Infrastructure management

Infrastructure management focuses on the university's internal communication methods, including IP phones, email, video conferencing, and social media. It oversees various technical processes involving hardware, software, and networks in physical and virtual environments. This management aims to minimise downtime and ensure continuous business productivity. It supervises the essential IT infrastructure elements required for providing business services, such as software applications, network components, and physical components. Additionally, it ensures that activities related to project development, operation, and security of the data center, campus-wide network, and telecommunication systems adhere to the standards. Different departments, including the Networks and Communications Unit, Systems and Servers Unit, Data Center Unit, and Information Security Unit, carry out the functions of IT infrastructure management.

 

Networking and communications unit

The network operator is responsible for all networking activities, including network cabling, operation and maintenance of network infrastructure and network services. Its basic functions are:

The Networks and Communications Unit oversees all activities related to networks and communications within the organization. Their tasks include:

  • Managing the main network devices such as core switches, routers, and switches and configuring their settings and protocols.
  • Coordinating with various companies to ensure technical support for network components and communications.
  • Supervising and collaborating with supplier companies on network projects.
  • Monitoring and overseeing different types of wired and wireless networks.
  • Regularly updating network controller systems.
  • Providing remote access services, such as virtual private networks (VPN), for users requiring access to technical resources remotely.
  • Coordinating and following up with contracted telecommunications companies to ensure internet circuits and expanding external data capacity.
  • Coordinating and overseeing the unified university network, including all branches.
  • Collaborating with various university branches to provide their electronic circuits and connect them to the university network.
  • Supervising the load distributor device (the F5 load balancer).
  • Enhancing data flow efficiency and performance between university branches and the internal network.
  • Developing future project proposals for network connections, such as network telephony.
  • Installing and establishing local network ports in all university branches.
  • Ensuring the department has the necessary tools and resources to build and maintain the network regularly.
  • Supervising extension teams during morning and evening periods.
  • Installing access points for the wireless network.
  • Providing technical support to address any malfunctions related to network points or extensions in all university branches.
  • Coordinating with relevant departments to ensure network-building foundations in new university sites.
  • 19. Fulfilling university branches' network and communication infrastructure equipment needs in Rafha, Tarif, and Al-Aweikila.
  • 20. Generating periodic reports on department performance, highlighting difficulties or problems requiring urgent intervention.

 

Systems and servers unit

The systems and servers unit is responsible for the operation, maintenance and protection of all physical and virtual systems and servers at northern borders university by performing the following tasks:

  • Responsible for managing, monitoring, and updating storage servers at the Northern Borders University data centre.
  • Allocating storage capacities to various university entities and determining their policies.
  • Developing a proposal for backup process policies and obtaining approval from the authority holder.
  • Tracking the backup storage process and collaborating with departments to ensure backup quality.
  • Coordinating with supplier companies to provide support and find solutions for storage server issues if they arise.
  • Staying updated on new technology advancements to enhance the performance of existing storage units or develop them for newer systems.
  • Managing, monitoring, and updating servers for various systems such as Windows, Linux servers, and others.
  • Supervising network servers, including DHCP and DNS.
  • Activating all relevant licenses for systems and supporting software and activating licenses for using virtual environment systems like VMware.
  • Assisting in the unified entry process (SSO) for accessing the university's secure network.
  • Managing peripherals while connecting to the university's secure network.
  • Creating backup copies of processing and configuration files for various systems and servers to be used in cases of disaster recovery.
  • Planning for data recovery in case of potential disasters.
  • Managing the university's resources available in the cloud and related to infrastructure provision.
  • Monitoring and coordinating with cloud service providers regarding technical support, modernization, and development.
  • Building new cloud services for the university's beneficiaries.
  • Collaborating with other departments in the deanship to provide effective cloud services.
  • Installing virtual environments for servers of various electronic services.
  • Supporting and maintaining virtual environment systems in case of any problems.
  • Managing the operations of the university's backward laboratory services and providing technical support.
  • Generating periodic reports on the department's performance, identifying any difficulties or problems that require urgent intervention.
  • Participating in the development of plans for cloud and virtual environment usage.
  • Implementing and evaluating plans for cloud and virtual environment usage.
  • Providing self-service cloud services upon request, in accordance with the established policies.
  • Enabling broadband access to the network while adhering to usage and security policies.
  • Utilizing available resources effectively to ensure flexibility and speed in delivering virtual services.
  • Evaluating the measurement service for virtual services to ensure proper infrastructure resources, platforms, and applications utilisation.
  • Supervising the university's email servers and systems, ensuring proper functioning and updating them as needed.
  • Managing the active directory system and user account data, including usernames and passwords.
  • Proposing policies for the format of usernames and passwords.
  • Monitoring the main email server (mail exchange) and ensuring its smooth operation.
  • Providing technical support for creating or changing login information for email accounts.
  • Overseeing the backup and archiving process for email contents.
  • Generating periodic reports on the department's performance and identifying any difficulties or problems requiring immediate attention.

 

Data centre module

Tasks:

  • Receiving and processing physical malfunctions or services related to the network or servers.
  • Supervising the data center components and safety systems to ensure their effective operation.
  • Communicating with companies that supply emergency center technologies.
  • Periodically monitor and inspect the data center to ensure safety and proper functioning.

 

Secure information module

The information security unit is responsible for providing the essential elements of information security: confidentiality, safety, access to the information resources desired to be protected, and managing the risks of threats surrounding them. The unit has the following tasks:

  • Communicating and coordinating with the competent authority for cybersecurity within the university, following the directives of the infrastructure department organized by the deanship of information technology.
  • Handling reports received from the university's cybersecurity department and directing them to the appropriate units for processing.
  • Ensuring adequate protection for all contents within the data centers.
  • Granting access to the university's data centers based on requirements.
  • Collaborating with relevant units of the deanship to check and enhance the protection of the network and information systems.
  • Ensuring the effectiveness of security programs on all users' devices.