Post #7 – Tech Topic Connection

The topic of Network Management is fundamental to Information Technology (IT). As early as the 1940s, computers were being used for Military purposes such as codebreaking and calculating glidepaths for bombs and gliders. As these computers became smaller, due to a trend known as Moore’s Law, where switches halved in size every two years, the ability to expand computing ability has been of major importance. (Vahid et al., TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy home, 2019).

As computing ability expanded and companies like Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube came to prominence, being able to communicate between companies and computers became important. As these networks became more common and the internet came to prominence across the world, management of these resources has become more important. Especially today when there are more chances than ever for things to be hacked or taken over by malicious unauthorized users. “With the rapid advancement of information technology, networks have become an indispensable infrastructure in modern society. Networks often couple with each other based on certain criteria, forming more complex dual-layer or even multi-layer network structures. Scholars have already conducted research and analysis on network attack and defense strategies” (Wang et al., Analysis of Network Resilience for Physical-Logical Dual-Layer Networks in Network Management Nodes, 2024, p. 802). As this rapid advancement continues, we see many people and groups trying to use deficiencies in both software and networks to obtain influence or monetary reward.

Many factors are contained in network management. From the computer or internet-of-things (IoT) devices through the networks, including the internet, these signals pass through many pieces of technology to reach their destination. First, there is the originating device, which connects with some form of local network (LAN) to reach a wide area network (WAN). Once it reaches this area, it can look for a path to the destination. If it is not explicitly identified, then it must find a Domain Name Server (DNS) to help direct it; using gateways between networks and routers to direct it, this message will travel the internet to reach its destination.

As networks expand and increase, the structure of naming conventions has necessarily been constrained by size. The system in current use is known as Internet Protocol (IP) version 4, which contains 4 sets of numbers, these are known as octets, based on the binary sizes of bits and bytes. This structured data configuration can be analyzed by the technical characteristics of Command Line Interface (CLI), Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), and Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF), which are used in managed network switches and virtual switches used on computer servers (Qin, W., Construction of Computer Network Management System based on NETCONF and Artificial Intelligence, 2024). Many servers and managed switches use virtual switching or software switching to keep track of the devices in use while not being constrained by physical limitations.

Network managers can use many applications. Many managed switches have what amounts to a website for control, or one could use the CLI language of the switch. There are also applications to manage or inspect the traffic on network sections. One of the methods used today is Virtual LAN (VLAN), which allows two or more separate networks to exist on the same physical cabling of the network.

One of the things used by most network managers is a database of users or devices that are allowed or present on the network. This could be as simple as a spreadsheet containing each IP address, mostly used in assigned address networking. Some applications allow automatic addressing and keep track of each IP address assigned for a period of time. It could also be as demanding as a domain server, where each user must have an account on the network to give access to the device being used to get an address.

In the cement manufacturing facility where I work, we have an assigned address for each device; this cuts down on unauthorized equipment being on the network. As we expand the network, it is imperative that we begin to utilize Layer 3 managed switches and expand into the VLAN networks to increase the 255 addresses possible in the assigned network range. For each added VLAN, 254 more addresses can be assigned, with separation between networks that can be controlled by Layer 3 routing switches. Basic concepts of security and networking must be expanded and understood as we continue.

References

Qin, W. (2024). Construction of Computer Network Management System based on NETCONF and Artificial Intelligence. 2024 International Conference on Intelligent Algorithms for Computational Intelligence Systems (IACIS) Intelligent Algorithms for Computational Intelligence Systems (IACIS), 2024 International conference on 1-6 Aug 2024. Hassan, India, India: IEEE. doi:10.1109/IACIS61494.2024.10721622

Vahid, F., Lysecky, S., & Wheatland, N. (2019, February). TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy. Retrieved from zyBooks.com: https://learn.zybooks.com/zybook/TEC101:_Fundamentals_of_Information_Technology_&_Literacy_(TED2450B)

Wang, Y., Liu, J., Li, Z., Ren, J., & Li, W. (2024). Analysis of Network Resilience for Physical-Logical Dual-Layer Networks in Network Management Nodes. 2024 10th International Conference on Big Data and Information Analytics (BigDIA) (pp. 802-808). Chiang Mai, Thailand: IEEE. doi:10.1109/BigDIA63733.2024.10808482

