Network Operations-Chapter 4

Before reading this chapter I was familiar with Acceptable Use Policies because the class that I am currently taking(Information Security) actually just got done with a chapter pertaining to this. Prior to learning about it in that class, I had a somewhat general idea of AUP's and remember having my students sign and collect them while I was student teaching but never remembered signing one myself. I think when I was in grade school, technology was just starting to make a rise and it wasn't a huge part of our society yet. Now there is more of a need for AUP's in the school system then there was when I was in school.

I am not in an educational system, but I do know that Wilkes has an Acceptable Use Policy, I am just not sure how much this policy is enforced. I have never heard of any incidences involving the AUP. The mailing system that Wilkes uses is Microsoft Outlook. I use this e-mail both at work and at home. At work I can open Outlook on the computer because I have it set up under my name and password when I log on to the computer. When I use the e-mail at home I need to connect to Microsoft Outlook through the Internet.

The most important thing I learned in this chapter was something that was casually mentioned but has great importance. It was the first sentence on page 86. "The success of any netwok is measured best by the end user's level of satisfaction and productivity." So an educational system could have the best possible networking system and resources but if the person doesn't know how to use it, then there is no point. The whole point of technology is for people to get use out of it and use it as a resource, but if the user doesnt know how to access what they need or use it the correct way then the technology is useless and a waste of money. I agree that there should be mandatory workshops to help users understand all aspects of the network.