Summary

Two of the most important aspects of hardening your network infrastructure are to ensure that you have adequately addressed any staffing or training issues and to ensure that you have the personnel and expertise required to be successful.

There are three predominant methods of adding personnel:

• Increasing staff headcount

• Utilizing contractors

• Outsourcing

In dealing with staffing issues, you want to make sure you identify and recruit the right candidates for the position and your environment. The first step is to identify the type of candidate you need. The next step is to engage in a sound technical interview to gauge how well a candidate will truly fit the position. Some positions may require background checks, security clearances, or for the candidate to be bonded and insured, so you need to be prepared for these possibilities.

Once you have identified a candidate, you need to keep them. You can do a number of things to help retain candidates, including making sure they are paid a competitive wage, making sure they are technically challenged, and providing a flexible and friendly work environment.

Another aspect of dealing with staffing issues is to identify the various roles and responsibilities for both individuals and groups. This allows you to clearly define what everyone is expected to do as well as to ensure your entire environment has someone who is responsible for managing and maintaining it.

The final staffing issue to consider is knowledge management ”ensuring that employees share information among each other. Do not allow an employee to become the only person who understands some aspect of your network. As good as that person might be technically, they are a liability in such circumstances. Instead, build an environment that encourages and rewards data sharing through the use of regular meetings, requiring documentation for all changes, mentoring, and the use of a central repository for data storage and access.

One you have recruited and retained the people you need, the next phase is keeping them sharp. This is where training comes into play. You have numerous training resources at your disposal that can help ensure your staff stays sharp and on top of the products and technologies required in your environment. These include instructor-led training, computer-based training, technical seminars , technical conferences, vendor training, self-study resources, and a lab environment where employees can test and learn new technologies.