Unit 3H, Tools, Activity 1
(Unit 3H Act. 1 .pdf) - (Unit 3H Act. 1 .doc)
Answer hardware/network resources questions
Fire managers are typically asking more of their respective Information Technology support staff than many agency personnel. Many factors contribute to this situation. Many fire management positions are inter-agency in nature or scope. There is often a need for access to multiple networks (external and internal), sources of agency data, sharing of files ranging from simple text to extensive databases or spatial data of large size and near real-time electronic connectivity. In addition fire specific applications are developed by academia and/or agency researchers and distributed through various sources other than network administrators. Typically application support is either lacking or provided off-site through development staff.
Fire managers are left to navigate the morass of file management, application installation and support, and external connection functionality outside the realm of network administration provided at their local unit. Successful managers will quickly need to adapt to this condition and develop at least rudimentary skills in managing their information technology resources. In many cases interagency peers and fire specific support staff at the regional or national level can provide needed support.
Familiarity with your typical hardware configuration can assist in meeting these challenges. Many managers have found it easier to work solely off one workstation that provides for networking at home and the same configuration on the road. Laptop computers can typically provide the same needed specifications for data processing, memory capacity, data sharing, and connectivity. For those users that prefer the ergonomic advantages of a desktop workstation, laptop configuration can easily accommodate external pointing devices, keyboards, and full-size monitors. Guidelines for hardware purchasing are usually managed through consolidated contract purchases and overseen by local IT staff. Available models and configurations are routinely updated to try and keep pace with industry advances. Most fire management users will find that high-end models described on government contracts are necessary to meet user demands. (See HO-1 describing suggested computer specification for attendance at higher level fire curriculum classes.).
In addition to the hardware you will utilize, it is equally important to have the ability to manage the files, data and applications available to meet the demands of your position. Modern operating systems have responded to current threats and security concerns by building administrative controls over networked resources. These controls will typically limit the ability of the generic user to manage their IT resources in the realm of system set-up options and software installation. While there are significant benefits to this in the protection of government networks from corruption and invasion of privacy, it also introduces hurdles to the accomplishment of many duties. Unfortunately this is often not fully understood or discovered until fire personnel are working in time critical situations on emergency incidents or away from their duty station in meetings, workshops, or training sessions.
When you have completed Lesson 3H, the unit test will ask the following questions:
Is your workstation a desktop or laptop computer? If desktop, do you have a laptop computer available to you for assignment?
On your primary workstation: What operating system is installed? What is your hard drive capacity and how much space is free? (Open My Computer and select properties of your local drive (C: typically); Do you have the ability to install software without assistance from IT?; What data sharing options are available to you?
While away from work what are your options to connect to e-mail servers, Internet pages, Intranet connections, and your local network resources? Do you have an agency hosted dialer (toll-free, local, etc.)? Do you have access to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection?
What security features are installed and enabled on your portable workstation?
Will the virus protection software run while you are not connected to your home network?
Are e-mail attachments screened for viruses?
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