Customer Needs Assessment

Types of Connections

Remote Connections

Which users should be permitted to access the network through a remote location? Which resources should they be able to access from a remote location?

Are users accessing the network through a virtual private network (VPN)? If so, how many routers or VPN gateways enable this access, and where are they located? How many endpoints access the network through each VPN gateway?

How will remote users prove to the VPN gateway that they are legitimate? Will they submit digital certificates or usernames and passwords? Where will the database for credentials be stored? Often it is a good idea to use an existing directory, but you might also store a short list of legitimate users locally on a VPN gateway.

Recording the Types of Connections Available to Users

As you gather information about the types of connection each group needs, you should record your findings so that you can later use this information to create your company’s security policy. Table 2-2provides an example.

Table 2-2. Network Users

Group

Permitted Connections

Access Times

Network Resources

 

 

 

 

Human

Wired

24x7

Server 10.1.1.50

resources—permanent

Wireless

 

Email

employees

Remote, through the

 

Internet

 

 

 

company VPN

 

Printer 10.1.1.200

 

 

 

Color printer 10.1.1.210

Human resources—temporary

Wired only

8 am to 5 pm

Server 10.1.1.50

employees

 

 

Temporary email account

 

 

 

Internet

 

 

 

Print 10.1.1.200

 

 

 

Color printer 10.1.1.210

Sales

Wired

24x7

Server 10.1.2.50

 

Wireless

 

Email

 

Remote, through the

 

Internet

 

company VPN

 

Printer 10.1.2.155

 

 

 

Color printer 10.1.2.156

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