 

Post #6 – Network Security

 As we learned in our textbook, computer security prevents unauthorized computer access. That includes viewing, changing, or deleting data or computer equipment without authorization. When any of these happen, it is known as a security breach; some examples include a compromised email account where emails or pictures are viewed, or emails are sent without your knowledge. This is not limited to email accounts and can include business information as well. (Vahid et al, 2019,  Sect. 8.1)  

According to Fortinet, a company involved with network security, “digital acceleration has paved the way for business efficiencies, cost reductions, and productivity improvements. Yet, it has also led to an expanded attack surface across the growing network edge. From local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN) to the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, each new deployment results in another potential vulnerability.

Worse yet, increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals are exploiting network vulnerabilities at an alarming rate. Malware, ransomware, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and countless other threats are challenging IT teams to fortify their defenses.” (Fortinet, n.d.)

 

 Cyber, or online, criminals are expanding their reach using the above methods and more.  The ping command that was previously studied can be used in a DDoS attack in sufficient numbers. Mostly used by what are known as botnets, this means that many computers are taken over by hackers and used to send requests to a single entity until it reaches a saturation point and cannot respond to actual requests.

            A security hole, also known as a vulnerability, is an aspect of a system that can be used to breach security. Operating systems [OS] commonly have existing vulnerabilities. Once discovered, makers want to update the OS quickly to close such holes. Thus, all computer users are advised to keep their OS updated, not only to gain new features but to close security holes. Many modern operating systems (Windows, MacOS, Apple iOS, and Android) either let users know an update is available or allow the user to check for updates from a menu option. (Vahid et al, 2019, Sect. 8.1)

            This follows quite nicely with keeping an anti-virus [AV] program up to date. Viruses and malware are small programs that have been installed and run without the knowledge of the equipment user. A computer with a virus is said to be infected and can be used for illicit tasks, such as stealing information on the computer, encrypting the data on the computer as hostage, or even deleting data. Most commonly spread through infected email, viruses can be obtained by visiting websites and being tricked into downloading an “innocent” file, such as a free game or music/video files. This file then runs a small hidden application that keeps it hidden from sight unless you are really looking for it. (Vahid et al, 2019,  Sect. 8.2)

            Another growing method of security bypass is “phishing.” This can be done from a website you visit or be delivered to your email inbox. Essentially, it is a document to trick the user into divulging banking or security information that can be used to take over accounts. “In recent years, there has been a growing number of various network attack incidents, resulting in significant economic losses and disruptions to daily life. This has led many experts to increasingly emphasize the direction of security prediction.” (Le, et al., 2024) You will find countless companies around the technology sites advertising anti-virus or malware scanning and treatment. Every company proclaims they are the best alternative and have the most up-to-date scanning algorithms.

            Most of the security breaches have to do with human interaction.  Whether it is not paying attention, just not knowing the correct way, or even wanting to damage a system or company, people start the process of malware or virus infection of the system. Network strategies that can be engaged include network segregation so that infected computers have a limited influence area. It is recommended that separate networks be created for safety Instrumented Control Systems [ICS], business systems (administrative tasks and email), and external connections (internet). This will isolate systems from potential breaches in other networks. Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] computers are used when two networks must be bridged, with strict access controls and firewalls to protect each side. Installing endpoint protection software on all networked devices, which includes anti-malware, anti-virus, and whitelisting application capabilities as needed. (Urs et al., 2024, p. 2)

 

References

Fortinet. (n.d.). What is Network Security? Retrieved from Fortinet.com: https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/what-is-network-security

International Computer Science Institute. (n.d.). Teaching Privacy. Retrieved from https://teachingprivacy.org/youre-leaving-footprints/: http://teachingprivacy.icsi.berkeley.edu/youre-leaving-footprints/

Le, G., Wang, Y., Li, S., Yang, C., Yang, Q., & Yuan, Y. (2024). Network Security Prediction of Industrial Control Based on Projection Equalization Optimization Algorithm. Sensors, 24(4716), 2-23. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/s24144716

Urs, P., Muresan, V., Hulea, M., & Sita, V. (2024). Enhancing Network Security for Automated Processes in Nuclear-Electric Power Plants. 2024 4th International Conference on Electrical, Computer, Communications and Mechatronics Engineering (ICECCME). Male, Maldives, Maldives: IEEE. doi:10.1109/ICECCME62383.2024.10796893

