapted for IT network technicians; specifically:
– A methodological and organizational section that will enable students to understand, from the first chapter, the concept of specifications, and how to decipher them and to acquire the knowledge needed to manage an IT project, that is, the corresponding approaches, methods and tools. Indeed, it is vital to plan every stage of the implementation of an IT solution, to be familiar with its principal actors, and to know how to develop an efficient communication plan with regard to deliverables requested, milestone dates, etc.
This section will also provide an overview of the basic concepts of simulation in Chapter 2, and will more specifically introduce the GNS3 tool for the prototyping and testing of IT infrastructures before their on-site deployment. The use of this type of software protects an IT infrastructure integration project team for disrupting the operation of the production network. In addition, GNS3 is highly prized for teaching purposes, particularly in the absence of network hardware.
This section will also present the aspects of the environmental impact of IT infrastructures, or Green IT, with the aim of introducing students to and increasing their awareness of this reduced energy consumption approach in all network infrastructure implementation projects.
– A technological section that will address the purely technical aspects of network infrastructures in an organically laid-out sequence based on the actual process of setup and implementation.
Chapter 4 which begins this section, gives a concise introduction to the main network services generally provided by IT infrastructures.
Chapter 5 The design of these infrastructures is a vital stage in the process of their implementation, which is discussed in Chapter 5.
Chapter 6 is dedicated to the theme of security. Any infrastructure integration project must be sure to implement certain security mechanisms depending on the needs of the client company.
Chapter 7 focuses on virtualization and cloud computing, two interdependent paradigms that are omnipresent in every network infrastructure today.
Concepts dealing with the quality of service (QoS) and high availability increasingly demanded by modern IT infrastructures, in which the types of applications are extremely diverse and performance is more and more of a priority, are discussed in Chapter 8.
The final chapter is dedicated to the supervision of a network infrastructure and its various tools, with the objective of monitoring the infrastructure installed in order to mitigate and possibly prevent technical failures.
Each chapter ends with a mental map in the form of a visual summary of the main points of information discussed, in order to better structure them and facilitate their memorization.
Saida HELALI
June 2020
1
Introduction to Project Management
“A little impatience can ruin a great project.”
Confucius
– Understanding the basic principles of project management.
– Learning the principal methods and tools of project management.
– Understanding the usefulness of specifications and how to interpret them.
1.1. Introduction
Managing an IT project is similar to managing any type of project in general. According to Wysocki, a project is a sequence of unique, non-repetitive, complex and connected activities intended to achieve an objective. This must be done within both a specific time frame and a budget, and in compliance with a set of specifications.
An IT project (ITP) requires technical skills (programming, security, networks, architecture, etc.), as well as organizational and communication skills. The objective is to design a reliable, viable and satisfactory IT solution for a client, particularly in terms of agreeing upon deadlines, cost and quality. There are multiple aspects to a project:
– functional: responds to a need;
– technical: complies with clearly defined specifications and limitations;
– organizational: adheres to a predetermined mode of operation (roles, culture, function, resistance to change, etc.);
– temporal: complies with deadlines;
– economic: adheres to a budget.
Figure 1.1. Facets of a project
1.2. Project management
Project management is an approach based on the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities aimed at fulfilling the expectations of the parties involved in the project.
Every project can be broken down into phases. Each phase can be further broken down into stages, and these stages into tasks. The main phases of a project are shown in Figure 1.2.
Figure 1.2. The main phases of a project
The initiation phase consists of defining the work to be carried out. It recalls its genesis, usefulness and end goal in answering “why” and “what”
questions. The expected completion date can be set during this phase, and an overall budget can be estimated. A set of specifications must be drawn up at this point.
– The design phase involves the actual definition of the project; it structures, organizes and plans it. Its objective is to prepare and organize the implementation of the elements laid out during the initiation phase.
– The execution phase represents the realization or implementation of the project. Each of the points laid out in the action plan is worked on during this phase, according to the set of specifications.
– The closure phase involves building on recent experience with the goal of ongoing improvement through assessment reports and rigorous documentation.
1.3. Project management methods and tools
Project management methodologies enable a project to succeed and comply with the deadlines, budget and resources provided. They help each stage of the project to be completed, from planning to implementation, in the interests of efficiency and profitability.
Principal methodologies include:
a. Classic methods: these methods are most often used in project management. They are referred to as “cascading” because each stage must end by moving on to the next. The major disadvantage of this approach lies in its lack of flexibility with regard to changes.
b. Agile methods: these methods are gaining more and