Telecommunications Case Assignment: The Acme Corporation Is

Telecommunicationscase Assignmentthe Acme Corporation Is A New Startup

Telecommunications Case Assignment: The Acme Corporation is a new startup that plans to sell various versions of their new phone, the Acmephone. These include a standard model for the general public, a more secure version called Acmephone B+ for business organizations, and a highly secure version called Acmephone G+ intended for government use. Due to concerns over corporate espionage and government security requirements, the network infrastructure must address numerous security considerations. As a security professional, your task is to design a network infrastructure for two campuses located in Atlanta and Cincinnati, each with specific connectivity, security, and redundancy requirements.

The network must maintain a constant connection between the two locations with at least 50 Mbps bandwidth. Each campus consists of three rectangular floors, each measuring 350 feet by 350 feet. Each floor will have approximately 200 network connections, with an additional 100 network connections located in the data center on the third floor of each building. The primary data center will be situated in Atlanta, with a failover data center in Cincinnati to ensure resilience and business continuity.

Security considerations are paramount. Each location must be protected from unauthorized intrusions, including state change attacks. The Atlanta site will house the secure development teams, which necessitates the highest security measures. The Atlanta facility will also contain database servers and web servers critical to the company's operations, while the Cincinnati site will host database servers as well. Redundancy must be incorporated into server infrastructure to prevent data loss and downtime, along with mechanisms to verify and maintain security measures effectively.

Paper For Above instruction

Designing a secure and reliable network infrastructure for Acme Corporation's two-campus setup requires a comprehensive approach that combines robust connectivity, layered security, redundancy, and continuous security verification. The critical factors to address include establishing secure, high-bandwidth links, segmenting the network to contain potential breaches, deploying redundant hardware, and implementing ongoing security assessments to adapt to evolving threats.

Establishing High-Bandwidth, Secure Connectivity

The backbone of the network between Atlanta and Cincinnati must support at least 50 Mbps, with scalability for future growth. Fiber optic connections are ideal for this purpose due to their high speed, low latency, and security benefits. A Layer 1 point-to-point fiber link can guarantee a dedicated, secure, and high-capacity connection, minimizing vulnerabilities associated with wireless or public internet links. To enhance security, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) with strong encryption protocols such as IPsec should be employed, creating a secure overlay for the dedicated fiber connection.

Network Segmentation and Security Architecture

Given the sensitivity of the data housed at each site, network segmentation is essential. The Atlanta facility's network should be segregated into multiple zones: one for the secure development teams, one for data and web servers, and another for general administrative access. Using Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) and firewall rules, each zone can be isolated to contain potential cyberattacks and limit lateral movement. Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) should be strategically placed at network boundaries to monitor, alert, and block malicious activities.

For the Cincinnati location, similar segmentation should be employed, especially for the sensitive database servers. The direction is to restrict access to these servers using firewalls and secure VPNs for remote administration. This layered defense approach reduces the attack surface and ensures that critical systems are protected from unauthorized access.

Wireless Infrastructure and Intra-Building Connectivity

Within each building, a combination of wired and wireless connections will serve the network connections for staff and devices. Wired connections should utilize structured cabling with secured switches employing port security features. Wireless access points should support WPA3 encryption to prevent eavesdropping and unauthorized access. Network Access Control (NAC) solutions should be employed to enforce security policies for wireless clients, including authentication, endpoint compliance checks, and device whitelisting.

Data Center Design: Redundancy and Security

The primary data center at Atlanta must incorporate redundancy at multiple levels, including power supplies, network links, cooling systems, and hardware components. Implementing RAID configurations for storage, dual network interfaces, and geographically separated backup power sources (such as generators) ensures high availability. The Cincinnati data center will serve as a failover, mirroring critical data and configurations, ensuring minimal downtime during outages or security incidents.

Both data centers should be placed in physically secured locations with controlled access, video surveillance, biometric authentication, and environmental controls. Regular security audits and maintenance routines are essential to preserve the physical and logical security posture.

Security Verification, Monitoring, and Compliance

Continuous security verification is fundamental to maintaining a resilient infrastructure. Deploy Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems to aggregate logs from network devices, servers, and security appliances. Automated alerting and incident response plans should be established to address detected anomalies promptly. Regular vulnerability scans, penetration testing, and compliance assessments (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST Cybersecurity Framework) must be integrated into routine operations. Encryption at rest and in transit, strong authentication mechanisms (multi-factor authentication), and strict access controls underpin a secure environment.

Periodic security audits, employee training, and awareness programs are crucial for maintaining the security culture. Additionally, a formal plan for disaster recovery and incident response will help mitigate risks associated with breaches or physical damage.

Conclusion

Building a secure, redundant, and high-performance network infrastructure for Acme Corporation’s campuses demands a layered security approach that combines secure connectivity, network segmentation, redundancy, and rigorous security verification. Fiber optic links, virtualized network zones, strong encryption, physical security controls, and continuous monitoring form the basis of a resilient infrastructure. Implementing these design principles will enable Acme to safeguard its critical assets while ensuring operational continuity amid potential cyber threats and physical disruptions.

References

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