risks of a network environment...

[atomiser]

hi. as per title really. i'm after people's general considerations of the risks of a networked environment...

here are my initial thoughts...

hardware failure, to include server and network equipment. (the loss of a workstation due to hardware failure i would class as trivial - in a networked environment).

infection due to virii / worms etc etc

'hackers'

some solutions to the problems might be:

'acceptable use' policy of the workstations / server to include such things as password protection, downloading from the 'net, personal use of email etc etc

firewall, intrusion detection system

anti-virus software - possible centrally controlled from a 'patch-distribution' server - if the network is large or distributed enough.

resilient hard drives in a raid type configuration and also a tape backup system for server (or perhaps an offsite backup using spare internet bandwidth if not a 24/7 operation).

redundant network topology.

please could anyone point out things that i have not thought of or that i have plain missed!

many thanks!

[nihil]

Hmm,

Power supply both mains, and in the servers..................can be mitigated by redundant power supplies, UPS and standby generators.

If you lose an apps or file server in a thin client architecture you have business continuity problems.

Fire, flood, lightning.............the usual considerations when you "have all your eggs in one basket" (relatively speaking)

Support..........as in, many people can fix desktop PC problems, in a networked environment you are relying on a relatively small number of skilled support people. Particularly regarding the network itself.

That's about all I can think of at the moment.

[atomiser]

thats great, thanks very much! it totally slipped my mind about power. thanks again for your input!

[nihil]

Hi,

Don't forget the human angle, any site I have ever worked on has had the minimum of network/server support people.............they take holidays and get sick? You can get in an outsider to fix PCs and they will be up to speed in 15 minutes.............servers and networks are another story.

I didn't mention it, but a networked infrastructure makes a lot more attractive target for terrorists, and requires more stringent physical security.



EDIT: That goes for theft as well............I have known of £350,000 worth of Sun equipment dissappear from site.............they wouldn't even have looked at the desktop kit!