Vahid, F., Lysecky, S., Wheatland, N., & Siu, R. (2019). zyBooks TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy. Retrieved from www.zybooks.com: https://learn.zybooks.com/zybook/TEC101:_Fundamentals_of_Information_Technology_&_Literacy_(TED2450B)

 

 

Post #5 – Computers in the Workplace

 Hello,

I will tell you a tale of two systems for this week's discussion. The first is the business side of a cement manufacturing plant. On this side, we have online cloud storage for documents and files, which gives us much more fluidity in working anywhere in the plant or even the world – with appropriate safety protocols.  This online storage is backed up automatically daily on a weekly sweep; in other words, it is a weekly full backup with a daily incremental backup for any changes. Because we are concerned about security and do our best to maintain our systems, each computer has anti-virus software and limited ability to change software based on a domain-controlled system. Each computer has internet access and Microsoft Office applications that are needed for the position held. Each employee is responsible for knowing how to use the applications they need; however, for the most part, they do not need to know more about the computer than to turn it on.  We have dedicated IT specialists who take care of any problem. If you can, get in touch with them.

The second system is the one I spend most of my time with on the automation side. For this system, we have a dedicated network that is completely separate from the internet. In this case, each computer must be backed up to a storage unit inside the network. Because of the differing use cases, there are differing levels of backup. The engineering computers are backed up daily because that is where we see the most change and important files. We keep one month's worth of files plus a monthly summary for one year's time.

On the other hand, the client computers have almost no change and are backed up quarterly, with a complete system backup once a year – when we try to do all the outstanding updates from Microsoft and our software vendors. Servers are weekly, and Analyst computers are monthly, so we have all types of timetables. Although we keep them separated from the internet, we still have anti-virus software running, which is not updated as frequently. For many of these updates, we must weigh the consequences on our vendor-specific software and the effects on our Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC).

Many of the users of the computers on this network need very little computer knowledge other than point-and-click. The engineering staff is much more involved in these circumstances and needs to know networking, storage, and PLC commands.

Considering the changes noticed in the last 20 years, it is likely that this trend will continue. With a limited number of people becoming increasingly computer-knowledgeable and busy all the time. Most users will continue to be of the point-and-click type. With increasing automation and graphical interfaces that let the operator know what is happening anywhere in the plant, it is unlikely that many will want to know the underlying foundation.  I can see that in many other parts of the world right now. We will need faster and more functional computing resources to keep up with the increasing number and size of processed data.

Post #3 – Documenting a Day

 In a world where people are constantly taking pictures on their smartphones of every meal that they eat, is it not strange that we can barely remember what happened last week, sometimes even yesterday? The art of journaling has been around for centuries, and people have touted it as beneficial.  Many cultures have esteemed those who chronicle the things happening in their time frames. We will discuss only three of the many types of journaling that can be done. Namely, using a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a presentation-type application.  While one may have a predisposition to one or the other, can we really say that one is better than the other?

Microsoft Word is perhaps the best-known word-processing application of today. Though many may remember the great Word Perfect.  It is manageable and impressive in the scope of adding pictures and items to the words being recorded. It is, however, limited in doing anything with numbers other than recording them. It is beneficial for preserving what happened because human memory can fade and even change or vanish over time (Hutmacher, Schläger, & Meerson, 2023, p. 687). The art of journaling preserves the written works to remind us what happened, at least from someone's perspective.

Microsoft Excel is the next type of application, which is meant mainly for numbers and calculations. It can nonetheless be used as a journal, as one may want to keep track of time or money spent or other number-related things in conjunction with happenings. A prime example would be a vehicle log that keeps track of trips in the amount of time, gas, and miles. This is seen a lot in the trucking industry, where drivers have to provide proof of how long they have been on and off duty for legal reasons. Others also use this method for gas mileage and repair expenses.

The third method is presentation-type software such as Microsoft PowerPoint. This is a handier option for the single-point meme-style writing we see today all over the internet. It is possible to have text, pictures, graphs, and links to websites. It is based upon simple pages or slides, which can be changed quickly to the next.

