Cerritos College Network Overview

There are over 2,000 active computers on the Cerritos College campus network. Other connections are for printers, servers, other devices, and future growth. The campus network has approximately 6,000 switched 100 Mbps Ethernet ports using equipment manufactured by Cisco Corporation. We are currently in a replacement cycle upgrading our switches to provide greater security and reliability. Our network replacement cycle is based upon a 5 year replacement schedule. Funding of approximately $150,000 per year has been allocated toward keeping our infrastructure "up-to-date".  This schedule was put into effect in fiscal year 2004-2005 and has proven to be very effective.  If our equipment becomes too old, we are much more vulnerable to security breaches and failures. 

We provide service to 28 buildings distributed among 39 wiring closets over a redundant gigabit fiber-optic backbone for enhanced reliability. We have integrated Cisco’s networking equipment into our existing environment to take advantage of gigabit speeds in some key locations (including our central computer room). We support both administrative and academic computing software and hardware.

Network Building Blocks

Modern networks operate in a modular fashion, breaking down the problem of systems communications into distinct layers. By isolating and defining specific layers, modern networks can adapt, improve, and implement alternative solutions to one problem (layer), without forcing changes to the entire network, which in turn would necessitate complete overhauls of network hardware and software. For the purposes of the Cerritos Network Overview, we will break down the overall network into five different layers, and discuss the solutions that Cerritos College has selected for its large, high-speed network.

In the figure above, each classification is depicted as a layer. The layers above rely upon the layers below. Theoretically, the technology within each layer can be changed without affecting the layers above or below. These changes may be made for a variety of reasons: to implement improved technology, to increase performance or reliability, or even to reduce operating costs.

We will start at the bottom, and work our way to the top. We will discuss the network equipment, hardware, and software that Cerritos uses to provide services at that layer.

The physical network consists of optical and electrical cabling, and network hardware. Cerritos uses a redundant gigabit Ethernet backbone interconnected with fiber optic cables.  This is the core of the entire network. 

This configuration implements redundancy to help protect the Cerritos network from any single point of failure. Let's look at communications between computer "A" and computer "B" under normal, 100% operational conditions. The heavy lines indicate the path the network data would take - the shortest, fastest path.

The Cerritos network is completely switched, meaning that data packets go directly from the source computer to the destination computer, without being exposed on many (if any) other user networks. This provides increased performance and security to the network.

The Cerritos firewall prevents unauthorized access into or out of the Cerritos network. This is accomplished by restricting the flow of data packets by a set of rules based on where the packet is coming from or going to, as well as the type of communication the packet is attempting to establish.

Basic Network Services are those that are required for minimal operation of a modern network. Basic network services are taken for granted by most modern computers and operating systems. Cerritos has several servers set up to provide these basic services. Some servers provide more than one service, while other services are implemented on more than one server, usually for redundancy reasons.

A few of these services are:

DHCP Allows IP computers to join a network upon power-up.

DNS Allows IP systems to use names instead of numbers to identify themselves and other computers. ("www.yahoo.com" instead of "126.143.1.12")

Active Directory runs on triply redundant domain controllers. Domain controllers allow Windows users and machines to authenticate, and subsequently login to a Windows network.

Cerritos uses several modern, common network services. These allow the students and faculty alike to benefit from modern network computing. Once the lower layers are functioning properly, network services can provide a large variety of high-level services ranging from simple logins to complex database access to highly specialized functions.

Here is an example of what network services Cerritos currently offers:

· Microsoft Windows and Macintosh Fileservers - Allows Windows and Macintosh computers to store and retrieve files

· Microsoft Windows and Macintosh Print servers - Allows Windows and Macintosh computers to print over the network to shared printers

· SQL Server - Allows database applications to store, retrieve, and share data records

· Domain Controllers - Enables roaming profiles

· Multimedia Server - Enables streaming audio and video

· Image Server - For Form storage and retrieval (for financial aid as well as others)

· Academic Application Servers - Specialized systems for specific academic uses.

· Examples:

· Language Lab

· Woodworking

· Student ID

· Student Health & Wellness

· Backup Servers

Applications in use at Cerritos vary widely. Some are used by the faculty, students, staff, and others within the community. The applications rely upon all underlying layers of the network to be functioning properly.

Examples of standard applications used by students and faculty:

· Word Processing (Microsoft Word)

· Spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel)

· Presentation Software(Microsoft PowerPoint)

· Database (Microsoft Access)

· Email (Microsoft Outlook)

· Web Page Development (Microsoft FrontPage)

· Virus Protection (McAfee)

· Video Players (Media Player & Quicktime)

· Web Browsers (Internet Explorer)

· Terminal Emulation (QVT)

Examples of specific instructional applications:

· 3D Design Glossary

· Dental Terminology

o P1-P3

· Dose Calc

o Lesson 1-11

· Economics 1.1 and 1.2

· Health Occupation & PE

o Diet Analysis Plus

o Nutrition Pro

o Universal Precaution 3.0

· Logic Coach II

· Mathematics

o Derive

o Rurbc

o Rurca

o Rurcii

o Success

o Tidbet trigonometry

· Nursing & Mental Health

o Anger & Hostility

o Anxiety

o Crisis

o Depression & Elation

o Disorientation & Sensory Misperception

o Mistrust

o Severe Mental Disorder

o Substance Abuse

o Withdraw & Repression 

· Esha

o Diet Analysis plus

· Iprax Course Works v.3.2 (Paulson)

· ISI 2.0

· Learning Plus

· Visual Studio 6

· Ultimate Speed Reader

· OASYS

· Publisher 2000

· FrontPage 2000

· Eureka

· QVT 4.3e

· Time Sync

· Advance Reading Skills

· Advance Vocabulary Skills

· Building Reading Skills

· Building Vocabulary Skills

· Groundwork for better Vocabulary

· Improving Reading Skills

· Reading Efficiency 

· Vocabulary Basics

· Groundwork for College Reading 3/e

· Ten Steps to Building College Reading Skills

· Ten Steps to Improving College Reading Skills

· Ten Steps to Advance College Reading Skills

· Improving Vocabulary Skills

· Advance Word Power

· Qbasic 4.5

· QuickTime 4.2

· Internet Explorer

· Windows installer 1.1

· Virus scan 4.5

· Code Warrior 4

· Paulson

· ADP Shoplinks

· CCC Pathways

· CBT CCC Pathways

· Mitchell

· Image Mate

· Nursing Skills

· Intermediate Algebra Math Pro 4

· Maple 6

· Adam

· Geometers Sketchpad