14 – 18 August was a week where I did more interaction with server management and team communications. Monitoring the server networks, outside vendor systems,  and WAN/LAN systems through Solarwinds monitoring, I was able to respond to any emergencies, set up monitoring and notifications of scheduled network changes, and ensure that any servers that were overtaxed were balanced out with their clusters. The Network Operations Center supervises ReedSmiths remote network system which enables any employee to access the network worldwide. This is important because one new office is strictly working off the remote network while their office is being set up, and they have ongoing cases along with pertinent information that includes the case load in ReedSmith worldwide.

I also helped with a case that included setting up a new monitoring camera in the Middle East that helps monitor who goes into and out of the server room. This monitoring network piece of equipment helps not only view security issues, along with recording for later investigation, but it also can help troubleshoot problems that might be happening with other sensors in the server room.

I helped reboot many servers, which as usual fixes most technological systems, but this is critical for every update, which keeps the systems secure and ensures that one hole isn’t open for hackers to enter our client information. ReedSmith has a lot of power because they deal with private client information and they represent some major corporations, state issues, and even private clients that are very famous. Any of these issues could affect money issues worldwide, law worldwide, or even ruin lives should the pertinent information be leaked. The interworking of the IT support, IT Environment, and Network Operations Center is critical with current and future major incidents and laws that affect how people live on a daily basis along with money issues worldwide.

This internship has opened my eyes to how important programming and security are when dealing with non-DOD secret information and how it affects everyone’s daily life.