ITS405 Portfolio Project Scenario: Worldwide Advertising Inc

Its405 Portfolio Project Scenarioworldwide Advertising Inc Wai A

Analyze and design an IT infrastructure solution for Worldwide Advertising Inc. (WAI), a new advertising firm establishing two locations in Los Angeles and New York City, with 300 employees across various departments. The company is hiring staff and needs internal IT services configured, with the future IT staff responsible for administration. Networking equipment is already in place, and a secure IPSec tunnel will connect the two sites. The solution must address departmental data privacy concerns, intra- and inter-site connectivity, and scalability for the next two to three years.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Establishing a robust and secure Information Technology (IT) infrastructure is critical for the success of any modern organization, especially a newly founded company like Worldwide Advertising Inc. (WAI). As WAI expands its operational footprint across two major metropolitan hubs—Los Angeles and New York—the company must develop a comprehensive IT strategy that aligns with its growth objectives while ensuring data security, efficient communication, and departmental privacy. This paper provides a detailed solution for implementing and configuring WAI’s core IT services, considering their staffing, network architecture, security measures, and department-specific data access requirements.

Organizational Profile and IT Needs

WAI's organizational structure comprises five main departments: Executives, Accounts and Sales, Creative Media and Production, Human Resources and Finances, and IT support staff. The company employs 300 personnel: 10 executives, 150 from sales and accounts, 100 from creative and production, 30 from HR and finance, and 10 from IT. With plans to maintain this staffing level for the next two to three years, WAI requires a scalable IT infrastructure that can support daily operations, internal communications, and secure data sharing.

Network Architecture and Connectivity

The existing networking equipment at both locations provides the foundation for WAI’s connectivity. To enable secure inter-site communication, a site-to-site Virtual Private Network (VPN) utilizing IPSec will be configured. This VPN will encrypt all traffic between the two sites, ensuring confidentiality and integrity over the public internet. Given the organization’s size, a high-capacity broadband connection (e.g., fiber optic links) should be employed to provide sufficient bandwidth for data transfer and remote communications. A primary consideration is routing traffic efficiently; thus, implementing dedicated subnets for each department within each site will facilitate logical separation and management.

Core IT Services and Server Infrastructure

WAI's IT core services should include centralized DHCP, DNS, Active Directory (AD), and file sharing services. A Windows Server environment can be employed at each site, with one site designated as the primary domain controller (DC) and the other as a secondary or backup domain controller to ensure high availability. This Active Directory setup will enable centralized user management and access control, supporting department-specific privacy requirements.

File servers should host departmental data, with permissions configured to restrict access as needed. Sensitive financial data stored by the Finance department will have stricter permissions, preventing access from other departments. To facilitate collaboration, shared folders with appropriate access controls will be established for cross-departmental projects, with audit logs enabled to monitor data access and modifications.

Addressing Departmental Privacy and Data Segregation

WAI's data privacy concerns necessitate careful permission management on shared resources. Active Directory's organizational units (OUs) can be used to group departmental accounts, and access control lists (ACLs) will enforce data privacy. For example, the Finance OU will have read/write permissions only for finance personnel; other departments will have limited or no access.

To enhance security, implementing role-based access control (RBAC) will ensure that employees access only the resources necessary for their roles. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can be integrated for sensitive data and administrative access, further securing the environment.

Server and Network Security

Although the assignment specifies that security mechanisms such as firewalls and intrusion detection are handled separately, best practices recommend deploying internal firewalls to segment networks within each site. Segmentation reduces the risk of lateral movement by malicious actors. Endpoint security solutions and regular patching cycles must be enforced to safeguard servers and workstations.

Scalability and Future Growth

The infrastructure should incorporate scalable components, such as modular switches, expandable server racks, and cloud integration options, to support future expansion. Cloud services like Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services could host supplemental services or backups, offering elasticity and resiliency.

Regular backups, disaster recovery plans, and a business continuity strategy are vital, especially as data volume grows. Cloud-based backup solutions can ensure data protection with minimal impact on daily operations.

Assumptions and Additional Considerations

1. Departmental data privacy requirements will be enforced via ACLs in Active Directory and NTFS permissions.

2. The existing networking equipment supports VLAN segmentation for departmental traffic prioritization and isolation.

3. Cloud services are assumed to be compliant with the company's security policies and will serve as backup or supplementary resources.

4. The employees have standard hardware configurations, and endpoint security solutions are standard across the organization.

5. IT support staff are responsible for ongoing management post-deployment, and training will be provided to ensure smooth operation.

Conclusion

Implementing a comprehensive and scalable IT infrastructure for WAI involves integrating secure network connectivity, centralized services, and department-specific data controls. By leveraging existing networking infrastructure, deploying centralized servers with Active Directory, and enforcing strict permissions, WAI can ensure operational efficiency and data security. Future scalability considerations, coupled with best practices in security and data management, will support WAI’s growth over the next two to three years, enabling it to expand confidently in the competitive advertising industry.

References

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