The backup that never ran
A college server breaks. "No problem," says the manager, "we have backups." But the backup job was set up wrongly six months ago. It never saved anything.
In a server room, small set-up mistakes hide for a long time.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can name the faults a server room can suffer and assess a device on a LAN.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Server | a computer that shares files or services with other computers |
| Network | computers and devices linked so they can share data |
| LAN | local area network: a network inside one building |
| RAID | several disks working together so that one can fail and no data is lost |
| NIC | network interface card: the part that connects a computer to a cable |
| Backup | a spare copy of data kept in case the first is lost |
| Firewall | a filter that allows or blocks traffic between computers |
| Component | one part of a system |
| Misconfigured | set up wrongly |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Faults in a server room
A server room has all the common faults, and a few of its own.
Power issues. Disk failure or corruption. Component failure. A RAID set that fails. A new NIC or graphics card that is added and does not work with the rest. A firewall setting that blocks the wrong traffic. A backup that is set up wrongly.
Server room faults and their effect
| Fault | What happens | How to make it smaller |
|---|---|---|
| Power issue | Servers stop without warning | A UPS and a tested power plan |
| Disk failure or corruption | Files are lost or unreadable | RAID and a tested backup |
| RAID failure | More than one disk fails and data is lost | Replace a failed disk fast, and keep a backup |
| Added card does not fit in | A new card clashes with others or runs hot | Check it works with the server first |
| Firewall setting wrong | Good traffic blocked, or bad traffic allowed | Review rules and test every change |
| Backup set up wrongly | No usable copy when it is needed | Test a restore on a schedule |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Assess a device connected to a LAN
The spec asks you to assess a device on a LAN. Take a network printer.
First list its components: the printer, its cable, the switch port, its settings and the print jobs it stores. Then find the risks to each part, rate them and put them in order.
Worked example: a network printer
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Score | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default admin password never changed | 4 | 3 | 12 | 1 |
| Printer software not updated | 3 | 3 | 9 | 2 |
| Stored print jobs hold private data | 2 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
| Cable unplugged by a cleaner | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.