Transcript the PowerPoint

Legal Services
National Technology Assistance Project
www.lsntap.org
Networking Roundtable
A Look at Operating Systems
How to Make Best Decisions
Presenters
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Steve Gray, Legal Services of South
Central Michigan
Ken Montenegro, Asian Pacific
American Legal Center
Michael Bowen, Community Legal
Services, Philadelphia
Overview of Session
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Components & Definitions
Choosing a Network Operating System
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Linux, Microsoft, Netware
What goes into the decision
Connecting and Providing Remote Access
Trainer’s Plugs -- Resources
How Many of You…
(Using the QuickPoll (green  or red X):)
 Administer your own network?
 Pay outside consultants to administer your
network?
 Have other paid staff to administer your
network?
 Other scenario? (write in chat)
Part I:
Components & Definitions
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Desktop and Laptops (This can be a stand
alone computer or thin client.)
Server
Gateway
Firewall
Remote Access
Network Connections
Network Operating System
Definitions: Server
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A computer system in a network that is shared by
multiple users.
Local LAN servers (file servers)
Servers can also host:
1. email
2. web sites and intranets
3. case management
4. email lists
5. back-ups
6. other databases
Definitions: Gateway
A device that acts as a go-between two or
more networks that use the same
protocols. In this case, the gateway
functions as an entry/exit point to the
network. Transport protocol conversion
may not be required, but some form of
processing is typically performed.
Definitions: Firewall
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Firewall - allows or blocks traffic into
and out of a private network or the
user's computer. Firewalls are widely
used to give users secure access to
the Internet as well as to separate a
program's public web server from its
internal network.
Definitions: Remote Access
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Using a computer to access
resources that are in a different
location or office. Generally refers to
users located outside the office,
accessing resources either via a
private line (modem or a T-1) or a
public connection such as the
Internet.
Definitions: Network
Connections
LAN:
1. Ethernet (10/100)
2. Wireless (A/B/G)
Internet:
1. Broadband (cable or DSL)
2. Frame Relay
3. T1 and Fractional
Between LANs:
1. WAN - two or more LANs
connected.
Definitions:
Network Operating Systems
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An operating system that is designed for
network use. A network ready OS
manages concurrent requests from clients
and provides the security necessary in a
multi-user environment. A file sharing
component is installed in each client
machine that interacts with the server to
share files and applications as well as
network devices such as printers, faxes
and modems.
Part II: Choosing a Network
Operating System
QuickPoll & Annotations:
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What Operating System do you use?
(annotate document)
Are you certified in any operating system?
(Y/N)
Which ones (Novell, Microsoft, Linux -annotate document)
A Network Tale:
Two Legal Aid Programs
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What they run in their programs?
Why they run them in their programs?
What they wish were different?
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Community Legal Services, Philadelphia
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Michael Bowen (Microsoft)
Asian Pacific American Legal Center
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Ken Montenegro (Linux)
Making an OS Decision
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Hardware compatibility
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Technical compatibility (skillz)
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Staff
Consultants (Consultant costs & Finding a
consultant)
Application support
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Old hardware runs
Legal Applications
Management Tools Lacking
Existing infrastructure
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Often not a problem
Connecting LANs and
Providing Remote Access
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What are you connecting?
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Remote users for
application/documents/etc?
Remote offices into one network?
(WAN)
VPNs
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OpenVPN (http://openvpn.net): A open
source SSL VPN solution which can
accommodate a wide range of
configurations, including remote access,
site-to-site VPNs, WiFi security, and
enterprise-scale remote access solutions
with load balancing, failover, and finegrained access-controls.
At LSSCM we are experimenting with open
VPN as a replacement for WebDrive
remote access.
VPNs: Ken’s
PPTP for mobile users
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What we use, Poptop (http://www.poptop.org/)
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On Legal Center issued notebooks
Users must sign a special VPN policy
Users never know their VPN password
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Ideallly, something like token based authentication...
IPSec
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Good for static IP locations
VPNs: Why They are Evil
Quick Poll
 How many folks use VPNs currently for
remote users?
 How many folks use VPNs currently for
remote users located in an office within
your program (as a WAN)?
 How many folks use SSL-VPNs currently?
 How many folks have a Terminal Server?
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Do you serve TS Apps to Inside Users?
Do you serve TS Apps to External Users?
IP Sec v. SSL v. Remote
Control
1. IPSec
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Remote Node
Apps run local
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Need to be Installed
Need to be Licensed
Need to be Updated...regularly
Is the Remote Node Secure?
Is the A-V Up-to-Date?
SSL-VPN
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Hardware Requirements (Very low)
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Screen shots, kybd, mouse clicks
Dial-up might be pushing it, but is not unheard of...
Applications
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Remote Machine: Only a browser (...ok, maybe a small
plug-in)
All Applications run locally on the backend
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On better hardware
Closer to the data
Controlled/Maintained at a single source, not dispersed
Terminal Server on the backend
SSL-VPN
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Security Configuration
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DMZ or
Parallel to Firewall
Costs
SSL VPN Appliance Vendors
* Aventail
* Netilla
* Neoteris
* Cisco
* Juniper
* Array
WANs
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By Ken Montenegro
Other Remote Access
LSSCM Remote Access Solution: WebDrive
(http://www.webdrive.com/products/webdrive/index.html)
SSH access - Secure file transfer and document
collaboration software using WebDAV, FTP or SFTP. At
LSSCM this allows remote staff (home of community
center laptop) to map their office document directory
as a virtual drive, files are transferred by simply saving
them to a drive letter. There's no need to run a
separate FTP client interface. Unlike typical FTP
clients, WebDrive lets you open and edit server-based
files without the additional download step.
Trainers’ Plugs
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BackupPC (http://backuppc.sourceforge.net):
BackupPC is an enterprise-grade system for backing up
Linux and WinXX PCs and laptops to a server's disk.
Very nice web-based admin interface. We use it at
LSSCM to backup servers over HTTPS in 6 offices to
remote location.
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HostMonitor: Monitor your servers to make sure
they're running, check to make sure a particular service
is running, check for specific Events in the Event Log,
check for low disk space, file changes (size/time),
monitor your WAN or your internet connection. Amazing
tool, reasonable cost, great support. (http://www.kssoft.net/hostmon.eng/index.htm/)
Trainers’ Plugs
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KiwiSyslog: Not free, but very
reasonable syslog server.
(http://www.kiwisyslog.com/sysloginfo.php/)
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Gillware Data Recovery: Very
reasonably priced. Great service.
(http://http://www.gillware.com/)