I Do Not Have The Foggiest Notion Of How To Begin This

I do not have the foggiest notion of how to begin this and need some h

I do not have the foggiest notion of how to begin this and need some help. Following the scenario and the assignment directions, it has to be 10-20 slides in Microsoft PowerPoint and voice recording, but I would want detailed notes on the bottom of the slides instead of the recording, to get an idea of what I will actually record. It has to be done by tonight 02/09/2013 at 10pm. Scenario You are a consultant and have been brought in to assist the Southwestern Hospital Group (SHG) with its acquisition of the Western Arizona Thoracic Care Hospital (WATCH). WATCH is a small 300-bed facility with approximately 1,500 full-time employees.

The reasoning for the acquisition of this independent hospital by the for-profit SHG group was to modernize and streamline WATCH. By purchasing WATCH, SHG's cash flow could be applied to modernize and streamline the WATCH facility and it could generate some profit for the SHG chain. WATCH is set up with a Windows NT domain with a primary domain controller (PDC) and a secondary domain controller (two of each controller). It has two Linux boxes performing print server and Domain Name System (DNS) services. There are a couple of Apache Web servers performing intranet and Internet functions.

The WATCH Internet site primarily is a static Web site with contact and facility information aimed at promoting WATCH services to the community. The internal intranet is used mainly for hospital policies and procedures. Also, the employees can update employee information on WATCH's Web site. Currently, several domains exist at WATCH. The administrative domain includes the domain controllers, the Linux DNS servers, the Apache Web servers and 10 host computers.

The bookkeeping domain includes accounts payable and employee payroll and benefits processing. This domain has 50 client machines using an Oracle database. The billing domain manages patient data, accounts receivable, the Linux print servers, and 60 client computers. The patient records domain is in an in-house hospital data system that uses SQL Server 7.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3). Users feel that this system is nearing the end of its functional life.

The proprietary system data is housed on an AS400 and is approximately 7 terabytes in size. In the nursing domain, there are three hosts in each of the 10 nurses' stations and an additional 12 workstations deployed at various WATCH locations for a total of 42 hosts. Backup duties are currently handled by Automated Tape Library DLT Drives storage backup, which can back up approximately 10 terabytes of data. SHG wants to merge WATCH into its network infrastructure and centralize the administrative domain into its central administrative site in San Diego. SHG's network is a Windows 2000/2003 network with Active Directory.

The patient records application will eventually be merged into SHG's DB3 database hosted on mainframes in the San Diego administrative site. SHG wants to eliminate paper patient records as soon as possible and get WATCH to use its wireless patient records and tracking application, which uses Palm handheld devices. You will lead a team of eight administrators and network engineers consisting of three WATCH administrators and five other contractor network engineers who specialize in network migration and setup. Assignment: You have been asked to design and deliver a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to your team regarding the upgrade and the integration of the WATCH network into SHG's Active Directory forest.

Since your team is geographically dispersed, you must create the slides and record the presentation so that when you distribute it to your team, they can watch and listen to the recording to understand the upgrade and integration. You will need to do the following: • Explain how to integrate the existing WATCH networking standards, protocols, and access methods. • Select which is the most appropriate protocols and access standard to use without any loss of existing functionality to the billing department, the intranet, or the existing Internet site. • These functionalities will be migrated later, but for now your team needs only the migration plans for the administrative and bookkeeping functions.

Paper For Above instruction

This presentation aims to guide the IT team through the strategic upgrade and integration of the WATCH hospital network into the SHG's centralized Active Directory infrastructure. Given the legacy systems, diverse protocols, and multiple domains currently in place at WATCH, a comprehensive plan is essential to ensure a seamless transition that preserves existing functionalities for critical departments such as billing, administration, and the intranet services.

Introduction

Integrating a legacy hospital network like WATCH’s into SHG’s Active Directory ecosystem involves meticulous planning around existing infrastructure, protocols, and protocols. WATCH operates with various operating systems, including Windows NT, Linux, and proprietary systems, hosting several functional domains crucial to hospital operations. The primary goal is to ensure operational continuity, data integrity, and security during the migration. This requires a layered approach, prioritizing the preservation of current services for billing, administration, and intranet operations, later transitioning to SHG's system architecture.

Analysis of Existing Networking Architecture

WATCH’s network comprises several domains with distinct functions: administrative domain, bookkeeping, billing, patient records, and nursing. The administrative domain includes Windows NT domain controllers, Linux servers running DNS, and Apache web servers. The bookkeeping domain supports payroll and accounts payable on Oracle database systems, while billing manages patient data with Linux servers. The patient records domain relies on an in-house SQL Server 7.0 database, and proprietary data resides on an AS400 mainframe system, totaling approximately 7 terabytes. The network employs multiple protocols—SMB/CIFS for Windows shares, LDAP or NTLM for directory services, and various Linux protocols such as NFS, SAMBA, and HTTP for web services.

Existing Standards, Protocols, and Access Methods

Current access methods include Windows-based login sessions, Linux-based NFS shares, and web access via Apache servers. Authentication primarily relies on Windows NT protocols (NTLM) and Linux authentication methods. The infrastructure also uses proprietary protocols for the AS400 system and specialized interfaces for medical data systems. Crucially, the system architecture supports multiple domains, which complicates direct integration into SHG’s Active Directory without a migration plan.

Choosing the Appropriate Protocols and Access Standards

For seamless transition, the focus is on protocols that are compatible with both legacy systems and SHG’s Active Directory. SMB/CIFS will be retained for Windows shares and key applications involved in billing and administration, as it provides reliable access without functional loss. For Linux-based services, NFS can be adapted or migrated to Windows-compatible equivalents, such as SMB or Samba, ensuring secure data sharing and access. Since the goal is minimal disruption, integrating LDAP with Active Directory might involve establishing trust relationships or directory synchronization, enabling authentication continuity while gradually transitioning services. For the proprietary AS400, options include mapping data access via IBM’s Access Client Solutions or middleware capable of interfacing with Windows network shares, ensuring no loss of data availability.

Migration Plan for Administrative and Bookkeeping Functions

The initial migration should focus on establishing secure, compatible communication channels between the existing domains and SHG’s Active Directory. This includes setting up trust relationships, migrating user accounts, and reconfiguring servers to support SMB/CIFS and LDAP protocols aligned with Active Directory. Key steps involve:

• Creating trust relationships between WATCH’s Windows NT domains and SHG’s Active Directory forest.
• Migrating user accounts from NT domains to Active Directory, ensuring permissions and access rights are preserved.
• Configuring Linux servers to support SMB/Samba for file sharing, replacing or integrating existing NFS services accordingly.
• Deploying middleware or bridges for the AS400 to facilitate data access via Windows protocols, avoiding physical data transfer disruptions.
• Testing the migration sequentially for billing and administrative departments, verifying access and data integrity at each stage.

This phased approach minimizes risks, maintains system availability, and provides a foundation for comprehensive integration in subsequent phases.

Conclusion

Effective integration of WATCH into SHG’s infrastructure hinges on selecting and configuring protocols that support existing functionalities without interruption. SMB/CIFS, LDAP, and appropriate middleware ensure data integrity and access consistency. The migration plan prioritizes minimal disruption, robust security, and scalability, enabling WATCH to evolve within SHG's unified network environment smoothly. Future phases will expand upon this foundation, gradually shifting to native Active Directory systems and consolidating data repositories, including the proprietary system and patient records.

References

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