Windows Server Infrastructure Upgrade And Redesign At Elearn

Windows Server Infrastructure Upgrade And Redesign At Elearningovervi

Windows Server Infrastructure Upgrade and Redesign at ELearning. Overview ELearning is an educational software developer that provides software and cloud computing solutions to private and public educational institutions throughout North America and Europe. The organization currently has four major offices located in Vienna, Virginia, San Jose, California, and Dublin, Ireland. A sales team of more than a hundred work across the United States and Europe, primarily from their own homes. ELearning has experienced a combination of growth and disaster in the last 3 years and plans to add an additional 130+ employees, including opening a new office in Austin, Texas, in the next 6 months.

To meet these growth challenges, ELearning is in the process of upgrading the network environment from the current ad hoc design, comprised of Windows 2003, 2008, and *NIX systems, to Windows 2012 R2 Active Directory. Steps have already been taken to improve the network infrastructure. The Vienna Virginia location has replaced all 2008 Domain Controllers with Windows 2012 Servers. However, the San Jose and Dublin locations are still running a single Windows 2008 Domain Controller at each site. Currently, all server and workstation IP addresses are statically assigned.

DNS is hosted on an older generation UNIX server that has been hacked several times due to faulty security. Remote users currently connect via VPN, which has caused numerous security incidents due to missing antivirus software, outdated AV signatures, and missing OS patches on workstations and laptops. Although the Austin location has not officially opened, there are six users currently deployed there. There are currently no domain controllers or qualified personnel to support them at this location. This site needs to be incorporated into the ELearning Active Directory ASAP.

Austin users must be able to authenticate and access ELearning Active Directory services. ELearning has recently acquired another company, EduTech Inc. The existing EduTech Active Directory domain needs to be integrated into the existing ELearning Active Directory forest. The ELearning data center is located at the Vienna and Dublin locations. This is where ELearning hosts and maintains its cloud computing services.

Due to increased demand for its cloud services, ELearning has experienced difficulty getting servers and services deployed in time due to the lack of an efficient and cost-effective deployment process. The current Active Directory is a single domain. It is necessary to complete the network design and improve the server infrastructure. Current physical locations, logical design, and specific requirements are outlined, emphasizing the need for upgrades, redundancy, security, and scalable deployment strategies.

Paper For Above instruction

The proposed upgrade and redesign of ELearning's Windows Server infrastructure are aimed at establishing a resilient, scalable, and secure environment that supports the organization's growth and operational needs. This comprehensive plan addresses core aspects such as domain controller deployment, Active Directory restructuring, DNS and DHCP design, remote access solutions, imaging strategies, and forest integration, aligning with best practices in enterprise IT management.

Executive Overview

The primary goal of this infrastructure proposal is to enable ELearning to operate efficiently, securely, and flexibly across multiple global locations while preparing for continued growth. By deploying redundant Windows Server 2012 R2 Domain Controllers at each site, implementing industry-standard security measures, and designing an automated deployment process, the organization can significantly improve its operational resilience and deployment agility. This proposal emphasizes cost-effective solutions that reduce manual intervention, strengthen security, and facilitate seamless integration of new sites and acquired companies.

Key aspects include a multi-site Active Directory topology with Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODCs) where appropriate, a resilient DNS strategy supporting DNSSEC and zone delegation, fault-tolerant DHCP configurations with failover clustering, and secure remote access leveraging VPN with Network Access Policy Controls. Additionally, the plan recommends establishing scalable imaging procedures for workstations and servers using Windows Deployment Services (WDS) and dedicated virtualization management through Virtual Machine Manager (VMM). The design prioritizes security, manageability, and cost-efficiency, positioning ELearning for sustained growth and operational excellence.

Compared to competitors’ proposals, this plan offers a holistic approach integrating security, automation, scalability, and disaster recovery. It leverages proven Microsoft technologies tailored to ELearning’s specific needs, including site-to-site VPNs, forest trust configurations for cross-company integration, and modern deployment tools. This results in a resilient, manageable, and future-proof infrastructure aligned with industry best practices.

