Hardware & Software Management

Complete system management – predictable, fast, flexible and efficient

We help hundreds of Australian businesses- large and small- with the purchase, installation, configuration and training of business networks. This includes servers, workstations, switches and the entire LAN/WAN.

Flexible in our approach, we ensure your business network help you minimise costs, reduce complexity and improve service quality while meeting increased demands for quality, performance and reliability.

Active Directory Design and Implementation

Active Directory (AD) is an essential component of the Microsoft operating system architecture. Network Overdrive will fully manage the AD, which will allow us to manage data access, network resources and user accounts, including providing a central authority for network security. In addition to providing comprehensive directory services within a Windows environment, AD is designed to be a consolidation point for isolating, migrating, centrally managing, and reducing the number of directories that companies require.

What you can expect:

• Design of the Active Directory structure
• Migration of your current directory management system to the current AD environment (where applicable)
• Implementation of the Active Directory structure and policies
• Management of the Active Directory
• Activation and deactivation of user accounts
• Maintenance of user access to network resources (files, folders, printers)
• Automated software loads and updates for the Microsoft Operating System, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Exchange*

*Note: this does NOT include upgrades to the next Microsoft Version of software. Any version upgrades will be categorised as a project and a cost estimate will need to be provided.

Microsoft Operating System (MSOS) Management

Microsoft releases updates (i.e., fixes, patches, and service packs) on a weekly basis. While intended to resolve known problems with a specific operating system or application, these updates are frequently released without adequate testing and without appropriate consideration for all consequences that may arise from implementation. Even under the best of circumstances, loading updates can be disruptive to your business.

What you can expect:

• Monitoring and applying Microsoft updates for installed operating systems and core applications
• Assessment of the relative merits and risks of implementation of Microsoft updates and version upgrades

When appropriate, bundling of non-critical updates into a single load applied at times of low server load, thus avoiding disruption to your business during updates
Immediate loading of critical updates across your network infrastructure

Workstation Management

Network Overdrive will actively manage the Microsoft Operating System on workstations. This includes comprehensive workstation operating system (OS) management on an ongoing basis, as well as a dynamic response to suspected errors reported by end-users or local administrators.

What you can expect:

• Monitoring of Microsoft updates for the operating systems and core applications on a continuous basis, including patches, fixes, and service packs
• Assessment of the relative merits and risks of implementation of Microsoft updates
  When appropriate, bundling of non-critical updates into a single load, thereby reducing business disruption
• Load-testing of critical updates immediately on availability across your network infrastructure
• Software-automated updates for Microsoft applications through the MS Active Directory
• Anti-virus and online security database and engine updates
• Automated software installations for non-Microsoft applications (if available in Network Overdrive’s Software Catalogue)

Switch Management

Switch Management includes daily management of Network Overdrive-provided managed switches, responding to system issues and resolving detected faults as soon as they arise. This encompasses structured fault diagnosis, network isolation and bypass, and then resolution through an onsite hardware repair, unit replacement, or software/firmware update.

What you can expect:

• Switch administration – port activation and deactivation
• IOS upgrades and configuration backups
• Routine switch maintenance
• Radius security access
• Monitoring of switch availability, CPU load, bandwidth utilization, packet integrity, and memory allocation
• VLAN creation and management
• Bandwidth monitoring and OS control, management of user bandwidth allowances, memory utilization, CPU load and network response times

LAN Management

LAN management includes network monitoring by the Network Overdrive Network Operations Centre (NOC) network specialists, who manage resolutions on a 24/7 basis. The remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform will detect abnormal network behaviour, identify faults, and generate appropriate status data and alerts. Abnormal network behaviour would include hardware and application software failure, duplicate IP addresses, data packet corruption, domain connection issues, and collected measurements that exceed a defined threshold.

What you can expect:

• LAN monitoring (for wireless or Ethernet-based LANs) by periodic polling devices for availability and utilizing remote and live self-diagnostic mechanisms available in firmware
• Fast response and resolutions to system issues and faults as they arise via on-site repair, replacement or software/firmware upgrade or reconfiguration
• Rapid notifying of abnormal network behaviour, and advice on isolation if required