[ale] IT department

[Dow Hurst]

Geoffrey is asking good questions. :-)   You've got a lot of research to 
do.  You need to lay the ground work for a secure low management virus 
free computing environment.  Each component needs some thought.  Usually 
this stuff just grows based on budget and need.  This situation your in 
is a little unique so you won't find too many examples out there of the 
whole thing getting built from scratch in one go.  Maybe you ought to 
take Jeff Hubbs out to dinner and drain his brain.  Then take James 
Kinney.  Then take Bob Toxen.  And so on thru the ALE list for those 
that have experience in particular areas.  I remember Jeff talking about 
managing a large government project, James talking about in the trench 
server configuration in a mixed environment, and Bob is my security 
consultant so of course I'll recommend his expertise.  None of this is 
cheap except the software....

I've set up individual labs of SGIs and Linux workstations but a whole 
IT department is quite different.  You know, there is help desk software 
projects out there.  Maybe you should find How-Tos for each component 
and then start joining them together into the big picture.  You need 
authentication, security, email, email virus check, backup, 
applications, network infrastructure, and policy for each part.  The 
policy should come first and each piece should fit into the whole IT 
policy.  Books have been written on developing security policy.  That 
really should be the first layer that all other policy is built on.
Dow



George Johnson wrote:

> To All:
>
>      I have run into an opportunity to assist with starting an IT 
> department for a small business in Fla.  These are a couple of friends 
> of mine that I have known for several years.  My problem is I have 
> never started an IT department and need info on how to do so.  I have 
> looked at Amazon.com, Microcenter, and other book stores for books or 
> magazines on how to do it but only have found a PDF download so far.  
> I do plan on using Linux as much as possible even on laptops with 
> Vmware running xp to keep one of the guys happy and in touch with his 
> ACT software, for which I wish I could find a Linux replacement.  Any 
> assistance with direct info or books etc would be appreciated.
>
> George Johnson
>
> *                *
>
> *Phone 678-642-7696*
>

-- 
__________________________________________________________
Dow Hurst                  Office: 770-499-3428           
Systems Support Specialist    Fax: 770-423-6744           
1000 Chastain Rd. Bldg. 12                                
Chemistry Department SC428  Email:   dhurst at kennesaw.edu  
Kennesaw State University         Dow.Hurst at mindspring.com
Kennesaw, GA 30144                                        
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