Dinc et al. wrote in the journal article Student Perception of Journaling as an Assessment for an Engagement Experience that “Journaling is an effective assessment tool, linking students’ experiential learning and instructors’ evaluation strategies. Grounded in metacognition and critical thinking, journaling invites students to engage introspectively with their learning experiences, incorporating theoretical insights and real-world applications. By encouraging ownership of learning and greater engagement, journaling as a personalized endeavor gives students agency and fosters deeper understanding.” (2024, p. 485)

Many people have encouraged people everywhere to write a journal, also known as a diary, to write about momentous occasions in their lives. It is a known fact that we cannot remember everything; in fact, we remember little correctly over a long range of time. We have discussed three different types of applications that can be used, but they are not totally encompassing; there are many more that could be used. The key is to start and to keep trying. Learning what is important and how to write about it in your style.

 

References

Dinc, E., Wherley, M. S., & Sankey, H. (2024). Student Perception of Journaling as an Assessment for an Engagement Experience. Journal of Experiential Education, 47(3), 484-503. doi:10.1177/10538259231203671

Hutmacher, F., Schläger, L., & Meerson, R. (2023). Autobiographical memory in the digital age: Insights based on the subjective reports of users of smart journaling apps. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 686-698. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acp.4033

Vahid, F., Lysecky, S., & Wheatland, N. (2019, February). TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy. Retrieved from zyBooks.com: https://learn.zybooks.com/zybook/TEC101:_Fundamentals_of_Information_Technology_&_Literacy_(TED2450B)

 

Post #2 - Web/Mobile App Critique

 If you have ever had a need to scan documents or pictures to save, then this may be the app for you. Introducing CamScanner, a free app that allows you to use your iPhone or Android phone as a scanner. This allows you to scan any paper document that you have and convert it to a digital version that you can upload, save, or share.

When you create the file, first, you take a picture of the document. You are then presented with different editing options to make it the best possible picture.  Some of these options require an upgraded (paid) account, but many are usable in the free portion of the app.

  

Once the picture is saved, you can rename the file or accept the automatically generated name. Then you can share the entire file or single pictures in PDF, JPG, or other formats through email, text, or other options on your phone.

Pros:

·       Offers extremely visible results when scanning documents.

·       Allows export in several formats

·       The free version has many features

·       Does not require an internet connection to work

Cons:

·       Some functions are only available in the paid version

·       The free version will include a watermark on each page

This is an application that I have personally used for years. It continues to be a go-to for many applications at work and home for when I need to record something for keeping or until I get something done or corrected. I keep a copy of each vehicle's registration and insurance, along with pictures of the inside and outside of the vehicle. It lets me keep track of expenses and receipts for any vehicle maintenance or household expenses.

I must tell you that I am only a free user and have been put off by the marketing ads presented throughout. The biggest change that I would suggest is having the upgrade item marked in some way so that you know which items and options are available for the level you are currently on. It would also be nice if there were different levels, similar to many other applications, including Microsoft Office. Including one level that I would pay for to avoid the marketing ads and maintain the simple (free) level of option usage.

The app continues to evolve and has many options other than just saving a scan or picture. Including OCR, optical character resolution, and conversion to Word, Excel, and other formats. The application can import pictures and files into its structure, file structures with folders, and searchability.

One other option in the application is to use cloud resources to save your files. Make them available online if you want to use another device to look at or manipulate the files. My suggestion would be to be able to mark which files should be included in the cloud and which should stay only on your device – this seems much more secure. Although it would be much more secure, it would also be a backup problem, just like any other computer problem.

References

INTSIG Information Co., Ltd. (2024). CamScanner. Retrieved from CamScanner.com: https://www.camscanner.com/

 

 

Post #1 – Programming Languages

See this example:  TEC101-Scratch on Scratch

Scratch is the world's largest free coding community for kids. Sponsored by MIT, it allows children of all ages to experiment and experience a simple visual interface. The site allows the creation of digital stories, games, and animated creations that can be shared.

In making this animation, I experienced difficulty in making a flowing story. In order to finish, I continually put it in play and adjusted positions.

Because a CPU only understands 0's and 1's, instructions must be just 0's and 1's. Such instructions are known as machine language. The CPU understands instructions such as Input, Add, Output, and Stop. A typical CPU supports many instructions, like subtracting, multiplying, dividing, jumping, etc.. Of course, humans don't easily think in 0's and 1's. Assembly language is a textual human-understandable representation of a machine language's 0's and 1's, as in: Add M[5] M[6] M[7]. A program called an assembler automatically converts an assembly language program into machine language.

