Dive Brief:
- Thanks to virtualization, more unattended or abandoned servers are cropping up on campus networks, slowing things down and causing security liabilities.
- These so-called ghost servers can be tracked down using a variety of methods, and can comprise as much as 10% of the servers in a system, according to EdTech: Focus on Higher Ed.
- If the server really is unused, the ultimate goal is to backup this data and remove it from the system — though author Joel Snyder cautions that getting support from administrators beforehand is a crucial step.
Dive Insight:
As a general rule, higher education institutions are often slow to upgrade their technology, with some relying on dated architecture created 30 years ago. But higher ed is not the sole sector with aging infrastructure. It impacts companies too.
As the need for more responsive networks that can cope with an ever-expanding range of mobile and Internet of Things-enabled devices, schools are farming out these responsibilities to larger companies and turning to cloud-based solutions.
Combating security threats is another major concern for network administrators, which may begin with mitigating risks posed by end users, namely staff and faculty, who have privileges on the network that can be exploited if not properly secured. Realizing the potential for preventing issues before they become problems, the University of Dayton recently started a yearlong campaign on "cyber mindfulness," educating staff and end users on its network on staying safe from security threats.