Research and justify whether LSDG will use existing computer hardware that is being used with the Windows XP systems, or if new hardware will be required.
LSDG will run Linux on all its machines. The company wants to replace the machines running windows XP with Linux operating system. The specifications for machines running windows XP currently are Processor: Intel Core 2, Memory: 2GB RAM, Hard Drive: 80GB, Network Card: 10/100 Mbps, USB Ports: 4 USB 2.0 and Monitor: 15inch LCD. The minimum requirements for installing Linux variants on desktop/laptop configuration are 700 MHz processor, 512 MB RAM (system memory), 5 GB of hard-drive space (or USB stick, memory card or external drive), VGA capable of 1024x768 screen resolution, Either a CD/DVD drive or a USB port for the installer media and Internet access.
Plan for migration from Windows XP to Linux
The recommended Linux OS is Ubuntu. Migrating from windows XP to Linux will be carried out in stages. The machines running Windows XP are client machines; therefore, they will not affect the operations of the whole system. This means that during the whole process of migration, the whole system will continue to be fully functional. Only the client machine undergoing the migration will be offline at that particular moment (Hentzen, 2004).
A computer technician will perform the migration on each individual client machine. Before migration can begin, the technician will ensure that they have a copy of the Linux operating system they want to install. Due to the large number of client machines involved, the whole migration process will take a significant amount of time. Once the new operating system has been installed, that particular machine will go back to the networks and be immediately available for use (Allen, 2012).
Determine the hardware to be used and the installation options.
The computers running windows XP will be used to run Linux. These machines have the specifications needed to run Linux operating systems comfortably. Once the new operating system has been installed, these machines will need to be installed with specific applications. In order to save time, the system administrator will install applications on each machine from the server (Smith, 2005).
They will use an application such as desktop central to install applications on the client machines. This makes the work of the administrator easier as they will have one software repository to use in installing all the software. The application can also be scheduled to automatically install, update, and uninstall software from the client machines. Because the migration process will take place one client machine at a time, the administrator can schedule the application to install the required software automatically once a new machine goes online (Smith, 2005).
How will users log onto the systems? Explain.
Once a machine has been successfully converted from running windows XP to Linux, it will be connected to the system. The user will connect to the system remotely using an internet connection. Access control will be used to determine how a user will log on into the system. Before joining the system, the system administrator will give each user their credentials, which they will require to log on into the system (Hentzen, 2004).
A credential is usually something that the user knows, possesses or something that they are. For example, a fingerprint is a credential that the user is, a key fob or identification card is something they possess and a password is something that they know. In this case, each user will have a unique and password, which are the credentials they will use to log in to the system. The user will generate a by a user swiping their identification card while the password will allow them to access the system. This two-factor access control is more secure than one factor access control. The administrator will monitor access to the system and will have the authority to terminate a connection if they discover a problem. This method of access control means that a machine is not specifically assigned to a user. Using their access credentials, a user can use any machine in the network to log onto the system.
How will systems receive IP addresses? Explain.
How will DNS be accessed by the LSDG systems? Explain.
The domain name system (DNS) is the naming system for different nodes in a computer network. Users will not interact directly with the DNS resolver. Interaction usually takes place using applications such as web browsers. When a domain is requested, the application sends a request to the DNS resolver located on the local operating system (Pfaffenberger, 2011).
The DNS can have a history of recent requests. If the requested domain is not available, the computer will connect to the DNS server and search for the name. LSDG will configure their own DNS server. When a request is made, the domain will be searched for in the local machine and then on the DNS server until it gets a result. If the domain is found, the results are sent back to the machine where it is cached and forwarded to the application that initiated the search. If the domain is not found, a message that the requested domain was not found is also returned to the requesting application (Pfaffenberger, 2011).
Explain how files on the network may be accessed by LSDG.
LSDG will be connected to the whole HACKD system. They will have access to the databases in the system. LSDG will be granted access to the system and therefore will be able to access files stored on the network. The system administrator will grant LSDG the powers necessary to access the files on the system. The whole network will include HACKD client machines and LSDG client machines. This means that any machine connected to the system may access the files available on the network (Schroder, 2007).
Explain how LSDG can securely share files within their group and other selected groups/users in the company.
LSDG will make use of file sharing capabilities within the network to share files within the group securely. The logical administration of the database will be available through a database management system. LSDG will be given a logical partition of the database where they will have their files. Any user with LSDG credentials will be able to access the files stored on this logical partition. This will enable LSDG members to share their files on the network securely. The system administrator will grant any other person the permission required to access files stored in LSDG’s partition. This means that any user in the system who has powers can share files with LSDG.
How will printing be handled? Explain.
Printing will be handled on the system by use of a central printer server. All the machines in the entire system and all the printers in the network will be connected to this printer server. Once any client needs to do printing, their machine will send a request to the printer server and the server will allocate a printer to the client based on location and availability. The use of a central printer server eliminates the need for each client machine being connected physically to a printer and reduces the number of printers needed to serve the system (Welsh, Dalheimer, Dawson & Kaufman, 2013).
What, if any, data will be encrypted? Explain.
Data encryption is important as it ensures that unauthorized individuals cannot access the data especially during transmission. This means that all data being transmitted within the network will be encrypted to ensure that it is only available to authorized people. This is especially important for transmissions through the internet, which is public. All data transmissions within the network will therefore be automatically encrypted. The data stored in the databases will also be encrypted to ensure that any unauthorized access does not lead to leakage (Welsh, Dalheimer, Dawson & Kaufman, 2013).
References
Allen, D. (2012). Windows to Linux migration toolkit. Rockland, MA: Syngress Pub.
Hentzen, W. (2004). Linux transfer for power users: A roadmap for migrating to Linux for experienced windows users. Whitefish Bay, WI: Hentzenwerke Pub.
Pfaffenberger, B. (2011). Linux networking clearly explained. San Diego: Morgan Kaufmann.
Schroder, C. (2007). Linux networking cookbook. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media.
Smith, R. W. (2005). Linux in a Windows world. Beijing: O'Reilly.
Welsh, M., Dalheimer, M. K., Dawson, T., & Kaufman, L. (2013). Running Linux. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly.