Windows Deployment Design and Automation Strategy

Implementing a robust, automated deployment process is critical for ELearning’s scalability. This involves creating standardized images for client workstations and servers, utilizing Windows Deployment Services (WDS) to facilitate bare-metal installations. The deployment plan includes creating master images for Windows 8 clients and Windows Server 2012 R2 servers, which can be deployed via multicast to minimize network load. Multicast deployment enhances efficiency by allowing simultaneous installation across multiple machines, reducing time and bandwidth consumption.

Moreover, integrating WDS with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) allows for customizable and automated OS and software installations, ensuring consistent configurations and reducing manual errors. Employing images stored centrally in the VMM library guarantees manageable updates and quick rollouts. For remote offices like Austin, deploying preconfigured images through remote management tools ensures minimal onsite support. This strategic approach simplifies mass deployment of OSes and applications, reduces operational costs, and accelerates setup times.

Utilizing Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), templates and profiles for various server roles can streamline VM provisioning, scaling, and updates. VMM enables creating hardware, OS, and application profiles, which automate the deployment and management of server environments. For example, a scaled-out VM template for hosting Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and cloud services can be rapidly instantiated as needed, supporting growth without delay. These capabilities support ELearning’s objectives for rapid and reliable server deployment, reducing downtime and operational costs.

Virtual Machine Manager Services Deployment

Designing Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) services involves creating comprehensive templates and profiles tailored to ELearning’s infrastructure. Operating system profiles include standardized OS images, while hardware capabilities profiles specify CPU, RAM, and storage configurations suited for different server roles. Application profiles contain pre-installed, configured enterprise applications essential for ELearning’s cloud services and internal operations.

Managing these profiles within VMM enables automated deployment, updating, and scaling of virtualized environments. Service templates can be configured for load balancing and high availability, ensuring that server provisioning is not only rapid but also resilient. For example, templates for web servers, database servers, and Active Directory can be deployed on-demand, with scripts and configurations embedded into the templates for consistent setup. This modular approach supports scalability and maintains high service availability during organizational growth or infrastructure failure.

Furthermore, VMM's service management capabilities allow for centralized control over scaling out or updating services, minimizing manual intervention and reducing operational overhead. The scheduling of regular updates, patches, and health checks integrated into the templates ensures system integrity. Library management within VMM consolidates hardware profiles, OS images, and application templates, simplifying access and deployment across all sites.

Server Environment Recommendations

Current infrastructure at Vienna contains two Windows Server 2012 Domain Controllers, while San Jose and Dublin still run Windows Server 2008, with older UNIX systems hosting DNS. Upgrading these legacy servers is essential to meet operational security and performance standards. The recommendation is to deploy additional Windows Server 2012 R2 Domain Controllers at San Jose and Dublin, ensuring all sites can operate independently in case of failure—achieving redundancy and fault tolerance.

Specifically, at each site, two Domain Controllers are ideal: one primary and one secondary, configured with Active Directory Sites and Services for efficient replication. For DNS, deploying Active Directory–integrated zones with DNSSEC enhances security and simplifies zone management. Replacing UNIX DNS servers with Windows Server DNS instances provides a unified and more secure infrastructure. DHCP should be configured with failover clustering and split scopes for high availability, ensuring uninterrupted IP address allocation during outages.

Implementing a combination of DHCP failover (either load-balanced or hot standby mode) ensures that DHCP services remain available. Additional roles like File, Print, and RRAS should be hosted on dedicated Windows Server 2012 R2 nodes, optimized for high availability with clustering where appropriate. For remote sites like Austin, deploying a minimal, cost-effective server setup with virtualized instances can meet immediate needs while maintaining room for future expansion.

This environment will benefit from streamlined management, easier updates, improved security, and resilience, aligning with ELearning’s operational demands and growth trajectory.

DHCP and DNS Design

Designing a fault-tolerant DHCP system requires implementing DHCP failover clustering or load-balanced sibling servers, employing split scope configurations so that IP address ranges are divided across servers, and establishing DHCP failover partnerships for automatic state replication. Failover modes like hot standby or load sharing provide fault tolerance, ensuring continuous IP address allocation even if a server fails. DHCP filtering rules and scope options can manage network device and printer configurations effectively.

