Telecommunications Case Assignment: The Acme Corporation ✓ Solved

TelecommunicationsCase Assignment The Acme Corporation is a

The Acme Corporation is a new startup that wishes to sell their new phone to the public called Acmephone, a more secure version of the phone to business organizations, called the Acmephone B+, and highly secure version of the phone, called the Acmephone G+, to the government. Due to the fear of corporate espionage and government security requirements, there are many security concerns that must be addressed. As a security professional, you have been employed to design a network infrastructure for their two campuses located in Atlanta and Cincinnati based upon the following specifications: There needs to be a constant connection between the two locations that can carry at least 50 Mbps of data.

Each facility has three floors. The buildings are rectangular with each floor being 350’x350’. There will be 200 network connections on each floor with an additional 100 network connections in the data centers located on the third floor of each building. The primary data center will be located at the Atlanta location. There will be a failover data center at the Cincinnati location.

Each location should be protected from intrusions that are not limited to state change attacks. The Atlanta location will house the two secure development teams. As such, it will need the most security. To further complicate the design, there will be database servers and the corporate Web servers housed at that location as well. There will be database servers located at the Cincinnati site.

The servers must have redundancy. The solution must have a plan to verify security measures. Your job is to develop a network design to meet the requirements above. You should submit a network drawing listing the network’s topology including any necessary hardware. You should list any recommended cable. You can recommend wiring closets wherever you need them. You should recommend ways to assure that you are not getting attacked. You should build traps to stop attackers. You should recommend any WAN or wireless technologies. You should recommend any technology needed in the data center for high availability. Justify your recommendations.

Paper For Above Instructions

The Acme Corporation, a burgeoning startup, has embarked on an ambitious journey to release its innovative products: the Acmephone, Acmephone B+, and Acmephone G+. These devices are tailored to cater to the general public, businesses, and government entities, respectively. Given the backdrop of corporate espionage and the stringent security measures demanded by government entities, a robust network infrastructure is crucial for the organization’s operational integrity. This paper delineates a comprehensive network design suitable for Acme Corporation's campuses in Atlanta and Cincinnati, ensuring security, redundancy, and efficiency.

Network Design Requirements

According to the project specifications, the network infrastructure mandates a data transmission capability of at least 50 Mbps between the Atlanta and Cincinnati locations. Each building consists of three floors, with dimensions of 350’x350’. The design must accommodate 200 network connections on each floor and an additional 100 connections in the data centers situated on the third floors of both facilities, leading to a total of 900 connections per building.

Network Topology

The proposed network topology will be a star topology, as it allows for more efficient management of connections and simplifies fault isolation. Each floor will be connected to a central wiring closet located on the third floor, which serves as a hub for all data traffic before routing to the main data center in Atlanta. The Atlanta location will also handle database servers and corporate web servers that are crucial for daily operations, while backup database servers will be located in Cincinnati to serve redundancy purposes.

Hardware and Infrastructure

The recommended hardware for the network includes:

• Managed Layer 3 switches for efficient data routing and management.
• Firewalls to provide a barrier against unauthorized access.
• Intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) to monitor network traffic for suspicious activities.
• Ruggedized servers for both locations to offer high uptime and reliability.
• Wireless Access Points (WAPs) to ensure seamless wireless connectivity for devices throughout the premises.

For cabling, a combination of CAT 6a Ethernet cables and fiber optic cables is recommended. CAT 6a cables will be used for standard network connections, ensuring speed and reduced interference, while fiber optic connections will facilitate high-speed connections between the Atlanta and Cincinnati data centers. Fiber optics is essential for the backbone connection, as it can support higher bandwidths and longer distances without degradation.

Security Measures

Given the sensitive nature of Acme Corporation's work, especially involving government contracts and corporate data, the security of the network infrastructure is of paramount importance. Multiple layers of security measures will be implemented:

• Firewalls to control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
• Utilizing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to secure remote access and encrypt sensitive data traffic.
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and rectify potential weaknesses in the network.
• Employee training programs focused on cybersecurity to ensure that all staff members are aware of potential threats.
• Physical security controls, including secure access to data centers and surveillance systems to deter unauthorized access.

Furthermore, implementing a segmentation strategy will bolster network security. Each floor's network can be segmented, isolating sensitive data traffic and reducing the risk of widespread breaches.

Redundancy and High Availability

Ensuring high availability and redundancy is integral for both data centers. The primary Atlanta data center will utilize a hot standby configuration, where additional servers are on standby, prepared to take over immediately in the event of a failure. This includes load balancers to efficiently distribute network traffic and avoid server overload.

The Cincinnati location will serve as a disaster recovery site with a failover database, ensuring business continuity. This structure guarantees that if any critical systems fail at the primary site, operations can rapidly transition to a secondary location without significant downtime.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the outlined network design for Acme Corporation fulfills all specified requirements while incorporating essential security measures, redundancy, and efficient data transfer capabilities. By employing a star topology, robust hardware components, and a multilayered security strategy, Acme Corporation can ensure that its network remains secure and reliable, safeguarding its innovative products and maintaining stakeholder trust.

References

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