Planning for Network Security
A connection to the Internet allows your organization's staff to use e-mail to communicate with people around the world and to obtain information and files from a vast number of sources. It also allows your customers to obtain information and services from your organization at any time. In addition, your organization's staff can use company resources from home, hotels, or anywhere else they might be, and partners can use special facilities to allow them to work more effectively with your company.
As you plan your network, you might want to implement security technologies appropriate for your organization. Addressing these issues early in your Windows 2000 deployment planning ensures that security cannot be breached and that you are ready to provide secure networking facilities when needed. Even though you probably have a secure network environment already in place, it is important for you to review your security strategies with Windows 2000 capabilities in mind. Considering the implications of the new network security technologies in Windows 2000 might lead you to rethink your security plan. To begin, it is recommended that you complete the following tasks as you develop your network security plan:
Assess your network security risks.
Determine your server size and placement requirements.
Prepare your staff.
Create and publish security policies and procedures.
Use a formal methodology to create a deployment plan for your security technologies.
Identify your user groups and their specific needs and security risks.
The following sections describe these items in more detail.
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Note
For more information about deployment planning for your network, see "Determining Network Connectivity Strategies" in this book. That chapter includes strategies for routing, addressing, name resolution, network applications, and similar networking issues. This chapter concentrates on the security issues of your network.