For DNS, utilizing DNSSEC increases security by validating DNS responses, protecting against cache poisoning. Active Directory–integrated zones facilitate zone replication, simplifying zone management across sites. Zone delegation supports hierarchical naming structures, particularly crucial for multi-site environments and external partner integration. Implementing cache locking prevents DNS cache poisoning, ensuring accurate internal name resolution even during internet outages.

Incorporating DNS Socket Pool enables better handling of DNS queries, especially during high load or failure scenarios. Redundancy and proper zone configuration allow clients and network devices to resolve names reliably, with fallback options during network disruptions. Proper configuration ensures resilience and continuity for ELearning’s critical services.

Remote Access and Security

Secure remote access must leverage a VPN infrastructure combined with Network Access Policies (NAP) to enforce compliance and security. Site-to-site VPNs connect ELearning’s dispersed offices, ensuring encrypted communication channels. Implementing DirectAccess, integrated with Windows Server and Active Directory, offers seamless, always-on connectivity for remote users without traditional VPN prompts, improving usability and security.

Packet filtering and tracing are essential for troubleshooting and securing remote connections, enabling administrators to monitor traffic patterns and identify anomalies. Multi-site Remote Access deployment enhances scalability, allowing the addition of remote offices or mobile users without complex reconfiguration. Strong authentication protocols like certificates or smart cards reinforce security, whilst multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an additional security layer.

Implementing robust policies for remote user compliance, patch management, and endpoint antivirus ensures security standards are maintained remotely. This comprehensive remote access solution allows ELearning to facilitate flexible work environments while protecting corporate assets against cyber threats.

Active Directory Topology Design

The Active Directory structure should establish a multi-site topology with strategically placed RODCs where security or bandwidth constraints exist, such as in remote offices. Proximity of Domain Controllers reduces replication latency and improves authentication performance. Optimizing site links and scheduling replication intervals ensures data consistency while minimizing network load.

Group Policy management should emphasize security policies, desktop configurations, and software deployment, tailored to each site’s needs. Regular monitoring and resolving of Active Directory replication conflicts are critical for maintaining directory consistency. Trust relationships between ELearning and EduTech forests must be configured as two-way transitive trusts, facilitating resource sharing while ensuring security boundaries.

The topology must incorporate disaster recovery considerations, including multiple Domain Controllers per site and geographically redundant configurations. This approach guarantees that Active Directory services remain available and consistent regardless of individual site failures, aligning with organizational needs for high availability and security.

Conclusion

The proposed infrastructure upgrade to Windows Server 2012 R2 Active Directory, integrated with modern deployment, virtualization, and security strategies, will position ELearning for sustainable growth and operational resilience. The comprehensive design addresses existing vulnerabilities, enhances automation and scalability, and ensures secure, high-performance services across all physical and virtual locations. By implementing fault-tolerant DHCP, DNS, remote access, and AD topology, ELearning can confidently support its expanding workforce and service portfolio, ensuring business continuity and security in a competitive landscape.

References

• Microsoft. (2013). Active Directory Domain Services Design Guide. Microsoft Docs. https://docs.microsoft.com
• Microsoft. (2014). Windows Deployment Services (WDS). Microsoft Docs. https://docs.microsoft.com
• Smith, J. (2015). Best practices for DHCP deployment in enterprise networks. Journal of Network Management, 29(4), 453-465.
• Brown, L., & Green, P. (2017). Securing DNS in Active Directory environments. Journal of Information Security, 8(2), 123-134.
• Ferguson, R. (2016). Virtual Machine Management with System Center Virtual Machine Manager. TechPro Publications.
• Johnson, M. (2018). Designing resilient enterprise networks. Wiley Publishing.
• Kim, S., & Lee, H. (2019). Secure remote access strategies with DirectAccess and VPN. IEEE Communications Magazine, 57(6), 54-59.
• Ellison, T. (2020). Automating Windows Server deployments with MDT. IT Professional Magazine, 22(1), 30-37.
• Chen, Y. (2021). Active Directory topology optimization for multi-site enterprise deployments. Journal of Network Architecture, 12(3), 210-225.
• Microsoft. (2022). Planning and implementing Active Directory Domain Services. Microsoft Docs. https://docs.microsoft.com