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Company Case StudiesNetwork Design and Administration Case StudyThe Challenge Michigan Foundation Company is a leading ready mixed concrete producer with three plants in southeastern Michigan. For several years, we worked with their network administrator to help support their Novell Netware environment. Their network administrator then retired and Michigan Foundation had to decide how to replace him. They were also interested in upgrading their server hardware, installing an Internet connection, and migrating to a Windows platform. Our challenge was to help them maintain their network as well as perform the migration. The Response Michigan Foundation called Dominant Systems for help. We met with their management staff in order to inventory their network, document current issues, and discuss plans for the future. Our consulting staff constructed a project proposal for the network upgrade. Then, Michigan Foundation purchased a service contract. They decided it was more cost effective to outsource their network support to us rather than hire another engineer. The Result We installed three new Windows servers and configured Internet access for their offices. We upgraded many of their workstations and configured email as well as desktop faxing. A certified and experienced Dominant Systems network engineer visits their offices regularly to provide network administration, installation, and troubleshooting services. These services are provided at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time network administrator. As a result, their network is reliably maintained at an affordable price.  Network Security Case Study The Challenge Our client, who shall remain nameless for security reasons, had four servers and multiple branch offices throughout the Detroit area. Having designed their network, we were confident of their fault-tolerant servers and firewall. However, they were concerned about physical access to the server hardware as well as file permissions and insecure passwords. Our challenge was to provide a comprehensive assessment of their overall network security and to help construct a plan for minimizing potential threats. The Response Our client called Dominant Systems for help. We traveled to their site in order to perform a comprehensive security assessment. We examined all three aspects of network security: internal threats, external threats, and hardware/software failures. We began by searching for weak points in the firewall by scanning the network through the Internet using several commonly used IP scanners. The environmental conditions of the server room as well as power protection and physical accessibility were also assessed. We provided an inventory of the network equipment as well as service pack revision information for all operating systems, email clients, and web browsers. We also examined their file and directory permissions, user account policies, anti-virus software, as well as server event and tape backup logs. Using the same tools a hacker might use, the password strength of all accounts on the network was tested. In addition, we looked for vulnerabilities in their remote access hardware and software. Lastly, we made recommendations for a written Acceptable Use Policy to add to the client’s employee handbook. The Result We compiled all of the above information into a report, including a two page executive summary that outlined their network security in plain English. The report included all the supporting data as well as a written diagram of their network infrastructure. We presented the report in a meeting with one of their top executives. Although the client had a solid network, we were able to make several recommendations to improve their security. This included moving critical data from workstations to the server, shutting down unused services, tightening password restrictions as well as directory permissions, and improving their disaster recovery plan. As a result, our client’s network is more secure and more reliable. |
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