A high-level language is a programming language having higher-level instructions than an assembly language, enabling greater programmer productivity. For example, high-level instruction supports a formula, like C = (5/9) * (F - 32), which converts Fahrenheit to Celsius. The first mainstream high-level language was Fortran, which was developed by IBM in 1957 and is short for Formula Translation. A compiler program converts a high-level language to assembly/machine language. Many high-level languages have been developed. Popular languages today include C, C++, Java, Python, and Javascript, each with different strengths/weaknesses and designed for different purposes.

Python is a high-level programming language that is increasingly popular due in part to its ease of learning, its freedom of availability, and its powerful high-level data-processing operations.  Rather than copy-pasting repeated instructions repeatedly, Python provides a for-loop instruction, which repeats the loop's subsequent instructions a specified number of times.

JavaScript, often abbreviated as JS, is a programming language and core technology of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and CSS. In fact, it is estimated that 99% of websites use JavaScript to maintain webpage behavior. Although it does not contain any input/output, such as networking, storage, or graphics.

C++ was designed with systems programming and embedded, resource-constrained software and large systems in mind, with performance, efficiency, and flexibility of use as its design highlights. C++ is standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), with the latest standard version ratified and published by ISO in October of 2024 as ISO/IEC 14882:2024. Since 2012, C++ has been on a three-year release schedule.

References:

TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy

zyBook ISBN: 979-8-203-91383-8

Authors and contributors

Authors	Frank Vahid / Professor of Computer Science and Engineering / Univ. of California, Riverside Susan Lysecky / Senior Content Developer / zyBooks Nkenge Wheatland / Content Developer / zyBooks Ron Siu / Content Developer / zyBooks
Contributors	Roman Lysecky / Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Univ. of Arizona Alex Edgcomb / Senior Software Developer / zyBooks Joshua Yuen

www.Wikipedia.org

Post #4 – Traveling Through a Network [PING & TRACEROUTE]

 Jan 8 8:20pm

Reply from Keith Mower

Three websites were chosen for this assignment, and both pinged and tracerouted.

The three websites chosen were:  1. Google.com {74.125.138.138,188.177.122.139}. 2. Google.com.au {64.233.185.94,74.125.138.94}. 3. Docomo.ne.jp {35.71.162.15, 52.223.34.187}.

Notice that each website uses a group of addresses, also known as an aggregate. This allows for load balancing so that each server does not become overwhelmed.  As you can see (below), the PING (Packet Internet Groper) results show the DNS (Domain Name Server) results for the IP address conversion, the time it takes to echo a signal to that point and back to your computer x four attempts (normally), and the statistical information for the PING.

For each example listed here and many more attempted, the maximum time for echo was 26ms, which is less time than it takes to type a new command. However, we see a different dimension if we turn our attention to the route. The command TRACEROUTE or TRACERT sends 3 small packets of information to the intended IP address as it attempts to document the path these packets travel to get there.  Each and every trace attempted shows time-outs where no data was received within time frame, while this was initially concerning, I started to wonder if this is some kind of firewall effort blocking the information.

Notice that on each attempt, the first hop is to my local wireless router, then on to my ISP, and from there, it travels internally to Atlanta hubs.  Even from there, it shows some consistency for between one and four hops before diverging. I even threw in a bonus route to a Japanese computer website. I would have expected that servers farther away from me would be slower, even if not significantly so. However, timing does not seem to be much different in any way. Because the route packets take across the internet is fluid and may be changed due to usage or even server balancing, the time it takes to travel could be affected, even to the point of timing out or losing packets. Another problem I can see is that DNS servers are often slow to update due in part to caches used to speed up the service provided. It would not be unthinkable for a company to go out of business or change web-hosting facilities, which would temporarily cause their website to be unreachable to consumers.

On the plus side, by using these two commands, one can determine if there is a local problem or a remote issue.  If the PING command works then there is a connection, if the TRACEROUTE command gets beyond your ISP section, then it is somewhere on the internet that the problem lies. At least you can rest assured that it is not a problem with your computer.