Ashford University Protecting Internal Resources Discussion Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapters 2, 6, and 8 in the textbook.
In the past, most network engineers would place a firewall at the perimeter of the network to protect the intranet. Today, the perimeters of networks have become more complex and firewalls have to be strategically placed to protect the digital assets of the organization. Data no longer consists of text documents. It has converged to include video, voice, and text. Malware can be embedded in any type of file, and once it is on the intranet, it can jeopardize the network, impact services, and reduce productivity.
In this discussion, you will address a business problem related to intranet security. For your initial post, you will assess 10 business-critical servers that need to send and accept traffic from the Internet and determine where on the network they should be put. Your organization has a network segmented into two subnets, both of which have a firewall. Subnet One is the Intranet and it connects to Subnet Two using a router. Subnet Two connects to the Internet via a border router. Consider the risks associated with a presence on the Internet, and examine the firewall architecture in order to determine the best placement for each critical server. Explain where you would place each of the critical servers listed below on the network, providing a rationale for your choices. Be sure to include information on how the chosen locations will secure the essential business services provided by each critical server.
Critical Servers
Web server with home portal
Customer database server
Mail server
Chat server
Intrusion detection system
Customer registration server
Server with marketing campaign material for the organization
Intranet website
VPN server
Mail archive server
Your initial post should be a minimum 300 words long.
Guided Response: Review several of your classmates’ posts, and respond to at least two of your peers by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies early during the week to promote more meaningful interactive discourse in the discussion.
Compare the difference between your and your classmates’ server placements. Assess the risk(s) associated with your peer’s proposed architecture, and recommend at least one change to the placement of critical servers in order to increase security. Provide an explanation for your suggestion supporting your statements with evidence from the readings. Consider the essential business services represented within each of the critical servers. Carefully evaluate the rationales provided by your classmate, and explain whether or not he or she has considered the possible interruption of these essential business services.
Your responses should be a minimum of 250 words.